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In the winter of 1780, Charleston was amid gunfire and warfare from the Revolutionary War. As America tried to gain its independence from England, Charleston's patriots helped their new nation fight off the Redcoats. England responded with cruel punishments for anyone found helping the colonies. By spring of 1780, Britain had captured the ports of Charleston, and were working on punishing colonial troops for their treason against the King of England.
He was sentenced to death for treason against the King of England, and scheduled to be locked away in Charleston's dungeon until his scheduled date of death. His aunt and two surviving sons visited him daily. On one occasion they pleaded for their father to return to them, and he promised he would, if he could. Time passed and Hayne's death date approached. Finally when the day came, he was forced to walk by his aunt's house. Watching from above were his aunt and two sons. They called down to their father who responded that he would return to them. Hayne was shot rather than hanged, which only served to make the people of Charleston more patriotic than before. The aunt's house never forgot that day either, the little boys' souls remained at the window calling down to their father, Colonial Hayne's voice could be heard at dusk to anyone standing at that window, and after nightfall, footsteps could be heard coming up the steps, signaling someone's return. Finally, this ended when the Civil War broke out and patriotism faced itself as people from one nation struggled against each other. |
Many people captured by England were tortured until death, some were hanged, and others were faced against the firing squads. Colonial Isaac Hayne left the war after Charleston's surrender to return to his plantation and be with his family at their deathbed. Smallpox was a horrible plague at this time as well, and many troops returned from battle to learn their families were suffering from this disease. After their death, Hayne was asked to join the English army, but refused, stating he would never turn his back against America.