Isaac Hayne — An American hero

During my service with Gen. Francis Marion in our battles up and down the Pee Dee River area, I came to know and admire Col. Isaac Hayne. One would be hard pressed to come across a finer gentlemen and soldier. I think it well that his story be told.

Isaac Hayne was born in South Carolina’s low country on Sept. 23, 1745. He was the son of Isaac Hayne and Sarah Williamson. He married Elizabeth Hudson on July 18, 1765 and from the marriage came seven children. He was the owner of three plantations totaling more than 2,200 acres and in addition owned valuable city lots in Charles Town and Beaufort as well as additional land in South Carolina and Georgia. He was elected to the Royal Assembly at age 25 and was widely respected; known for his courage and as a man who stood up for his principles.

With the rumblings of the coming conflict, Hayne pleaded with both the Tories and Whigs to be left out of the fray. However that was not to be and by January 1776 he was a captain in the South Carolina Militia. In 1777 he was elected to the Second General Assembly for St. Paul’s Parish but rejected the office. In 1779 and 1780 he was elected to the Third General Assembly for the Parish of St. Bartholomew and served in the Senate.

By the spring of 1780, Hayne had committed himself fully to the patriot cause and became a colonel in the South Carolina Militia. He was at the defense of Charles Town when it fell to the British in May of 1780 and was taken prisoner there. The British Gen. Clinton who captured Charles Town threatened confiscation of all property of all who continued to resist the Crown and on June 1st offered a full pardon to all who would return their allegiance to the Crown, excepting those who had executed loyal subjects.

Hayne returned to his plantation under the terms of parole only to be approached by a Tory neighbor, Colonel Robert Ballingall with orders to return to Charles Town as a prisoner or to swear allegiance to the Crown. Hayne’s wife and children were sick with smallpox and Hayne felt he had no choice but to agree with the British demands. He signed an agreement that he would act as a British subject only while the British controlled the area and only as long as their protection benefited him or until the patriots regained the land. By the spring of 1781 the British were reeling and held control of little of South Carolina other than Charles Town. Col. Hayne believed he was no longer controlled by his agreement and resumed his active efforts on behalf of the Patriot cause. He organized a new troop of militia and set about gaining supplies for his troops and the patriot supporters in the area. In July he and his men captured Gen. Andrew Williamson, an American who had gone over to the British. The British, under the command of Lt. Col. Balfour, retaliated by surprising Hayne, capturing him and returning him to Charles Town where he was held until the arrival of Lord Rawdon. Balfour suggested and Rawdon agreed that Col. Isaac Hayne should be hanged as an example to others who supported the patriot cause.

Hayne was tried by a court of inquiry and upon review by Rawdon and Balfour he was sentenced to be hanged. However, pleas by the citizens of Charles Town, Gov.Bull and by his children resulted in a delay of 48 hours. Hayne was led to the gallows. The executioner had difficulty in placing the hood over Col. Hayne’s head whereupon he said “I will save you that trouble” and put the hood in place. When asked if he had anything to say he replied “I will only take leave of my friends, and be ready.” Col. Isaac Hayne was executed by hanging on Aug. 4, 1781.

Authors Note: Most of us know of the hanging of Nathan Hale on Sept. 22, 1776; a sentence imposed by the British who found him guilty of spying and not in the uniform of a combatant. Hanging was an unusual sentence for a uniformed enemy. In the case of Col. Hayne, the British intended that it send a message to the people of South Carolina to not support the patriot cause. It had the opposite effect with the citizenry flocking to our cause.

Jim Bayne is the immdediate past president of the Virginia Society, Sons of the American Revolution. He can be reached at .