The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-05-15
MONUMENT UNVEILED
MARKING SITE OF THE HOME
OF REBECCA MoTTE.

OF REBECCA MOTTE.
Orangeburg Daughters of the Revo-
luton and Three Hundred Guests
Take Part in the Exercises.
Three miles from the village of
Fort Motto, on great hill overlook
ing the muddy waters of Congaree
river, says correspondent Of The
News and Courier, the Moultrie
Chapter, D. A. R., Of Orangeburg,
with three hundred invited friends,
held full sway Wednesday. 1t is
q happy trait, implanted in the civ
ilized breast, which bids us revere
the memories of heroes and heroines
Of past age, and the Daughters"
are honoring themselves by honor
ing and perpetuating the name and
fame of Mrs. Rebecca Motto.
She it was, as every schoolboy
knows, whose home was taken and
used as garrison by the British dur
ing the Revolutionary period. She
it was, as tradition goes, who shot
Marion's loaded" arrows which set
IRE to her own home in order to
rout the tories; and it is to her
memory that strong and abiding
granite monument was unveiled
Wednesday.
One feels that he is treading hal
lowed and historic soil hereabouts.
A few miles up the river, and with
in sweep of ones vision, lies buried
old Commodore Gillon, who figured
somewhat conspicuously during his
day; who owned thousands Of acres
around his obscure grave; who was
the first president of Charleston's
Chamber of Commerce, and whose
name is pertetuated by s. prominent
street in that city upon which her
Postoffice formerly stood.
A few hundred yards down the
river is clearly seen old "Belleville"
plantation, one Of the finest in the
State (now owned by the Peterkins),
upon which lived another Revolu-
tionary hero, Col. William Thomp-
son. His magnificent home, which
stood with its Revolutionary bullet
holes until fifteen years ago, was
also a British stronghold and fell
simultaneously with the Motto Fort
in May 171S.
Hard by was the home of Col.
Isaac Hayne (whose descendants are
still honored citizens in this neigh
borhood) who espoused the cause Of
American independence, and who, at
the head of corps of dragons,
around Charleston, fell into an am
buscade laid for him by British COM
Manders. Thrust into dungeon and
condemned to death, without trial,
by Lord Rawdon and Col. Balfour,
he went to his doom with the same
intrepid courage which he displayed
on the field OF battle.
In a few appropriate words, Miss
Mary McMichael introduced the ora
tor .of the day, Mr.. A. S. Salley, Jr.,
the we'll known historian. He read,
in a most impressive manner,
carefully prepared speech. setting
forth in detail the facts bearing upon
the life Of Mrs. Motto and the period
in which she figured. He secuted the
myth that she shot the arrow which
fred her own home.
The truth Of history forced him
to state that her house. was burned
by ball Of gum rosin and birthstone,
set on fire and flung on the roof.
The house was not raised to the
ground, as some historians state, but
was accidentally burned several years
after the close Of the Revolution.
He gave high praise to the Moultrie
Chapter for it's noble work and sug
gested that it build monument in
the public square at Orangeburg to
Gen. Moultrie, the great patriot,
twice Governor Of South Carolina.
1t was a great mission to erect
these monuments to our illustrious
dead, and he specified those to Sum-
ter, Marion, Hampton and Calhoun.
He was glad that the new county
bore the latter's illustrious name, but
hoped that old Orangeburg would
not be called upon to honor any more
in the same way. 1t was scholarly
address, from start to finish, and
greatly enjoyed by his large audience.
/. w. Bowman, Esq, of Orange
burg, made a few happy remarks,
then read a letter Of congratula-
tions from "the Rebecca Motto Chap
ter Of Charleston" and placed
palmetto wreath upon the monument
sent by the Charleston chapter.
Col. P. T. Hildebrand read a tele-
gram from Mrs. Bratton, of York
Vile, State regent of the D. A. r.
TO Mrs. A. G.. Ligon, expressing her
congratulations.
The Orangeburg Brass Band en-
Enthusiastically played Dixie" when
the crowd repaired to a beautiful
grove nearby and enjoyed a splendid
picnic dinner. The inscription on
the monument reads as follows:
"Site of Rebecca Notes Home.