Marlboro County ScArchives History - Books .....Chapter XI Progress Of Rvolutionary Sentiment 1897
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Book Title: A History Of Marlboro County

CHAPTER XI.
PROGRESS OF REVOLUTIONARY SENTIMENT.

  If the foregoing expressions, in a previous chapter, from individuals and the
courts, indicated a strong attachment to the principles of liberty, they evinced
at the same time, a spirit of determination and increasing readiness for the
approaching crisis. If among the first to boldly declare opposition to
encroachments upon their sacred rights, the fathers seemed to understand and
appreciate that they were assuming a position from which they could not recede.
And yet they had not gone so far but that reasonable concessions from the Crown,
and a show of just consideration to the interests of the colonies, would have
stayed the tide of revolution and restored loyalty and love to the parent
government. But such pacific measures were hoped in vain from a proud, powerful
government. Royalty yields only to necessity, and 1775 witnessed an effort on
the part of its representatives to recall the people to a sense of their
allegiance, by issuing one order and proclamation after another, asserting the
"divine right," and exhorting to obedience, and warning against disloyalty.

  The Provincial Congress, a body organized to promote the interest of the
people by counsel and remonstrance and petition, had adjourned to meet on June
20. But on the 19th of April the battle of Lexington was fought; and, although
the battle-ground was far to the north, yet the tidings that American blood had
been shed upon American soil, for American liberty, stirred the American heart
in Carolina as surely as in Massachusetts, and the committee invested with such
authority called the delegates together on the first day of June. One hundred
and seventy-two brave men responded to the call; among them Samuel Wise,
Claudius Pegues and William Henry Harrington, and on the second day of the
session passed a paper recognizing the "existence of hostilities"—declaring the
"causes sufficient to drive all oppressed people to arms"—that they would "be
justified before God and man in resisting force by force, and solemnly engaging
that whenever our continental or provincial councils shall decree it necessary,
we will go forth and be ready to sacrifice our lives and fortunes to secure our
freedom and support." It was further "resolved to raise fifteen hundred infantry
and four hundred and fifty rangers." Before the end of the year matters had
become so warlike that the royal governor fled from the capitol and took refuge
upon a "man of war," dissolving for the last time the "common House of
Assembly." Before this year ended a detachment of troops was ordered from the
Pee Dee, under Maj. Hicks, to the Congaree, but the order was countermanded
while they were upon the march. So that war was upon the people before the end
of 1775; although there were some who, no doubt, honestly dissented, and were
sincere in their professions of loyalty; doubtless others were indifferent as to
the result of the struggle, provided they themselves could be let alone, while
yet another class dodged the service, only to plunder and spoil. But thousands
of the best people in the land threw the whole weight of their influence,
property and personal services into the cause of the struggling colonies.

  The year destined to be noted in American history as "Independence Year,"
opened upon this southern land dark and portentous. It looked as if Charleston
was to be assailed from the sea. Ships of war were seen upon the bar, and a call
was made for "detachments of volunteers in small parties of twenty or fifty as
they could be collected." Maj. Hicks and Capt. Wise, with these detachments,
promptly responded. Some of the country troops remained for some time, while
others were soon discharged; and this seems to have been a common rule of
action. It could not be otherwise; there were no arms, no treasury, no supplies
to keep an army in the field. It was an infant republic struggling for birth.
When some imminent peril threatened one point, help was called in from
neighboring regions, and as soon as the danger was past the body of troops went
home subject to call. And so it was that the necessary expenses of these
volunteers were not always paid; and may have become a source of irritation and
a hinderance to a ready response to an after call. It has been said that
"certain expenses incurred by this detachment under Maj. Hicks were not paid";
and it is not surprising if some of these ready patriots from the Pee Dee were a
little slow to answer when called again. Yet it is amazing that with resources
of all sorts so feeble, and troops so few, the war was maintained so long,
covering, as it did, a field as wide as the thirteen colonies, and sometimes
running over into Canada. It was the spirit of resistance, indomitable energy
and love for the cause they had espoused that animated all classes, that
sustained and carried them forward. Bishop Gregg, to whom the writer is so
largely indebted for many facts bearing upon the history of these stirring times
in Carolina and upon the Pee Dee, has given us an interesting correspondence
between "Oliver Hart, pastor of the Charleston Baptist church, and Elhanan
Winchester, pastor of the Welsh Neck church, in behalf of the Baptist
congregation in general," on the one part, and the Hon. Henry Laurens,
Vice-President of the Province of South Carolina, on the other part; which is a
most beautiful expression of piety, patriotism, trust in God and devotion to the
cause of independence on the part of all concerned. The preachers said, among
many other like things: "We hope yet to see hunted liberty sit regent on the
throne and flourish more than ever under the administration of such worthy
patriots; may we not hope that the time is come in which our rulers may be men
fearing God, and hating covetousness, a terror to evil-doers, and a praise to
them that, do well." In his reply Mr. Laurens said, "Let each man among us,
whether in the State or in the Church, whether in public or private life, by
example, by precept, by every becoming act, preserve and be ready with his life
and fortune to defend the just cause in which God has been pleased to engage us.
We shall, weak as we are, succeed against those who have assumed to themselves
the power of Omnipotence, who trust in fleets and armies to determine the fight.
We shall be the happy instruments of establishing liberty, civil and religious,
in a wilderness where towns and cities shall grow, whose inhabitants to the
latest posterity will look back to this happy epoch, and celebrate and bless the
memory of this generation." Eloquent prophecy! "There were giants in those
days." Not alone among the leaders, where circumstances place them in the front,
but in the rank and file among the humble and unknown, were men and women as
true, as brave, as noble and good as they.

  We have seen already that troops had gone from the Pee Dee to the neighborhood
of Charleston in response to the call of the Governor, but it is not known
whether any from this region were active participants in the memorable struggle
of June 28th. There is evidence that Captain Wise, who was a Pee Dee man, was on
Sullivan's Island, only the day before, and that Captain Harrington with a
company of volunteers was at "Haddrell's Point," (now Mount Pleasant), and it is
altogether probable that one or both of these Companies had some part in the
memorable contest, which terminated so favorably to the American arms. But in
the presence of Moultrie, Rutledge and Jasper, where artillery played the most
important part in the fight, it is not likely that half drilled militia should
find prominent mention, and yet from the correspondence of the men of Pee Dee it
is clear that they were under fire, and endured great privations for some days
in expectancy of the battle. And, without positive proof, no reason is known for
saying Marlboro was not represented in the fierce engagement that saved
Charleston for a time, repulsed the foe, and gave comparative repose to the
whole province for a considerable time.

  It was only six days after the brilliant victory at Fort Moultrie that the
Continental Congress, on July 4th, 1776, adopted the Declaration of
Independence. South Carolina heartily approved the Act, and at a court for the
Cheraws held in November following, the Grand Jury said in their presentment:
"It is with the highest pleasure that the Grand Jury for the District of Cheraws
embrace this first opportunity of congratulating our fellow citizens and
American brethren on the late declaration of the Continental Congress,
constituting the united colonies of North America free and independent states,
and the inhabitants thereof totally absolved from any allegiance to the British
Crown." It was not until the autumn of 1778 that another court was held for the
Cheraws, and that was the last till the war was ended.

  After their signal repulse at Moultrie the British directed their operations
against the northern and more populous colonies, and the people of South
Carolina enjoyed a season of comparative quiet. Now and then a band of Tories
would dash across the border upon a foray of plunder, but even they appeared to
be awed by the successes of the patriots in the first and only considerable
engagement on Carolina ground. To be sure, there was one here and there so fired
with the spirit of resistance, and so determined to be free, that if not needed
within their own borders, would seek the service and march to the front, though
far from their own hearthstones. Such an one was Joshua Ammons, now with Marion
in the swamps of Pee Dee, then in the Continental line an orderly sergeant with
LaFayette, or with Greene—he seemed to watch the progress of events and where
the bullets flew thickest, there he was found ready to hurl death and defiance
into the ranks of the foe, and, the war over, to settle down an humble,
consistent Christian man.

  About the close of 1778 the clouds again grew thick and lowering. December
witnessed the fall of Savannah and, judging from a note in the journal of Mr.
Pugh, the pastor at Welsh Neck, and an ardent patriot, it is inferred that
troops from the Pee Dee suffered in that catastrophe. On the 21st he preached a
sermon to his people for the youths lost at Savannah and says, "We lost many
youths." At the siege of Savannah, Samuel Wise, who had risen to a Major's
commission, a gallant son of Pee Dee, "fell at the post of duty" in the thickest
of the fight. He left no son to bear his name, but his devotion to his country's
cause entitles his name to grateful memory. South Carolina was now to become the
theatre of active operations. General Prevost, with a large force, was marching
towards Charleston. Again the metropolis was threatened with blood and carnage,
and again large drafts of the militia were called into service. A regiment from
the Pee Dee, under the command of Col. Mcintosh, responded to the call. But
unexpectedly Prevost withdrew and the fall of Charleston was delayed for a time;
and the country had a brief rest from the ravages of war, only as the "sons of
liberty," felt called to chastise some band of lawless Tories, who, taking
advantage of the absence of the men in camp, would make a dash for plunder, or
to murder some noted Whig who had made himself obnoxious to them by his bold
declarations or zeal for the cause of independence. And yet, as the year 1779
drew to a close, men felt that the struggle was yet before them; and that the
storm was gathering. But the Whigs in the Pee Dee region, not less than their
compatriots in other portions of the State, were ready to make good their
declarations, to "sacrifice life and fortune," rather than rest under the heel
of British oppression.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

A HISTORY OF MARLBORO COUNTY,
WITH
TRADITIONS AND SKETCHES OF NUMEROUS FAMILIES.

REV. J. A. W. THOMAS, AUTHOR.

A wonderful stream is the river Time
  As it runs through the realms of tears 
With a faultless rhythm and a musical rhyme,
And a broader sweep and a surge sublime
  As it blends with the ocean of years.
                        —TENNYSON.

ATLANTA, GA.:
THE FOOTE & DAVIES COMPANY,
Printers and Binders.
1897.


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