Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/44

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PINCKNEY
PINCKNEY

the Chilian government resolved to evterminate the gnerillas. and sent Col. Bulnes with an army against. them. The latter penetrated into the mountain regions aml began a regular campaign against Pim-heira. capturing part of his forces at ltoblc Gnacho. 11 Jan..18352. and on the 14th de- feating him near the lagoon of I’alanquin. where I’incheira‘s brother. Pablo. was killed. and the lat- ter escaped with only fifty—two men. At last. sur- rounded on all sides. he surrendered. on 11 March. under capitulatitm that insured him a pardon. This w.s strictly kept by the government. and l’inr-heira retired to t 'oncepcion.


PINCKNEY. Charles Cotesworth. statesman. b. in Charleston. S. C.. :15 Feb.. 17-16: d. there. 16 A ug.. 1935. His father. Charles. was chief justice of South Carolina in 1732. The son was sent to England to be. educated at seven years of age. studied at “'est- minsterschool.and was graduated at. Christ church. Ox— ford. read law in the Middle Tent- ple. and passed nine months in the Royal military academy at Caen. France. He re- turnedtothiscoun- try in 1769. settled as a barrister in Charleston.and be- eral of the. prm- ince. member of the 1st Provincial con-

gress of South

Carolina in 1775. was appointed by that body a cap- tain of infantry. and in December of that year was promoted major. He assisted to successfully de- fend Fort Sullivan on 2H J nnc. 1776. became colo- nel. 113 Sept, and left the Carolinas to join Wash- ington. to whom he was appointed aide-de-camp. participating in the battles of the Bramlywine and Gel-mantoan. He returned to the south in the spring of 1775'. and took part in the unsuccessful expedition to Florida. In January. 1779. be pre— sided oier the senate of South Carolina. He dis- played resolution and intrepidity in the rapid march that saved Charleston from the attack of the British under Gen. Augustine Prevost. and in the invasion of Georgia his regiment formed the second column in the assault on the lines at Savannah. am] in the second attack on Charleston. in April. 17s". he com- manded Fort Moultrie with a force of 300 men. The fleet entered the harbor without enmtging the fort. and he then returned to the city. and aided in sustaining the siege. In the council of war that was held in the latter part of the month he voted " for the rejection of all terms of capitulation. and for continuing hostilities to the last extremity." He became a prisoner of war on the surrender of the city in Mag. 17H". and for “£0 years suffered a rigorous confinement. But. “nothing could shake the firmness of his soul." He was ordered into closer'eonfinement from the death-bed of his son. but he wrote. to the commanding British otficer: “ My heart is altogether American. and neither se- verity. nor favor. nor poverty. nor affluence can ever induce me to swerve from it." Ile was eXchangi-d in February. 1792. and was commissioned brigadier- general in 1753. but the war “as virtnally over. and he had no opportunity for further service. He ‘ then‘ returned to the practice of his profession. in which he \von great reputation and large profits. lie was a member of the Convention that framed the constitution of the United States in 17-37. took an active part in its debates. and was the author of the clause in the constitution that " no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any olfice or public trust under the authority of the United States." He also moved to strike out the clause that allowed compensation to senators. on the ground that that body should be composed of persons of wealth. and Consequently above the temptations of poverty. He became an ardent. Federalist on the adoption of the constitution. and served in the convention that ratified it on the part of South Carolina. and in the State constitutional convention of 1790. He declined the office. of as— sociate justice of the L'. S. supreme court in 1791. the portfolio of war in 1754. and that of state in 1795. aml in 1796 accepted the ofiice of I . S. minis- ter to France. resigning his commission of major- general of militia. which he had held for several years. The Directory refused to receive him. and he was reminded that the law forbade any foreigner to stay more than thirty days in France without. permission. Un his refusal to apply. he was re-

quested to quit the republic. Ile retired to Am-

‘ sterdam. and subsequently returned to America. While on this mission he made the famous reply to an intimation that peace might be secured with money : " Millions for defence. but not a cent. for tribute." On his return. war being imminent with France. he was commissioned major-general by Washington. but second to Alexander Hamilton. a ho had been his junior during the Revolution. When his attention was directed to that fact. he. said: " Let us first dispose of our enemies: we shall then have leisure to settle the question of rank." lle was a Federalist candidate for the \ice-presi- dency in HUD. and for the presidency in 1904 and ' 1808. In 1801 he was elected first president of the board of trustees of the College. of South Carolina. and for more than fifteen years before his death ‘ he was president of the Charleston Bible Society. Charles Chauncey said of him that “his love. of honor was greater than his love of power. aml deeper than his love of self.“ lle \\ as third presi- ldent-gcneral of the Cincinnati. He married the sister of Arthur Middleton. Their daughter. MA— RIA. published a Work in the defence of nullifiea- tion.—Charles‘s brother. Thomas. diplomatist. b. in Charleston.S.(‘.. ‘33 “CL. 175”: d. there. 23 Nov.. 1823. accompa- nied his brother l to England in 1753. and was ed- ucated at \\'cst— minster and HS- ford. He then studied law in the Temple. \\ as admitted to the bar ill 1770. and.returningto Charleston in 1772. practised in that city. He joined the Continental army as a licuten- hm M “1001?

nut in 1775. was

aide-de-camp to (ten. Benjamin Lincoln. and served in a similar capacity under Count D‘Eslaing at the