Edward Rutledge and the Staten Island Peace Conference
Edward Rutledge was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Published 4/17/18 - Updated 10/3/21
Accomplishments
At age 26, Edward Rutledge was a very accomplished young man.
He had studied law in London and, after being admitted to the bar, opened a successful law practice with his friend Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. He became famous after securing the release of a printer who had been put in prison for criticizing the Crown.
He was sent by South Carolina to the Continental Congress, where, at 27, he was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Despite his youth, Rutledge was the de facto leader of the South Carolina Delegation in Congress.
The Situation
By September 1776, the Revolutionary War was in full swing.
The Continental Army had achieved a surprising victory which led to the British evacuation from Boston.
The British, in turn, sailed to New York Harbor where they were joined by the might of the Royal Army. They defeated General Washington in the Battle of Long Island and were ready to take New York City.
General Howe, commander of the British in America, decided to offer one last attempt at a truce. He contacted the Continental Congress to set up a Peace Conference.
Staten Island Peace Conference
Truthfully, neither side expected much to come of the meeting.
The Congress decided to send three of their most important members to the meeting: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Edward Rutledge.
*Side note: This was the infamous trip on which Adams and Franklin shared a bed together. One was hot and the other cold. One would get up and open the window and the other would get up and close it. Neither got much sleep.*
During the meeting, both sides were cordial and offered concessions. However, the British could not come to terms unless the Americans admitted to Parliament’s superiority. The Americans could not come to terms unless the British acknowledged their independence. These were issues on which neither delegation would budge.
The meeting ended unsuccessfully.
The Americans went back to Philadelphia.
Four days later, General Howe and his Army invaded New York City.
Governor
Rutledge would leave the Continental Congress to spend a lifetime in the State Assembly. Additionally, he fought on several occasions with the militia.
During this time, he was one of three Declaration Signers to be captured at the Siege of Charleston and held as a prisoner of war for over a year.
By 1798 he was elected as Governor of South Carolina but passed away while in office.
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Check out one of these books which have more info on Edward Rutledge. Stop the Revolution' is specifically about the Peace Conference. We are not paid to advertise these books but we are an Amazon affiliate.
