In Memory of William Pace

My Paternal 5X Great Grandfather
By William Potter

He was a soldier in the American Revolution. He was transferred to the Commander-in-Chief's Guard, under Gen. George Washington, on 6 May 1777. He was engaged in the following battles: Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, Connecticut Farms, King's Bridge, and Yorktown. He was discharged 3 Nov 1783.

William Pace was one of only 4 original Guards for George Washington who survived during his 7 years of military service. His grave was honored with a Sons of the American Revolution marker recently.

Burial:
Jones Cemetery
Scott County
Virginia, USA

Texas Declaration of Rights

[Editor's note: the Declaration of Rights was part of the 1836 Constitution of the Republic of Texas. The Texans listed seventeen Rights, and firmly avowed that the government of the Lone Star Republic was answerable to the people. Any spelling errors are part of the original as best as can be determined. I have added bolds and italics in some cases for emphasis.]

DECLARATION OF RIGHTS.

This declaration of rights is declared to be a part of this constitution, and shall never be violated on any pretence whatever. And in order to guard against the transgression of the high powers which we have delegated, we declare that every thing in this bill of rights contained, and every other right not hereby delegated, is reserved to the people.

First. All men, when they form a social compact, have equal rights, and no men or set of men are entitled to exclusive public privileges or emoluments from the community.

Second. All political power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their benefit; and they have at all times the inalienable right to alter their government in such manner as they might think proper.

Third. No preference shall be given by law to any religious denomination or mode of worship over another, but every person shall be permitted to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.

Fourth. Every citizen shall be at liberty to speak, write, or publish his opinions on any subject, being responsible for the abuse of that privilege. No law shall ever be passed to curtail the liberty of speech or of the press; and in all prosecutions for libel, the truth may be given in evidence, and the jury shall have the right to determine the law and the facts, under the direction of the court.

Fifth. The people shall be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and possessions, from all unreasonable searches and seizures, and no warrant shall issue to search any place or seize any person or thing, without describing the place to be searched or the person or thing to be seized, without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation.

Sixth. In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall have the right of being heard, by himself, or counsel, or both; he shall have the right to demand the nature and cause of the accusation, shall be confronted with the witnesses against him, and have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor. And in all prosecutions by presentment or indictment, he shall have the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury; he shall not be compelled to give evidence against himself, or be deprived of life, liberty, or property, but by due course of law. And no freeman shall be holden to answer for any criminal charge, but on presentment or indictment by a grand jury, except in the land and naval forces, or in the militia when in actual service in time of war or public danger, or in cases of impeachment.

Seventh. No citizen shall be deprived of privileges, outlawed, exiled, or in any manner disfranchised, except by due course of the law of the land.

Eighth. No title of nobility, hereditary privileges or honors, shall ever be granted or conferred in this republic. No person holding any office of profit or trust shall, without the consent of congress, receive from any foreign state and present, office, or emolument of any kind.

Ninth. No person, for the same offence, shall be twice put in jeopardy of life or limbs. And the right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate.

Tenth. All persons shall be bailable by sufficient security, unless for capital crimes, when the proof is evident or presumption strong; and the privilege of the writ of "habeas corpus" shall not be suspended, except in case of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it.

Eleventh. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, or cruel or unusual punishments inflicted. All courts shall be open, and every man for any injury done him in his lands, goods, person, or reputation, shall have remedy by due course of law.

Twelfth. No person shall be imprisoned for debt in consequence of inability to pay.

Thirteenth. No person's particular services shall be demanded, nor property taken or applied to public use, unless by the consent of himself or his representative, without just compensation being made therefor according to law.

Fourteenth. Every citizen shall have the right to bear arms in defence of himself and the republic. The military shall at all times and in all cases be subordinate to the civil power.

Fifteenth. The sure and certain defence of a free people is a well regulated militia; and it shall be the duty of the legislature to enact such laws as may be necessary to the organizing of the militia of this republic.

Sixteenth. Treason against this republic shall consist only in levying war against it, or adhering to its enemies, giving them aid and support. No retrospective or ex-post facto law, or laws impairing the obligation on contracts, shall be made.

Seventeenth. Perpetuities or monopolies are contrary to the genius of a free government, and shall not be allowed; nor shall the law of primogeniture or entailments ever be in force in this republic.

A Sovereign North Carolina Defends Itself

“At length when it was declared that an 'irrepressible conflict' had arisen, and that the 'Union could not exist half slave and half free,' it came to be regarded that the limitations of the Federal constitution were no longer to be observed, and that the abolition party would seek to abolish slavery. This led South Carolina and other commonwealths to the South to withdraw from the Union. The question of holding a convention for the purpose of withdrawing was submitted to the people of North Carolina in the spring of 1861, but so conservative were they and so attached to the Union, that they separated themselves from their Southern brethren and refused to call the convention. The difference between the votes was, however, small - only about 250 in the poll of the entire State.

"Such was the situation, when in April 1861, Fort Sumter was bombarded and President Lincoln called on North Carolina to furnish her quota of troops to coerce the seceding States. These events changed the aspect of affairs in North Carolina instantaneously. All differences ceased. Union men, who, like George E. Badger, did not hold to the right of secession, united now in the declaration that North Carolinians must [now] share in the fortunes of their Southern kindred. Then amid the excitement of that period came the rapid preparations for the inevitable conflict - the marshaling of troops, the formation of armies, the strenuous endeavors to equip and maintain our citizen soldiery and make defense of our unprotected coast. Never was there a finer display of patriotic ardor; never did peaceable ploughboys more quickly assume the character of veteran soldiers. It was if a common inspiration possessed the souls of all the people and animated them to die, if need be, in defense of their traditional liberties.

"During the four years of strife that followed, the people of North Carolina bore themselves with an unparalleled heroism. With a voting population of 112,000, North Carolina sent to the army 125,000 soldiers. Strenuous efforts were made to provide food for the soldiers and the poor, and while salt works were erected along the sea coast, vast quantities of cards were imported for the women to use at home, and other supplies were brought through the blockade. [Life then] was accompanied, however, by straits and hardships, suffering and mourning, the separation from husbands and fathers from their families and the pall of death that fell upon every household. What awful experiences were crowded into four years of heroic and grand sacrifice - how trying the vicissitudes, how calamitous the dire result!”

Cyclopedia of Eminent and Representative Men of the Carolinas of the 19th Century, Volume II, Brant & Fuller, 1892, pp. 35-36

[Bold was added for emphasis by me.]

Book Review: GAMECOCK

Gamecock: The Life and Campaigns of General Thomas Sumter
By Robert D. Bass
Sandlapper Publishing

I must have been 10 years old when I first read Robert Bass' biographies on Thomas Sumter and Francis Marion. I remember it was summertime, and I never went back to the children's section in the library again. I didn't just discover my heroes, I discovered a fantastic land called history. I have been in love with history ever since, and I was introduced to her by a man who died before I could read well.

To my knowledge, Robert Bass' biography is the only biography on General Sumter. But there really isn't a need for another. Very well researched, and very well written, Gamecock covers the life of a forgotten American Patriot and Hero. It is obvious that Mr. Bass greatly admired the Gamecock, but he didn't shameless hide Sumter's character flaws, either. Not only does he covers the outstanding brilliance and achievements of Sumter, but he also covers his greatest mistakes (including the ones that created a rift between the Gamecock and the Swamp Fox).

Thomas Sumter went on to live many years after the War for Independence, outliving all other generals from that war. He also went on to a successful political career, being one of the first major supporters of Thomas Jefferson and his Republican Party in South Carolina.

Gamecock can be purchased from Amazon.com, Sandlapper Publishing and other booksellers.

Swampfox

Mars Bluff and the CSS Pee Dee

Recently, there have been some great discoveries made in the area where I grew up - the South Carolina Pee Dee region. Mars Bluff isn't much these days - if it ever was - but there have been a few interesting events to happen there. In the 1860s, during the height and closing days of the War Between the States, Mars Bluff was an important place for the Confederacy. On the east side of the Great Pee Dee River once stood the Mars Bluff Naval Yard, one of many inland naval yards established by the Confederacy in order to keep them protected from Federal attacks.

Mars Bluff was chosen because it was close to a major waterway and a railroad, and there was an abundance of wood that was preferred for building gunboats.

In January 1865, the CSS Pee Dee was launched. She was a 150-foot Macon-class gunboat. She was outfitted with two Brookes rifled cannons, and a captured Union Dalgren cannon. Sadly, the Pee Dee had an extremely short life. Sherman's army was quickly advancing through South Carolina, and Confederate authorities feared the ship falling into the hands of the Federals. On March 15, 1865, the guns were thrown overboard into the Great Pee Dee, and the ship was set on fire and blown apart.

In 1991 the site of the Mars Bluff Naval Yard and the remains of the CSS Pee Dee were discovered by CSS Pee Dee Research and Recovery Team.

Last week, the Horry County Museum in Conway, South Carolina, announced that it has assembled a display of artifacts from the CSS Pee Dee.

Even better, today, East Carolina University, who has been conducting archeological research on the site, announced that the site is now open to the public this Friday, June 12, from 10 AM to 12 PM.

More research is expected to continue on the site by the University of South Carolina, East Carolina University and Francis Marion University. It will be interesting to see what they will find in the coming weeks and months.

Swampfox

Happy Birthday, Mr. President

201 years ago today, the tenth and youngest son of Samuel Emory Davis and Jane Cook Davis was born in Christian County (now Todd County), Kentucky. A day that was once a holiday throughout the South, is now ignored and overlooked.

Most people remember and detest Jefferson Davis as the dreaded president of the Confederate States of America. Even today, nearly 120 years after his death, he is attacked, criticized and lampooned for his role in the so-called American Civil War.

Regardless of what you think of his role during that War, Davis was indeed a great American. (Besides, if we are to ridicule Jefferson Davis for his part in the War Between the States, then we must also bring men like George Washington, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin into judgment for their role in the American Revolution.) In fact, Davis spent the majority of his life dedicated to the preservation, not the dissolution, of these United States.

After all, would a man who wanted to destroy America, as he has been accused of, actually do any of these things?:

Student at the United States Military Academy from 1824-1828; graduated in 1828.

Entered the US Army after graduation as a 2nd lieutenant in 1829. Promoted to 1st lieutenant in 1833. He resigned in 1835 to marry Sarah Knox Taylor, the daughter of Zachary Taylor. She would die less than three months after their wedding from yellow or malaria fever. Davis himself would nearly die.

In 1836 Davis became involved in local and state politics, and was chosen to be a presidential elector in the 1844 election in which he cast his vote for James K. Polk.

He was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1845. On December 8, 1845, he took an oath to uphold the Constitution, and meant it, unlike modern members of that body. A week later, on December 16, he voted to admit Texas to the Union in a joint resolution.

1846, After voting in favor of a bill declaring war with Mexico, Davis was elected colonel of the 1st Mississippi Regiment. He left Washington on July 4, and assumed command of the 1st Mississippi on July 18. Davis would serve throughout the Mexican War, notably during the Battle of Monterrey [September 21-23, 1846], under his former father-in-law. Davis was also highly praised for his action in the Battle of Buena Vista [February 23, 1847], in which he was wounded. For his actions he would be promoted to brigadier general, which he humbly refused.

After the War, he was appointed US Senator from Mississippi on August 10, 1847. He was elected US Senator on January 11, 1848, by the Mississippi legislature, and was reelected in 1850.

In 1851 Davis resigned his senate seat to run for governor of Mississippi; he was narrowly defeated.

On March 7, 1853, Davis was chosen and sworn in as Franklin Pierce's (a Northerner, mind you) Secretary of War. Davis made several important decisions to modernize the US Army, some have postulated that Davis' changes were conributing factors to the Confederacy's defeat.

In 1856 he was elected as Mississippi's US Senator again, and resigned from the Pierce administration before taking his seat in 1857.

On January 21, 1861, Davis gave his last speech before the US Senate, and resigned when it was clear that his state of Mississippi would secede from the Union.

These are not the activities of a traitor, but rather those of a patriot and statesman. How can one attack a man who gave so much to his country? Jefferson Davis did all of this through much personal loss - death of his first wife, and death of his first child. (Only one of Davis' four children would outlive him, his only Daughter, Margaret.) As a result of his own brush with death at the hand of the same fever that claimed his first wife, Davis' health was never good. Yet, he continued to serve his country well.

Any other man would be lauded as a hero, even to this day. Instead, Jefferson Davis is ruthlessly slandered, all because he served as president of the Confederacy.

Happy Birthday, Mr. President. And I salute you for you dedication and service.

Swampfox

For more information about Jefferson Davis, his work and life, see Rice University's The Papers of Jefferson Davis, and Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library.

FBI Releases Bonnie and Clyde Files

The FBI has released a "complete" (if you can ever considered anything the government does complete. There are probably quite a number of "lost files" in some vault somewhere.....) list of the Bonnie and Clyde files under a FOIA (Freedom of Information Privacy Act) request.

The files listed are part of two separate releases, according to the FBI's webpage on the two infamous criminals. of course, the question must be asked: will this change anything that we know about them, and more specifically, the events surrounding their deaths? Maybe, maybe not.

Regardless, this is bound to interest those that are fascinated with the two (which never held any real interest for me). Anytime you have documents seeing the light of day, which have not for a long time, tends to generate interest.

Now, let's see if they will release anymore of those Kennedy Files.......

You can view the FBI's FOIA page on Bonnie and Clyde by mashing here.

Swampfox