Patriot; born in
South Carolina, Sept. 23, 1745; was an extensive planter and owner of iron works; captain of artillery and State
Senator in 1780.
He was made a prisoner at the capture of
Charleston, and returned to his home on parole.
Early in 1781 he was ordered to take up arms as a British subject or go to
Charleston a prisoner, his wife and children then being dangerously sick with small-pox.
He went to
Charleston, where he was required to bear arms in support of the royal government or suffer close confinement.
On being assured that if he would sign a declaration of allegiance to the
British crown he would not be required to bear arms against his countrymen, he did so, and hastened home to find his wife dying and one of his children dead.
Finally he was summoned to take up arms against his people.
This being in violation of his agreement, it dissolved all obligations, and he repaired to the
American camp, received a commission as colonel, and was soon made a prisoner.
Colonel Balfour, then the
British commander in
Charleston, hesitated about disposing of
Hayne; but when Lord Rawdon arrived from
Orangeburg, on his way to embark for
England, pursuant to the spirit of Cornwallis's orders he directed
Colonel Hayne to be hung.
This was done without even the form of a trial, on Aug. 4, 1781.
The prisoner did not anticipate such treatment until he was officially informed that he had not two days to live.
The patriot's children, the women of
Charleston, the
lieutenant-governor of the province all pleaded for his life, but in vain.
The savage sentence was executed.
After
Balfour's death, Lord Rawdon meanly tried to fix the ignominy of the act upon that humane officer.
Hayne, Robert young
