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Gc 975.7 So83d 1719198
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01755 8633
GC
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/documentsrelatin00sall
DOCUMENTS
RELATING TO THE
History of South Carolina
DURING THE
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
Edited by A. S. SALLEY, JR.
Secretary of the Historical Commission of South Carolina
Printed for THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF SOUTH CAROLINA By The State Company, Columbia, 5. C. 1908
F 866.8255
----- -
119198
[PETITION AND REMONSTRANCE OF JOSEPH BUFFINGTON IO THE PROVINCIAL CONGRESS. I
South Carolina
To the Honourable Wn: Henry Drayton Esquire, and the rest of the Gentlemen Members. of the South Carolina Provincial Congress, now in Charles-Town Assembled,
The Petition and Remonstrance of Joseph Buffington ( Iron Master) and now A resident of Said Province --
Sheweth,
That Your Petitionor who is lately removed from the province of North Carolina where he had resided, for many Years and carried on with great Success in the business of Makeing of Car Iron in all its branches, from an Ore, as may appear from many Certificats under the hands of Several Gentlemen of Char- rector residing in that province
That on Your Petitionors Arrival in this Goverment, upon a strict and Deligert Serch for Iron Ore he fortunately discovered a large body not Inferior to any hitherto discovered in the Northern Col- onies, being on a water Course, weil known in this province by the name of Lawsons fork a branch of Broad River, where it appear's to your Petitionor that Nature had designed and laid it out. to Every Advantage necessary for Carrying on So valuable and and Necessary branch of business and perticularly in so remote a part of this province, being About Two Hundred and Thirty Miles distantt from Charles Town.
That after Your Petitionor had made repeated Essays or Trials of the Ore and finding it to be very good and Equal in fineness to any he had heretofore wrought to the Northward, he was Induced and Incouraged by the whole of the Inhabitants in that part of the Country to proceed to Errect A Bloomery, with great success untill the work was above half Compleated in such a workmanlike manner as to meet with the General Approbation of those, well skill'd and avers'd by long Experience and knowledge in Iron works in other provinces, but your petitionor's not being at present in Such Easy Circumstance for want of Ready money to Enable him to Carry his Laudible Design farther into Execution without assistance, he Greatly Dispairs of being able to Compleat his undertakeing, the
+
Consequence of which will tend to the Rush of himself and lis family. and an Injury to the province in General
Your Petitioner therefore Relying on the wisdom and Goodness of this Congress, wishes, and hopes that upon their Serious Reflec- tion of the Benific and utility which may Hereafter accrue to this province in General by giving proper encouragement to works of this nature, he hopes : and will Engage that the Bloomery which he has hitherte Carried en by his own labour and Industry will be Com- pleatly finished within Two Years to the Satisfaction of the Con- gress and the Province in General; And in Order to Secure to the public Such Monies as may be thought Necessary or Sufficient to finish the said undertakeing, your Petitliner proposes, that if the Congress will be pleased to appoint Colonel John Thomas Together with any one or more Gentlemen, to Take a Bond from your Peti- tionor with personal Security, to Reimburt the like Sam with Interest (if required ) to such person or person as shall be appointed to receive the same on behalf of the public in some reasonable time, after the works are finished. and further. he preposes That after the works are compleated: The Congress on Behalf of the public shall be Intitled to one moiety or half part of all fron &ce. as shall be hereafter made at these works and for the better and more Effectual Security of this his promise and undertakeings he proposes to make over the whole of the land wherein the ore, is and the works are to be Erected ju Such a manner as shall or may be thought more Elegeble by this Congress -- Joseph Buffington
Charles Town Feby 17th 1776 Endorsed: The Petition & Remonstrance of Joseph Buffington!
1The following names, in the handwriting of William Henry Drayton, fre written below this endorsement: Col. Powell, Col. Thomas, Mr. Kershaw. Major Henderson, Dr- Farrar, Col. Richardson, Mr -- Prince, Mr -Tennen :.
5
[2]
[PROVISION RETURN OF CAPT CHESNUT'S COMPANY. ] Provision Return for Capt Chespuis Company the 28th, & 29th Octor. 1779.
Officers
I Sergu
2 Privates 13
46 Totall
Capt. Whitakers Compy --- 8-
William Boykin
[3]
[CHARLES KING CHITTY'S MEMORIAL TO THE PROVINCIAL
CONGRESS.]
To The Delegates of the Colony of South Carolina met in Provincial Congress.
The Memorial of Charles King Chitty
Humbly sheweth !
That your Memorialist has been for several Months employed in the public Service, which prevented him from collecting his Debts; and the Want of Courts of Law has deprived him of Power to use coercive Measures for that Purpose -- That in Consequence thereof he became indebted a considerable Sum to his Landlord for House Rent; That his Property has been seized for the same to the Amount of above five Hundred pounds and sold for less than half the Value. That your Memorialist chinks this a great Grievance, and humbly hopes for Redress from the Congress, and that they would con- descend to point out some Method to recover his Right .- Should the Congress be so kind as to instruct him in what Manner to proceed, he will consider himself as under the greatest obligations to them ; and they may be assured that he will exert himself for the Good of his Country in these unhappy Times, as far as his Skill and Industry shall enable him -- Charles Town 12th. Feby. 1776-
Endorsed : MF- Chitteys Memorial Read in Congress 12 Feb 1 ;; 6. Referred to Comee. Capt. Leger MFF. Bouquet Mr. R. W. Powell
6
[4]
[A LIST OF SOLDIER CLAIMANTS.]
A List of Claims against the Public of South Carolina deliverd co the Treasurers by Capt William Alexander January the 21st. 1788 for which Indents are to be issued the said Claims being duly cer- tified-
John Williams. 25. 13.110.
Alexander Kennedy £20.1/3. 924. 17, 2| 14
David Johnson .. 23.110.119
David Alexander
George Alexander ..
20 11
John Mitchell .. 24
13
2 4
Moses Ferguson. .
22 :13 1 5 Wiliam Alexander 2 Certis. ST.
Robert Barnet .. 24 1 5.1 6. William McDaniel .. 25
Samuel Crawford. . 82. 17 ..
James Clark .. 28 JS. . 10.
Jola Edciaston ..
24. 15 -
Joseph Clark. 24.119 6.
William Baker. .
24. 6.10
Samuel Hugshead .. 25.7 5 120
Wilbam Elliott ..
22 0.,10 - William Alexander .. 139.1
25.
Moses Meek ..
24.|19. 8.
Thouuss Hanter. 24 ,20 6.
William Caruthers.
2 Gorge Crawford 24 .16 110
Samuel Alexander.
26., 6. 0.
High Ring. 29/10.110
John Shields ..
20. 11 |10
Juha Rober 36.124
John Gardner ..
24.1.1
Evant Shelby .. 27. 0. 10
Samuel McClery.
22 | 9.110
Willam Hemphill ..
6.
Samuel Linton. .
Peter Burns.
708 .; 10.1 5.
Thomas Johnson.
20 (13 | d.
Gentlemen
Please to deliver Capt William Alexander Indents for the above Accounts of Claims the same being duly certifed also. all the Interest now due or which may become due thereon- I am, Gent",,
Charleston --- January 23. 1788. 1
as well in the Behalf of the above Persons and Col : Richard Richardson a joint Commissioner Your most humble Servant,
Thos. Sumter.
Peter Bocquet & John Edwards Esquires Comm'rs of the Treasury Endorsed: Sumters Brigade
Special Bounty & arrears of Clothing. Certs. & Order. did Capt. W'm. Alexander ---
7
[5]
[A LIST OF SOLDIERS WHO RECEIVED PAY FOR CLOTHING.]
Names for Cloathing -- not in Suinter's List- Simon Allbright. .. . . Cloathing. ÈIO: 11 : 0
David Alexander-(21 time) Horse & Cloaths 23. 7. 6
Samuel Alexander
Do
26 .. 6 .. 6
Capt. I'm. Alexander-recruiting .17. 5. 4
Richard Adams-
4. II. 5
George Alexander B
Horse & Cloath --- 20. 11. 0
Richard Bordin. . . Cloath g .... 4. 10. S
John Bostick for sundry Persons viz
Richard Beardin
William Bordin
Robert Barnett
Peter Burns --- for Sundry Persons
Alexander Brown
1
Samuel Brown
Henry Bryant
Alexander Brown C John Chitwood
William Caldwell
George Cardock
William Curweethus
Samuel Crawford
Joseph Clark
Corns. Dysart Joseph Clark
F Michael Freeman G
William Graham
John Gardner John Gill
Joseph Gilbraith
John Gray Gideon Griffen H I'm: Hemhill. John Heran for Sy: Persons Drur; Harris --- John Heran Do -__ Sam'. Hunter ---
8
Littleburry Jeffers J
Shadrich Knowland
Joseph Kenn Alexander Kennedy Hugh King do-for Sundry Persons L Samuel Lancaster M
David Miller
John Michael
Samuel MeCleary
William MeDanell
Robert MeClure
David Morrow
John Mills
Isaac MIc.Iadden
Samuel Martin P John Pherson R John Robinson S Nathan Smith
John Sadler
Capt. William Smith
Adam Hays
Evan Shelby
Thomas Shields
William Shields .11 Este : James Walker Z
William Zeigler -- The foregoing are the names of sundry Persons who have received pay for Cloathing -- who are not included in Sumters List- amounts. to É Endorsed : rough List of Sundry Persons who have received Indents for Cloathing-but who are not mentioned in Gen1, Sumters List. ₹ Book X
1
Return of th
Companies
On Furlow
Total
Staff.
IO;
Capt. Ficklin.
I
28
Capt. Mills.
akl
13
Capt. Hutchinson
Capt. Sanders.
Capt. Day.
27 .
Capt. Wilson ..
33 -
Capt. Wilson ..
ISI
Capt. Harden.
I
I
IQ
Capt. Slann.
28!
Capt. Feir.
20
Capt. Martin.
14
Capt. Mclaughlin.
2
IS
Total.
4
2
258
Endorsed:
Month
Col. S
Colletd
Octobe
9-10
[6] LA RETURN OF THE COLLETON COUNTY REGIMENT.]
Return of the Collinty Coandy Rigment ar Hoy Commanded by Cole. Willm. Skerving Oct. Ist 1779
Wanting to Compleit
Dischargd
Alterations anice the Host Ret'tri
Field
Comirtis. -
Staff
non Commissioned
Joind
Companies
Colonel
Licht. Colonel
- Maior
ifirst Lieut.
Second Lieut.
Chaplain
Pay Master
Quar. Master
Sargt Major
Qr Master
Druma Maje
Fife Majr.
Sarjants
Drummer &
| break ]
[hrenk]
Sick Absent
On l'urlow
Total
Serjants
Drummer &
Rank & File
For Inability
Tunc Expird
Transferred
Promoted
R. du en
Serjants
Dr & Fife
Capt. Will-
[break] [break] [break] [break] ibreak] [break]
13
tape Hutchinson
Ebreak] [breaki [break] [break] [break]]
Yap !. Sanders. .
[break. J theak] [break]
10
Capt. Day ..
27
Capt. Wilson .
27
2
33
Capt. Wilson ..
2
11
3
18
Capt, Harden. .
9
3
I
I
19
Capt. Slam.
19
5
I
28
Capt Feir ..
14
20
Capt Marun.
1
11
14
Capt. McLang.d ...
7
2
15
Total.
1
I
IO
IO
7 ...
..
I
1
I
I
160
33
4
2
258
. . .
3
Enoch Welsh Adjutant Collinty Cou Rigmen
Endorsed : Monthly Return Col. Skirving's Regiment Colleton County October 13%, 1779.
Waggone rs 1
Clark- I Wanting Arms 6
[break] [break]
10
Cape. Fickhin ..
fbreak} [break]
I
28
Staff.
-
Captam
Surgon
M.+
Sarjt.
Dead
· Deserted
2
2
3
2
1
6
Officers Present fit forofy.
Rank & Fle
fifer<
FI
[THOMAS SHERMAN TO WILLIAM HENRY DRAYTON. ]
Addressed : On Colony Service The Honble W'm. Hy. Drayton Esgr. Charles Town
favor Mr. Gray'
. Sterling £48. . 0 .. 212
Sir Savannah 23d. February 1776 --
At Ten days sight Pleas to pay to M' Mordecai Shefrall or order Forty Eight pounds and two pence half penny sterling, it being for cash advanced by him to me for recruiting of Men for the ship ct Warr Called the prosper. in the South Carolina service, your self Commander, which sum pleas to place to account of said ship posper-
And Youl oblidge Sir Your Most Humble Servt
Thos= Sherman
To the Honorable
William Henry Drayton
\Vm Hy- Drayton
Esqr In Charles Town
Accepted Feb. 16. 1776
South Carolina
pay the Contents to MIyer Moses or order Value received Mordecai Sheftall
Recd the whithin Contents in full for M Moses Maurice Carr
"The following memorandum is written on the wrapper :
Mr Gray in attempting to cross Mr Zublys swamp was near drowning & obliged to return-
1 2
[8]
[WILLIAM HENRY DRAYTON'S SPEECH TO THE GEORGIA CONVEN- TION. ]
The State of South Carolina ever active in her exertions in the American cause ; vigilantly attentive to the operations by which that important cause is supported ; & continually investigating even the remote consequences of those operations, view with pleasure the Union in which this State & herself are bound ; the advantages which Georgia & Carolina have received from that Union: & reasoning upon such effects from such a cause, the State are clearly of opinion that the strength of Carolina & Georgia will be encreased by their Union being made more perfect .- Struck with this conclusion & possessed of the most equitable & friendly sentiments respecting this State : the Legislature of S. C. have constituted. Commissioners to treat with their Brethren of Georgia -- this convention, touching an Union of S. C. and Georgia under one equal government. Upon this truly important business. Mr. Smith & myself have the honor to appear before you as their Commissioners: and with respect we present an authentic copy of the authority under which we act. Sir when the Commissioners reflect upon the nature of the busi- ness with which they are charged ; the depravity of the human heart but too apt to endeavour to create the appearance of difficulty & impropriety in the easiest & most proper overtures : the propensity of party spirit, ever striving to anticipate & pervert the judge- ment of the well disposed ; & that designing Men may with facility scandalize even the most salutary propositions : I say Sir, when we consider these things, we see such discouraging obstructions in our way as would damp our ardor in the prosecution of this affair, but that we are animated from a consciousness that the proposition with which we have the honor to be charged, is in its nature just ; in its end practicable ; & that it will be in its effects gloriously advantage- ous to America in general-to these two States in particular
Supported by such reflections, we know that we deserve your favour- able attention. Sir were we but sensible that we possessed your favourable wishes, with what a gaity of heart should I address myself to you inviting this Convention to join us in the glorious work of laying the most ample foundations for promoting the strength, wealth & dignity & for securing the property liberty & safety of the inhabitants between Little River & St. Mary's-a tract of country happily known to our Fathers by the name of South
13
Carolina ! But Sir, as much as we desire ; & as highly as we value your favourable wishes ; we ask only an impartial hearing. For, a just & candid proposal as that we bear, stands in no need of favour from those men, & such we trust compose this Convention who leaving without every spark of prejudice, & every view of private emolument & aggrandizement at the public expence, enter these doors with a purpose to deliberate by rules of reason & to deter- mine by the dictates of conscience in all cases respecting, the public weal .- As the greatest Mathematician of antiquity one said give me but whereon to stand & I will move the world: so Sir give me but an assurance that each Member in the convention is actuated by such a purpose, & I will not doubt of an Union.
Having thus notified the particular occasion of our appearing in this place: we conceive that before we make any proposal of an Union we may with propriety touch upon the evils that may be avoided! & the benefits that will be acquired by the Union of the tiro States. And that without being thought to mean to cast any reflection or understood to say any thing injurious, either being equally far from our intention, we may freely view our subject with the eyes of reason. & speak of things as they are.
Sir. When I mention evils to be avoided by an Union of the two States under one government. I would be understood to mean in particular, those which may possibly arise from disputes relative to the boundaries of Georgia: altho I am perfectly aware that it may be said, there can be no disputes on such a subject because of a Royal Charter & Proclamation marking the boundaries. But let us not deceive ourselves by vain ideas : let us take a short view of this sub- ject.
In the year 1732. the King of G. Britain by his Charter took out of the body of a territory by an act of Parliament known by the name of S. Carolina. a tract by that Charter called Georgia "situate, lying & being in that part of South Carolina, which les from the most northern part of a stream or River there commonly called the Savannah, all along the Coast to the Southward unto the most southern stream of a certain other great wycter or River, called the Alatamaha, and westwards from the heads of the said Rivers respectively in direct lines to the South Seas."
And in the year 1763 the present King of G. B. by his Proclama- tion announced that he had annexed to Georgia the Country between the Alatamaha & the River St. Mary. But did this annexation & Proclamation prevent the people of S. C. from surveying & occupy-
ing those lands to the South of Alatamaha The se grants under the government of S. C. were & are good. There was a great dispute upon the matter. & South Carolina by a Royal instruction only, then rot to be disputed desisted from making other grants in that quarter It in so phiin a case disputes did arise, may not others be apprehended in a more doubtful case? By virtue of the Charter some people here claim the river Keowee because say they, it is the most northern stream running into the river Savannah. But Sir, the Charter speaks only of "the most Northern part of a stream or river called the Savannah" there is no mention of any stream run- ning into the Savannah. Keowee & Savannah are two distinct rivers you have a grant only of the latter by name. & of the most northern stream in it in order to include the Islands. But extending the attention from the River Savannah to the Alatamaha, we find that the Savannah is to be understood as a great water & we may clearly take that discription to imply only the River Savannah on the northern frontier. in contradistinction to the Keowee which cannot be called a great water. [The rest of the speech is missing.]
[9] [WILLIAM HENRY DRAYTON'S TALK TO THE CHEROKEE INDIANS.]
A Talk From The Honourable William Henry Drayton Esquire one of the Beloved men of South Carolina To the Beloved men, Head men & Warriors of The Cherokee Nation at the Congarees, Sept. 25th. 1775.
Friends & Brother Warriors,
I take you by the hand, in witness of the Peace and friend ship which has so long subsisted between your brothers the white people of this country and you and your People; and I hold your hand fast in testimony that your brothers the white people wish that our Peace & Friendship with you and your People may continue .---
I sent a talk to you in your nation to desire that you would come to see me at the Congarees in order that we might talk together face to face. When I sent to you. I thought to have been here. before you could have arrived : but some of our People did not understand
15
the things about which I intend to speak to you: and to explain which to them I cair ; into the Country, my stay among those Peo- ple was therefore inger than [ expected; and I was thereby detained from seein, you at the time I appointed. This being the cast. I make no doubt but that you will readily excuse my absence which I assure you was as disagrecable to myself. as it could pos- sibly be to you .---
I sent to you, to come to me that I might explain to you, the causes of the unhappy quarrel between a part of the People .in Great Britain & your brothers the white people living in America .- Also, that I might tell you why our People have put on their shot pouches, & hold their Rifles in their Hands .--
The causes of this unhappy quarrel are very plain, as you will see as I go on with my talk ; but in order that you may see them and understand them clearly. I must first talk to you of the time before any of our white People came to this country, and what was then done .---
Before our Forefathers leit England, they made an agreement with the Great King, that when they came to America, they and their children after thom, should there continue to have and enjoy the same rights & privileges that the people of England who you know were their own Brothers did actually enjoy. And to this agreement, the Great King put his hand and seal: and declared that all the Great Kings after him should be bound by the agreement he had made .---
Now in consequence of this agreement, your brothers the white peo- ple in america say, the money they have in their pockets is their own; and the Great King has no right whatsoever to send or to order any officers to take this money or any part of it out of our pockets, or to make any laws to bind us but by our own consent given by our wise men who we ourselves elect and appoint to make laws for us. And we say so for this plain and good reason : because the Great King has no right to send any officers to take any money out of the Pockets of our Brothers the people of England, or to bind them by any laws but by their own consent given by their wise men, who they themselves elect and appoint to make laws for them. For as this is the right and privilege of our Brothers in England, so this agreement declares we have the same right and privilege .-
But notwithstan ling these things, the men about the Great King, have persuaded him. that he and the men in England whom we never elected and appointed to make laws for us, have a right to take
16
our money out of our pockets without our consen:, and to make laws to drag us away from our own country across the great water, and all this without asking us any thing about the matter and violently against eur conseat and good liking. And unjust and wicked as all this is, yet this is not the worst part of their usage to us. They have hy other laws broken our agreement in whatever particular part they pleased : and these men about the Great King have so teazed and persuaded him, that the Great King & the men in England. whom as I told you before, we never appointed to make laws for us, have made one law which says the Great King & those men have a right to bind tis by laws of their making. in all cases whatsoever : which is as much as to say. they have a right to treat us and every thing belonging to us, just as they please : and this you know is as much as to say they have a right to take all our money, all our lands, all our cattle and Horses and such things; and not only all such things. but our wives and children in order to make servants of theni, and besides all these things, to put us in streng Houses and to put us to death whenever they please.
Friends and Brother Warriors. is it not now as plain as the sight at the end of your Rifles that these laws and proceedings are like so many hatchets chopping our agreement to pieces: Are not these unjust things enough to make us put on our shot pouches, and especially when we find that our Brothers over the Great Water, will not only not hearken to the many good Talks which we have sent them about these matters : but have really sent over people to take the hatchet up against us ?
Oh my Brother warriors, it is a lamentable thing. that our Brothers beyond the great Water should use us in this cruel manner !- If they use us, their own flesh and Blood in this unjust way, what must you expect : you who are red People; you whom they never saw; you whom they know only by the hearing of the ear : you who have fine lands ?- You see by their treatment of us, that agreements even under hand and seai go as nothing with them .- Think of these things my Friends, and reflect upon them day and night .-
Having told you that the men about the Great King persuaded him, that he and the men in England have a right to take our money out of our pockets without our consent; I must now tell you the centrivancy they have fallen upon to take this money whether we will or not .---
In order to take this money from us. they have ordr'd that we must pay a duty upon this and that thing, that we are accustomed to pur-
-
17
chase, which is as much as to say, that upon those things which we purchase, we must pay to the Great King against our consent, a sum of money above the real value of those things. And in particular they ordered, that if we drink Tea, we must pay so much money to the Great King .- But as we know that this order is contrary to our agreement ; and also, as your Brothers the white people in america have resolved that they will not pay it; and therefore the men about the Great King have persuaded him to send Soldiers to Boston, and we are told some are coming here to force the People here to give their money without their consent; and thereby to give up their rights and privileges which are mentioned in the agreement.
Some foolish people say it is better to pay this money for the Tea, than to go to War about it. But I tell you, it is not about this money alone that we quarrel, for the money itself we do not regard as two corn stalks : but, we are afraid bad consequences will follow if we pay the money. as I will show to you directly.
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