Feb 13

Feb 13 Rebecca Brewton Motte Smokes Out The British

Yesterday we discussed Miles Brewton, a wealthy South Carolina Patriot leader who passed away at the beginning of the Revolutionary War.

Today, we will look at his sister, Rebecca Brewton Motte.

Motte was not only one of the wealthiest women in the colonies, but also sacrificed her house for the American Cause.

Rebecca Brewton Motte

When her brother passed away, Rebecca Brewton Motte inherited a substantial fortune.

Five years later, when her husband died, Motte received even more money.

At a time when women were afforded very little rights, Rebecca’s status in society led to her taking control of these riches. She became the wealthiest woman in South Carolina.

The Setting

After Charleston was taken by the British, Rebecca Motte moved to her countryside estate.

Much like the rest of her family, Motte was a committed Patriot.

When her son-in-law went off to war, she brought her daughter and their children into her house. (This son-in-law, Thomas Pinckney, was a future Vice Presidential running mate of John Adams.)

It was in this scenario that, in May 1780, the British came knocking at her door…

The British Come Knocking

The Redcoats that came to Rebecca Motte’s house commandeered the property to use as a base of operations.

They turned her residence into the appropriately named Fort Motte.

Rebecca, her daughter and grandchildren were forced to live in an outbuilding to make room for the Brits.

The Siege of Fort Motte

Shortly thereafter, Francis Marion and Henry Lee arrived with a small contingent of Continental Soldiers.

The Swamp Fox and Light Horse Harry (possibly the two best nicknames of the Revolution) laid siege to Fort Motte.

Despite the onslaught, the Redcoats simply would not give up.

That’s when the decision was made to burn down the house.

Let It Burn

Legend has it that Mrs. Motte gave permission to the Continentals to burn her house. (Some sources even say that it was her idea, though this is unlikely.)

It has also been said that the property was destroyed using special arrows Rebecca gave to the Patriots which were meant to light upon impact, though this is also questionable.

What we do know is that, due to her fabulous wealth, Motte would not have been overly concerned with the cost of rebuilding a mansion.

The ploy worked and Rebecca went on to live a long life, witnessing the formulation of a nation in which she helped play a small but crucial role in creating.

Here are some other FOUNDING MOTHERS:

Amelia Simmons - The Mother of American Cookbooks

Elizabeth Lewis Stands Confidently Against The British

Deborah Sampson Drags Herself To War

Rebecca Motte’s sacrifice has become fairly legendary in certain circles.

‘The Courageous Patriot’ goes further into Motte’s life than we did here, including a discussion of her encounters with the British back in Charleston which I did not discuss here.

If you’d like a copy you can get one through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same).