William Henry Drayton: South Carolina Revolutionary Patriot (Southern Biography Series)

About this book

In this exhaustive biography Keith Krawczynski details the political and social career of William Henry Drayton (17421779) an ambitious wealthy lowcountry planter and zealous patriot leader who was at the center of Revolutionary activity in South Carolina from 1774 until his death ve years later. Considered the most effective Whig polemicist in the lower South Drayton served on all his states important Revolutionary governing bodies commanded a frigate of war was elected chief justice in 1776 co-authored South Carolinas 1778 constitution and represented the state in the Continental Congress from 1778 until his demise. Although Drayton was a leading radical and the central gure of the American Revolution in South Carolina historians have largely ignored his contributions. With William Henry Drayton Krawczynski removes this fascinating man from the shadows of history. Drayton was an improbable rebel. After receiving his formal education in England the South Carolinaborn Drayton returned to his birthplace as a planter and continued to espouse Royalist ideals. During a later visit to Britain he was hailed as a champion of British sovereignty. In fact South Carolina harbored few early revolutionaries as low-country planters and merchants remained entrenched in the imperial system of trade backcountry residents strongly identied with the king and whites feared showing division lest their slaves launch a rebellion. Yet disgruntled with the kings increasing infringement on American liberties Drayton embraced the rebel cause with the zealotry of a recent convert and eventually did more to resist British rule than any other resident of the Palmetto State. Because he entered the Revolution as a supporter of the Crown Draytons life sheds light on why the planter-mercantile gentry rebelled against the mother country on which it relied for its economic status. His energetic attempts to preserve the provincial hierarchy and keep the reins of government rmly in the hands of the local aristocracy also help to explain why South Carolinas rebellion was more politically conservative than that of other states. By raising the prole of this South Carolina patriot William Henry Drayton brings new depth to our understanding of the American Revolution.