In 1674, Joseph West was elected governor, and exercised the chief authority for several years, with much ability. The principal offices were filled by the cavaliers, although the puritans were in greater numbers; and considerable additions were soon made by the arrival of English dissenters and protestants, driven by religious intolerance from several Roman catholic countries. The site of the present flourishing city of Charleston, was first occupied in 1673, by a number of Dutchmen from the New Netherlands, now New York, and, the advantages of its situation becoming at length obvious, it was finally taken by the colonists at Oyster Point. Carolina, and their governors, had been the payment of quit-rents to the propri etors; and Colleton was deposed, in 1687, in consequence of his attempt to enforce it. After a period of anarchy, Seth Sothel assumed the chief-magistracy, in the character of a friend of the people, who unwisely trusted him after his misconduct in the northern colony. They soon however found it necessary to banish him, and elected in his place Ludwell, who had succeeded him in North Carolina. The introduction of rice into the colony, an event of particular interest, took place during the administration of Governor Smith, the successor of Ludwell. A vessel from Madagascar stopped at Charleston, and the captain presented a bag of that grain to the governor, who distributed it among his friends, and the culture of that valuable staple was thus commenced, with results most important to agriculture and commerce. The year 1680 was unfortunately signalized by the first Indian war. A considerable number of prisoners were taken, who were sold as slaves by the governor to West India planters; for which inhuman policy he was removed by the proprietors, in 1683, and Governor Morton was appointed his successor. An Governor Blake, a dissenter (son of Irish and a Scotch colony came out the Admiral Blake), with great liberality, same year. The latter at first settled on sustained religious liberty; but after his Port Royal island, but were soon driven death, in 1700, Governor Moore, susto Charleston by fear of the Spaniards tained by Lord Granville, one of the at St. Augustine. They afterward re- proprietors, by intrigue induced the asturned, when their settlement was laid sembly to pass a bill establishing epis waste in 1686. Governors West, Kyrle, copacy, and thus introduced religious Quarry, and Morton, in turn succeeded to persecution. The majority of the people the chief-magistracy, but in the short being dissenters, many of them prepared space of three years, gave place to Col- to leave the colony; but the house of leton, in 1686. The inhuman practice of lords having voted against the law, and kidnapping and selling Indians was al-Queen Anne having annulled it, the lowed, to the discredit of the colony. threatened evil to the colony was prevented. A large and valuable addition was made to the colony at this time, by the arrival of many French Huguenot families, who, having been deprived of the protection of the laws in their native country, by the revocation of the edict of Nantes, sought an asylum in the new world. Some of the principal families of South Carolina at the present day, bear the names of some of those refugees; and there, as elsewhere, they have done honor to their principles, and the land of their adoption, by the characters they have sustained in the country of their choice. One chief source of difficulty between the colonies of South, as well as North In 1702, England being at war with Spain, Governor Moore undertook a wild expedition against St. Augustine, and sailed from Port Royal with a part of the force raised. Colonel Daniel and his enlisted Indians, took and robbed the town: but, while the governor was waiting for cannon to batter the fortress, into which the enemy had retired, two Spanish ships appeared, and he made a hasty retreat. To meet the expense of this expedition, six thousand pounds, the first paper-money, was emitted in Carolina, which depreciated after a few years. A happy termination was at length וי put to the old difficulties between the people and the proprietors, by the wise, moderate, and conciliatory policy of Archdale, a quaker, who arrived from England in 1695, with authority to bring the matter to a close; he was succeeded in the government by Blake; but from his death, in 1700, under Governors Moore and Johnson, the colony was distracted by wars with the Indians and Spaniards. In 1703, the savages commenced hostilities, instigated by the Spaniards, but were conquered by Gov. Moore, who destroyed about 800. In 1706, the Spaniards made a new attack upon Charleston, but were unsuccessful, and retired with much loss; while the colony failed in an attempt on St. Augustine. The Tuscarora and Cosee Indians assaulted the western settlements in 1712. A great advantage was gained over them by Col.. Barnell, and a decisive victory by Col. Monro soon after, both of them being aided by large bodies of friendly Indians. The Tuscaroras were so discouraged, that they migrated to the north, in 1713, and settled on lands granted them by their ancient allies, the celebrated Five Nations, or Iroquois of the present state of New York; with whom they were incorporated, as the sixth member of the confederacy. They are now in a state of much improvement, under the influence of missionaries, by means of schools and churches; and many of them are respectable farmers. (See Schoolcraft's Census of the N. Y. Indians, 1846.) Their residence is a Their residence is a few miles from the falls of Niagara. After the departure of the Tuscaroras, the other Indians proposed terms of peace with South Carolina, and never again caused any disturbance. The close of the wars with the savages, formed an epoch quite important in the histories of both of the Carolinas. It was not till that time that the nature of the interior lands became known. The fear of Indians being passed, and no obstacle now existing to the establishing of settlements inland, considerable numbers of colonists came from Pennsylvania, and other northern parts, to occupy them. The nature of the country, and the character of the climate, combined to encourage a different system of agriculture; and the state of society has naturally been much influenced by the circumstances which surrounded the people. Manual labor is not regarded as intolerable or discreditable to the owners of the soil, who often go to the fields with their slaves, and work at their side. They do not demand so large a number of servants, to perform the work on an upland farm as on a lowland plantation, and more simplic ty and economy are observed in the style of living. Our limits do not allow us to give even so much as an outline of the French or revolutionary wars in this state. In the latter, the people suffered exceedingly from the conflict of parties nearly equally divided, and the repeated prevalence of the royal authority; as well as from the want of power or firmness among the friends of the country. Charleston was once saved from capture, by the bravery of a few men in Fort Moultrie. Marauding parties were occasionally sent out under Tarlton and others, from that city, when it afterward lay in the power of the British; and these were repeatedly harassed or checked by small bands of patriots. Among the partisan leaders who became prominent and useful in those trying times, was General Marion, who established a high character for skill and bravery, in a long course of irregular military operations in the interior. A characteristic anecdote is told of him, which does peculiar honor to the American character. A young English officer, in wandering through the woods, unexpectedly found himself among the soldiers of Marion, and was kindly received by the generous outlaw, who hospitably invited him to partake of his fare. His food was of the plainest kind, and his lodging was upon the bare ground. The foreigner, fascinated by the character of his host, remonstrated with him, in the most urgent terms, against the desperate and dangerous course of life in which he had engaged, offering to procure him a pardon and rewards, if he would join the party of the king. The soldier declined in the most spirited manner, declaring that he would not exchange his poverty and humble fare, with his faithfulness to his country's cause, for all that the king had to bestow. He then took leave of his new acquaintance, whom he allowed to retire without hinderance. But it is related that the interview so far enlightened the mind of the young officer on the real nature of the American war, and so deeply affected his heart, that he soon obtained leave to return to England, and took no further part in the contest. Two of the principal battles fought in this state, were at Columbia: one in 1780, August 7, by General Gates against Lord Cornwallis, and the other between General Greene and Lord Rawdon, April 23, 1781. A third was at the Cowpens. unteer. To prevent a mutiny in the camp, Williamson was obliged to decline his proffered services. After this time, till the year 1780, no public mention is made of any of the Cunninghams. They had all removed to the city of Charleston, where they lived quietly attending to their private affairs. In the spring of 1780, Charleston capitulated to Clinton, and nearly the whole of South Carolina returned to their allegiance. In December of this year, Patrick Cunningham was made colonel of the Little river regiment, and he seems to have had superintendence over some of the confiscated estates. Robert was made a brigadier-general in the British service, and sent to command a fort about seventeen miles from "Ninety-six," called Williams' fort, with a garrison of 150 men. After the surprise and slaughter at Hammond's store, which was about thirty miles distant, many of the fugitives arrived, on the evening of the same day, at Fort Wil Such was the unsettled state of South Carolina during a great part of the war, that many cases occurred, in which men of different classes changed from side to side, and many took the oath of alle-liams, on their way to "Ninety-six," the giance to the king, after having been for a while on the side of the revolution. In order to present, in a striking manner, some of the events of those disastrous times, with a picture or two of the scenes which they produced, we make the following abridgment of a history of "the Cunninghams of South Carolina," from the appendix to the second edition of the "Journal of Kirwen," by Mr. Ward. stronghold of the British in the country. They reported that Washington was at Hammond's store, having a large force under him, with which he intended to march directly on "Ninety-six," taking Fort Williams on his way. These reports were confirmed by many arrivals of wounded men and stragglers during the night, and General Cunningham determined to retreat upon "Ninety-six," so as to increase the force of the garriThe first decided outbreak of the civil son, while there was yet time to carry war, originated in the unjustifiable ar- off as much arms and ammunition as rest and imprisonment of Robert Cun- each man could bear, rather than, by a ningham, in November, 1775, at Charles- fruitless opposition to an overwhelming ton. There he was destined to remain force, not only lose all his military stores, till the ensuing July, when the English but cause also a useless sacrifice of huhaving been expelled from the country, man life. They accordingly marched the council of safety, deeming it prudent the next morning, leaving only a few to try the effect of conciliatory measures, men to take care of such of the sick released him and the other state prison- and wounded as were unable to go with ers, without any conditions whatever as to their after conduct. He repaired immediately to the headquarters of an them. In July, 1781, when Lord Rawdon returned to "Ninety-six," from a short pursuit of General Nathaniel Greene, whom he had forced temporarily to retreat, he called the chief of the loyalists together, explained to them the neces Am a all sity of abandoning the district, and ad- "Ninety-six," in July, 1781, the vised them all to retreat within lines had been induced by General Gi which the British troops were able to proclamations to remain, were maintain. Every preparation was ac- with the greatest barbarity. cordingly made by Colonel Cruger for the whigs who distinguished themsecon immediate departure. Half of all the by their cruelties toward these help British force was left with him to cover tories, were a Colonel Hays, and a their retreat, which was commenced on Turner. Complaints having been m the 8th of July. All would then have to Major Cunningham, of injuries c left, but for a letter addressed to them mitted by these men against the in by General Greene, in which, declaring cent wives and children of some of himself to be their protector, he prom- soldiers of his corps, who had adhe ised all who should remain his favor and to him in every danger, he did not he support. Relying on these assurances, itate to leave the English camph some were induced to remain, but soon Charleston, and to pass into distri had cause bitterly to regret their deter- "Ninety-six," with a party of not e mination. ceeding one hundred and fifty men, It would be in the highest degree un- the purpose of inflicting punishments just to impute bad faith to General those against whose inhumanity ne Greene in this matter, but it was impos- ther age nor sex had afforded any prote sible for him to restrain his subordinates, tion. Both Turner and Hays occupied and to guard against their excesses. But no sooner did he hear of them, than General Sumter was despatched to restore order and capture the ringleaders; in the meantime, much mischief had been done, and many cruel and disgraceful outrages perpetrated. In November, General Cunningham was sent with 700 men into the neighborhood of Orangeburg, where he encountered General Sumter's brigade of equal force. The latter was obliged to fall back, and met with some loss, in consequence of one of his officers having allowed himself to be drawn into an ambuscade; he continued, however, to act as a check on Cunningham's further advance into the country. After the capitulation of Charleston, a great many whigs renewed their oaths of allegiance to the king, and yet when success appeared to favor the whig cause, they reassumed arms against the British. Cornwallis issued orders that all such, when taken, should be put to death as rebels, who had forfeited their lives by breaking the oaths of fealty they had so short a time previously taken. Major William Cunningham, then an officer in the British service, was one of those who received these orders, and who executed them rigorously on all such offenders as fell into his power. After the retreat of the loyalists from The military "stations." Turner's was the It was on a fine morning toward the end of November, when, at 10 o'clock, the party of loyalists, led on by Captain John Hood, rode up to the station at |