Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-06-01
SOUTH cAR0hMh tA
FAk Rkp0A UFt0a
How the Spirit of Liberty Was Kept Alive BY an
UncOnQuerable People.
From the Yorkville Enquirer of 1876
INSTALLMENT II.
Battle of SuIIivan's Island.

Battle of Sullivan's Island.
We have already seen that through
the prompt and energetic action Of the
authorities Of South Carolina In seiz-
ing the mail brought from London to
Charleston, the true position Of Eng
land toward her North American colo
nies was first discovered. This bold
and in one sense reasonable act, was
performed on the 18th day of April
1775, by William Henry Drayton, John
Neufville and Thomas Corbett. 1t was
now manifest that non-importation
acts which had, on two former occa-
sions, proved successful in causing
Great Britain to redress the grievances
she had by her parliamentary acts In
fiicted upon her colonies, would In this
case, fail to effect the desired result.
The people Of South Carolina became
more thoroughly aroused. There were
in the state multitudes Of individuals
who afterward were designated by the
infamous title Of Tories; and then some
who from conscientious scruples, dared
not oppose by word or act, the British
government: and there was another
class composed of traders, mostly
Scotch and half-breed Indians, the on
spring Of Indian mothers and Indian
traders. This class sympathized with
the British government. The great
majority Of the men and women OF in
fluence and moral worth, in every sec
ton Of the state, were Wings.
From 1854, the time that the stamp
act was passed by the British parlia-
ment up to the time that the British
mail bag was wrested from the post
master in Charleston, by William Hen
ry Drayton and his colleagues, the
movements Of the mother country had
been closely watched. The British
parliament made during this period
various efforts to encroach upon the
chartered rights of the colonies, but the
vigilance of the leading statesman OF
South Carolina never suffered the
people to be entangled in snare.
On the 11th of January, ITS, the
provincial congress Of South Carolina
met in Charleston. 1t consisted Of one
hundred and eighty-four members,
chosen from all sections Of the prov
ince. The Constitutional Assembly
consisted of only forty-nine members.
Hence theS Provincial Congress was
nearly four<times as large as the Con-
stitutional Assembly. During the Sit
ting of the Provincial Congress, Lord
William Campbell, the newly appointed
Royal governor, arrived In Charleston.
He was received by the people with
the manifestations of joy which 1t was
customary to show on the arrival OF
new governor. An address was pre-
pared and presented to Governor
Campbell by the Provincial Assembly.
In this address the representatives OF
the people declared that they had been
moved to do what they had done, not
from a love of innovation or desire to
alter the constitution of the govern
ment; nor even had lust for inde-
pendence driven them to take the step,
but they had been impelled by the law
of self preservation. Governor Camp
bell refused to recognized the Provin-
cial Assembly as a legally constituted
body and would not treat with them.
For several months after Governor
Campbelrs arrival, nothing occurred
between him and the people to dis
turb the progress of preparation for
war which the people were making.
Either from policy or believing that
the thing would ultimately amount
to nothing, Governor Campbell COM
missioned the officers of the volunteer
companies which were raised for the
purpose of resisting the encroach-
ments of the British parliament At
the same time, Governor Campbell
was secretly stirring up the people in
the back country to resist the acts of
the Provincial Congress. His success
in distracting the minds of the people
amounted to very little except in that
portion of the state between the Salu-
da and Broad rivers. This opposition
did more good than evil. 1t showed
the friends of the Provincial Assem-
bly, their real strength, and the royal
lists their real weakness. Zeal and en-
ergy were infused into the minds of
the former while the latter became
diSheartened.
The friends of the Provincial AS
sembly were not ignorant of the Sc
cret intrigues of Governor Campbell.
Adam Mcdonald, a staunch Whig and
member of the committee on safety
prevailed upon some one to introduce
him to Governor Campbell, under
the name of Dick Williams, mes
senger from the back country and a
royalist. To this feigned Dick Will
liams, the governor made very i'm
portant disclosures He Informed
Dick that he had but recently re-
ceived information from England
that a large number of troops would
soon be in the country and that the
colonies would be forced to submit
to British legislation. The duped
governor was not iOnS IN lllulhS ou'
his mistake. He was soon waited
upon by a number of gentlemen and
among them was the veritable Dick
Williams. His correspondence witt
England was demanded. He refused
but became alarmed for his persona
safety and went on board the Tamar
This was in September, 1775, and the
last time that a royal governor Sc
his foot on South Carolina soil.
To instruct as well as encourage th'
people of the back country, the Rev
William Tenant and William Henry
Drayton were sent out in l775. They
left Charleston on the second of Au'
gust and passed up through the centre
of the state. On the Sabbath Mr.
Tenant would first preach the gospe
to the people and then deliver a poIit'
ical speech. Having arrived at King:
Mountain, they then visited the west
ern part OF the state. and returned Il
Charleston after an absence OF abou
two months. Thus it may be said tina
every effort was made to inform tn