South Carolina's "Young Rebels"

Many history buffs know my native South Carolina primarily as “the secession state.” It was the first state to exit the Union in December 1860 (the act which brought down upon it the unbridled wrath of Sherman at the end of the Civil War). To me, though, its role in America's original independence effort is far more interesting. More Revolutionary War actions are believed to have been fought here than in any other colony. Thanks to South Carolina rebels, England’s southern strategy failed during the decisive years 1780-81, sending Lord Charles Cornwallis’ army to its melancholy demise at Yorktown, VA. South Carolina became the eighth new state to ratify the United States Constitution in 1788.

A striking detail I’ve uncovered while researching and writing a current Revolutionary War series for Sandlapper: The Magazine of South Carolina is that three of the colony’s four signers of the Declaration of Independence (Thomas Heyward Jr., Thomas Lynch Jr. and Edward Rutledge) in July 1776 were only in their 20s. The fourth, “old man” Arthur Middleton, was 34. On the average, they were the youngest delegation to the Continental Congress.

I suppose if the term “young rebels” applies to anyone anywhere, it’s here.