Hanged and Burned
I feel like I’ve been saying a lot of negative things about the Revolution lately (see August 1, August 12, and my post on recantations), but it’s not because I’m trying to condemn the Revolution in general; it’s just that people did some bad things, and it so happens that I’ve encountered a number of those things in my study lately. (As the bookseller said in the musical Fiddler on the Roof when other people got mad at him for bringing bad news, “It’s not my fault; I only read it!”)
Writing from Charleston, South Carolina, the royally-appointed governor, William Campbell, reported to the British Secretary for the Colonies, Lord Dartmouth, about an “Act of Barbarity” that had taken place there on August 18th. This one was worse than the other things I’ve mentioned.
People in the South were often worried that the slaves would revolt, which is understandable. In fact, they accused the British of trying to get the slaves to either run away or rise up against their masters. This fear and anger had a tragic result in Charleston:
Your Lordship will I am sure excuse my warmth when I acquaint You, that Yesterday under colour of Law, they hanged, & burned, an unfortunate Wretch, a free Negroe of considerable property, one of the most valuable, & useful Men in his way, in the Province, on suspicion of instigating an Insurrection, for which I am convinced there was not the least ground. I could not save him My Lord! the very reflection Horrows My Soul! I have only the comfort to think I left no means untried to preserve him. They have now dipt their hands in Blood, God Almighty knows where it will end, but I am determined to remain till the last extremity in hopes to preserve the King’s Service, ‘tho My familys being here, adds not a little to my distress.
Some things can be justified, in my opinion. This one cannot.
Source
Naval Documents of the American Revolution, vol. 1, pp. 1184-6.