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Dorcas Nelson Richardson 1741 ~ 1834
Dorcas Richardson, bearing more than her share of the terrible
trials which fell to woman's lot in the Revolutionary War,
affords a splendid example of the modest heroism and humble,
cheerful faith of the women of that time. She was the daughter
of Captain John Nelson, a native of Ireland, and was married at
the age of twenty to Richard Richardson, with whom she went to
live on a plantation on the Santee River in South Carolina. In
this home of peace, contentment and abundance she enjoyed all
the comforts of southern country life among the prosperous class
until the outburst of that storm, in which the fortunes and
happiness of so many patriots were wrecked.
At the commencement of the war her husband was captain of a
company of militia, and when the three regiments of regulars
from South Carolina were raised and officered in 1775 he was
made a colonel. But at the surrender of Charleston he was taken
prisoner, and in violation of the terms of capitulation he was
sent to a military station on Johns Island. With the aid of his
wife he made his escape, and returned to the neighborhood of his
home, where he concealed himself in the Santee Swamp. At this
time the British troops had overrun the state, and Colonel
Tarleton seized upon the house of Colonel Richardson as a
station for his regiment of cavalry. The enemy lived luxuriously
on the abundance of this richly-stocked plantation, but Mrs.
Richardson was restricted to a single room and allowed but a
scanty share of the provisions furnished from her own stores.
Even here she exercised great self-denial, that the wants of the
one dear to her might be supplied Everyday she sent food from
her own small allowance to her husband in the swamp, by an old
Negro, in whose care and discretion she could trust implicitly.
Expecting the seizure of her horses and cattle by the British
she had Colonel Richardson's favorite riding horse sent into the
swamp for concealment This horse was shut up in a covered pen in
the woods, which had once been used for holding corn thence his
cognomen "Comcrib," a name which clung to the famous charger
through the great battlefields on which he afterward figured.
Mrs. Richardson not only sent provisions to her husband in his
place of shelter but sometimes ventured to visit him, the stolen
meetings being, of course, full of consolation to the fugitive
soldier. The British being informed of Richardson's escape
naturally concluded that he was somewhere in the vicinity of his
family, and a diligent search was instituted, scouts being sent
in every direction. It was only through the most determined
efforts on the part of his wife that the searchers were
frustrated. Not infrequently did the officers, in the most
unfeeling manner boast in the presence of the wife of what they
would do to her husband when they should capture him. On one
occasion some of the officers displayed in the sight of Mrs.
Richardson their swords reeking with blood, probably that of her
cattle, and told her that it was the blood of her husband whom
they had killed. At another time they said that he had been
taken and hanged. And in this state of cruel suspense she
sometimes remained for several successive days unable to learn
the fate of her husband and not knowing whether to believe or
distrust the horrible tales brought to her ears.
Once only did she deign the reply, "I do not doubt" she said,
"that men who can outrage the feelings of a woman by such
threats are capable of perpetrating any act of treachery and
inhumanity toward a brave but unfortunate enemy. But conquer or
capture my husband if you can do so before you boast the cruelty
with which you mean to mark your savage triumph. And let me tell
you meanwhile that some of you, it is likely, will be in a
condition to implore his favor before he will have need to
supplicate or deign to accept yours." This prediction was
literally verified in more than one instance during the
remainder of the war.
One day, when the troops were absent on some expedition, Colonel
Richardson ventured on a visit to his home, but before he
thought of returning to his refuge in the forest, a patrolling
party of the enemy appeared at the gate. Mrs. Richardson's
presence of mind and calm courage were in requisition, and
proved the salvation of the hunted patriot. Seeing the British
soldiers about to come in, she pretended to be intently busy
about something in the front doorway and stood there retarding
their entrance. The least appearance of agitation or fear, the
least change of color, might have betrayed all by exciting
suspicion, but with a self-control as rare as admirable she
hushed even the wild beating of her heart, and continued to
stand in the way till her husband had time to retire through the
back door into the swamp near at hand.
Later Colonel Richardson left his retreat in the woods to go to
the aid of General Marion, and together with a handful of men
they made several successful sorties on the enemy. The British
were not long in discovering that the Colonel had joined the
force of Marion, and their conduct toward his wife was at once
changed. One and all professed a profound respect for her brave
and worthy husband, whose services they were desirous of
securing. They endeavored to obtain her influence to prevail on
him to join the Royal Army by promise of wealth and honorable
promotion. The high-spirited wife treated all such offers with
the contempt they deserved and refused to be made an instrument
in their hands for the accomplishment of their purpose. She sent
constant messages to her husband in his exile assuring him that
she and the children were well, and provided with an abundance
of everything necessary for their comfort Thus with heroic
artfulness did she conceal the privations and want she was
suffering, lest her husband's solicitude for her and his family
might tempt him to waver from strict obedience to the dictates
of honor and patriotism.
When peace returned to shed its blessings over the land, Mrs.
Richardson continued to reside in the same house with her
family. Tarleton and his troopers had wasted the plantation and
destroyed everything movable about the dwelling, but the
buildings had been spared, and Colonel Richardson, who had been
promoted for his meritorious service in the field, cheerfully
resumed the occupation of a planter. His circumstances were much
reduced by the chance of war, but a competence remained, which
he and his wife enjoyed in tranquility and happiness for many
years.
Mrs. Richardson died in 1834 at the advanced age of
ninety-three. She was remarkable throughout life for the calm
judgment, fortitude and strength of mind, which had sustained
her in the trials she suffered during the war, and protected her
from injury and insult when surrounded by a lawless soldiery.
Women of
America
Source: The Part Taken by Women in
American History, By Mrs. John A. Logan, Published by The Perry-Nalle
Publishing Company, Wilmington, Delaware, 1912.
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