Women in the American Revolution

Their contributions also extended beyond the battlefield using writings to secure support for the Revolution and promoting the ideas and ideals of the war. The American Revolution had a lasting impact on women’s roles and rights, although they did not gain full political equality immediately. South Carolina women did more than their part in contributing to the war efforts and building a new nation. Here are just a few of their stories…

During one of Kate’s rides, she was captured by British Loyalist forces, tied to a tree and lashed three times in an attempt to extract the location of Morgan’s Patriot forces. Kate remained steadfast, did not reveal the Patriots’ location and was released.

The January 17, 1781 clash, “The Battle of the Cowpens,” resulted in a resounding victory for Daniel Morgan’s Patriots over British forces and earned Kate Barry the title of “Heroine of the Battle of Cowpens” for her bravery and efforts.

Kate Barry died in 1823, and is buried with her husband Captain Andrew in the Walnut Grove Plantation cemetery in Roebuck, Spartanburg County, South Carolina.

After departing the Tory encampment and riding through the night, Emily entered General Sumter’s camp and delivered the message sent by General Greene. Emily recited the message as though reading it from the written sheet. Scarcely an hour passed before Sumter’s army, now informed by General Greene’s message, was ready for the march. Emily returned home, totaling over 100 miles on her multi-day ride.

Emily later married a wealthy planter, John Threewitts, living near the Congaree River in present day Lexington County. Emily, “The Maid of Congaree,” was presented a pair of earrings and a brooch by patriot General Greene and silk shawl by patriot (and French) General Lafayette during his return tour of the US in 1824.

Emily died in 1825 and is buried with her husband in the Threewitts Cemetery in Lexington County, South Carolina.

Fannie was a waggoneer and patriot. She was widowed when her husband James Griffin, a member of the South Carolina militia, was killed by Tory bushwhackers in 1782, near what became Smith’s bridge over the Saluda River near Edgefield.

South Carolina State Archive records confirm Fannie’s contribution to the War effort: “Mrs. Fanny Griffin, widow, 18 July 1785, paid one hundred and twenty pounds and six pence three farthing sterling for her account of driving wagon and provisions on militia account in 1779.”

After James Griffin’s death, Fannie married another Patriot veteran, Charles Astley Cooper, and remained with him until her death in 1799 near Abbeville, South Carolina.

Fannie is buried, as are both of her husbands, in the James Griffin family Cemetery near present day Kinards, in Newberry County.

Anne Hamilton was born Anne Kennedy in June 1761 near present day Browns Creek, Union County, South Carolina , daughter of William and Mary Ann (nee Brandon) Kennedy.

Young Anne and her mother lived in her father’s household during the Revolutionary War, while her father and brother served in the SC patriot militia. Anne was said to have informed American Commanders of British plans and troop strength in spite of the eminent threat of raiding Tories.

In November of 1780, these loyalists invaded the Kennedy home looking for Anne’s father and brothers. Anne’s cousin William, who had been severely wounded in the recent battle of the Black Stocks (Union County, SC) was the only man they found. The enemy force assumed William would die of his injuries and decided not to kill him; however, they did plunder the house, taking jewelry, tearing up featherbeds, and even stealing bedclothes.

Anne lost her temper, grabbed a Tory soldier by the arm and kicked him out the door. The soldier turned to shoot but a Tory Captain intervened saying she was too brave a woman to kill. The soldier, angry with Anne and his commanding officer, then tried to burn the house down with a flaming log from the fireplace. Anne expelled him again, but he hurled the fiery log at her, horribly breaking and burning her hand. The injury left her hand permanently crippled. William was moved to a makeshift shelter, away from another possible raid, and the severely injured Anne nursed him back to health.

Local ladies composed a message to General Morgan in Pacolet Springs (near Spartanburg) which called for protection from such raids. With no men available to deliver the message, Anne volunteered to ride horse back some sixty miles allegedly hiding the note in her stocking.

On Christmas Day of 1782, Anne Kennedy married Thomas Hamilton, a Revolutionary War veteran with whom she would have twelve children. Anne Hamilton died March 24, 1836, and is buried with her husband Thomas in the family cemetery near Liberty in Pickens County.

Elizabeth Jackson was born Elizabeth Hutchinson c. 1740, in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Ireland, the daughter of Francis Cyrus Hobart and Margret (nee Lisle) Hutchinson.

Elizabeth married Andrew Jackson, Sr. in 1761 and together they adventured to America in 1765, with their two young sons, Hugh and Robert.

The Jackson family settled near the Waxhaws, on the border of South and North Carolina on 200 acres of land at Twelve Mile Creek, which ran off of the Catawba River. In February 1767, the elder Andrew Jackson died unexpectedly at the age of twenty-nine – just before his wife was to give birth to Andrew Jackson II, the future President of the United States, on March 15, 1767.

Elizabeth’s three sisters left Ireland with their families around the same time as she and her husband emigrated. One of her sisters, Jane, was married to James Crawford. They lived near the Jacksons and Jane was in poor health. A few weeks after Andrew II was born, Elizabeth and her three sons moved in with the Crawfords. Elizabeth kept house for the Crawfords and nursed her sister, who has been described as an invalid.

Elizabeth frequently told her sons stories of their grandfather, Francis Hutchinson, and his participation in the Irish resistance against the British, instilling the values of right vs. wrong and patriotism. Once the Revolution started, the boys were anxious to join the struggle. The eldest son, Hugh, enlisted first and died from heat exhaustion during the Battle of Stono Ferry near Charleston in 1779. That same year, thirteen-year-old Andrew and his brother Robert joined a local militia.

In 1781 both Andrew and Robert, were captured by the British. Andrew refused to polish a British officer’s boots and was permanently scarred when the man attempted to slash his face with a sword. Both boys contracted smallpox while in prison in Camden. Eventually, Elizabeth was able to have them included in a prisoner transfer and the two boys were freed. Robert died on the trip back to the Waxhaws. Hugh and Robert were buried alongside their father in the Old Waxhaw Presbyterian Church cemetery near present day Lancaster.

That same year, Elizabeth accompanied several ladies from her community to Charleston which was occupied by the British. They wanted to nurse patriot prisoners of war who were being held on ships in the harbor. Two of Elizabeth’s nephews were among the prisoners.

During her time in Charleston, she contracted cholera and died in November 1781. She was buried in an unmarked grave, location unknown, and her belongings were sent back to her youngest and only surviving son, Andrew.

In 1949, a marker commemorating Elizabeth Jackson was placed in the Old Waxhaw Presbyterian Church cemetery in present day Lancaster County.

Laodicea “Dicey” Springfield was born Laodicea Langston on May 14, 1766, in present day Laurens County, South Carolina, the daughter of Solomon and Sarah (nee Bennett) Langston. Dicey’s mother Sarah died when she was a little girl and was raised by her father and brothers.

When the Revolutionary War began, Dicey’s brothers left the plantation to fight with the Continental Army. They camped in the forest with a small band of Patriots, so the family plantation wouldn’t suffer the consequences of their patriotism. Throughout the War, Dicey’s brothers managed to maintain communication with Dicey, who had become an outspoken Patriot along with her brothers.

By her 15th birthday in May 1781, Dicey was an expert horseperson and excellent shot. While doing her everyday chores, she noticed that the British Troops had set up a camp near her father’s farm, and made note of their activities. She passed on the information to her brothers’ camp on the other side of the Enoree River, some twenty miles away.

Dicey’s father was also an ardent Patriot who was a ready participant in the struggle. Although his active role was limited by his age and infirmities, he was generous with his resources and his influence. Many of the Langston neighbors were loyal to King George of England (Tories), some of whom were their relatives, which made it easy for Dicey to gather information about the enemy.

The Tories began to question how so much information was getting to the rebels and soon turned their suspicions toward Solomon Langston and his high-spirited daughter Dicey. A company of brutal Tories called the “Bloody Scouts” took revenge on Dicey’s father, Solomon, at their home in Laurens County. They backed the aging man to the wall and aimed to shoot. Dicey lunged in front of a soldier’s cocked weapon and informed the assailants, “You will have to shoot me first!” Her courage was rewarded. Cold-blooded as they were, the Tories could not bring themselves to shoot, and left the Langston home. Dicey continued her support of the rebels throughout the War.

In January 1783, Dicey married Captain Thomas Springfield who served with her brother in the militia. They later moved to present day Traveler’s Rest and built a log cabin home there.

She died at her home May 23, 1837. Dicey and her husband Thomas are buried in the Springfield-Langston family cemetery, in Travelers Rest.

Eliza was raised on a sugarcane plantation, and went overseas to England to study at 10 years old. While Eliza was in London, she learned about botany, which was becoming popular with girls her age. This formal education influenced the rest of her life and inspired her creative work.

Colonel Lucas moved his family from Antigua to the Charleston, South Carolina (SC) area in 1738. The Lucas family owned three Lowcountry tracts of land- Garden Hill Plantation, Wappoo Plantation, and 3,000 acres on the Waccamaw River near Georgetown, SC. They had plans to live in the area long term, but unfortunately, her mother died shortly after the journey from the Caribbean to South Carolina. Due to Eliza being the eldest child in the family, and with her two younger brothers Thomas and George at school in England, she had to step up as matriarch at a very young age.

Eliza spent much of her time on the plantations where Black enslaved workers were forced to labor. Eliza did not often go into town, and instead mainly worked at the plantations overseeing the workers and continuing to monitor crop growth. She could be found visiting the home of Charles (1699-1758) and Elizabeth Lamb Pinckney on occasion. The Pinckneys acted as guardians and friends to Eliza while her father remained in Antigua.

In 1744, Eliza was able to grow enough indigo to begin the process of dye production. She saw success and was ready to continue to grow the crop at a larger scale; however, the same year brought her devastating news: her father wanted the family to return to Antigua, and her dear friend Elizabeth Lamb Pinckney died.

After the death of his wife, Charles Pinckney proposed to young Eliza; he was forty-five and she was twenty-one. The marriage saved Eliza from returning to Antigua and leaving what were essentially her plantations behind.

Charles Pinckney and Eliza had four children together. Their first son, Charles, was born in 1746, and went on to serve as a Framer during the Constitutional Convention. Their youngest son, Thomas, was born in 1750 and went on to serve as a diplomat and statemen. The Lucas-Pinckney children went on to have their own influences during the American Revolution and establishing the newfound United States.

In her 70s, Eliza developed cancer and her family made the decision to bring her to Philadelphia to receive the most up to date medical treatment. She passed away at age 71 in 1793 and is buried in St. Peter’s Churchyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. George Washington, by his own request, was a pallbearer at her funeral. Her impact was felt nationwide.

In May of 1781, during the Siege of Ninety-Six, Grace and Rachel took on a new role. They had heard that a British courier would be passing through the area with two guards. Disguising themselves as men, using their husbands clothing, they set out to ambush the courier. Taking position along a protected turn in the road they waited. Just before night fall, they heard the approaching messenger and guards. Armed with firearms the women jumped out and startled the men. They demanded the surrender of documents as well as the guards’ weapons.

According to local tale, after the ambush, the British returned from the direction they had come and sought accommodations at a house. The house turned out to be non-other than the Martin home. When Elizabeth asked why they had returned so early they exclaimed how “two Rebel lads” had surprised them and stolen their dispatch. The men were fed and rested, never expecting their two younger hosts to be the “lads” they had encountered.

The sly tactics of Elizabeth, Grace, and Rachel Martin prompted patriot Nathanael Greene’s acquisition of vital information regarding British tactics and plans in South Carolina. In the end, the bravery of this trio played a crucial role in the success of the American Revolution, particularly in the Southern campaigns. With the exception of her eldest, William, all of Elizabeth’s sons survived the war. When alerted about her son’s death, Mrs. Martin responded, “He could not have died in a nobler cause.”

Elizabeth Martin died on May 2, 1797 and is buried with her husband Abram in the Martin family cemetery in Edgefield. Grace Martin reportedly died in 1800 in South Carolina and her burial site is unknown. Rachel Martin died in 1845 and is buried with her husband Barclay in the Martin family cemetery in Bedford County, Tennessee.

Rebecca Motte was born Rebecca Brewton on June 15, 1737 in the Charleston, South Carolina area, the daughter of Robert and Mary (nee Griffith) Brewton.

Rebecca Brewton grew up along the Santee River with her brother Miles Brewton, a leading Charleston merchant and an early supporter of the Patriot movement. On June 28, 1758, at the age of twenty-one, she married Jacob Motte, a member of an affluent family from Charleston.

At the outbreak of the American Revolution, the Mottes sided with the Patriots and often provided them with supplies. Unfortunately, Rebecca was struck by tragedy when only three of the couple’s seven children survived adulthood, and Jacob, her husband, died in 1780.

Located atop high ground on the road to McCord’s Ferry, a crossing near the confluence of the Congaree and Wateree Rivers, Rebecca’s Mt. Joseph Plantation home became a target for the opposing armies. In the spring of 1781, British Lt. Donald McPherson arrived at Rebecca’s doorstep. McPherson banished Rebecca and her family to one of the plantation’s outbuildings, converted the three-story house into a veritable fortress, surrounded it with a palisade and reinforced it with a garrison of 165 men.

At mid-day on May 12, a Patriot used Rebecca’s bow to set fire to the house’s roof. Once ablaze, the Patriots opened an artillery barrage compelling McPherson to promptly surrender and were able to stop the blaze from encompassing the entire home. Despite the damage, Rebecca returned to the house following the departure of Lee and Marion after the British surrender.

Rebecca passed away in January 1815 and now rests in the St. Philips Church cemetery in Charleston.

In 1779, on hearing that a Tory party would seize Spartan Regiment ammunition at the Thomas family home, Colonel Thomas fled with his men, taking a part of the powder. Jane Thomas’ fighting spirit in this moment was referenced in an article in the Charleston newspaper Carolina Gazette, on May 25th 1811: “In the year 1779, when the Tories attacked the house of her husband, to get at a magazine kept there, she cooperated with her son and son-in-law in guarding it. While they fired on the assailants, Jane advanced in front of them with a sword in her hand and dared them to come on. They were intimidated and retired.”

After the fall of Charleston in 1780, John Thomas his sons, Abram and Robert, were captured by British forces, and sent to prison at Ninety- Six. Later that year, while Jane visited her imprisoned husband and sons, she learned that the Tories intended to surprise the Rebels at Cedar Spring where the Spartan Regiment, was headquartered. Jane departed from Ninety-Six jail and rode 60 miles to warn the Spartans of the impending attack. Jane’s warning had not only saved lives, but also enabled the Spartans to prepare a surprise ambush on the British instead, resulting in a patriot victory.

After the end of the war, in 1785, John and Jane Thomas moved to present day Greenville, South Carolina, where they lived the rest of their lives. They both died in 1811 and are buried in the Col. John Thomas Family Cemetery in Greenville.

During the Revolutionary War, Lieutenant John Talbird of the Patriot militia was wounded in a battle on Johns Island in 1779 and captured by the British. After Charleston surrendered to the British in May of 1780, he was paroled and sent back to his Skull Creek home and his wife, Mary Ann Ladson Talbird.

The couple lived on Hilton Head Island at the Talbird Plantation that had been gifted to them by Henry Talbird when they married. After Lieutenant Talbird returned home in the spring of 1780, the British attempted to force him to join a British military unit. Instead, he joined one of the regiments under command of the Swamp Fox, Francis Marion. The British captured him again and held him on a prison ship in Charleston harbor until the end of the war.

In October of 1781, the Royal Militia on Daufuskie Island was instructed to burn the homes of all known Patriots between Beaufort and Savannah. A Tory militia unit moved up Skull Creek, burning Patriot-owned plantations along the way and were spotted by a house slave on the Talbirds. The slave ran from the dock shouting “Soldiers, Missus! Coming ashore!”

Mary Ann Talbird, who was nine months pregnant, ordered the household slaves to hide in the nearby woods. She bravely faced the approaching red-coated officers. The officer in command was her brother-in-law, Isaac Martinangele of Daufuskie. He did order the home destroyed but allowed time for household goods to be carried out and placed under the spreading branches of a giant live oak about 100 yards from the main house. The British seized the servants and horses that they could find, burned the house and sailed away.

After the British had left, Mary Ann called to the slaves that had escaped capture and directed them in building small shelters with roofs and sides of layered palmetto fronds , protection from the elements and camouflage from boats passing along Skull Creek. She gave birth to her second son, Henry Talbird, named for his grandfather, on the very day the exhausted Lord Wallis surrendered at Yorktown. The following year, Lt. John Talbird returned to Hilton Head Island and met his second son. The family’s children played under the very oak that sheltered the family and their belongings on the day their home was burned. The Talbird Oak still stands today.

Special Thanks

Special thanks to Jane Stuart, Veda Keeling, Ken Benkeser, Kathy Smith and Joe Player for their contributions to this section.