THOMAS SUMTER.
Thomas Sumter, born in Virginia in 1734, served in the French and Indian War, and afterward on the Western frontier. Establishing himself finally in South Carolina, he was appointed in March, 1776, lieutenant-colonel of the Second Regiment of South Carolina Riflemen, and sent to overawe the Tories and Loyalists in the interior of the State. The comparative immunity from war secured to South Carolina during the first years of the Revolution deprived Sumter of any opportunity for distinguishing himself until after the surrender of Charleston to the British in 1780. Taking refuge for a time in the swamps of the Santee, he made his way after a while to North Carolina, collected a small body of refugees, and presently returned to carry on a partisan warfare against the British. His fearlessness and impetuosity in battle gained for him the sobriquet of “the game-cock;” and with a small band of undisciplined militia, armed with ducking-guns, sabres made from old mill-saws ground to an edge, and hunting-knives fastened to poles for lances, he effectually checked the progress of the British regulars again and again, weakened their numbers, cut off their communications, and dispersed numerous bands of Tory militia.
Like Marion, whenever the enemy threatened to prove too strong, Sumter and his followers would retreat to the swamps and mountain fastnesses, to emerge again when least expected, and at the right moment to take the British at a disadvantage. During one of many severe engagements with Tarleton, he was dangerously wounded and compelled for a time to withdraw from active service, but learning Greene’s need of troops, Sumter again took the field. After rendering valuable assistance toward clearing the South of the British, the failure of his health again forced him to seek rest and strength among the mountains, leaving his brigade to the command of Marion. When once more fitted for duty, the British were in Charleston, and the war was virtually at an end. Though Sumter’s military career ended with the disbanding of the army, his country still demanded his services. He represented South Carolina in Congress from 1789 to 1793, and from 1797 to 1801; he served in the United States Senate from 1801 to 1809, and was minister to Brazil from 1809 to 1811. He died at South Mount, near Camden, South Carolina, on the 1st of June, 1832, the last surviving general officer of the Revolution.
ADDENDA.
Prior to the adoption of the “federal Constitution,” partisan feeling ran high on this side of the Atlantic,—indeed, it was no unusual thing for a man to speak of the colony in which he was born as his country. When the struggle for American independence began, though men were willing to fight in defence of their own State, there was great difficulty in filling the ranks of the Continental army,—not only because of the longer time for which they were required to enlist, but also because once in the Continental service, they would be ordered to any part of the country. The same difficulty existed in respect to securing members for the Continental Congress. With the slowness of transportation and the uncertainty of the mails, it was no small sacrifice for a man to leave his home, his dear ones, and his local prestige, to become one of an unpopular body directing an unpopular war, for it was not until near the end of the struggle that the Revolution was espoused by the majority. It was under these circumstances, then, that three different kinds of troops composed the American army,—the Continentals, the Provincials, and the Militia. The first could be ordered to any point where they were most needed; the second, though regularly organized and disciplined, were only liable to duty in their own State; and the last were hastily gathered together and armed in the event of any pressing need or sudden emergency. Washington, as stated in his commission, was commander-in-chief of all the forces. The other subjects of the foregoing sketches were the commanding officers of the Continental army. Marion and Warren were famous generals of the Provincials; while Pickens and Ten Brock were noted leaders of the militia. Dr. Joseph Warren received his commission of major-general from the Massachusetts Assembly just before the battle of Bunker Hill. He was among the last to leave the redoubt, and while trying to rally his men was shot and killed. By his untimely end America lost one of her purest patriots; and General Gage is reported to have said, “Warren’s death was worth that of five hundred ordinary rebels.” Andrew Pickens, brigadier-general of South Carolina Militia, never fought outside of his own State, but received from Congress a sword in recognition of his gallant conduct at the battle of Cowpens.
All the dates and facts in the foregoing sketches have been carefully verified by comparison with the “Continental Army Returns” and “Journals of the Continental Congress,” and various cyclopædias and histories.
University Press: John Wilson & Son, Cambridge.
Transcriber’s Notes
Punctuation, hyphenation, and spelling were made consistent when a predominant preference was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed.
Simple typographical errors were corrected; occasional unbalanced quotation marks retained.
Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained.
Page [81]: The chapter about John Armstrong conflates the father, who was born in 1717 and served as a General in the Continental Army, with the son, who was only 18 in 1776 and became a Major in 1782 (Wikipedia).