1. On July 13, 1780, American General Horatio Gates arrived at Rugeley's Mill, South Carolina, after a retreat from a devastating defeat to the British at the Battle of Camden. This marked a low-point for the American Revolution in the South, but eventually led to a turning point in the war when General Nathanael Greene took command and began to employ guerilla tactics against the British.

2. In 1863, more than 400 Union soldiers were captured in a skirmish in Honey Hill, South Carolina on July 13. This was part of a larger Union campaign to take control of the state and cut off Confederate supplies, which ultimately failed due to fierce resistance from Confederate troops.

3. July 13, 1907 marked the opening of the new Union Station in Columbia, South Carolina. The station was a hub for train travel throughout the state and beyond for many years, until declining rail traffic led to its closure in the 1960s.

4. On July 13, 1927, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture began promoting their new campaign to conserve soil and prevent erosion. This effort was aimed at improving the profitability of farming in the state and protecting the environment for future generations.

5. In 1977, actor James Baskett was posthumously awarded an Academy Award for his role as "Uncle Remus" in the 1946 Disney film "Song of the South." Baskett was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, but lived in Beaufort, South Carolina for many years and was buried there after his death in 1948.