Embedded Files
The South Carolina Society Daughters of the American Revolution (SCDAR), alongside the national organization (NSDAR), leads an initiative to identify and honor "Forgotten Patriots" of the American Revolution. This project highlights underrepresented Revolutionary War participants—specifically African Americans (Enslaved & Free Persons of Color), Colonial Women, Native Americans, Cubans, Dutch, French, French Canadians, French Haitians, French Huguenots, Melungeon, Mexicans, and Spanish—who helped secure American independence.
The primary research for the state is found on page 581 of the DAR's core text, Forgotten Patriots – African American and American Indian Patriots in the Revolutionary War: A Guide to Service, Sources, and Studies. [1]
Key South Carolina Records & Resources
The DAR Research Book: You can download the complete 874-page Forgotten Patriots Book as a free PDF document directly from the official DAR website. It includes extensive South Carolina historical commentary and a bibliography of research sources. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Patriots of Color Database: The DAR maintains a digital Patriots of Color Database inside its Genealogy Research System (GRS). This database allows you to easily search for specific minoritized South Carolina patriots by name or service location. [1, 2]
State Source Guide: To cross-reference local records, the DAR Library provides a specialized state-specific manual titled South Carolina in the American Revolution: A Source Guide for Genealogists and Historians. [1]
South Carolina History Context
While historical estimates show that thousands of enslaved individuals in South Carolina sought freedom during the chaos of the war, the DAR and independent research groups have officially documented over 121 African American patriots who actively served on the American side within South Carolina. [1]
The service of these individuals was particularly complex, as the South Carolina Provincial Legislature famously rejected plans to enlist larger brigades of enslaved men, meaning most patriots of color in the state served in integrated local militias, as scouts, or as laborers. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Source: National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. (2008). Forgotten Patriots – African American and American Indian Patriots in the Revolutionary War: A Guide to Service, Sources, and Studies (pp. 581–608). DAR Library.
Contact: SCDARSpecialtyResearch@gmail.com
10 MILLION NAMES
BOOK OF NEGROES: NOVA SCOTIA ARCHIVES
CHILDREN of the AMERICAN REVOLUTION PATRIOTS IN SC:
Child patriots in South Carolina played an incredibly dangerous and crucial role in the Revolutionary War, serving as front-line messengers, quick-witted spies, and battlefield soldiers. Because the war in the South Carolina backcountry was a brutal civil war between neighbors, children were frequently forced to step into adult military roles to defend their homes and outsmart occupying British forces.
The most famous young heroines and heroes of the South Carolina campaign include:
1. The Teenage Spies and Messengers
Dicey Langston (Age 15): Living in Laurens County, Langston regularly eavesdropped on Loyalist neighbors. Upon discovering that a notorious Tory faction called the "Bloody Scouts" planned a surprise massacre on a nearby Patriot camp, she slipped out at midnight. She traveled miles on foot through the dark and swam across the swollen, treacherous Enoree River to deliver the warning, successfully saving the camp.
Emily Geiger (Age 16): In 1781, General Nathanael Greene desperately needed to send a highly confidential military message across enemy lines to General Thomas Sumter. Geiger volunteered for the perilous mission. Intercepted by British scouts and locked in a room to be searched, she tore the written dispatch into pieces and ate the paper. Finding no evidence, the British released her, allowing her to ride onward and deliver the message verbally to Sumter.
2. Child Soldiers on the Battlefield
Andrew Jackson (Ages 13–14): Decades before becoming the 7th U.S. President, Lancaster County native Andrew Jackson joined the local Patriot militia at age 13 alongside his brother Robert. He served primarily as a courier and mounted messenger, witnessing the brutal aftermath of the Waxhaws Massacre. Captured by the British in 1781, a British officer ordered the 14-year-old Jackson to clean his boots. When Jackson defiantly refused, the officer slashed him with a sword, leaving permanent scars on Jackson's head and hand.
Thomas "Horseshoe" Robertson (Age 15): Serving as a young scout and soldier in the Upstate militia, Robertson became legendary for his tracking skills. In one famous incident, the teenager single-handedly captured a small group of older Loyalist soldiers by outmaneuvering them in the woods and tricking them into believing they were entirely surrounded by a large Patriot force.
3. Young Coastal Defenders
William Jasper’s Drummer Boys: During the famous 1779 Siege of Savannah (which heavily featured Lowcountry South Carolina regiments), young boys under the age of 16 were officially enlisted as drummers and fifers. Far from being safe, these children stood directly on the front lines of fire, using their drumbeats to communicate vital battlefield commands to the charging troops amid heavy artillery smoke.
Today, organizations like the National Society Children of the American Revolution (NSCAR) actively preserve the history and genealogy of these brave youth who risked their lives for independence.
CUBAN PATRIOTS IN SC:
Cuban patriots served as a major financial and strategic anchor for the American Revolution, providing critical clandestine diplomacy in Charleston, battlefield troops on the Southern flank, and the direct funding that won the war.
As a primary Spanish colonial stronghold, Havana acted as the central operational hub for channeling Caribbean resources to the American theater. Their specific contributions weave directly into the broader Southern and South Carolina campaigns: [1, 2]
1. Clandestine Diplomacy: Juan de Miralles in Charleston
The Secret Mission: In late 1777, wealthy Havana merchant Juan de Miralles was dispatched to the colonies as a secret agent and emissary from the Spanish crown. []
The Charleston Landing: Miralles officially landed in Charleston, South Carolina, establishing early communication networks with southern revolutionaries. From Charleston, he traveled to meet with Patrick Henry and George Washington to mastermind a joint Spanish-American military strategy. [, 3]
The Supply Lines: Using his immense fortune and connections in Cuba, Miralles successfully coordinated secret shipments of arms, ammunition, clothing, and medicine from Havana directly into mainland Patriot ports. [1]
2. The Cuban Regiment at the Siege of Pensacola
Striking the British Flank: When General Bernardo de Gálvez launched his massive 1781 offensive against the British capital of West Florida at Pensacola, his army relied heavily on Cuban reinforcements. [, 3]
The Havana Armada: Gálvez departed directly from Havana with an armada of 40 ships and a massive force heavily comprised of the Regiment of Havana and local Cuban colonial militias. [, 2]
Relieving South Carolina: The brutal, two-month British surrender at Pensacola successfully forced Great Britain to divert thousands of soldiers and naval warships away from occupied South Carolina, critically isolating British General Cornwallis. [, 2]
3. The "Ladies of Havana" Fund the Final Victory
The Yorktown Financial Crisis: In the summer of 1781, French Admiral de Grasse arrived in the Caribbean needing immediate funds to pay Continental soldiers and supply French fleet operations for the upcoming Siege of Yorktown. General Washington's army was on the brink of mutiny over lack of pay. [1, 2]
The Cuban Rescue: French and Spanish officials rushed to Cuba to raise emergency capital. In a legendary display of solidarity, the women of Havana (along with local merchants) donated their personal jewelry, diamonds, and gold, raising over 1.2 million livres in a matter of hours. [1, 2, 3]
The Direct Result: This Cuban treasury was immediately shipped to the Chesapeake. It provided the exact financial backing required to launch the siege that finally broke British power in the American South. [1, 2]
Today, the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the Sons of the American Revolution formally recognize descendants of the Spanish military and colonial militias who served on the island of Cuba during the war. [1, 3]
DAR AMERICAN INDIAN COLLECTION
https://www.dar.org/library/collections/dar-special-collections
"DAR FORGOTTEN PATRIOTS: AFRICAN AMERICAN & AMERICAN INDIAN PATRIOTS IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR"
PATRIOTS OF COLOR ARCHIVE: BLACK & INDIGENOUS SOLDIERS IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR
Nearly 200 rare documents bearing the names of Black and Native American soldiers who served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War are now part of the Museum's collection.
DAR E PLURIBUS UNUM EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE:
https://honoringourpatriots.dar.org/e-pluribus-unum-main/about/
DAUGHTER DIALOGUES:
DUTCH PATRIOTS in SC:
The presence of the "Dutch" in South Carolina during the Revolutionary War is a fascinating history defined by a linguistic mix-up, deep-seated regional loyalties, and fierce back-country civil war. In 18th-century South Carolina, "Dutch" almost always referred to German-speaking settlers (Deutsch Volken) rather than people from the Netherlands. [1]
The experiences of these communities can be explored through their distinct geographic hubs and actions during the war:
1. The Dutch Fork (Upcountry Civil War)
The most prominent "Dutch" enclave was the Dutch Fork, a fertile region nestled between the Broad and Saluda rivers. [1]
Initial Royal Loyalty: When the war began, the vast majority of German-speaking settlers in the Dutch Fork were highly apathetic or openly loyal to King George III. The King (who was himself of German ancestry via the House of Hanover) had granted them their bounty lands, and they feared a Patriot victory would invalidate their property deeds. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The Dutch Fork Militia: Under Loyalist leaders like Colonel Daniel Clary, local men formed highly active Tory militias that clashed bitterly with Patriot neighbors. Notable local families split; for instance, the Livingston (Loewenstein) brothers included Martin Livingston, a Captain of the South Carolina Royalists who fought for the British at the Battle of Camden. [1, 2]
Shifting Sides: The back-country war was brutal. When Captain Martin Livingston was killed in 1781, his entire Loyalist unit famously revolted and switched allegiance to fight for the Patriots. [1, 2]
2. Dutch Fork Patriots
Despite the region's overall Loyalist leaning, a dedicated contingent of Dutch Fork settlers embraced the rebellion early on. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Battle of Sullivan's Island (1776): Local German-descended soldiers like John Kinard and Jacob Fulmer marched to the coast to serve in the 2nd South Carolina Regiment. They helped defend a makeshift palmetto log fort (later named Fort Moultrie), securing one of the earliest, most pivotal American naval victories of the war. [1, 2, 3]
3. "Dutch Town" in Charleston
Closer to the coast, a working-class neighborhood known as Dutch Town emerged in Charleston during the 1760s. Populated by German-speaking immigrants living near their Lutheran church, the neighborhood was heavily disrupted during the 1780 Siege of Charleston when British forces bombarded and occupied the city. [1, 2, 3]
4. The Actual Netherlands Connection: Commodore Alexander Gillon
While local "Dutchmen" were German, South Carolina did have a massive connection to the sovereign nation of the Netherlands. [1, 2]
South Carolina's naval commodore, Alexander Gillon, was dispatched to Europe to secure warships.
He successfully leased a massive, heavily armed frigate built in Amsterdam, naming it the South Carolina.
Operated with Dutch assistance, this vessel became the most powerful ship in the South Carolina Navy, capturing numerous British prizes before finally being taken by the Royal Navy late in the war. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
FEMALE PATRIOTS IN SC:
Female Patriots in South Carolina played an indispensable and highly hazardous role in the Revolutionary War, serving as front-line spies, backcountry battlefield heroes, and financial pillars. Operating in a state ravaged by a brutal civil conflict between Patriots and Loyalists, these women utilized their resourcefulness to directly shape the outcome of the Southern Campaign. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The most prominent South Carolina heroines can be explored through their specific, daring contributions to independence:
The Backcountry Spies & Defenders
Laodicea “Dicey” Langston (Laurens County): One of the war's most celebrated teenage spies. At age 15, she discovered that a notorious Loyalist militia known as the "Bloody Scouts" was launching a surprise raid on an Upstate Patriot camp. She traveled miles through the dark, swam across a swollen, treacherous river, and successfully warned the troops. She also famously threw herself in front of a Loyalist's musket to save her disabled father's life. [1, 2, 3]
Grace and Rachel Martin (Ninety Six District): These sister-in-laws disguised themselves in men's Continental uniforms, armed themselves, and ambushed a British courier dispatch along a dark road. They successfully overpowered the guards, seized critical British military documents, and delivered them safely to American commanders. [1, 2, 3]
Anne Kennedy (Spartanburg County): Operating as a teenager at the Battle of Cowpens, Kennedy regularly passed critical intelligence about British troop strengths to American officers. When Loyalists raided her family home looking for her father, she physically assaulted and kicked a Tory soldier out of the house. [1, 2]
Sacrificing Wealth & Property
Rebecca Brewton Motte (Congaree Region): A wealthy widow whose grand plantation mansion, Mt. Joseph, was seized and heavily fortified by British forces as "Fort Motte". When Patriot commanders Francis Marion and Henry Lee hesitated to assault the fort because it would destroy her home, Motte insisted they burn it. She provided the Patriots with an African bow and flaming arrows to ignite her own roof, forcing the trapped British garrison to surrender. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Dorothy Sinkler Richardson (Clarendon County): The staunch Patriot widow of General Richard Richardson. She repeatedly used her estate to hide the "Swamp Fox" Francis Marion from pursuing British forces, using clever distractions and passing intelligence that ultimately saved Marion's life. [1, 2]
Backcountry War Production
Mary Patton (Backcountry): While the men marched to fight, Patton managed a vital wilderness operation manufacturing high-grade gunpowder. Her homemade powder was heavily utilized by the Overmountain Men to defeat British forces at the turning-point Battle of Kings Mountain. [1, 2, 3]
Today, the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (SC250) actively preserves the legacy of these unsung heroines, including a recently unveiled commemorative statue of Dicey Langston in Travelers Rest, SC. [1, 2, 3]
Susannah Smith Elliott stands as one of coastal South Carolina’s most legendary and resourceful Revolutionary war heroines, intimately connected to the elite web of Lowcountry Patriots. Orphaned at a young age, she was raised by her aunt, the famous Patriot Rebecca Brewton Motte. This upbringing deeply forged her fierce devotion to the American cause. [1, 2, 3]
Her remarkable contributions to the Revolution include:
The Famous Regimental Banners
The Gift of Colors: In June 1776, following the spectacular American victory at the Battle of Sullivan's Island, Susannah embroidered and presented two elegant silk military standards—one blue, one red—to Colonel William Moultrie’s 2nd South Carolina Regiment. [1, 2]
Sergeant Jasper's Ultimate Sacrifice: Colonel Moultrie pledged that these colors would never be tarnished. Three years later, during the bloody Siege of Savannah, multiple officers died carrying them. The famous Patriot Sergeant William Jasper was mortally wounded while successfully scaling the British ramparts to plant Susannah's banner. His dying words to his commander were: "Tell Mrs. Elliott I lost my life supporting the colors she presented to our regiment." [1, 2]
Defiance at "The Hut" Plantation
The Secret Chimney: Living at her Dorchester County plantation, a property known as "The Hut," Susannah operated an active safehouse for Patriot forces. When a British patrol launched a surprise raid on her home, she calmly ushered three visiting American officers into a hidden closet compartment behind her fireplace chimney. [, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Outwitting the British: While the British ransacked her home, they noticed freshly turned mounds of earth in her yard and demanded to know if her family silver was buried there. Susannah coolly stared down the officers, claiming the mounds were actually the graves of British soldiers. Her deception worked: the British refused to dig up the dirt, leaving both the hidden American soldiers and her silver (which was actually buried safely nearby in a coastal marsh) completely undiscovered. [1, 2]
Lowcountry Frontline Support
Bacons Bridge Supply Line: Susannah’s plantation sat near Bacons Bridge, a vital strategic crossing over the Ashley River that frequently shifted between British and Patriot control. Throughout the brutal military tug-of-war, she constantly used her resources to supply food, fresh bandages, and crucial intelligence to wounded Continental troops camped in the area. [1]
Today, her legacy of quick-witted bravery and frontline patriotism is actively honored by the Susannah Smith Elliott Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) in Summerville, South Carolina. [1, 2, 3]
FRENCH PATRIOTS IN SC:
French patriots—comprising elite Continental Army commanders, volunteer aristocrats, and thousands of naval servicemen—were the ultimate catalyst for liberating South Carolina from British occupation. While local French-descended Huguenots led the backcountry militias, citizens arriving directly from the Kingdom of France provided the heavy military infrastructure and naval power necessary to break the British stranglehold on the Lowcountry.
The vital contributions of these French nationals to the South Carolina campaign can be explored across four main arenas:
1. The Lowcountry Commanders
The Marquis de Lafayette: The legendary teenage French aristocrat first set foot in America on June 13, 1777, landing right in South Carolina at North Island near Georgetown. Lafayette was taken in by local Patriot Major Benjamin Huger. This historic South Carolina landing cemented Lafayette's lifelong devotion to the American cause, and he later returned to command Continental forces that bottled up the British in the South.
The Marquis de Malmedy: A professional French military officer breveted as a brigadier general by North Carolina and later commanding South Carolina troops. Malmedy led a crucial brigade of South Carolina militia directly on the front lines at the bloody Battle of Eutaw Springs in 1781, helping turn the tide of the war in the state.
2. The Siege of Charleston (1780)
Colonel Louis de Cambray-Digny: A brilliant French Royal Engineer dispatched by the Continental Congress to fortify Charleston. Cambray-Digny completely redesigned and strengthened the city's earthworks and bastions. During the grueling 1780 Siege of Charleston, his fortifications held off a massive British siege army for nearly two months before the city was finally forced to capitulate.
The French Volunteer Naval Fleet: Trapped in Charleston harbor during the siege was a contingent of French naval vessels and volunteers, including the ship L'Aventure. These French sailors abandoned their ships, hauled their heavy cannons ashore, and manned the city's batteries side-by-side with South Carolina Patriots.
3. Turning the Tide: The Siege of Savannah
Count Charles Henri d'Estaing: In late 1779, French Admiral d'Estaing arrived off the southern coast with a massive armada of over 30 warships and thousands of French troops.
The Franco-American Alliance: D'Estaing joined forces with South Carolina's Continental Commander, General Benjamin Lincoln, to launch a massive assault to recapture British-held Savannah. Though the assault failed, the battle proved to the British that they could no longer operate in South Carolina without constantly fearing a sudden, devastating French naval attack.
4. Cutting Off British Supplies
Admiral François Joseph Paul de Grasse: While de Grasse is famous for the Battle of the Chesapeake, his massive French fleet spent critical months patrolling the Caribbean and southern Atlantic coastlines. By successfully blocking British shipping lanes, de Grasse effectively isolated British-occupied Charleston. The British garrisons left in South Carolina were completely cut off from receiving fresh reinforcements, forcing them to ultimately evacuate Charleston in December 1782.
Today, this enduring international alliance is actively honored and studied by the Lafayette Trail project and the French Heritage Society, which document the physical and historical footprints left by these French liberators across South Carolina.
FRENCH CANADIANS IN SC:
French Canadians did not serve in distinct, localized regiments within South Carolina during the Revolutionary War; however, their impact on the state's theater was felt through the national deployment of Canada's "Congress's Own" regiment and the earlier, forced migration of Canadian Acadians into the Lowcountry.
Because French Canadians primarily enlisted in the north following the 1775 American invasion of Quebec, their intersection with South Carolina is categorized by the following military and regional connections: [1, 2]
1. The 2nd Canadian Regiment ("Congress's Own")
A Truly National Unit: Organized under Colonel Moses Hazen, the 2nd Canadian Regiment was one of the few "national" regiments answers directly to the Continental Congress rather than a specific state. It was a diverse unit containing French-Canadian companies commanded by officers like Laurent Olivier, Philippe Liébert, and Antoine Paulint. [1, 2, 4]
The Southern Campaign Reinforcements: As a national unit, "Congress's Own" drew recruits from almost every colony to replenish its ranks as the war dragged on, eventually integrating soldiers from 12 of the 13 states—excluding only Georgia. Elements and veterans of this integrated Canadian regiment were detached southward to reinforce General Nathanael Greene's depleted Southern Army, participating in the grueling campaigns that successfully pushed the British out of the South Carolina backcountry. [1]
2. The Acadian Lowcountry Connection
The most significant presence of French-descended Canadians in South Carolina stems from a tragic prelude to the Revolution: the 1755 Expulsion of the Acadians from Nova Scotia by the British. [1]
Forced Exile to Charleston: Roughly 1,000 French-Canadian Catholic Acadians were forcibly packed onto ships and sent to Charleston. They were processed through the quarantine "Pest House" on Sullivan's Island. [1]
The Lowcountry Patriots: Though initially treated with intense hostility and suspicion by Protestant South Carolinians, many Acadians chose to permanently settle in the Lowcountry. By 1775, when the Revolutionary War broke out, younger generations of these French-Canadian exiles eagerly joined local South Carolina Patriot militias and Continental lines, using the opportunity to take up arms against the very British Crown that had exiled their families twenty years earlier. [1]
3. Shared Anti-British Propaganda
During the First Continental Congress, South Carolina delegates like John Rutledge actively supported sending letters of invitation to the people of Quebec, urging French Canadians to join the anti-British crusade. While the wider Canadian population largely remained neutral or sided with Britain due to religious guarantees in the Quebec Act, the dialogue established a shared political defiance that individual French Canadians brought with them when fighting alongside southern troops. [1, 2, 3]
Detailed deep dives into the composition of these early international units can be explored in the historical work Congress's Own: A Canadian Regiment, the Continental Army, and American Union by Dr. Holly A. Mayer, featured by the Museum of the American Revolution. [1]
FRENCH HAITIAN PATRIOTS IN SC:
Haitians in the American Revolution in the Lowcountry Connection
Over 500 free men of color from Saint-Domingue, known as Les Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint-Domingue, played a critical role in the 1779 Siege of Savannah, serving as the largest unit of African descent in the Revolutionary War. These soldiers provided a heroic rear-guard action during the failed allied assault, later utilizing their military experience to become key leaders in the Haitian Revolution. Learn more from the Museum of the American Revolution at amrevmuseum.org.
The Chasseurs Volontaires: In 1779, a contingent of over 500 free men of color from Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti) sailed to Georgia to fight for American independence. [1]
Siege of Savannah: Serving as the Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint-Domingue, this unit constituted the largest group of men of African descent fighting for the American cause. During the Franco-American assault on British-held Savannah, these Haitian troops fought bravely and covered the allied retreat, preventing far greater casualties. [1, 2]
Lowcountry Impact: Because of this historic alliance, many veterans of the campaign—including the future King of Haiti, Henri Christophe (who served as a drummer boy)—learned military tactics and leadership that directly influenced the 1791 Haitian Revolution. [1, 3, 4]
Savannah Monument: The heroism of these troops is honored today with a dedicated monument in Franklin Square in Savannah, Georgia. [1]
The Aftermath: Haitian Migration to Charleston
Following the success of the Haitian Revolution in 1804, thousands of refugees (including white planters, free people of color, and enslaved individuals) fled the Caribbean. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Many settled in port cities like Charleston, fundamentally altering the demographic and cultural landscape of the Lowcountry. Their arrival brought immense anxiety to white South Carolinians who feared the spread of slave insurrections, making the integration of Haitian refugees a highly volatile political issue. [1, 2, 3]
French Haitians and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina
The historical connection between Haiti, Charleston, and the American Revolutionary War has come full circle with the appointment of Bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune, the first Haitian-born and first Black ordinary bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina. [1, 2, 3]
In his poignant interviews following his 2022 ordination, Bishop Fabre-Jeune highlighted the often-overlooked military contributions of Haitian soldiers to American independence. [1, 2]
Bishop Fabre-Jeune's Interview and Insights
During a notable interview with the Black Catholic Messenger, Bishop Fabre-Jeune spoke extensively about immigration, historical memory, and Black liberation. [1]
The American Revolution Connection: He emphasized that despite Haiti's modern economic struggles, the nation was built on the pursuit of freedom and actually aided the United States in its infancy. [1]
Haitian Soldiers: He noted, "Haiti helped the US in its liberation. Soldiers came from Haiti to help the Americans [during the Revolution]". [1]
The Savannah Monument: He specifically referenced the Haitian Monument in Savannah, Georgia, which honors these soldiers. [1]
His Coat of Arms: To honor this historical legacy of Black liberation, Bishop Fabre-Jeune’s official bishop coat of arms features a prominent palm tree, a direct symbol of the Haitian Revolution. [1]
French Haitians in the American Revolutionary War
The military contribution Bishop Fabre-Jeune referenced centers on a specific unit of free Black and mixed-race men from the French colony of Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti). [1, 2]
[ Saint-Domingue (Haiti) ]
│
▼ (750+ Free Black & Mixed-Race Troops Levied)
[ Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint-Domingue ]
│
▼ (Sailed with French Fleet under Admiral d'Estaing)
[ Siege of Savannah, Georgia (1779) ]
│
▼ (Fought bravely to cover American/French retreat)
[ Future Leaders of the Haitian Revolution ] (e.g., Henri Christophe)
The Unit: Known as the Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint-Domingue (Volunteer Huntsmen of Saint-Domingue), this was a French colonial regiment consisting of over 750 gens de couleur libres (free men of color). [1, 2]
The Siege of Savannah (1779): The regiment sailed to Georgia to support American continental forces and white French troops trying to recapture Savannah from the British.
Battlefield Heroics: When the allied assault failed disastrously, the Haitian Chasseurs formed a heroic rear-guard defense. Their bravery successfully held off British counter-attacks, saving the retreating American and French armies from total annihilation.
The Spark for Haiti's Freedom: Many veterans of this American Revolutionary battle—including a young Henri Christophe, who later became a general and King of Haiti—gained vital battlefield experience in Georgia. They took these lessons in liberty and military tactics back home, utilizing them to launch the Haitian Revolution in 1791. [1, 2]
The Deep History of Haiti and Charleston
The link between Haiti and Charleston extends well beyond the Revolutionary War.
Following the 1791 Haitian Revolution, nearly 20,000 refugees fled Saint-Domingue, and Charleston became one of the primary U.S. ports of asylum. White planters, free people of color, and enslaved individuals flooded into Charleston, drastically shaping its cultural, religious, and social landscape. [1, 2]
In the 1830s, Charleston's early Catholic leaders, like Bishop John England, established a special mission and school to minister to the massive population of Haitian Creole-speaking Catholics in the city. This sparked heavy backlash from white South Carolina lawmakers who feared that Black literacy and Haitian ideals of liberty would spark a local slave revolt. [1, 2, 4]
The appointment of Bishop Fabre-Jeune brings this centuries-old, tumultuous relationship entirely full circle. []
FRENCH HUGUENOT PATRIOTS in SC:
French Huguenots (French Calvinist Protestants) played a monumental role in the American Revolution in South Carolina, providing many of the state's most famous military leaders, political minds, and financial backers. Having fled severe royal persecution in France following the 1685 Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, South Carolina's Huguenot descendants possessed a deep-seated cultural resistance to monarchical tyranny, which naturally aligned them with the Patriot cause. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Legendary Military Leaders
Francis Marion ("The Swamp Fox"): The grandson of French Huguenots Benjamin and Judith Marion, Francis Marion became a pioneer of guerrilla warfare in the Lowcountry. His elusive partisan militia disrupted British supply lines and terrorized loyalist outposts across the Pee Dee and Santee regions. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
General Peter Horry & Colonel Hugh Horry: Descendants of prominent Huguenot refugees, these brothers served as crucial senior officers under Francis Marion's command. Peter Horry later meticulously documented the exploits of the Swamp Fox. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Colonel Daniel Horry: A cousin to Peter and Hugh, he commanded a regiment of South Carolina Light Dragoons from his estate, Hampton Plantation. [1, 2]
Isaac Huger: Emerging from a prominent Huguenot family, Huger served as a brigadier general in the Continental Army, commanding troops at major clashes like the Battle of Stono Ferry and the Siege of Charleston. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Financial and Political Backing
Gabriel Manigault: Born to French Protestant refugees, Manigault became a leading merchant and planter. He acted as the premier financier of the rebellion in South Carolina, loaning the state government a massive sum of £652,500 between 1776 and 1779 to fund military supplies. [1, 2]
Peter Manigault: Gabriel's son and the wealthiest individual of his generation in South Carolina, Peter served as Speaker of the Commons House of Assembly. He was an early, aggressive political opponent of British taxation, leading protests against the Stamp Act of 1765. [1, 2, 3]
The Divided Huguenot Front
While the overwhelming majority of Lowcountry Huguenots chose the Patriot path, the war forced painful divides within prominent families. Following the brutal British capture of Charleston in 1780, several elite families—including Daniel Horry and Gabriel Manigault's grandson—were forced to take protection or sign oaths of allegiance to the British Crown to safeguard their extensive ancestral estates from total confiscation. [1, 2, 3]
Today, this rich military and cultural lineage is preserved by the Huguenot Society of South Carolina and commemorated at the historic French Protestant (Huguenot) Church in downtown Charleston. [1, 2]
Marion’s Merry Men of the Pee Dee - by STCOE: Official page for Marion's Merry Men of the Pee Dee. Preserving South Carolina Revolutionary War history.
Marion’s Merry Men of the Pee Dee - by STCOE: Official page for Marion's Merry Men of the Pee Dee. Preserving South Carolina Revolutionary War history.
"Marion's Merry Men of the Pee Dee: A History Coloring Book" is an educational initiative and publication funded in part by the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (SC250) and developed alongside STCOE.
The book honors the diverse, local fighters—particularly highlighting the often-overlooked contributions of African Americans, Native Americans, and multi-racial frontier families—who served in the Pee Dee swamps under General Francis Marion, the "Swamp Fox".
The primary historical figures and names featured in the coloring book or its companion theatrical history projects include:
The Core Figures
General Francis Marion: The legendary "Swamp Fox" who orchestrated the partisan guerrilla campaign from secret bases like Snow Island in the Pee Dee River.
Oscar "Buddy"Marion: Francis Marion's enslaved personal servant, sub-officer, and faithful companion who fought dynamically in the Lowcountry marshes who used his intimate knowledge of the Pee Dee's blackwater paths to help the militia slip past British blockade, and was later posthumously recognized as an American Patriot.
Gideon Gibson: A prominent multi-racial (Melungeon) property owner and frontier partisan from the Pee Dee region who actively backed the rebellion against local British Loyalists.
Joshua Braveboy: A free Black man of African, Native American (Algonquin), and Caucasian ancestry who moved from North Carolina to a 150-acre plantation on Lynches Creek by 1771 [findagrave.com, hmdb.org, wikitree.com]. He risked everything to serve multiple tours directly under General Francis Marion between 1780 and 1781 [findagrave.com, hmdb.org]. A historic South Carolina highway marker now commemorates his plantation site [findagrave.com, hmdb.org].
Spencer Boulton: A local militia soldier who served multiple crucial tours in the South Carolina backcountry, ultimately receiving his official military discharge paper directly from the hand of General Francis Marion at the close of the war [revwarapps.org].
Jim Capers: A free Black patriot who enlisted in the 4th Regiment of the South Carolina Militia under Francis Marion [postandcourier.com]. Serving as a vital drum major, he used rhythmic tempos to convey military commands and direct troop movements amidst heavy battlefield smoke [postandcourier.com]. He fought aggressively from Savannah to the Battle of Eutaw Springs, where he sustained multiple severe combat wounds [ageofrevolutions.com].
Josiah Cockfield: A local partisan fighter who became a symbol of raw battlefield resilience under Marion. During a sharp engagement, Cockfield was shot directly through the breast [public-library.uk]. Miraculously, he survived the horrific wound and returned to the field to fight bravely beside the Swamp Fox again [public-library.uk].
Adam Ivey: Born in North Carolina, his family moved to the Marion District in 1771 [jlivey.com]. He volunteered at just 15 years old, survived being captured as a British prisoner of war at the fall of Charleston, and upon his release via a prisoner exchange, joined General Marion's troops, serving out the rest of the war [jlivey.com].
George Perkins & Jacob Perkins: Members of the prominent, free multi-racial Perkins family (often documented in early censuses as Free People of Color or Red Bones) who settled along the Little Pee Dee River [findagrave.com, wikitree.com]. George was born in present-day Marion County and served multiple frontline tours under Marion's command [wikitree.com, freeafricanamericans.com], cementing a family lineage heavily decorated for its early American military service [wikitree.com].
Joseph Willis: Born into slavery to an English plantation owner and a Cherokee mother, Willis gained his freedom and fought bravely as a Marion man in the Pee Dee swamps [soulofthepeedee.com, facebook.com, lagenweb.org]. Following the war, he migrated west and became a legendary minister known as "The Apostle to the Opelousas," preaching the first Evangelical sermon west of the Mississippi River and founding dozens of churches [soulofthepeedee.com, facebook.com].
Historical Families of the Pee Dee Militia
The coloring book celebrates the local families who filled out the muster rolls of the Pee Dee brigades. Key local surnames featured include:
The Brittons
The Gauses
The Hugginses
The Crawfords
The Foxworths
The Companion Stage Production ("The Promise")
Developed in tandem with the SC250 Commission and premiered by the Claflin University Theatre Ensemble, the companion stage history highlights six specific real-life African American Patriots who fought in the South Carolina theater and later fought for their promised revolutionary pensions:
Fortune
Jack
Peter
Scipio
Romeo
Cato
(Note: While some details of their personal survival were dramatized due to limited 18th-century documentation, every individual listed represents a real name drawn directly from South Carolina’s wartime pension files).
HISPANIC & MEXICAN PATRIOTS IN SC:
Mexican and Hispanic patriots played an essential, multi-million dollar role in securing victory during the American Revolution, though their impact on the South Carolina campaign was primarily driven through strategic financial backing, naval defense, and diversionary Gulf Coast military operations rather than boots on the ground in the SC backcountry. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Because Mexico was a Spanish colony (New Spain) at the time, Mexican soldiers and citizens fought under the Spanish flag. Their crucial contributions to the Patriot cause can be broken down into three major fronts: [1, 2, 4]
1. Direct Financial Backing for the Southern Campaign
The Royal Collection (El Donativo): In 1780, King Charles III of Spain requested a voluntary cash donation from all citizens in his colonies to fund the war against Britain. Millions of silver pesos were collected from everyday citizens, ranchers, and miners across modern-day Mexico, Texas, and California. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Funding the Siege of Yorktown: This Mexican and Cuban silver was directly funneled to General George Washington and French Admiral de Grasse. It provided the critical payroll and supply money needed to launch the 1781 Yorktown campaign, which ultimately forced the British out of the American South. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
2. General Gálvez’s Diversionary "Southern Flank"
Tying Down British Troops: General Bernardo de Gálvez, the Spanish Governor of Louisiana, raised a diverse army of over 3,000 soldiers that included Mexican infantrymen, Cuban volunteers, and Puerto Ricans. [1, 2]
The Gulf Coast Victories: Between 1779 and 1781, Gálvez's Mexican and Spanish troops successfully captured British-held strongholds at Baton Rouge, Mobile, and Pensacola. [1, 3, 4, 5]
The South Carolina Impact: By launching a fierce offensive on the Gulf Coast, Gálvez forced the British military to divert thousands of troops, warships, and supplies away from the South Carolina and Georgia theaters. This severely weakened British General Cornwallis's ability to reinforce his garrisons during the bloody South Carolina backcountry campaigns. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
3. Coastal Naval Defense: Jordi Ferragut
While there were no distinct Mexican infantry regiments stationed in Charleston, prominent Hispanic seaman Jordi Ferragut (a Mediterranean-born Spanish captain) joined the South Carolina Navy. Ferragut fought aggressively in the Lowcountry waters, helping defend vital maritime supply lines and coastal ports from British naval blockades. [1]
(Note: If you are researching a South Carolina regiment with "Palmetto" or "Mexico" in the title, it is highly likely the Palmetto Regiment of South Carolina, which earned national fame fighting directly in Mexico City decades later during the U.S.–Mexican War (1846–1848)). [1, 3]
ITALIAN PATRIOTS IN SC:
Italian Volunteers
The Mazzei Connection: While individual Italian involvement was rare, European intellectual Philip Mazzei (a close friend of Thomas Jefferson) helped secure vital Italian financial backing and weapons shipments for the broader Southern campaign.
Lowcountry Service: Italian volunteers and merchants arriving via French maritime networks frequently integrated into the diverse international volunteer units that manned the artillery batteries during the 1780 Siege of Charleston.
MELUNGEON PATRIOTS IN SC:
Melungeon patriots—peoples of tri-racial isolated heritage (African, European, and Native American)—served bravely in the Revolutionary War, though their connection to South Carolina is deeply tied to specific mixed-race families migrating between the North Carolina border, the Pee Dee region, and the South Carolina backcountry. [1, 2, 3]
Because the distinct term "Melungeon" was popularized later in the Appalachian mountains, these soldiers were documented on 1770s muster rolls as "Free Persons of Color," "Settlement Indians," or simply listed by multi-racial family surnames. Their prominent contributions to the South Carolina theater include: [1, 2]
1. The Gibson Family and the Raccoon Company
The Sumpter's Range Connection: The Gibsons are widely recognized by genealogists as one of the foundational Melungeon core families. During the Revolution, Gideon Gibson and his relatives operated in the Pee Dee region and the South Carolina backcountry. [1]
The Raccoon Company: Several mixed-race frontier patriots from these ancestral lines served in specialized scout and militia units, including Captain John Cowan's "Raccoon Company" of riflemen. These multi-racial trackers used their advanced knowledge of the swamps and backcountry terrain to gather intelligence and launch ambushes against British and Loyalist regular forces. [1]
2. Overmountain Men and Upstate Militias
The Battle of Kings Mountain: Many multi-racial families living along the rugged Blue Ridge borders of North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina joined the "Overmountain Men."
The Frontline Fighters: Soldiers carrying ancestral Melungeon surnames—such as Collins, Mullins, Goins, and Minor—enlisted in local frontier militias. They fought in critical, turning-point Upstate clashes like the Battle of Kings Mountain and the Battle of Cowpens, delivering devastating defeats to British commanders like Patrick Ferguson and Banastre Tarleton. [1, 2]
3. Fighting Post-War Disenfranchisement
Bounty Land Grants: Following the war's conclusion, many of these multi-racial frontier veterans were awarded bounty land grants in South Carolina and Tennessee as payment for their military service. [1, 2]
The Legal Battle for Identity: Despite their proven patriotism, as the 1700s ended, newly enacted racial laws increasingly stripped "Free Persons of Color" of their voting and legal rights. To protect their land grants and freedom from aggressive Jim Crow-precursor laws, these veterans and their descendants frequently utilized oral histories, claiming Portuguese or Native American origins to escape the severe persecution directed at individuals of African descent. [1, 2]
Organizations like the Melungeon Heritage Association (MHA) actively work alongside revolutionary lineages to document the hidden roles of these multi-racial families in early American victories.
JEWISH PATRIOTS IN SC:
Jewish patriots in South Carolina played an extraordinary, pioneering role in the Revolutionary War, achieving monumental political milestones, funding military operations, and providing an entire localized combat unit to defend the Lowcountry Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina. At the onset of the war, South Carolina housed one of the largest Jewish populations in the colonies, with over a third of all Jewish Revolutionary soldiers nationwide serving in the state Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina. [1, 2, 3]
The profound impact of South Carolina's Jewish community can be traced through these historic figures and military units: [1]
1. Francis Salvador: The First Jewish Elected Official and War Casualty
Breaking Political Barriers: Born into an elite Sephardic family in London, Francis Salvador immigrated to the Ninety-Six District of South Carolina in 1773 Wikipedia. In 1774, he was elected to South Carolina's revolutionary Provincial Congress Wikipedia. This made him the first practicing Jewish person to hold elected public office in the Americas, an incredible feat given that colonial laws technically barred non-Christians from serving History.com, Unsung History. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Architect of Independence: Salvador became one of the assembly's most fierce voices, helping to compose South Carolina's first state constitution and actively lobbying delegates to vote for total independence Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. [1, 2]
The Perilous Frontier Defense: When British-aligned forces launched a frontier assault in the summer of 1776, Salvador mounted his horse and rode 28 miles to sound the alarm, subsequently joining the local militia as a private Wikipedia. [1]
The Ultimate Sacrifice: On August 1, 1776, Salvador’s scouting party was ambushed Wikipedia. Shot and scalped, he died at just 29 years old, cementing his place in history as the first Jewish soldier killed in the American War for Independence History.com. [1, 2, 3, 4]
2. "The Jews Company" (The Free Citizens of Charleston)
The Merchant Militia: In Charleston, local militias were organized geographically by residential shop districts The Post and Courier. Because King Street was heavily populated by Jewish merchants who lived above their storefronts, a unique company was formed under the command of Captain Richard Lushington The Post and Courier. [1, 2, 3]
The Composition: Known informally by contemporaries as "The Jew Company," roughly 40% of the unit’s men were Jewish immigrants, including prominent locals like Solomon Aarons, Moses Cohen, and Ephraim Abrams American Revolution Experience, The Liberty Trail. The soldiers themselves rejected the nickname, proudly calling themselves the "Company of Free Citizens" to assert their newfound equal standing in the emerging nation American Revolution Experience, Unsung History. [1, 2]
Frontline Combat Operations: This localized Jewish unit fought with high distinction on the front lines of several major Southern engagements:
The Battle of Port Royal Island (1779): Fighting under General William Moultrie, they successfully drove back British forces near Beaufort in a major morale-boosting victory The Post and Courier.
The Siege of Savannah (1779): They marched south to Georgia, sustaining casualties during the bloody, failed Franco-American assault The Post and Courier.
The Siege of Charleston (1780): They manned the city's defenses during the brutal, two-month British bombardment before Charleston finally fell The Post and Courier. [1]
3. Clandestine Aid: Abraham Sasportas
The French Connection: Born in Bordeaux, France, Sephardic Jewish merchant Abraham Sasportas settled in Charleston and married into the prominent local da Costa family College of Charleston. Utilizing his deep international trade ties, Sasportas served in a French volunteer militia College of Charleston. He leveraged his family networks in Amsterdam and London to secretly back American diplomats like John Adams, channeling vital financial intelligence and naval supplies into the besieged Charleston port College of Charleston. [1]
Native Nations of South Carolina in the Revolutionary War
Contact: Kimberly Mason, enrolled tribal member of the Choctaw Nation @ masonka13@hotmail.com or 818-585-1313
Native Nations of SC in the Rev. War.pdfPOLISH PATRIOTS IN SC:
Polish patriots—spearheaded by two world-renowned military geniuses, Thaddeus Kościuszko and Casimir Pulaski—provided the critical engineering, cavalry tactics, and battlefield leadership that saved the Continental Army from total destruction in the American South. [1, 2, 3]
Their specific, heroic actions within the South Carolina theater transformed the nature of the Southern Campaign:
1. General Casimir Pulaski: Defending Charleston and the Lowcountry
The "Father of the American Cavalry": After forming the Continental Army’s first true horseback legion, Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski marched south to relieve British pressure on South Carolina. [1, 2, 3]
The Battle of Charleston Neck (1779): In May 1779, British General Augustine Prevost launched a surprise raid on Charleston. With the city on the verge of surrendering, Pulaski arrived with his specialized cavalry force, Pulaski's Legion. He immediately led a daring, aggressive cavalry charge at Charleston Neck. Though the legion suffered heavy casualties, the sheer ferocity of the Polish-led assault shocked the British, forcing them to delay their attack and ultimately saving Charleston from capture for an entire year. [1]
The Ultimate Sacrifice: Five months later, Pulaski was mortally wounded by grapeshot while leading another heroic cavalry charge during the Siege of Savannah, fighting alongside South Carolina regiments.
2. Colonel Thaddeus Kościuszko: The Master Engineer of the Carolinas
Chief Engineer of the Southern Army: In 1780, Polish military mastermind Thaddeus Kościuszko was appointed Chief Engineer of the Southern Department under General Nathanael Greene. [1, 2, 3]
The Mastermind of the "Race to the Dan": When British General Cornwallis aggressively pursued Greene's army across North and South Carolina, Kościuszko saved the American forces. He scouted terrain ahead of the army, built custom flat-bottomed boats, and engineered rapid river crossings that allowed the Patriots to repeatedly escape British traps. [1]
The Siege of Ninety Six (1781): Tasked with capturing the heavily fortified British Star Fort in Upstate South Carolina, Kościuszko designed an intricate system of advanced siege trenches and underground sap tunnels. He even engineered a 30-foot wooden rifle tower to fire down into the fort. During the final, desperate assault, Kościuszko was wounded by a British bayonet. [1, 2, 3]
Commanding South Carolina's Final Battle: In the war's final days, Kościuszko shifted from engineering to active field command, managing spy rings and livestock raids outside British-occupied Charleston. On November 14, 1782, he commanded a small Patriot contingent at the Battle of Dills Bluff on James Island. This bloody clash is recognized as the final land engagement involving Continental Army regulars in the entire Revolutionary War. [1, 2, 3, 4]
3. Financial and Logistics Contributions
Haym Salomon's Global Network: While based in Philadelphia, Polish-born Jewish immigrant Haym Salomon operated a massive financial network that helped broker European loans. His personal fundraising efforts repeatedly saved the bankrupt Southern Department from collapse, ensuring South Carolina troops received food and clothing in the field. []
SC Archives (SCDAH):
SCOTS-IRISH PATRIOTS IN SC:
The Scots-Irish (The Backcountry Backbone)
The Ultimate Warriors: Arriving via the Great Wagon Road, Protestant Scots-Irish immigrants settled heavily in the South Carolina Upstate (such as the Waxhaws and Ninety Six districts). Having a deep, generation-spanning hatred for the British Crown, they became the ultimate backbone of the Patriot cause.
The Partisan Militias: The Scots-Irish formed the brutal, highly effective partisan militias led by legendary commanders like Thomas Sumter and Andrew Pickens.
Turning the Tide: Their unique frontier marksmanship and aggressive tactics led directly to the critical American victories at the Battle of Kings Mountain and the Battle of Cowpens, which completely broke British military momentum in the South.
A Powerpoint presentation, by SAR Member Hal Gonzales regarding: During the Revolution, the South Carolina Navy joined Spain to capture the Bahamas. The Ship South Carolina was the largest ship used by American forces in the revolution. Some of its Crew members were of African descent.
The following is a blog and several of the 2015 entries deal with the Frigate South Carolina.
https://thefrigatesouthcarolina.weebly.com/blog/archives/01-2015
Florida in the Revolution.pptxGeneology final.pptx
new providence.pptxWELCH PATRIOTS IN SC:
The Welsh (The Pee Dee Regiments)
The Welsh Neck Settlement: Settling along the Pee Dee River in an area known as the Welsh Neck, these Welsh Baptist immigrants fiercely embraced the Patriot cause.
The Local Militia: They formed highly active local militias that defended the eastern frontier of South Carolina. Prominent Welsh families—such as the Kolbs and the Jameses—produced fierce partisan leaders like Colonel Abel Kolb, who waged a relentless, bloody local civil war against Loyalist raiding parties.
PATRIOTS OF COLOR IN SC:
DAR Sourced SC Native and African Individuals Who Participated in Revolutionary War by Liz Noon
Names in Italics are in the 2026 version of "When the Ground Trembled: Native and African Stories from Revolutionary South Carolina"
DAR-Sourced Patriots; Loyalists Connected to South Carolina
Name Affiliation Cultural Identity Key Service / Role DAR Sources
Prince Young Patriot (SC Militia) African American, enslaved
Enslaved laborer conscripted in SC militia; fought at Kettle Creek (1779), possibly freed; pension file in GA
Forgotten Patriots (SC), Patriots of Color DB; Pension Files (NARA M804, Fold3)
Mammy Kate Patriot (Unofficial Ally), African American, enslaved
(SC/GA)
Rescued Col. Stephen Heard from Augusta prison (1779); later freed; given land
Patriots of Color DB (unverified), DAR BGMMS entries, oral traditions
Cesar (Caesar Rivers) Loyalist African American, river pilot
Guided British/Loyalists on Savannah River; evacuated to St. Augustine; Bahamas
DAR Ref. BGMMS:192; Loyalist Claims AO 12/13; Book of Negroes
Nancy Ward
(Nanyehi) Patriot-aligned diplomat Cherokee Beloved Woman
Advocated neutrality, intervened to save prisoners, warned SC settlers of attacks
Forgotten Patriots (Cherokee); Patriots of Color DB
Isaac Simmons Patriot Catawba Indian
Warrior; scout; served under Sumter; fought at Cowpens, Ninety Six
Forgotten Patriots (SC Catawba), Patriots of Color DB; DAR Patriot Index
Pompey Fortune Patriot (symbolic aide) African American, enslaved
Enslaved servant “gifted” to Lafayette by Col. Buchanan; later honored in Winnsboro
DAR BGMMS:192; Patriots of Color DB; WPA oral history
Scipio Handley Loyalist
African American, free Black (Charleston/Caribbean ties)
Courier for SC Royal Governor; escaped Patriot jail; joined Royal Navy, wounded at Savannah
Patriots of Color DB; DAR BGMMS entries; Loyalist Claims AO13
Lavinia Patriot African American, enslaved
Cook, laundress, courier for officers; petitioned SC legislature for freedom (1786)
Forgotten Patriots (SC petitions); Patriots of Color DB
Peter Harris Patriot Catawba Indian
Fought at Cowpens; petitioned SC for recognition; denied pension
Forgotten Patriots (pp. 194–195); Patriots of Color DB; Moss; Scoggins (Southern Campaign patriots) and SCDAH petitions.
Ishmael Titus Patriot African American, enslaved
Substituted for enslaver; fought at Kings Mountain (1780); denied pension
Forgotten Patriots (NC/SC); Patriots of Color DB; DAR Patriot Index Vol. III
Antigua (a.k.a. Quash) Patriot (spy) African American, enslaved
Enslaved spy; intelligence operative; wife; child freed by SC legislature (1783)
Forgotten Patriots (SC spies); Patriots of Color DB; SCDAH Petitions
Jim Capers Patriot African American, enslaved
Drummer in Marion’s militia; rose Patriots of Color DB; Pension File (NARA M804, Fold3); to Drum Major; one of few Black pensioners
Forgotten Patriots
Jenny Loyalist evacuee African American, enslaved (Charleston)
Escaped to British lines in Charleston (1780); listed in Book of Negroes
Patriots of Color DB; DAR BGMMS; Book of Negroes entry
Primus Hall
Patriot supporter (Boston; son of Prince Hall, Black Masonic leader, tied to SC through networks)
African American, Provided aid and advocacy for veterans; linked to early Black organizing
DAR Patriots of Color Database; Forgotten Patriots (2011 update)
Jehu Grant
Patriot (Rhode Island soldier; SC-connected through enslaver)
African American Served in Continental Army; later pension applicant Forgotten Patriots, DAR Patriots of Color Database
Prince Simmons Patriot (South Carolina) African American Served in SC militia Forgotten Patriots (SC section), DAR Patriots of Color
Database
Col. Samuel Taylor Patriot (SC militia) Catawba Indian
Served in SC campaigns/ Served under General Thomas Sumter. Forgotten Patriots, DAR Patriots of Color Database; Moss; Scoggins (Southern Campaign patriots) and SCDAH petitions.
David George Patriot (Catawba) Catawba Indian Warrior in SC militia, service tied to tribal alliance
Forgotten Patriots (SC tribal entries), DAR Patriots of Color Database; Moss & Scoggins (Southern Campaign patriots) and SCDAH petitions.
Joseph Kegler Patriot (SC militia) Catawba Indian Cited as Catawba warrior; likely scout/skirmisher
Forgotten Patriots (Catawba entries, SC), DAR Patriots of Color Database; Moss; Scoggins (Southern Campaign
patriots) and SCDAH petitions.
Col. James Harris Patriot (SC militia) Catawba Indian
Possibly kin to Peter Harris; fought as Catawba warrior/ Appears in militia records. Forgotten Patriots, DAR Patriots of Color Database
Capt. John Nettles Patriot (SC militia, Catawba contingent) Catawba Indian
Scout/warrior serving with Patriot forces (often linked to Sumter’s command); appears with other
Catawba veterans in SC petitions/rosters.
Forgotten Patriots (2008; Rev. 2011) – Catawba section, SC; DAR Patriots of Color Database (entry commonly indexed
under Catawba warriors); DAR Patriot Index (check variant spellings). ISBN FP: 978-1-891213-13-0; Patriot Index Vol. III
ISBN: 978-1-893682-04-4. Moss; Scoggins (Southern Campaign patriots) and SCDAH petitions.
Chesquatalawa (alt. spellings appear in petitions)
Cherokee (alliances varied; British/Loyalist-leaning at points), Cherokee
Referenced in wartime/early postwar petitions and reports; an example of Cherokee actors recorded by name in SC/GA
frontier context.
Forgotten Patriots – Cherokee entries (South; Middle Southern backcountry); DAR Patriots of Color Database (not
always a standalone profile; appears in compiled Cherokee. FP ISBN: 978-1-891213-13-0.
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