Just three days before the Revolutionary War Battle of Kettle Creek, the "Fight at Vann's Creek" in Elbert County gave Tories loyal to the British a taste of the defeat to come. A ceremony commemorating the battle will be held in December, and the public is invited.

The Georgia Sons of the American Revolution and the Samuel Elbert Chapter SAR is inviting the public to the commemoration ceremony in the beach area of the Russell State Park on December 8 at 11 a.m.

This battle took place February 11, 1779, just three days before the successful victory of the Patriots at Kettle Creek. This battle site is one of the top 11 battle sites identified in a report funded by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

The speaker for the ceremony is Steven J. Rauch, Command Historian at the U.S. Army Signal Center at Fort Gordon and an adjunct instructor at Augusta State University. A retired Army officer,Rauch has written and taught military history at the US Army Command and General Staff College, the University of Michigan, and the US Army Ordnance School.

The Yargo Community Concert Band from Winder will accompany the ceremony with the GASSAR bagpiper John Mortison playing "Amazing Grace." The Georgia Society's award-winning Color Guard will have a command performance along with their Elijah Clarke Militia Color Guard saluting with black powder muskets.

Russell State Park is north of Elberton, off GA-77 on Ruckersville Road about 9 miles east of Elberton.