Little River Regiment

Petition of James Williams' Little River Regiment

In the following document we have a petition by members of the Little River Regiment to the Gov. of S. C. protesting the arrest of their Commanding Officer, Col. James Williams. It is transcribed from a document in the Manuscript collection of the Wm. R. Perkins Library, Duke University. #5767 "James Williams Petition. The document is undated and signed with legible signatures of all included.
 

To His Excellency (torn) Esq. , Govenor & Commander in Chief in (torn) of South Carolina the Honourabel the pivy counsels, the honourable the Senate & House of Representatives in General Assembly; Whereas we the zealous friends to our country, and to all who love & distinguish themselves in her cause) do understand & are exceeding sorry to hear that there are false & (?) accusations either lying or about to shortly be laid against James Williams, our present Colo. in and over Little River Regiment of which we are a part representing him as distressing and very injurious to the Regiment, and designed (as we believe) by the private enemies of our country, to deprive us of so worthy a friend to his country. In general a good officer, to us in particular & thereby do a very singular piece of service to the common enemies of America. We do briefly and anziously remonstrate this: That we do experimentally know Col. james Williams to havfe been a zealous Patriot from the commencement of the America contest with Briten; and to have allways stood foremost in every occasion when called upon to defience of his country. W do further declare who voluntarily and judiciously when legally called upon and commanded to the field, have turned out in the defense of their Native rights & privileges together with that of their Country; and we do avow it from our knowledge, that whensoever Colo. James Williams either directly or indirectly executed any distressing things, it was upon the stuboorn and refractory, whose practices of obstinancy declare them inimical to their country: & that Hoyan & fellow citizens. without delaying you, we your humble petitions do earnestly beg that you will hear this our faithful remonstrance & proceed with our respected Colo. James your superior judgements may direct: only begging leave to conclude with this one remark, that doubtless you know that such clamours are frequently the necessary effects of disaffection to the country.



sources/credits:  http://www.next1000.com/family/EC/greer.joseph1.html

http://www.sc.edu/library/socar/uscs/1997/will97.html
 
James Williams: An American Patriot in the Carolina Backcountry
By William T Graves

1784, The Hanging of Matthew Love

http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~scroots/sc00055.htm

From the State of South Carolina
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE BRIDGE THAT CROSSES THE LITTLE RIVER ALONG SOUTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY 72 IN LAURENS COUNTY THE "PATRIOTS OF THE LITTLE RIVER REGIMENT MEMORIAL BRIDGE" IN HONOR OF THE LITTLE RIVER REGIMENT WHICH WAS A GATHERING OF PATRIOTS OF THE OLDE 96 DISTRICT DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR, AND TO ERECT APPROPRIATE SIGNS OR MARKERS AT THIS BRIDGE THAT CONTAIN THE WORDS "PATRIOTS OF THE LITTLE RIVER REGIMENT MEMORIAL BRIDGE".