The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-07-23
Rebecca Notes Sacrifice.

| Some persons are prone to think
that strong-mindedness originated
among Southern women in the last
half Of the 18th century, but a care
full perusal of the pages of history
will show that as far back as the
| Revolutionary war there were wo-
men in South Carolina who exercised
all the rights of man except voting
and fighting.
Many of them were left by the for
tunes of war to manage large planta-
tions and troops of slaves, as we'll as
perform the more womanly duties Of
housekeeping and child training. And
most nobly did they arise to the re-
sponsibilities. Notable among these
heroines Of South Carolina was Re-
becca Motte,fo whom the large and
fourishing chapter in Charleston was
named. She it was who smiled when
informed of the necessity of burning
her house in the destruction of the
British encampment and who furnish
ed the bow and arrows to start the
confagration.
Rebecca Brewton was born, ac-
cording to the family Bible, on June
%, 1888, and was married to Jacob
Motto in 1853. She was the mother
of six children, three of whom died
in infancy. Her two oldest daughters
married one after the other Gen.
Thomas Pinckney and the third be-
came the wife of Col. William Aston
of Charleston. She died at the age
of II at her plantation on the San
tee, leaving a memory which is not
only cherished by her descendents
but by all patriotic South Carolinians,
A historian says:
Fort Motto, the scene Of the oc-
currence which so strikingly display
ed the patriotism of one Of South
Carolina's daughters, stood on the
south side of the Congaree river. The
height commands a beautiful view,
several miles in extent, of sloping
fields, sprinkled with young pines and
green with broom grass or the corn
or cotton crops. The steep over
looks tn swamp land through which
the river flows and that may be seen
to d great distance winding like
bright thread between the sombre
forests"
After the abandonment Of Cam
den to the Americans, Lord Rawdon,
anxious to maintain his posts, direct
ed his first efforts to relieve Fort
Motto, at the time invested by Mar
ion and Lee. This fort, which COM
manded the river, was the principal
depot of conveys from Charleston to
Camden and the upper districts.
It was occupied by a garrison un-
der the command of Capt. McPher-
son, Of 165 men, having been in
creased by a small detachment OF
dragons a few hours before the ap-
pearance of the Americans.
The large new mansion house OF
Mrs. Motto, which had been selected
for the establishments the post, was
surrounded by a deep trench, along
the interior margin of which was
raised a strong and lofty parapet.
Opposite and northward, upon an
other hill, was an old farm house to
which Mrs. Motto had removed when
dismissed from her mansion. On this
height Lieut.. Col. Lee had taken po-
sition with his force, while Marion
occupied the eastern declivity of the
ridge on which the fort stood; the
| valley, running between the two hills
permitting the Americans to approach
it within 400 yards. "McPherson wss
| unprovided with artillery, but hoped
to be relieved by the arrival of Lord
Rawdon, to dislodge the assaillants
before they could push their prepa-
rations to maturity relates one wri-
ter. He therefore replied to the
summons to surrender, which came
on the goth of May, about year af-
ter the victorious British had taken
possession of Charleston, that he
should hold out to the last moment in
his power.
The besiegers had carried on
their approaches rapidly, by relays
of working parties, and aware of the