USA > South Carolina > History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, Vol. I pt 2 > Part 15
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485
THE SCHISM.
1780-1790.]
whole advance of the British was hurled back in confusion, from the fatal volleys poured into it. The motion of the whole army was checked. Four men ventured back to carry off their fallen commander, but they slept in death beside him. Watson was afterwards heard to say, 'that he never saw such shooting in his life.'
" This brilliant action decided the fate of Williamsburg. Col. Watson re- tired and took up his quarters at the house of John Witherspoon, about two miles south of the bridge, the place now owned by Mr. Lifrage. Here it was that Sergeant McDonald climbed a hickory tree at the end of Mr. Wither- spoon's avenue, that overlooked the house and yard, and shot Lieut. Tor- riano through the knee, at the distance of three hundred yards-a feat of marksmanship not surpassed by Napoleon in the distant shot that mangled both the limbs of Moreau at Dresden.
" Abandoning the hopeless enterprise, Watson at length broke up his en- campments, and proceeded by forced marches towards Georgetown, con- stantly annoyed by his ever-present foe; and at Sampit Bridge McCottry's rifles gave him a farewell in the form of a shower of bullets. In this expedi- tion, so inglorious to himself, Watson commanded five hundred men, more than double the number of his enemies. Marion Jost only one man, while the Briton, as tradition reports, was compelled to sink his slain in a deep hole in the river above the bridge, to conceal their numbers. He arrived at George- town with two wagon loads of wounded men. Thus Williamsburg was pre- served, by the blessing of God on the bravery of its own men, from another march of devastation and suffering similar to that of Wemyss, the year before."
Here we must close our account of this band of Christian patriots, as their future operations were not connected with the territory of Williamsburg. The sword devoured in other localities ; but here, peace reigned. Their deeds of valor have been recorded imperishably by abler hands .- It is enough to say, that they laid down then armor only when their country and liberty no longer required their services. And when the tocsin of war ceased to sound, the soldier again became a peaceful citizen, beating swords into plough- shares and spears into pruning-hooks, never to learn war any more.
But the field of justifiable strife is a school where the meek spirit of Christ is badly learned ; and when men have no more war to wage, nor enemies to do battle with, they are prone to put their tactics in requisition by turning their arms against each other. This melancholy condition of things appeared in the Williamsburg church soon after the close of the war. During that period the church was with- out the stated means of grace, except as it was occasionally supplied by the Rev. James Edmonds of Charleston, Rev. Thomas Hill of Indian Town, and Rev. Mr. Hunter of the Black Mingo church. In 1783, when the scattered fragments were again collected together, a large number of its best mem- bers were no more to be seen ; they had gone to their rest, and their seats in the sanctuary were vacant. A few war-worn
486
REV. SAMUEL KENNEDY.
[1780-1790.
veterans who had carried their Bibles in their knapsacks, it is true, were left to praise God in his own house, as they had trusted to him in the strife of death ; but a large proportion of the congregation were without hope and without God.
At this time a minister by the name of Samuel Kennedy, a native of Ireland, presented himself, and was engaged to supply the church for a period of three years.
He had not been here long, however, until it appeared that he was guilty of unministerial conduct, and unsound in doc- trine; and at length throwing off the mask, he avowed the doctrines of Socinianism. It must not be supposed that the pious portion of the congregation were unconcerned as to the preaching and life of their minister ; and a large proportion of them insisted on his being removed. But the majority sustained Mr. Kennedy ; partly it may be supposed from the circumstance that, like themselves, he was but recently from the " old country," and partly because they were less strictly puritanical in doctrine and life than those who had founded the church near fifty years before. Besides the demoralizing effects of the recent war, we must take into the account the fact that many of these persons were strangers to vital piety, and not even professors of religion, while their rights as pew- holders conferred on them the privilege of voting for the pastor.
The Mr. Kennedy of whom we are speaking arrived in this country from Ireland as early as the year 1772, as we find him before the synod of that year. For some time he did not connect himself with any presbytery ; but obtaining letters of recommendation from the second presbytery of Phil- adelphia, he went into the bounds of the Donegal presbytery, and labored there without leave. This latter body, in conse- quence of some irregularities of Mr. Kennedy, brought the matter to the notice of the synod, at its sessions in 1772. The synod ordered Mr. Kennedy to put himself under the care of the presbytery of Donegal, and answer to that body for his future conduct, which he refused to do, but continued to preach in its bounds as before. Mr. Kennedy appeared before the synod the following year, offering reasons for not obeying its order ; and, at the same time, so inculpated the conduct of the presbytery as to call forth a reply. The synod determined the case by rebuking Mr. Kennedy for his contumacy, and directing the presbytery to bring him reg- ularly to trial. The following year the presbytery reported to synod, that the case had been issued, and Mr. Kennedy ordered to desist from preaching. Mr. Kennedy at the same
487
REV. SAMUEL KENNEDY.
1780-1790.]
time complained to synod of the decision of the presbytery ; when, for want of time to issue the case, it was deferred to the following year. The minutes of that year (1775), dis- missing the complaint of the accused as " groundless and frivolous," furnishes the last information of him found in the printed records .*
In consequence of the irregularities of Mr. Kennedy, the Rev. John Roan offered an overture, restraining presbyteries from receiving foreign ministers and candidates, or even giv- ing them leave to labor in their bounds, until their credentials had been duly examined by the synod at its earliest meeting next after their arrival. This overture passed into a law only by a small majority of synod, and was protested against by the whole second presbytery of Philadelphia present, and dissented from by a number of other members.t
This protest furnishes us with an important clue to the subsequent course of Mr. Kennedy. This same body had given Mr. Kennedy testimonials which enabled him to gain access to the churches in Donegal presbytery ; and the course of its members on trial indicates how deeply they still sympathized with him. A manuscript written by one who was a witness of the melancholy scenes which occurred here, says that Mr. Kennedy bore testimonials from the "presbytery of Philadelphia," not specifying the number. In the Bellamy papers, it is stated that Mr. Kennedy was unsound in doc- trine, and in consequence was unable to form a settlement in any of the churches, and wandered along the sea-coast to the south.
Every characteristic of the Mr. Kennedy who labored here, given by those who well remember him, goes to identify him as the same individual who appeared as a troubler of our Israel of the North. In the records of synod he is called a " candidate ;" but whether we are to infer from this that he was not an ordained minister is uncertain. He had, however, now been in this country more than eleven years before com- ing to this place. He had married, and was again single from the death of his wife, and had a son with him who died and was buried in the bounds of this congregation. During his sojourn here he married Miss Elizabeth Hamilton, a member of his church. After leaving he removed into North Caro- lina, in the vicinity of Charlotte, where he died.
* Records Presbyterian Church, pp. 485, 441, 442, 452, 460, 470.
+ Ib., pp. 443, 444.
488
CHURCH DESTROYED .- BETHEL CHURCH. [1780-1790.
But his ministry here was unhappy to himself and dis- astrous to the church. And among his most inveterate ene- mies at the last were his own party in the church, and those united to him by family relationship. When the first three years stipulated for were out, he determined to remain two years longer ; and the majority of the congregation sustained him. Finding now no means of redress, the minority resolved on the unwise and unfortunate expedient of demolishing the church ; preferring to destroy what their fathers had built and consecrated with many prayers, rather than suffer it to be desecrated by the preaching of one who denied the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly, by previous under- standing, they met early one morning in the month of August, 1786, with about one hundred negro men, and in a few hours razed the building to the ground, and removed the materials from the spot. The pulpit was carried three miles, and concealed in the barn of Mr. Samuel McClelland, whose father was one of the original members of the church.
The issue was now fairly made between the two parties ; and, at a suit in law, which was tried in Georgetown, the minority lost the case, and were required to pay for the house they had demolished. The result was the foundation of two distinct congregations, worshipping in different houses, each under its own pastor. A living witness remembers distinctly that only a Sabbath or two after the destruction of the church, a rude log structure was raised on the same spot for the temporary use of the congregation. The minority were organized into a separate church by Rev. James Edwards, and became connected with the presbytery of South Carolina, which was set off from the presbytery of Orange, at its own request, by the synod of New York and Philadelphia, in 1784, and whichi embraced in its bounds all the territory occupied by the Presbyterian church south of North Carolina. Thus arose
THE BETHEL CHURCH in Williamsburg district, which built its house of worship less than one hundred yards east of the other, the old Williamsburg church, and received occasional supplies from the Rev. James Edwards and Rev. Thomas Reese. In 1789 the Bethel church secured the ministerial services of James W. Stephenson, from Lancaster district, at that time a licentiate of the newly formed presbytery of South Carolina .- (Abridged from Wallace's Hist.)
It appears on the minutes of this presbytery that a call was brought to it in October, 1786, from Williamsburg and Indian- town, " to be kept in the hands of presbytery till an opportu-
489
INDIAN-TOWN.
1780-1790.
nity may offer of putting it into the hands of some member of this presbytery for his consideration."-(MS. Minutes, p. 12.) In 1787 Rev. Thomas Reese was appointed to supply one Sabbath each at Hopewell, Indian-Town and Williamsburg. In 1788 a similar appointment was made for Rev. James Edwards, Thomas Reese, and Robert McCollough. In 1789 Robert Finley was appointed to preach once at Williamsburg, and James W. Stephenson once at Williamsburg and Indian-Town. At their meeting in October, 1789, there is the following record :- "At the earnest request of the Williamsburg and Indian-Town con- gregations united, their call, which has been for some time in the hands of this presbytery (waiting for an opportunity of some proper person to whom to present it) was presented to Mr. James W. Stephenson, who took the same into consider- ation." And he was appointed to supply at Williamsburg and Indian-Town one Sabbath.
Of the history of the INDIAN-TOWN CHURCH from 1780-1790, we can only state a few facts, which are traditional in part. The Rev. Thomas Hill supplied this church, says Dr. Wither- spoon, in 1783 or 1784. He was one of the missionaries sent out by Lady Huntingdon to Georgia; and, as a member of Orange presbytery, was set off by others to form the new presbytery of South Carolina. At its first meeting at Waxhaw, April 12th, 1785, certain charges were alleged against him, and he was cited to appear at its bar. This citation being thrice repeated and as often disregarded, he was cut off from pres- byterial communication at their meeting at Jackson's Creek in October of the same year. Henceforward they were depend- ent on occasional and presbyterial supplies. Mr. Edmonds was appointed to supply them in 1785 and 1788; Thomas Reese in 1787 and 1788 ; Robert McColloch in 1788 and 1789 ; James W. Stephenson in the same years ; Robert Finley in 1789. In October, 1786, Messrs. Edmonds, Reese, and McCaule were ap- pointed to administer the Lord's supper ; and were ordered to sit there as a committee to take evidence touching the charges made fama clamosa against Mr. James McMullen, a candidate for the gospel ministry from Ireland, who had been taken un- der the care of presbytery. Either because the old [Scotch] presbytery was extinct, or because it preferred this connection, it now looked to the new presbytery of South Carolina for sup- plies. The house in which this congregation worshipped before the war was burnt by the Tories at the command of Major Wemyss, and the worshippers assembled for some time after- wards in a field. Mr. George Barr, an aged member, says he
490
BLACK MINGO .- AIMWELL (P D.)
[1780-1790.
was baptized in this field .- (Letter of Rev. J. A. Wallace, March 22d, 1853.) It will be remembered that Major John James of Marion's Brigade was an elder, and Capt. McCottry a member, of this church, and those exploits of his which have been men- tioned in the notice of Williamsburg church would have been as appropriate here.
The presbyterian church of BLACK MINGO was still served by Rev. William Knox. On the southern bank of the stream which gives name to the church, Marion obtained a decided victory over a large body of Tories. Capt. John James of the Indian-Town church, and Capt. Mouzon of Kingstree, with many of these congregations, were in this bloody engagement.
Of AIMWELL CHURCH on the Pedee, as to its spiritual con- dition no record has been transmitted. Its fortunes were united in after-times with those of Hopewell, twenty miles above. Robert McColloch was appointed to supply it in 1789. But we find in civil history many and thrilling accounts of the sufferings and valor of all this region, peopled by the descend- ants of the first settlers of Williamsburg. It was they, already risen in arms, that summoned the undaunted Marion from the camp of Gates to be their leader. Gavin and John Wither- spoon of this congregation were with him. While Marion was at White Marsh, previous to the battle of Black Mingo, Gavin Witherspoon, whom he had sent out with four men, achieved one of those surprises which so often distinguished the men of Marion's command. He had taken refuge in Pedee swamp from his pursuers, and while hiding there, discovered one of the camps of the Tories who were seeking him. He pro- posed to his four comrades to watch the enemy's camp till the Tories were asleep. His men shrinking from the performance, Witherspoon undertook it himself. Creeping up quietly, he found them sleeping at the butt of an uprooted pine, with their guns leaned up against one of its branches, a short distance from them. Creeping still nearer, he first secured their guns, then arousing the Tories, demanded their surrender. They were seven in number, disarmed, and knew nothing of the force of the assailants. Witherspoon's companions drew near and assisted in securing the prisoners. On another occasion, when Major McIlraith challenged Marion to a combat in an open field, and Marion replied that if he wished to witness a combat between twenty picked soldiers on each side, he was not unwilling to gratify him, and the proposition was agreod to by McIlraith. Marion chose Major Vanderhorst as the leader, and Capt. Samuel Price as the second in command.
491
AIMWELL (P. D.)
1780-1790.]
The names of the men were written on slips of paper and handed to them separately. Gavin Witherspoon received the first. Vanderhorst asked Witherspoon " at what distance he would prefer as the most sure to strike with buckshot." "Fifty yards for the first fire," was his reply. "Then," said Vander- horst, " when we get within fifty yards, as I am not a good judge of distances, Mr. Witherspoon will tap me on the shoul- der, I will then give the word." But Mcilraith had recon- sidered. Vanderhorst was advancing, and had got within one hundred yards, when the British detachment was withdrawn, and retired with a quick step towards the main body. Van- derhorst and his party gave three huzzas, but not a shot was fired. The incident shows, like many others, the estimation in which Gavin Witherspoon's soldierly qualities were held by his commander. On another occasion, Marion crossed the Pedee, and encamped at Warhees, within five miles of Watson, whose force was twice that of Marion's. Here he planted him- self to watch an enemy whom he could not openly encounter. In addition to want of men, he labored under a still greater want of ammunition. When asked by Captain Witherspoon whether he meant to fight Watson, which Witherspoon strongly advised before he was joined by more Tories, he answered, " That would be best, but we have not ammunition." "Why, General," said Witherspoon, " my powder-horn is full." " Ah, my friend," was the reply of Marion, " you are an extraordi- nary soldier ; but for the others, there are not two rounds to a man." Near the close of the war Marion had left a small body of infantry at Watboo on Cooper river. He had taken his cavalry to Georgetown, and the enemy, apprised of this, sent a detachment of dragoons, one hundred strong, under Major Frasier, to surprise the post at Watboo. Marion was back in season, but when Frasier approached, his cavalry were absent, patrolling down the river. In their absence, his only mode of obtaining intelligence was through his officers, who alone were provided with horses. Of these, he ordered out a party under Capt. Gavin Witherspoon to reconnoitre. Mean- while he dispersed his infantry, many of whom at this juncture were new-made Whigs, whose fidelity had not been tried. Witherspoon, with the reconnoitering party, had not advanced far in the woods when they were charged by the enemy's cav- alry. A chase ensued, which soon brought both parties in view of Marion and his men. When in full view, the horse of Witherspoon failed him, or he designedly dropped behind to bring up the rear of his little band. A British dragoon darted
492
HOPEWELL (P. D.)-SALEM (B. R.) [1780-1790.
forward to cut him down. Witherspoon suffered him to come almost within striking distance. The dragoon had already risen in his stirrups to strike, when Witherspoon, whose eye was on him, quick as lightning poured the contents of his car- bine into his breast. This was followed by a shout from the American side, who delivered their fire with fatal effect. Marion changed his front with every manœuvre of the foe, and they found no opportunity of retrieving their disaster.
HOPEWELL CHURCH on the PEDEE must have been vacant at this time. At the first meeting of the presbytery of South Carolina at Waxhaw, April 12th, 1785, Rev. Thomas Reese was appointed to supply one Sabbath at Hopewell. At their meeting at Jackson's Creek in October of the same year, Rev. Messrs. Edmonds and Reese were appointed to supply the same church. At the meeting at Bethesda, October, 1786, Messrs. Edmonds and Reese were again appointed to supply one Sabbath. Thomas Reese again in 1787, Thomas Reese and James Edmonds in 1788, and Robert McColloch in 1789, in connection with Aimwell. This church received an addi- tion to its eldership in the person of William Wilson, a mein- ber of Salem church, who moved into its bounds during the war of the Revolution.
SALEM CHURCH, BLACK RIVER .- The Rev. Thomas Reese continued in the pastorship of this church, though not at all times resident in it. The state of society was such at the beginning of this period, that violence and misrule had usurped the place of law and order ; and not only the civil, but the religious rights of the community were invaded. This was more especially the case during the years 1780 and 1781, a period in the history of South Carolina truly distressing to the philanthropist, and much more so to the Christian. From the surrender of Charleston all public education was sus- pended, " and soon after," says Dr. Witherspoon, " all public worship was discontinued, most of the town and country churches were burned, or made depots for the stores of the enemy ; and in some instances appropriated to more improper uses. In a camp where there was no permanency and but little rest, there was no place for chaplains, and at home even, pious pastors were insecure ; consequently, as the more pru- dent course, they went into exile. Among the latter was the Rev. Dr. Reese. It was in his congregation that the murders perpetrated by Harrison, of Tory memory, and his followers, commenced, and the respectable members of his flock fell victims to civil rage. Had he gone about to administer com-
493
1780-1790.]
REV. DR. REESE .- JAMES BRADLEY.
fort out of his own family it would have been termed sedition, and Dr. Reese would have made himself a voluntary martyr. He took the wise course of retiring before the storm, and went with his family to Mecklenburg, North Carolina, where he continued to preach under many privations. Dr. Witherspoon represents him as having returned after the peace of 1782. Other testimonies say that "in or about the year 1781 he or- dained two elders, viz., John McFadden and Thomas .McFad- den."-(MS. Notes by Session of the Church.) " After the peace of 1782 he pursued his duties with ardor and diligence rarely exceeded. He amassed a large fund of useful knowl- edge in divinity, moral philosophy, and other branches of science auxiliary to the formation of a complete theologian. He then began and completed his admirable essay on the in- fluence of religion in civil society. He pursued the argument through a variety of relations, and demonstrated from reason and history that all human institutions are in their own nature, and have ever been found in practice insufficient to preserve peace and order without the sanctions of religion. The execu- tion of the work would have been reputable to the pen of Warburton or Paley ; but like most American productions of that day, it was soon neglected, and did not pass into a second edition. Its fate would probably have been different if it had come from the east side of the Atlantic and made its appear- ance with the name of some European divine. It is preserved in Carey's American Museum, and will be an honorable testi- mony to posterity of the literature of Carolina in 1788. It procured for the author the well-merited degree of D. D. from Princeton College, which, as far as can be recollected, was the first instance of its being conferred on a Carolinian."-(Dr. Ramsay's Hist. of South Carolina; MS. Hist. by Dr. J. R. Witherspoon, of Brookland, near Greensboro, Alabama; pub- lished also in So. Pres."Review, vol. vi., p. 116 ; Sprague's Annals, vol. iii., p. 331.)
Among the sufferers of this congregation during the war was the venerable James Bradley, an elder, we believe, of the Salem church. He was taken prisoner by stratagem. Colonel Tarleton came to his house, and as his person was unknown to Mr. Bradley, he easily passed himself off for Col- onel Washington of the American dragoons. Bradley treated him with great kindness, and not in the least suspecting him as otherwise than a distinguished friend of the Whig cause, freely communicated to him the plans of himself and friends for co-operating with their countrymen against the British.
494
ORANGEBURG .- CEDAR CREEK, RICHLAND. [1780-1790.
Tarleton requested Bradley to accompany him as a guide to a neighboring place, a service which was cheerfully performed. On their arrival Tarleton's command appeared in full view, and took charge of Bradley as a prisoner. He was sent to Camden jail and confined in irons. He was frequently carted to the gallows that he might witness the execution of his countrymen as rebels, and was told to prepare for the same fate, as his time was near at hand. On such occasions, and before the courts-martial, he would reply, "I am ready and willing to die in the cause of my country ; but remember, if I am hanged, I have many friends in Marion's brigade, and my death will occasion a severe retaliation." Awed by his noble endurance and his many virtues, or apprehensive of conse- quences, his captors did not execute their threats. His life was spared, but he was kept in irons as long as the British held the upper country in possession. He bore the marks of the irons till the day of his death, and would occasionally show them to his young friends, with a request, "that if the good of their country required the sacrifice, they would suffer im- prisonment and death in its cause." -- (Mills' Statistics, p. 593. See Lieutenant-Colonel Tarleton's own account of this trans- action in his Hist. of the Campaigns of 1780, 1781, p. 101.)
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