The Huguenot Emigrants 1680 - History of Charleston South Carolina the French Church

The Huguenot emigrants, who only arrived in Charleston 1680 to 1686, began their "French Church" in Charleston about 1687 in the upper part of Charlestons Church Street on land conveyed by Ralph Izard and Mary his wife (a Miss Middleton) for that purpose. Isaac Mazyck, one of Charlestons earliest and wealthiest emigrants of their race, gave generously to Charleston. At the other end of Church Street were the Baptists, on land in Charleston given by William Elliott, and the Quakers had a Friends Meeting House outside the walls, near to the present King Street in Charleston. Thus in ten years from the founding of Charleston or Charles Town there was no lack of places of worship; it is remarkable that although no one of the original buildings in Charleston remains churches still stand upon each of these sites, belong-ing to the same organizations and denominations. The " Friends' is the only exception to this. The building was destroyed by fire, and there being no Quakers now in Charleston it was never rebuilt; but the lot is kept sacred, and is still owned by the society.

So far the people of all these various denominations were, with the exception of a few Dutch, from Nova-Belgia, descendants of Great Britain, subjects of the King; but now from 1680 to 1688 came the French Huguenots, strangers and aliens, into this English community.

Irene Hurricane

Charleston had not seen the last of Sir Henry. He came back to charleston with an army in February, 1780, and advancing this time by way of John's and James Islands, crossed the Ashley River above the city of charleston and laid siege to it from the rear on the main land. About the same time, the fleet, mindful of its former drubbing, ran past Fort Moultrie, under a heavy fire, without attempting to engage it, and, in conjunction with batteries erected on James Island, threatened the city of Charleston from the south and west. A shot from one of these batteries, that stood near the conspicuous point called the "Hundred Pines," left a mark in Charleston which may still be seen.

At the intersection of Broad and Meeting streets there was then placed a statue of William Pitt, raised by the grateful colonists in recognition of that statesman's fearless espousal of their cause in the British Parliament, in resisting the Stamp Act and other oppressive measures. A cannon shot from James Island, unmindful of the distinguished statesman at home, and of the fact that he was then upholding his government manfully in the pending struggle, struck the statue. carrying away its arm, and otherwise mutilating it. It now stands in Washington Square, hard by its former location, with its beauty still sadly marred by what was a home bullet if not a home thrust."

General Lincoln, who commanded the American forces, should not have attempted to stand a siege the city of Charleston, but should have saved his little army - sadly needed elsewhere while yet there was time. He was in a cul-de-sac, without hope of relief, was largely outnumbered, and his capitulation was only a question of time.

The Huguenot Emigrants 1680 - History of Charleston South Carolina the French Church