Sim G Excha A Exch Class h Z. €J Book, I S 5 8^ Copyright }J?J_M1_ COEmiGHT DEPOSm ilina 6c During )c 1918 THE HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA THE HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA BY WILLIAM GILMORE SIMMS REVISED BY MARY C. SIMMS OLIPHANT (WITH SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTERS) MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS ADAPTED FOR USE IN THE SCHOOLS COLUMBIA. S. C. THE STATE COMPANY. PRINTERS 1918 COPYRIGHT. 1917 BY MARY C. SIMMS OLIPHANT DEC k8 1918 TO MY FATHER 1843-1912 PREFACE William Gilmore Simms, the editor's grandfather, wrote in' 1840 for his children and for use in the schools ''The History of South Carolina from Its First European Discov- ery to Its Erection into a Republic." In 1860 the third edition of the history was published in which Simms brought the narrative down to that date. The editor offers in the present volume a revised and enlarged edition of the third edition of the work, intended primarily for use as a text- book in the schools of South Carolina. Since William Gilmore Simms gave his history of the State to the public, the researches of historians have brought to light many new facts about South Carolina's stirring past. In consequence, the editor has been obliged to make numer- ous changes in many places in the original text to bring it into accord with views accepted comparatively recently but of unquestioned soundness. Other changes have seemed desirable and have been made in the interests of clarity of style and simplicity of diction.- The editor trusts that these deviations from the text have not marred its graphic force nor sacrificed its virile interest. On the other hand, in this edition of Simms' ''History of South Carolina," the editor has tried to preserve faith- fully certain aims set forth by the author in his preface to his second edition. Chief among these the author said was to present such a history, "suited to the unprepared under- standing and the ardent temper of the young" . . . "as will enable them to satisfy their own curiosity and the in- quiries of others." It is as lamentable now as when Simms observed it in 1860 "to perceive the degree of ignorance in which our people live with regard to those events which made their ancestors famous, and which have given them 8 Preface. equal station and security." It is the editor's earnest hope that this book may in some degree remove this reproach by imparting a knowledge of South Carohna's history to the rising generation of its citizens. The narrative of the State's development has been divided into seven periods, the first six of which culminate in mo- mentous changes in South Carolina and the last of which gives important events in our own day. Chapters have been revised and written to cover specific events and stages in South Carolina's history without arbitrary effort to make them uniform in length. Therefore, the editor suggests that teachers who use this book will find that the numbering of the sections in the chapters will aid in assigning lessons equal in length to the pupils' abihty. The editor has spared no pains to make the text accurate. In this connection, she acknowledges her debt to practi- cally all of the major historians who have written of South Carolina, as well as to a small host of pamphleteers and writers of historical articles. The editor lays no claim to settUng in this little volume points in dispute about South Carolina's history. She has studied both sides of questions on which divisions of opinion exist and made the text con- form to the view best supported by the weight of evidence. In conclusion, the editor wishes to render her thanks gratefully to Mr. A. S. Salley, Jr., Secretary of the Historical Commission of South Carolina, for his invaluable aid in the preparation of the first three periods of this edition of Simms' ''History of South Carolina," which he graciously read while they were yet in manuscript. Likewise, the editor's thanks are rendered to Professor A. G. Holmes, assistant professor of history at Clemson College; to Dr. Yates Snowden, pro- fessor of history at the University of South Carolina; to Mrs. Robert S. Bailey, teacher in the Barnwell Graded School; and to Mr. William Watts Ball of Columbia — each Preface. 9 of whom read parts of the book in manuscript. Their sug- gestions and criticisms were most valuable. The editor is also grateful to Mrs. Thomas J. FickHng of Columbia, formerly professor of history at the College for Women, for her aid and constructive criticism, and to Dr. D. D. Wallace, head of the department of history and economics at Wofford College, for advice about the format of the book. The editor owes to many other friends a debt of gratitude for their encouragement and assistance in the preparation of this modest volume. Columbia, S. C, May, igi?- M. C. S. 0. CONTENTS I. SOUTH CAROLINA UNDER THE PROPRIETORS Chapter Page L Discovery and Settlement of Carolina 15 / II. English Colony on the Ashley 24 III. Expansion of the Province 33 IV. Quarrels Between Proprietors and People 38 V. Wars in the Province 48 VI. Overthrow of the Proprietors 60 II. SOUTH CAROLINA UNDER THE ROYAL GOVERNMENT. VII. Expansion Under the Rule of the King 67 VIII. Slavery and Colonization 75 IX. The Cherokee War 85 X. Provincial Life 92 XI. Royal Restrictions of Provincial Trade 102 XII. Breach Widens Between King and Carolina 109 XIII. The Province Becomes a State 118 HI. SOUTH CAROLINA DURING THE REVOLUTION- ARY WAR. XIV. Opening of Hostilities with England 129 XV. The Fall of Charles Town 139 XVI. Rising of the Partisans 150 XVII. The Partisans Turn the Tide 166 XVIII. The Partisans Capture British Posts 175 XIX. The Partisans Drive British Coastward 185 XX. Victory for the Partisans 193 12 Contents. IV. SOUTH CAROLINA AS A STATE IN THE UNITED STATES. Chapter Page XXI . South Carolina Enters Union of States 203 XXII. Economic Development 212 XXIII. South Carolina in the War of 1812 220 XXIV. States' Rights Movement 229 XXV. The Palmetto Regiment in the Mexican War 243 XXVI. War Between the Sections Inevitable 252 V. SOUTH CAROUNA AS A STATE IN THE CONFEDERACY. XXVII. Outbreak of Hostilities 265 XXVIII. Progress of the War— 1862-63 275 XXIX. Progress of the War— 1863-64 286 XXX. Downfall of the Confederacy 298 VI. SOUTH CAROLINA DURING RECONSTRUCTION. XXXI. South Carolina Under Radical Government.. 309 XXXII. Overthrow of Radical Government 320 Vn. SOUTH CAROLINA IN RECENT YEARS. XXXIII. Retrenchment and Reform 335 XXXIV. Rebuilding the State 343 XXXV. Development: Political and Agricultural.... 347 XXXVI. Development: Social and Industrial 359 XXXVII. The World War 366 I. SOUTH CAROLINA UNDER THE PROPRIETORS CHAPTER I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT OF CAROLINA. 1. Carolina. The territory which came to be known as Carolina stretched along the Atlantic coast of North America as far north as Virginia and as far south as the Gulf of Mexico. Westward the territory reached for hundreds of miles into the forested interior of the continent. 2. The Indians. The first European visitors to this section of the North American continent found it peopled by the Indians, a race of red men, "we\\ formed in limb; having great and black eyes, with a cheerful and steady look; not strong of body, yet sharp-witted; nimble, and exceeding great runners." The Indians lived in log houses, covered with matting so as to be proof against rain and cold. They had boats, some of which were twenty feet in length, hol- lowed by flint and fire from mighty trees. 3. European Claims to Carolina. Three great nations of Europe contended on grounds of nearly equal justice for the right to the possession of this section of North America. England laid claim, according to one group of writers, by virtue of a grant from the Pope. Another group of writers hold that her right to possess it was founded upon a supposed discovery of its shores in 1497-1498 by John Cabot and his son Sebastian — Italian sea captains, who were in the service of England. Spain claimed this territory on the ground that Juan Ponce de Leon, under its commission, discovered, in 1512, a neighboring territory to which he gave the name of Florida. This name was made to cover a region of measureless extent. De Leon was beaten by the Indians and driven from the country. In 1520, Vasquez de Ayllon made the shores of this territory at the mouth of a river to which he gave the 16 The History of South Carolina. name of the Jordan. Here he was received, at first, by the natives with great timidity, the natural result of their won- der at the strange ships and strangely clothed visitors. Their fear soon subsided, and kindliness took its place. They treated the strangers with good nature and hospitality. The country they called Chiquola. The Spaniards easily persuaded the Indians to visit the ships. Watching the moment when the decks were most crowded, the treacher- ous Spaniards suddenly sailed away, carrying nearly 200 of the red men to sell as slaves. The claim of France rested upon the discoveries of John Verazzano, who reached the coast of what is now North Carolina, in 1524. Here he found the country to his liking. The forests were n^le. The yellow sands seemed to him to promise gold, which was the chief thing he came to find. Verazzano describes the natives as ' 'gentle and courteous in their manners; of sweet and pleasant manners and comely to behold." They treated the European strangers with kindness. One of the crew of Verazzano, attempting to swim ashore, was so much injured in passing through the surf, that he lay senseless on the beach. The Indians ran to his relief, rescued him from the waves, rubbed his limbs, gave him food, and returned him in safety to the vessel. 4. The Influence of These Nations on Carolina. Thus it appears that England, France and Spain based their claims to this territory, later to be called Carolina, on the ground that certain of their subjects had visited its shores. In studying the early history of Carolina we must keep in mind the fact that to a great extent the history of these three European nations made Carolina's history. England, France, and Spain in time succeeded in establishing colonies in various parts of America, and whenever war occurred in Europe among these nations it was also fought in America by their colonies. The History of South Carolina. 17 The settlements in Carolina were made either by Euro- peans in search of adventure or money, or by persons who had been troubled in their native lands because of their religion. These settlers did not cut themselves off entirely from their mother countries, so, naturally they felt every disturbance in their European homes. We will find Carolina often torn, too, by quarrels among her citizens, due to difference in their nationalities, as well as by disturbances in Europe. Thus, early Carolina history will in many phases be but a reflection, colored by its own local problems, of the history of the nations across the Atlantic Ocean. 5. Jean Ribaulfs Expedition. In 1561, Coligny, admiral of France, obtained from Charles IX, the French king, per- mission to plant a colony in Florida, one of the several names by which Carolina was then known. This was to be a place of refuge for the Huguenots, or French Protestants, who were being persecuted on account of their religion. The expedition was entrusted to Jean Ribault, an experienced sea captain, a brave soldier, and a good Protestant. With two ships Ribault set sail from France with a party of Hugue- nots, and one day in the spring of the year anchored in a magnificent bay. To this bay, ''because of the fairness and largeness thereof," Ribault gave the name of Port Royal. The deUghted Huguenots landed upon the northern shore of the entrance to Port Royal. The mighty oaks, and the ''infinite store of cedars" drew their eyes, and as they passed through the woods they saw "turkey cocks flying in the forests, partridges, gray and red, little different from ours but chiefly in bigness." Being delighted with the place, "they set themselves to fishing with nets, and caught such a number of fish that it was wonderful." 6. The Meeting with the Indians. Having refreshed them- selves with the fruits, the flesh, and the fish of Port Royal, \