Letter to John Rutledge from Barnard Elliott, July 22, 1833.

Letter to John Rutledge from Barnard Elliott, July 22, 1833.

1833-07-22

Letters from John Rutledge, President of South Carolina, to the state delegates in the Congress of Philadelphia. Topics include the fall of Charleston, Thomas Sumter's victory at Hanging Rock, patriot and British troop strengths in South Carolina, battle of Eutaw Springs, execution of Isacc Hayne, John Laurens diplomatic activities in France, and election of J. Matthews to succeed Rutledge.

2023-05-11

600 dpi, 16-bit depth, color, Epson Expression 10000XL, Archival masters are tiffs.

Rutledge, John

Cox, Danielle

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Ms. 140, John Rutledge letters, 1780-1788.

English

Ms140_Let28

Report on Twenty-four letters from President John Rutledge to the So.-Carolina Delegates in Congress from May, 1780 to January, 1782, which were presented to the Charleston Library Society by Thomas Bee, Esq.,

July 22, 1833

At our last meeting I was requested by the Committee to examine the letters from his Excellency John Rutledge President of South Carolina to the Delegates of the State in the Congress at Philadelphia – written from 1780 to 1782, and presented to us by Thomas Bee, Esq.

I report that I have executed the wish of the Committee & find that there are all together Twenty-four letters, of which

9 - Nine relate to the year 1780
14- Fourteen to the year 1781
1 - One to the year 1782 - which is particularly important
Total 24

as it is the last official communication from President Rutledge to our Delegates, & written upon the last day of his office. The date is January-29-1782 & it states that J. Mathews had been elected Governor, & R. Hutson, Lieut.- Gov.: & that they would qualify the next day - and sketches the proceedings of the Jacksonborough Assembly (where it was written) up to that time. Upon perusing them they will be found to be authentic historical documents as they are entirely in the handwriting of Mr. Rutledge, except two, both of which
(Sept: 7- & Oct: 4. 1781) are revised and subscribed by him. Not only are they authentic but they are so - replete with information the most interesting and valuable, and Mr. Bee well merits the acknowledgment of the Society for an inestimable donation.

The great events to which they relate, it is true, have been preserved in the histories of our State which relate to the same period - But the anxieties, the opinions, & determination of our people can be ascertained only from the contemporaneous correspondence, & they have been faithfully
preserved in these communications. No Biographer can possibly convey to the mind of our youth, the zeal, the sleepless solicitude, the bold patriotic designs of this truly great character, as they are conveyed by his own hand - He was in exile from his home from 12 April 1780 to 14 December 1782 - & his bosom during that whole period, throbbed with but one desire, the recovery of Charleston. The following statement of the dates of these letters, both of time & place will indicate the occurrences to which they respectively relate, and will exhibit the restless activity of President Rutledge, to stimulate the States & the people to come to the rescue of South Carolina -

1780-May-24-&26 - Camden - He first hears of the fall of Charleston, & expresses astonishment at the conditions of the capitulation & that Gen: Lincoln did not evacuate the city & preserve his regular army, when he must have foreseen his post could not be maintained.
September-20 - Hillsborough
October-4- Hillsborough
October-12 - Hillsborough
November-20-25-26 - Account of the Sumter's victory at Hanging Rock, & the situation of military affairs
December-7 - Memoranda of our Troops, & those of the Enemy
December-8 - Charlotte - relates to Sumter's achievements
December-9 - Charlotte
December-30 - Pedee - Mr. Thomas's plantation nearly opposite Cheraw - Hill -
last of the year 1780 -

1781-January-10 - Thomas's plantation Cheraws
–11 – Cheraws
–14 – Cheraws
–24 – Cheraws – S.Ca.
February-10 - Hillsborough - N.Ca.
March-8 - New River - N.Ca. - Goes to Philadelphia
August-6-Santee High-Hills
September-7- Congaree Mrs. Motte's. This letter is signed by Mr. Rutledge, but in the handwriting of another - it requests that the resolution to allow Congress to collect 5 per.ct.(?) duty may be best for the consideration of the Legislature which he contemplates convening - endeavors to obtain a Printer - the Pennsylvania Gazette, the fountain of correct intelligence - mentions he had left Philadelphia - 2nd of June
September-9 - Congaree - Mrs. Motte's account of the victory of Eutaw - also encloses Gen. Greene's laconic account - dated at Burdell's house 6 miles from Eutaw -
September-9 - Congaree - Mrs. Motte's - requests the above information be instantly communicated to the Chevalier de la Luzerne
September-18 - Wateree - Mr. Dawson's plantation - resolutions to retaliate for the murder of Hayne - appointment of officers
October-4 - High Hills of Santee - This is the other letter which is signed by Mr. Rutledge but is not in his own handwriting. It mentions the reappointment of Delegates to Congress – John Laurens' success at the court of France- the Legislature of our State to be convened - Gillon's proceedings in regard to the cargo prizes
October-12-&20 - Santee - High-Hills - Relates to Types - a Mr. Patterson an impostor - November-22 - High Hills of Santee last of the year 1781 -
1782-January-29-1782 - Jacksonborough - his last official communication to our Delegates, & the only one of this year – mentions that his office expires the next day when Mr. Mathews would qualify-states the proceedings of the Legislature - & requests that they should not be published in the Philadelphia papers until he transmits authentic copies.

Gen Moultrie in his faithful Memoirs, Vol. 2 - p: 105-6 satisfactorily explains the high considerations upon which President Rutledge was urged and induced to leave the city & endeavors to rouse the country to advance to it's aid - He also applauds his services & the place from which his letters are dated demonstrate his activity. "Early in the siege Gen Lincoln requested, 'says Gen Moultrie in his Memoirs,' and urged the necessity of the Governor & Council leaving the town

that their being in the country would keep up the civil authority & be more useful than they could possibly be by staying in town."

The Governor made many objections, & said the citizens would say "he left them in time of danger." At last they fell upon an expedient that satisfied all parties, which was, that the Governor & three of his Council, should leave the town, & that Lieut. Gov: Gadsden & the five others of the Council, should remain within the lines. This being agreed to, on the twelfth day of April, Gov.: Rutledge, the Honorable Charles Pinckney, John Lewis Gervais, & Daniel Huger left the town, and went in the north part of the country. It was very fortunate for the province that the Governor was not made a prisoner in town

his presence in the country, kept every thing alive, and gave great spirits to the people, to have a man of such great abilities, firmness & decision amongst them. He gave commissions – raised new corps - embodied the Militia and went to Philadelphia, to solicit reinforcements. He returned & joined the Army - he stayed by them - enforced the laws of the province - called the Legislature - in short, he did every thing, that could be done for the "good of the country."

These statements and observations it is hoped may aid the Committee in appreciating these letters of President Rutledge for which we are indebted to Mr. Bee-As it is desirable that they should not only be preserved but that their contents should be acceptable, it is submitted to the Committee whether they should
not be fairly transcribed in a Book, which will render it unnecessary to resort to the Originals except for special purposes which will rarely occur. The contents of these letters occupy but twenty- four sheets written in a free hand which inserts but little in a page, they could therefore be easily compressed within a few pages - The character of Pres.: Rutledge's handwriting is the opposite of his style - that compressed but few lines in a page whilst his style conveyed pages in a sentence –

B. Elliott
July-22-1833

Historical Committee - on 24 letters of President Rutledge presented by Thomas Bee Esq.
[Blank]
16 - Sept. [unreadable] delivered to Solomon Oroby for For Johnson.

JC

2 large half round files +
5 small ditto – JC
2 smaller ditto – JC
3 Rat tail ditto JC
1 Iron brace + 3 bitte +
1 hank wire 5 lbs ½ +
Half pound borax
1 Screw Plate
Recd. for Fort Johnson
The contents of the
Within ord. October
16th 1776.

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