In the 18th century especially, but also in the 19th century, the South was overwhelmingly rural, as indeed was most of the country. Though it might not have a single town, every county had a courthouse that functioned as a county seat. In the case of Appomattox, this seat consisted of the courthouse, five houses, and a tavern. Battlefields were generally named for the nearest town or water source, so if a county courthouse was the closest, it often got used, even though the fighting might be miles away.