I also want to wish everyone a Happy Fourth of July! I didn't plan the last two posts to come right before our nation's birthday, but I know who did. I hope this post and the previous one will inspire you to ponder and celebrate our nation's birthday in a new light and with a renewed sense of purpose. May your patriotic fervor be evident year round; may be infectious; and may everyone around you "catch it."
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| first public reading of the Declaration of Independence |
Our nation's birthday was brought about with patriotic blood and great sacrifice. Even at the darkest hour during the war, the light of freedom was shining and gave hope to persevere. South Carolina's motto is Dum Spiro Spero which means "While I breathe, I hope." That is exactly what our patriots did, they kept that hope alive in their hearts giving them the strength to persevere, and that perseverance eventually brought about the freedoms that we enjoy today. Again, I wish you and your family a very Happy Fourth of July!!!
Let us begin the last of the rededications.
On the north stairwell adjacent to the Tablet to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence from South Carolina hangs the tablet honoring the men and women from South Carolina who gave service during the American Revolution. This memorial has a sad story attached to it concerning one of our state regents.
Script
for the Re-dedication Ceremony Monuments, Tablets, and Medallions Placed by the
SCDAR at the SC State House
South
Carolina State House Grounds
June
13, 2018
Written
by Penny Renwick
DIANNE:
PENNY:
On March 5, 1942, the
Bancroft tablet commemorating the South Carolinians who participated in the
Revolutionary War was formally presented to the state. The program had been arranged by the general
assembly and the SCDAR who together made possible the erection of the memorial.
One of the most important
pieces of work accomplished during Susie Allan’s regency was securing of money
from the South Carolina Legislature for the erection of this tablet. The idea for the tablet was conceived by
Judge Hugh Haynsworth of Sumter who secured the cooperation of the Sumter’s
Home Chapter in presenting this project to the SCDAR. Through the efforts of the state society,
state regent, and state historian, the money was secured from the
Legislature.
Unfortunately, tragedy
struck the SCDAR, when Mrs. Allan was fatally wounded in a car accident
returning from a DAR meeting in Aiken.
The event was postponed until the next year. A cherished wish to see this project
completed during her administration, she did get to see the Bancroft Memorial
hanging in its place in the State House and had planned much of the program for
the day prior to her death.
State Regent Mary Doyle led
a meaningful dedication ceremony with a heavy heart that Mrs. Allan was not
present but a joyful one in that she had seen her cherished wish come to
fruition.
DIANNE:
South Carolina saw more
skirmishes and battles than any other state of our country. Men and women from all walks of life and all
regions of the state came together in defense of our fledgling nation. It took the efforts of everyone of our
patriots to ensure the victory at Yorktown.
The SCDAR rededicates the
Bancroft Memorial in recognition of the service of the men and women of 1776
who joined together up and down the Atlantic coast not as South Carolinians,
Virginians, or Pennsylvanians, but as Americans to stand up to a formidable
adversary to bring liberty and justice to all.
DIANNE:
Our benediction will be
given by the Emily DeQuincey Newman Regent of the Columbia Chapter, the first
chapter organized in our state which in turn created the state society.
BENEDICTION: EMILY DEQUINCEY NEWMAN
Heavenly Father, as we leave
here today we thank you for the opportunity to
remember the work of our state society over its 125 year history here at
the South Carolina State House which paid tribute to the men and women of
1776. We thank You for the men and
women, who as John Adams stated, bought liberty for us “at the expense of their
ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood” in order for there to be
peace for their children.
We thank You for the members of the SCDAR who have worked toward the greater good these past 125 years during times of war, depressions/recessions, pandemics, and during the highs and lows of our nation’s history.
We ask that You would make the history that we of today leave for future generations be just as awe inspiring as the history of our beginnings. We ask that You would make the character of the women who have led us in our past be unmistakable in our leaders of the future. We ask that You would make the enduring leadership of our past as evident as we move forward in our next century of service to God, Home, and Country.
Finally, we ask that You would continue make each of us, as citizens of these United States, worthy of the trust You have placed in us to serve God, Home and Country.
In Your Son’s name we pray, Amen.
DIANNE:
For more information on the
tributes to the men and women from our Revolutionary past here at the State
House, I invite you to follow Penny’s blog at Reflections of Our Treasured
Past. We thank you for taking the time
to be with us via these video presentations.
This concludes the Rededications of the tributes located at our State
House.
The War Between the States is often referred to as the Civil War; however, the first civil war was actually the Revolutionary War. This civil war was extremely evident here in South Carolina often pitting neighbor against neighbor and re-igniting old feuds and animosities. Those of both sides organized militia and often engaged each other. The countryside was devastated with raids and reprisals being the order of the day. What most people do not realize is that the most battles and skirmishes of the American Revolution occurred right here in South Carolina even though the first shot heard round the world was fired hundreds of miles away. Not only that, in 1780 and 1781, South Carolina saw more battles and deaths than any of the other former colonies had during the entire war!
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| The Battle of Lexington |
History books focus on the northern colonies because much of the dissent began in Massachusetts with the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and the Battle of Lexington and Concord. In addition, George Washington's troops and efforts were focused in that area, and the Continental Congresses took place in Philadelphia. Most people do not realize that the effort to preserve the memories and actions of the American Revolution did not get its start until after the War Between the States. Because South Carolina was the first state to succeed from the Union prior to breakout of the war, South Carolina was intentionally left out except in the most extreme circumstances.
So just how many battles and skirmishes occurred here in South Carolina? Well, over 400 battles and skirmishes are known. No, that was not a typo. There are over 400 known battles and skirmishes that occurred on South Carolina's soil. Charleston June 1776, Kings Mountain October 1780, and Cowpens January 1781 are considered three of the top ten battles to take place during the American Revolution.
According to the Journal of the American Revolution, Charleston is often regarded as a minor action; however, the failure of the British to take Charleston forced the British to focus their efforts in the north for the next several years. It was this battle that swayed the delegates of Continental Congress that victory with the British could be achieved which led to the approval and signing of the Declaration of Independence.
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| Battle of Sullivan's Island |
Kings Mountain was a complete annihilation of loyalist militia which forced the British to revise their southern strategy because it demonstrated that their overextended forces could be defeated. In The Winning of the West, Theodore Roosevelt wrote of Kings Mountain, "This brilliant victory marked the turning point of the Revolution." Thomas Jefferson called it, "The turn of the tide of success." President Herbert Hoover while at Kings Mountain said, " This is a place of inspiring memories. Here less than a thousand men, inspired by the urge of freedom, defeated a superior force entrenched in this strategic position. This small band of Patriots turned back a dangerous invasion well designed to separate and dismember the united Colonies. It was a little army and a little battle, but is was a mighty portent. History has done scant justice to its significance, which rightly should place it beside Lexington, Bunker Hill, Trenton, and Yorktown."
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| Battle of Kings Mountain |
Cowpens was a sudden defeat of a substantial British force that stopped the British offensive momentum in the south and renewed the spirits of American forces which initiated the campaign that brought the war to an end. In the opinion of John Marshall, "Seldom has a battle, in which greater numbers were not engaged, been so important in its consequences as that of Cowpens. It gave General Nathanael Greene his change to conduct a campaign of dazzling shiftiness that led Cornwallis by an unbroken chain of consequences to the catastrophe at Yorktown which finally separated American from the British crown."
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| Battle of Cowpens |
With over 400 known skirmishes and battles, South Carolinians made great sacrifices for the cause of liberty. The Revolutionary War in South Carolina was very violent and brought about a great loss of life. South Carolinians made significant contributions to the patriot victory and our nation's freedom even though South Carolina patriots were not given the credit they deserve.
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