Richard Richardson (1704-1780) was an American planter and military officer from

Clarendon County, South Carolina Clarendon County is a county located below the fall line in the Coastal Plain region of U.S. state of South Carolina. As of 2020 census, its population was 31,144. Its county seat is Manning. This area was developed for lumber and mills, inc ...

who served as a

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

Career

Richardson was born in Jamestown, Virginia in the early 1700s. Both of his parents were from

Northamptonshire, England Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is k ...

. Richardson was a delegate to The First Provincial Congress in 1775, and The Second Provincial Congress in 1776. Richardson served in the South Carolina Militia during the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

and also in the Continental Army. He was the leader of the American forces in the

Snow Campaign The Snow Campaign was one of the first major military operations of the American Revolutionary War in the southern colonies. An army of up to 3,000 Patriot militia under Colonel Richard Richardson marched against Loyalist recruiting centers in ...

, and also fought in the

Battle of Sullivan's Island The Battle of Sullivan's Island or the Battle of Fort Sullivan was fought on June 28, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War. It took place near Charleston, South Carolina, during the first British attempt to capture the city from American ...

, and the Battle of Savannah. In 1776, he commanded American forces and defeated the British in the Battle of Charleston. He commanded The South Carolina State Militia at Purrysburg in 1778. He was captured by the British when they took Charleston in 1780, was imprisoned by the British. With his health failing he was sent home and soon died. Richardson has previously served as a colonel during the

Anglo-Cherokee War The Anglo-Cherokee War (1758–1761; in the Cherokee language: the ''"war with those in the red coats"'' or ''"War with the English"''), was also known from the Anglo-European perspective as the Cherokee War, the Cherokee Uprising, or the Cherok ...

of 1760 and 1761.

Personal life

Richardson married first to Mary Cantey, and then to Dorothy Sinkler, and had five children. Richard's son, James Burchill Richardson was the 41st governor of South Carolina, and his grandson

John Peter Richardson II John Peter Richardson II (April 14, 1801January 24, 1864) was the 59th Governor of South Carolina from 1840 to 1842. Early life and career Richardson was son of John Peter Richardson and Floride Bonneau Peyre, and grandson of General Richard ...

(1801–1864) was the 59th governor. His grandson

John Lawrence Manning John Lawrence Manning (sometimes spelled John Laurence Manning) (January 29, 1816October 24, 1889) was the 65th Governor of South Carolina, from 1852 to 1854. He was born in Clarendon County. He attended South Carolina College, where he was a m ...

was the 65th

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

(1852-1854) as well as a signer of the Ordinance of Secession. His great-great grandson

Richard Irvine Manning III Richard Irvine Manning III (August 15, 1859 – September 11, 1931) was an American politician from the U.S. state of South Carolina. He served as a state legislator and as the 92nd governor of South Carolina. Biography Richard Irvine Manning I ...

served as a state legislator and as the 92nd governor from 1915 to 1919. Richardson is a cousin of poet Robert Browning. Richardson's great-great grandmother was Mary Browning (sister of the poet's ancestor).

Death and burial

Richardson died in 1780 and was buried at the Richardson Cemetery in Rimini, Clarendon County, South Carolina. His body was later dug up and his plantation burned down on the orders of British commander

Banastre Tarleton Sir Banastre Tarleton, 1st Baronet, GCB (21 August 175415 January 1833) was a British general and politician. He is best known as the lieutenant colonel leading the British Legion at the end of the American Revolution. He later served in Portu ...

, who was in the process of pillaging Richardson's home in an attempt to discover the location of Patriot militia commander Francis Marion.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Richardson, Richard Continental Army soldiers People from Clarendon County, South Carolina 1704 births 1780 deaths American slave owners South Carolina colonial people South Carolina militiamen in the American Revolution Burials in South Carolina American planters