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Off the Beaten Path -
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June 6, 1780 |
Alexander's Old Fields (Beckham's Old Field)
- The Battle of Beckhamville - June 6, 1780 |
Our History |
Under the leadership of Captain John McClure, 32 American Patriots routed a force of British soldiers under the command of Col. Houseman, stationed at Rocky Mount. This was one of the first defeats of the British Army in South Carolina's upcountry following the fall of Charleston. This victory helped solidify resistance to the crown in the area.
Location: Intersection of SC 99 and SC 97, about 3 miles north of the town of Great Falls. Battle of Rocky Mount - August 1, 1780 Rocky Mount is a high point on the Catawba which overlooks the confluence of Fishing Creek and the Catawba River. General Sumter planned to attack the British outpost at Rocky Mount. With the help of Col. William R. Davie, a diversion was created by feigning an attack on Hanging Rock. the element of surprise was thwarted when Sumter's men encountered a band of Tories. Colonel William Hill and his men threw fire brands on a small house withing the post seeking to keep their attention on the post. Just as the fire started to range, a heavy storm of rain fell and Sumter was forced to retreat. Sumter and his men fled north towards Landsford, camping on Rocky Creek due to the heavy rains. Location: South of Great Falls. From the intersection of US21 and SC 97, continue South on US 21 approximately 3 miles. Turn left onto Peay Ridge Road. At "T" bear to the left. Battle of Fishing Creek - August 18, 1780 General Thomas Sumter was camped with captured booty and 800 men when he was surprised by Lt. Col. Tarleton and 160 men. General Sumter was defeated. This disaster followed by only two days of General Gate's defeat by Lord Cornwallis at Camden. The Patriots lost 150 men killed and many captured, but Sumter escaped and soon rallied another large force. Location: US21 about 2 miles North of Great Falls. Battle of Fishdam Ford - November 9, 1780 On the east side of the Broad River by an old Native American fish dam, General Thomas Sumter's camp was attacked before dawn by the British 63rd Regimentand a detachment of the Legion led by Major James Wemyss. The American campfires made excellent targets of mounted British who were severely defeated. Wemyss was taken prisoner by General Sumter. Location: US21 & SC 72 just east of the Broad River bridge on the Western Boundary of Chester County. These battles in the Upcountry contributed greatly to the course of the War. The British, by trying to force allegiance to the Crown in "loyal" South Carolina, raised the ire of the backwoods settlers. The British did not expect such opposition in the area as they had originally planned to march through South Carolina on their way to North Carolina and Virginia. For this reason the actions in South Carolina by her Patriots are often referred to as "the turning point of the War." Other Points of Interest Catholic Presbyterian Church - Divergent Presbyterian groups held servics in this area as early as 1759. The cemetery contains over 60 graves of Revolutionary War soldiers enclosed in a rock wall. The present building was dedicated in 1842 Location: SC 97 at Old Catholic Church Road. 12.7 miles SE of Chester. Exit 55 from I77 towards Chester, left onto Old Catholic Church Road.) Hopewell Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church - Organized in 1787, was orginally a log huse and is one of the oldest ARP churches in the South. Two Revolutionary War soldiers are buried here. Location: Off SC97 , 12 miles south of Chester. Right onto Moffet Creek Road, and right onto Hopewell Church Road. I77 Travelers Exit 55, north to Moffet Creek Rd. Landsford in the Revolution - Thomas Sumter, William richardson Davie and Andrew Jackson all camped or quartered near here during upcountry skirmishes after the fall of Charleston. The British General Cornwallis crossed here in October of 1780, on his way to Winnsborough after his plans to advance into North Carolina were frustrated by Ferguson's defeat at Kings Mountain. Location: US21 and Landsford Rd. 7.8 miles north of Fort Lawn. I77 travelers take exit 65. 2nd Marker near Beckhamville - "Site of Green Meeting House built by Daniel Green in 1783, the Anderson Graveyard and resting place of many patriots. Erected by Mary Adair Chapter D.A.R. May 10, 1942 3rd Marker near Beckhamville - "Erected by W. Hampton Stroud, Sr. in 1942, honoring his relative, Patriot William Stroud. In two months he had killed more soldiers of the British Army than probably anyone else during the whole war. For this crime of fighting the battle of his country, he was hanged at this place August 1780 by the British. Old Purity Presbyterian Cemetery - Est. 1787, has the graves of 7 Revolutionary War Soldiers. Locatiion: Hwy 9 South, 2 miles south of Chester. Chester County Historical Society Museum & Archives: The rifle of Patriot William White (Battle of Beckhamville, Kings Mountain) and a replica of Gen. Edward Lacey's gun. Aaron Burr Bench. Revolutionary War Soldiers of the Catholic Presbyterian Church A memorial stone was place August, 30, 1933 that lists these names as Patriots of the Revolution: Rev. William Martin, Capt. Hugh Knox, Capt. Benjamin Land, William Anderson, John Bailey, James Bankhead, Joseph Barber, John Brown, Sr., John Caskey, Alexander Chestnut, thomas Garrett, James Graham, Parick Harbison, Robert Harper, William Hicklin, James Jamieson, John King, William Knox, John Corder, Thomas McCalla, Matthew McClurken, Hugh McDonald, Willaim McGarity, James McKown, Moses McKown, William Nesbit, David Robinson, William Starmount, William Stinson, William Stroud, Thomas Stroud, John Stoud, Capt. John Nixon, Capt. John Steel, Samuel Adams, Robert Archer, John Bankhead, James Barber, Hugh Boyd, George Caskey, George Crawford, Samuel Chestnut, David Graham, James Harbison, William Harbison, Andrew Hemphill, Arthur Hicklin, John Johnson, James Knox, M.D., John Lee, David McCalla, John McClurken, Thomas McClurkin, William McDonald, Alexander McKown, John McKown, John McWaters, James Peden, Thomas Stanford, Thomas Steele, Andrew Stevenson, William Stroud, Jr., Hampton Stroud, Thomas Thorn. (and perhaps others). Old Purity Presbyterian Cemetery Contains the graves of seven Revolutionary War Soldiers: Thomas Cabeen, John Harden, Lt. James Kennedy, Hugh Ross, Sr., John Service, Alexander Walker, and William White. Location: On SC Hwy 97. Old Stone Graveyard Contains the graves of John Kenmore, Col. Robert Patton, & James Smith. Location: On SC Hwy. 327 Hopewell Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church Two Revolutionary War Soldiers are buried there; Roberty Kilpatrick and Edward McDaniel. Noteable figures General Edward Lacey of the Chester District distinguished himself as a soldier during the Revolution and in public service after the War. He was one of the most active partisan leaders during the struggle. He freely and fearlessly gave all his energy and mean to complete the overthrow of British tyranny, and to the establishment of American Independence. He was in more important battles than any other officer in the State according to biographer M.A. Moore, Sr. M.D.. At the age of 16 he ran away from his Pennsylvania home and emigrated to Chester District, South Carolina with William Adair, (father of Governor John Adair of Kentucky) to whom he had apprenticed himself as a brick layer, and from whom he received a good "English" education. Lacey's leadership and popularity influenced a British officer to offer him a large amount of gold to abandon the Rebels and join the Loyalists. Lacey declined the offer and continued to boldly fight for liberty. Lacey received a Colonel's commission in 1780, orgnized a Regiment of Infantry which continued in active service to the end of the war, mostly under the command of General Thomas Sumter. The British came to his home while he was away and took everything they could and destroyed the rest, leaving his wife with little to feed her children. By the end of the War, Lacey owned one horse which had belonged to Co. Ferguson, and on which he had been killled at the Battle of King's Mountain. Lacey was made a Brigadier General soon after the war and was appointed one of the first County Court Judges in the Chester District. He was sent by Chester to the General Assembly of South Carolina in 1793, when he decline reelection and retired from political life. He emigrated to the West in October of 1797 and settled permanently in Livingston County, Kentucky, where he was also a county court judge. He died from drowning in the backwaters of the Ohio River on March 20, 1813. age 71. Chester County Heroines of the American Revolution: Isabella Ferguson - Told her husband Samuel, in the presense of his brother who had joined the British army, "and you could never justify their unhallowed practices, coming here to make slaves of us who would die first, and plundering, stealing cows and the like. Now, I tell you in the presence of the British army I tell you, if you go with them you may stay with them, for I am no longer your wife." He stayed put and his brother, Col. Ferguson was killed in the action at Williamson's. Mary Adair- From "Women of the Revolution by Elizabeth Ellet. "Capt. Huck (British) and his troops stopped on their way at the house of Mrs. Adair on South Fishing Creek at the place where the road from Yorkville to Chester Court House now crosses that stream. They helped themselves to everything eatable on the premises. One Capt. Anderson laid a strict injunction to the old lady to bring her sons under the royal banner. After the battle had been fought (Battle of Rocky Mount) , Mrs. Adair and her husband were sent for by their sons and Col. Edward Lacy, whom they had brought up, for the purpose of sending them into North Carolina for safety. When Mrs. Adair reached the battleground, she dismounted from her horse and passed around among her friends. Presently she came with her sons to a tent where several wounded men were lying - Capt. Anderson among them. She said to him, "Well Captain, you ordered me last night to bring in my rebel sons. Here are two of them, and if the third had been within riding distance, he would have been here also. The chagrined officer replied, "Yes, Madam, I have seen them." The British attack at Rocky Mount was followed by a complete victory over them at Hanging Rock. |
