Revolutionary War Roundtable June 26th
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SCAR Fellows and friends of the Revolution:
We will hold our next Southern Campaigns Roundtable in Charleston, SC at the beautiful Old Exchange Building “OXB” (http://www.oldexchange.com) in the historic district on Saturday, June 26th. Our hosts are Mike Coker and Doug MacIntyre. This is a public invited event so send this email on to your fiends and colleagues. We will have plenty of space in the upstairs ballroom. Plan on joining us to start promptly at 10:00 am and we should wrap-up by 4:00 pm – we’ll stop at noon for a “Dutch Treat” lunch. Remember our Round Table is a participatory sport; you are invited to bring your research interest, questions, and show and tell for no-more than a 10 minute presentation. Each attendee will pay the normal OXB entrance fee of $8.00.
Doug MacIntyre is working on interpretative signage for a new Revolutionary War park on Sullivan’s Island at Breach Inlet. He is anxious to show us his research and get help and suggestions from our fellows.
All interested will meet on the Isle of Palms (historic Long Island) at the Boathouse at Breach Inlet, located at 101 Palm Blvd. (http://www.boathouserestaurants.com), on the deck overlooking the Inlet from Sir Henry Clinton and Lord Charles Cornwallis’ prospective and get the feel of the site about 6:00 pm on Friday evening. Sounds like a plan to me!
For more information, please contact:
Mike Coker
michaeldcoker@comcast.net
Doug MacIntyre
dougmac@mindspring.com
Mobile 843-860-9173
Home 843-577-1098
Charles B. Baxley
cbbaxley@truvista.net
Event Logistics:
OXB Parking: There are some metered parking spaces around the OXB which you may use. Also, there is a public parking garage about two blocks away from the OXB.
Hotels: Here are some relatively inexpensive, recognizable brand hotels to consider for the SCAR Roundtable weekend. These are not on the downtown Charleston (expensive) peninsula, but all are located about 20 minutes from the Old Exchange Building. Amounts quoted are AAA rates for check in on June 26 and check out on June 27. Folks may be able to find better rates online. All currently have availability, but some have only a few rooms left.
· Comfort Suites West of the Ashley, 2080 Savannah Hwy., Charleston, off US17 at the end of I-526. New hotel in West Ashley with all suites/breakfast/perks/24 hr indoor pool, in a busy location – request a room in the quiet area overlooking the parking lot. $125. 843-769-9850.
· Hampton Inn West Ashley, 678 Citadel Haven Dr., Charleston, off US17 at the end of I-526. Breakfast/perks/outdoor pool. $141. 843-573-1200.
· Holiday Inn Express Mt. Pleasant, 350 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., off US17 just across the Cooper River bridge from downtown. New hotel with breakfast/perks/outdoor pool. $144. 843-375-2600.
· Sheraton North Charleston, 4770 Goer Dr, off I-26 exit 213b Montague Ave. Restaurant with room service/shuttle to downtown Visitors Center/indoor & outdoor pools. $189. 843-747-1900.
Those interested in staying in downtown Charleston or seeing more options may find this site helpful: http://www.sciway.net/hotels/charleston.html.
Annual Carolina Day Festivities: Roundtable attendees who can stay longer may enjoy the annual Carolina Day festivities. Carolina Day will be celebrated in Charleston on Monday afternoon, June 28 on the 234th anniversary of the Battle of Sullivan’s Island. Activities will include a service at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, dedication of memorials, a reception, a parade/walk from Washington Park to White Point Garden, and speeches at White Point Garden on the battery.
“Faith of Our Fathers”
The formal rededication of the grave of General Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, “One of the Founders of the Republic” is planned for Carolina Day, Monday, June 28th. Bishop FitzSimons Allison, XII Episcopal Bishop of South Carolina will lead the service and dedication. The Order of Morning Prayer according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer will be held at St. Michael’s Church at 1:00 pm followed by the Charles Cotesworth Pinckney memorial dedication. After the dedication, a reception will be held in the Parish Hall just before the parade line up in Washington Park at 3:00 pm. Bishop Allison will also be the featured speaker at the Carolina Day ceremony in White Point Garden. A reception after the celebrations will reconvene at the Parish Hall. All SCAR Roundtable members along with all SAR members and families are most cordially invited to attend.
A few years ago, at St. Michael’s Church it was determined that the tombstones in the Pinckney-Rutledge plot were in disarray and the grave of General Charles Cotesworth Pinckney needed attention and restoration. Our consultant, Dr. Robert Russell of the College of Charleston’s Preservation Program recommended that we reposition several stones that had been haphazardly attached to the wall when the sacristy was added. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney’s grave is a frequent stop for visitors and tour guides to the Churchyard because of his prominence as a founding father. His memorial inside the church on the south isle is a testimony to his patriotic and civic leadership. The committee decided to place the same memorial at his grave site on a new stone, matching those of his relations. In addition, a new sign citing his accomplishments will be placed above on the panel box. The cost was underwritten by many of the patriotic societies and his descendants. The William Moultrie Chapter Sons of the American Revolution made a significant contribution to this effort. His descendants are numerous and actively serve God and his Church at St. Michaels in a variety of lay ministries, foreign missions and leadership positions.
But how is Charles Cotesworth Pinckney relevant today as a Christian role model from those centuries ago? Pinckney’s 1825 memorial says, “He combined the virtues of the patriot and the piety of the Christian”. On closer investigation we find that Pinckney believed in tolerance of all Christian faiths and actively campaigned to outlaw dueling.
He was the First President of the Charleston Bible Society founded in 1810. Modeled on the British and Foreign Bible Society, the organizing goal of the society was and is today to have a wide distribution, circulation and study of Holy Scripture. The founding clergy represented perhaps the first major ecumenical effort in Charleston. They included, the Reverends Isaac S. Keith, Pastor of the Circular Congregational Church, William Percy, who established St. Paul’s, the third Episcopal church in Charleston, Richard Furman, the fiery Baptist minister who later founded Furman University, and Simon Felix Gallagher, long-time pastor of St. Mary’s Church. (Gallagher was considered a brilliant wit and a friendly drinking companion who actions helped cause a schism in the local Catholic Church that existed until the arrival of John England who became the first Catholic Bishop of Charleston.) Over the past two hundred years, the society has had a fascinating history including massive distribution of Bibles to soldiers of the Confederate Army, the Spanish American War, merchant seamen, orphanages, churches, jails, immigrants, homeless shelters, foreign mission teams, the blind and military personnel. As the Charleston Bible Society celebrates its 200th Anniversary this year, Pinckney’s Christian legacy lives on, making a difference in the lives of many. Still collecting and distributing Bibles, the Society’s watch words are “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path” Psalms 119:105. For more information on the Charleston Bible Society, please visit www.charlestonbiblesociety.org. May he Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory.
Vic Brandt, Past President SCSSAR and Churchyard Committee Chairman.
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