Gadsden, Christopher, 1724-1805

Hide Profile

Christopher Gadsden (February 16, 1724 – August 28, 1805) was an American politician who was the principal leader of the South Carolina Patriot movement during the American Revolution. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress, a brigadier general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, a merchant, and the designer of the Gadsden flag. He is a signatory to the Continental Association and a Founding Father of the United States.

Born in Charleston in the Province of South Carolina, he was sent to school near Bristol, England before returning to America and serving as an apprentice at a counting house in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From 1745 to 1746 he was a purser on a British warship during King George's War. He then entered into mercantile ventures. Gadsden began his rise to prominence as a merchant and patriot in Charleston. He prospered as a merchant and built the wharf in Charleston that bears his name. Between its completion in 1767 until 1787 and 1803 to 1808, it is estimated that 40% (about 100,000 enslaved people) were brought to America through his wharf. He was captain of a militia company during a 1759 expedition against the Cherokee.

In 1766, the assembly made him one of their delegates to the Stamp Act Congress in New York City, which was called to protest the Stamp Act. While his fellow delegates Thomas Lynch and John Rutledge served on committees to draft appeals to the House of Lords and Commons respectively, Gadsden refused any such assignment, since in his view the British parliament had no rights in the matter. He was outspoken in his support of the Declaration of Rights and Grievances produced by the Congress. Gadsden was elected as a delegate to the First Continental Congress in 1774 and the Second Continental Congress the following year. He left Congress early in 1776 to assume command of the 1st South Carolina Regiment of the Continental Army and to serve in the Provincial Congress of South Carolina. In 1778, Gadsden was a member of the South Carolina convention that drafted a new state constitution. That same year he was named the lieutenant governor, to replace Henry Laurens who was away at the Continental Congress. He served in that office until 1780.

Gadsden was then returned to South Carolina's House of Representatives, then meeting at Jacksonboro. At this session, Governor Randolph and de facto President Rutledge both surrendered their offices. Gadsden was elected as the governor but felt he had to decline. Gadsden was a member of the state convention in 1788 and voted for ratification of the United States Constitution. He died from an accidental fall on August 28, 1805, in Charleston, and is buried there in St. Philip's Churchyard.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Gadsden, Christopher, 1724-1805. Autograph letter signed : "Chas. Town" [SC], to General Lincoln, 1780 May 6. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Adams, John, 1735-1826. Letter : to Christopher Gadsden, Charleston, S.C., 1801 April 16. South Carolina Historical Society
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Neufville, John de. Papers of John de Neufville, 1780-1789. Library of Congress
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
creatorOf Adams, Samuel, 1722-1803. Samuel Adams papers, 1635-1826. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Davie, Preston, b. 1881. Preston Davie collection, 1560-1903. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Washington Irving's Life of George Washington Volume V, Miscellany, 1764-1792 Cornell University Library
creatorOf Gadsden, Christopher, 1724-1805. Petition, signed, 1785. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Gaines Collection of Americana, 1786-1981 Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Center.
referencedIn Benjamin Franklin Papers Part 3 -- Letters to Franklin, 1778 April-December American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Gadsden family. Gadsden family papers, 1703-ca. 1955. South Carolina Historical Society
referencedIn Samuel Adams papers, 1635-1826 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Moultrie, William, 1730-1805. Orderly books of William Moultrie, 1775, June 20 - 1780, Dec. 15. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn Samuel Adams Papers, 1635-1826 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Collection of documents concerning the American Revolution, 1740-1866 Houghton Library
creatorOf Gadsden, Christopher, 1724-1805. Letter, 1798 July 16, Charleston, [S.C.], to [Jacob] Read. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn André, John, 1751-1780. Duel between General Howe and General Gadsden : song, ca. 1851. South Carolina Historical Society
creatorOf Gadsden, Christopher, 1724-1805. Letter : Lighthouse Island, [S.C.], to Major General Lee, Charles Town, [S.C.], 1776 Aug. 2. South Carolina Historical Society
creatorOf Gadsden, Christopher, 1724-1805. Autograph conclusion to a deed signed, [n.d.]. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Meleney, John C., 1921-. John C. Meleney research files, 1775-1986, (bulk, 1775-1808). University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Adams, John, 1735-1826. person
associatedWith Adams, Samuel, 1722-1803. person
associatedWith André, John, 1751-1780. person
associatedWith Cattell, Captain. person
associatedWith Davie, Preston, b. 1881. person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790 person
associatedWith Gadsden family. family
grandparentOf Gadsden, James, 1788-1858 person
associatedWith Gaines, Pierce Welsh. person
associatedWith Lee, Charles, 1731-1782. person
associatedWith Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810, person
associatedWith Meleney, John C., 1921- person
associatedWith Moultrie, William, 1730-1805. person
associatedWith Neufville, John de. person
associatedWith Ramsay, Dr. person
correspondedWith Read, Jacob, 1752-1816 person
correspondedWith South Carolina. Militia corporateBody
associatedWith South Carolina. Militia corporateBody
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
memberOf United States. Continental Congress corporateBody
associatedWith United States. President (1797-1801 : Adams) corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Charleston SC US
Bristol ENG GB
Charleston SC US
Philadelphia PA US
Subject
Alien and Sedition laws, 1798
Occupation
Army officers
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Lieutenant governors
Merchants
Militia officers
Activity

Person

Birth 1724-02-16

Death 1805-08-28

Male

Americans,

Britons

English

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6b09x0h

Ark ID: w6b09x0h

SNAC ID: 87389749