Redcliffe Plantation State Park, Visitor's Guide

24 Pages·1991·1.5 MB·English

Redcliffe Plantation
Park
State
A
Visitor's Guide
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation
http://archive.org/details/redcliffeplantatOOunse
REDCLIFFE PLANTATION
STATE PARK
A VISITORS GUIDE
Editor: RowenaC.Nylund SouthCarolinaDivisionofParks,
Graphics: GeneSpeer RecreationandTourism
DivisionofStateParks
1991
*\
V
•*• :'-*%- -if-*^* *«
FrontstairwaytoRedcliffe,1939. (Photographby
AlfredEisenstaedt,formerphotographerforUi&
Magazine)
INTRODUCTION
Located nearthebanksoftheSavannahRiver
atBeech Island, Redcliffe stands as acentury-old
structural legacy to the lives of South Carolina
Governor James Henry Hammond and his
descendants. From its construction in 1859 until
1975, Redcliffe was owned and occupied by four
generations ofthe colorful Hammond family. Its
residents includeda South CarolinaGovernorand
U.S.Senator,aneditorofTimeandLifeMagazines,
andalineofstrong,enduringwomen. Generations
ofHammondswerebonded,notonlybyacommon
heritage, but by their intense attachment to the
familyhomeplace,Redcliffe.
PaintingbyGeorgeHammond,depictingRedcliffeasit
appearedpriortotheporchrenovationsin1886.
A* J$
RearviewofRedcliffein1900withobservatorystill
intact.
The house, the householdfurnishings and art
work, and the surrounding grounds have changed
throughtheyears,reflectingthedifferenteconomies
and the varied tastes and lifestyles of successive
generations. While these changes attest to the
continuing occupancy ofRedcliffe, they have not
significantly diminished the architectural integrity
ofthisremarkableante-bellumplantationhome. In
1973RedcliffewasaddedtotheNationalRegisterof Redcliffeafter1930restorationbyJohnShawBillings.
Historic Places for its historic and architectural
distinctiveness.
THE HAMMONDS OF REDCLIFFE
JAMESHENRYHAMMOND(1807-1864) An admirer ofJohn C. Calhoun, Hammond
The eldest of five children, James Henry supportedtheSenator'spremiseofnullification—the
Hammond was born on November 15, 1807, at theorythatastatehadtherighttonullify(void)any
ESltiosnheayHBaatmtemroynindth(e1N7e74w-b1e8r2r9y),Dihsterlidct.a Hviasrifeattyheor,f uanctcoonfsttihteutfieodnearla.lAgpopvleyrinnmgetnhtiswhthiecohryi,tcHoansmimdoernedd
jobs, but was primarily an educator. Born in arguedthatthefederaltariffsof1828and1832had
Massachusetts,heattendedDartmouthCollegeand
unfairly disrupted the South's cotton trade with
laterheldpostsatMountBethelMethodistAcademy Britain;therefore,headvocated nullificationofthe
inNewberryandattheSouthCarolinaCollege(later laws. Beginning in January 1830, he edited The
tmhaerrUineidveCrsaitthyeroifneSoFuotxh CSapraonlinna)(.178I5n-11886046) hoef nSeowustphaeprenr.TiHmiesso,uatnspoanktein-tparriifnft,edproop-innuilolnisfinceaatriloyn
Edgefield. led to a duel between him and South Carolina
Congressman James Blair ofCamden. Hammond
James Henry attended the South Carolina attackedtheCongressman'sallegedmoderatestand
CollegewherehewaspresidentoftheEuphradian on nullification, Blaircountered the remarks, and
Society, a literary and debating club. Following Hammondcalledforaduel—anacceptedprocedure
graduation,Hammondheldasuccessionofteaching for defending honor in the ante-bellum South.
positions, none ofwhichheenjoyed. Afterafew Fortunately, on theeveoftheduel, friends ofthe
years he began the study oflaw, was admitted to antagonistssettledtheaffairamicablyandprevented
practiceinDecember1828,andthefollowingmonth theduel.
openedhislawofficeinColumbia.
In 1830 Hammond began courting Catherine
JamesHenry
Hammond, U.S. ElizabethFitzsimons(1814-1896),theyoungestchild
Senator,Southern ofChristopherandCatherinePritchardFitzsimons
Planter,and ofCharleston.AnemigrantfromIreland,Christopher
leadingproponent Fitzsimons had become a wealthy shipowner,
ofstatesrights,The merchant,andplanter.Hisdeathin1825leftCatherine
founderofthe a sizeable inheritance. The courtship progressed
Hammondsof
uneasilyasCatherine'smotherandbrothersfeltthe
Redcliffe.
sixteenyearoldwas
too young for
marriage. The
Fitzsimons also
feared that
Catherine'sfortune
had unduly influ-
enced Hammond's
interest. At
Intelligent, well-read, articulate, highly Catherine'surgings,
ambitious,andsomewhatbrash,Hammondrapidly however,herfamily
became a recognized spokesman for southern reluctantlyrelented
nationalism,or"statesrights."Anearlysupporterof andthetwobecame
southernsecession,heperceivedthattheNorthand engaged in April
Southconstitutedtwoincreasinglydiversesocieties. 1831.
Hammondcontendedthatslaverywastheessential
cornerstone of the agrarian south and should be CatherineE.Fitzsimons
defended,evenatthecostofsouthernlives. (Hammond)withhermother,
CatherinePritchardFitzsimons.
PortraitbyCharlesWillson
Peale(about1815).
s
ToavoidHammond'scontroloftheinheritance, The charges that Hampton might truly
theFitzsimonsadvocatedamarriagesettlementthat bring against me are susceptible ofthe
wouldpermitCatherinetoholdthepropertyinher highestcolouring,anditwoulddoubtless
ownname.ThesuggestionraisedHammond'swrath, begiventothemnotonlybyhimbutbya
but the family only conceded after an arbitration largeportionofthepublic. Herewas, it
panelassuredthemasettlementwasunnecessary.The mightbesaid,asystematicattempttotrain
marriagetookplaceonJune23,1831,andthecouple up pure and innocent young girls to
travelledinwesternSouthCarolina,NorthCarolina, debauchery,commencingfromtheirtender
and Virginia. After their return to Columbia in years,byonewhoshouldhave[been]their
October, HammondimmediatelyretiredfromHie guideandprotector,whowasthehusband
Southern Times andhis lawpractice. Theformer oftheirmother'sonlysister,theirFather'
attorneynowplannedtodevotefulltimetomanaging friend, in whom every confidence was
Catherine's estate~ 147 slaves and7,500 acres at implicitlyreposed.
y ^SilverBluff,aplantationalongtheSavannahRiver
in the Barnwell District. Marriage had projected
Hammondfromhisrelativelyobscuresocialposition Continuing,Hammondattemptedtorationalize
andlimitedfinancialmeanstotheranksoftheelite hisactions,butfinallyconcluded:
aristocracy of South Carolina society~the slave-
holdingplanters. Thetruthisthatafteralltheconsideration
Ihavegiventothematter,Icannotpretend
Three years later James Henry won his first tojustify myself. StillI cannot conceal
electiveoffice—theU.S.HouseofRepresentatives. from myself that I have done wrong,
In his initial speech before Congress, Hammond grievouslywrongandIdarenotvindicate
declaredthatsecessionheldnoterrorsforhimand it. MayGodforgiveme.
was, he thought, inevitable. Throughout his life,
Hammondwasconcernedwithhealthandplagued Whatever the extent of the involvement, the
byillnesses,especiallystomachdisorders. In 1836 affair became well-known in the capitol city and
these perceived illnesses forced him to resign his bitterly severed relationships between Hammond
Congressionalseat,andhe,Catherine,andtheirson, andthepoliticallypowerfulHamptonfamily. Asa
7 ^faarry,leftforanextendedtourofEurope. Whilein resultoftheembarrassment,acrimony,andpotential
Italy, Hammond busied himself building an art dangerthatColumbiaheldforHammond,hereturned
collectionofsculptures,paintings,engravings,and to Silver Bluff at the close of his second term,
porcelains. He commissioned five watercolors of resolvedtoabandonpolitics.
Naple'sBay,aportraitofCatherine,andsatforabust
ofhimself. These works were the beginning ofa Despitehisphysicalwithdrawal,Hammond's
collectionthatremainsatthehometoday. Morethan interestinthepoliticalarenaremainedkeen. By1846
ayearlaterthefamilyreturnedtoSilverBluff,and hewasconsideredthelikelysuccessorto ailingU.S.
Hammondimmersedhimselfagaininfarming. Senator,GeorgeMcDuffie.WhenHammond'sname
was presented to the legislature, however, Wade
In1840heranunsuccessfullyforgovernor,but Hamptonindicatedthathepossesseddocumentsthat
waselectedin1842andservedtwoterms.Hammond provedHammond'sunfitnessforthesenatorialpost.
hadlonghopedto succeedJohnC. Calhounin the Although few read the documents, the cloud of
Senate;however,hisillicitbehaviorduringhissecond impropriety hung overHammond, and he lost the
term cast a lingering pall over these political election. HammondhadlonghopedtosucceedJohn
aspirations. In 1844WadeHamptonIIdenounced C. Calhoun in the Senate. This dream was denied,
thegovernorforhisattemptedseductionofHampton's however, when Governor Whitemarsh Seabrook
daughter, Catherine. The Hampton girls were appointedRobertBarnwelltothepostleftvacantby
Hammond's nieces-theirmotherandHammond's Calhoun'sdeathin 1850.
wife were sisters. James Henry laterrecordedthe
indiscretionsinhisdiary:
Hammond's earlierurgings toward secession Hammond'srelationshipwithhischildrenwas
werereplacedinthe 1850sbyamoreconservative likewiseaffectedbyhiscontrollinganddomineering
approach;henowpressedforcaution. Althoughstill personality. In1858CatherineHammondwrotethat
committed to Southern independence, Hammond Hammondwas ".. .themostliberaloffathers-but
opposedwhatheconsideredextremistviewssuchas whenheisirritatedhedoesnotsparewordsnotof
thoseadvocatedbyRobertBarnwellRhett. Inlate reproofbutofsarcasmandabuse." Atanothertime,
1850heranagainstRhettforCalhoun'spermanent she remarked, "With everything to make us happy
Senate seat. Despite strong public support for therearefewfamiliesthatarelessso."
Hammond,thelegislatureelectedRhett Despondent
from the loss, Hammond wrote to his long-time In 1855, with his wife still living away from
friend,WilliamGilmoreSimms, "Thisblowisfatal." SilverBluff,Hammondpurchasedsome400acresat
BeechIsland,aboutsixmilesnorthofSilverBluff.
Hammond's difficulties with personal Hammondintendedto makethisthefamilyhome;
relationships extended beyond the political arena. however, in 1857 hefinally realizedhis long-held
In his immediate household, his arrogance and goalofelectiontotheU.S.Senate. Inhisabsence,
egocentricviews,particularlyinrelationtowomen, Hammond'ssonssupervisedthehouseconstruction,
generateddiscord. Women,Hammondexpounded andin1859,thenewhome,Redcliffe,wascompleted
tohisson,were "madetobreed," toserveas "toys
forrecreation," ortobringmen "wealthandposition." On March 4, 1858, Hammond delivered his
Only "onewomanintenthousand--notonemore," mostnotedaddresstotheSenate. IftheSouthchose
he alleged, "has mindenough to bea true 'help- confrontationinresponseto Northernagitation,he
mate' to aman ofmind." His own wife, he said, warned,herpowerwouldbestrong. "No,youdare
"has no art ofadministering any real comfort." notmakewaroncotton.Nopoweronearthdaresto
Marrying for "wealth and position," Hammond makewaronit. Cottonisking."Hammondreturned
concluded,created "stillgreaterultimatedifficulties." toRedcliffeatthecloseofthecongressionalsession
in June 1860 expecting to stand forre-election in
December. Inthepresidentialcampaignhesupported
These "ultimate difficulties" had expressed theDemocraticnominee,JohnBreckinridge. Two
themselvesintheHamptonscandalduringthe 1840s. daysafterLincoln'selection,Hammondresignedhis
They surfaced again in the 1850s when Catherine Senate seat. Although he preferred a cautious,
discovered her husband's liaison with two slave deliberativeapproach,Hammondvowedtosupport
women. In 1830 Hammondhad bought Sally, an thenewlyformedConfederacy"withallthestrength
eighteen yearoldseamstress, andheroneyearold Ihave."
daughterLouisa. Soonafterthepurchase,Hammond
made Sally his mistress and had children by her.
WhenLouisawastwelve,hehadrelationswithher
andsubsequentlyhadseveralchildrenbyher.Aware Catherine
oftheongoingliaisons,CatherineleftHammondin Frtzsimons
1850 and took their two younger daughters to JHaammemsonHde,nrwyifeof
Charlestonforaseparationthatstretchedintoseveral Hammond.
years.Hammond,exhibitingregret,butnotremorse,
wroteofhisproblems:
Ifeel like burying myselfin the deepest
recesses ofCowden orflying offto the
utter-mostpartsoftheEarth. Thefactis
difficultiesofthemostserious character
haveagainariseninmyfamily. Difficulties
betwixtmywifeandme. Iam whollyto
blame,notsomuch,asIviewmatters,for
whatIhavedoneasforwhatIleftundone,
forwantofcautionthatledtodiscoveries.
.
Soon,however,Hammondgrewcriticalofthe Hammond owned over 300 slaves~the 1860
newsoutherngovernment InJune1861hepresented Census recorded 21 slaves atRedcliffe and 294 at
an economic plan to Confederate officials in Silver Bluff. He carefully watched his slaves to
Richmond,buthiswordswentunheeded. Angry,he determinetheirreactionstothewarnews. On May
returnedtoRedcliffeandcontinuedthroughoutthe 12,1862,herecorded, "Theseareterribletimes. All
wartoprotestagainstConfederatetaxes,impressment ouryounginthearmies,notmenlefttosuppressa
ofhisslavesandcrops,andtheconscriptionofhis negro insurrection, ofwhich howeverthere are no
sons. As the war continued, its magnitude and symptomsyet." BylateAugust1864,sevenmonths
devastationdisturbedHammond. InApril 1862he before the surrender at Appomattox, Hammond
recordedinhisjournal,"Ifeelvery,verysadmoreso despaired, "/mustturn my negroes loose andwill
thanIhavefeltinmanyyears." therethenbesoonaraidingbythemofmeandmine-
-ruintomeandwhatisworseruintoourCauseand
Country."
Redcliffe was not meant to be a working
palgarnitcautlitounr,albeuxtpermiomreentastasthioownpfloarceH,amamopnedrs.onaAl Hishealthandhopesrapidlyfailing,Hammond
instructedhissonSpannabouthisburial. Hechose
leadingproponentofscientificagriculture,hekept
asitenearthetopofahillwhere "therewillbeafine
meticulousrecordsinhisPlantationJournal,Orchard
Book,andWineandVineyardJournal. Afounding view ofAugusta and the Sand Hills." "As to a
member of the noted Beech Island Agricultural monument," hesaid, "Ihavenothingtosayofthat;
Society, Hammond took pleasure in impressing ysuobujubgoaytsedd,orausnyaopulothwionvkebresmty. gBruatvem.i"ndHaifmwmeoanrde
memberswithhiscultivationofunusualandout-of-
seasonfoodstuffs. InMarch1862hecommentedin diedatRedcliffeonNovember13, 1864, attheage
offifty-seven.
hisPlantationJournal, "Verypleasantclubday..
/gavethemyesterday whatfewofthemhadseen
...
or heardofbefore--afine cauliflower which was
delightful." Hammondalso grewparsnips,beets,
broccoli,andasparagusandcultivatedavarietyof
fruitsincludingapricots,cherries,peaches,grapes,
pears, nectarines, figs, plums, and strawberries.
DuetoHammond'sforesightandskill,hiscropand
livestockproduction exceeded his own plantation
needsduringtheearlyyearsofthewar. Theexcess
was soldtoneighbors andthe ConfederateArmy.
Byearly1864,however,hisreservesweregone. In
Aprilhewrote, "WenttoAugustatosellsomething
havingnomoney. Foundthattherewasnocurrent
moneythereandeverythingdownanddullandutter
wantofconfidence in governmentfinances." On
July31 hewrote:
CatherineandJamesHenryHammondand
Warnewsverybadfromeveryquarter. A manyoftheirdecendentsareburiedinthe
oldHammondCemetery,nowtheBeech
portionofthefortificationsatPetersburg
IslandCemetery.
blownupandSherman'sraidersdashing
throughtheheartofGeorgia.TheOconee
bridge on Central R. R.~a mile long-
burnt. Communicationfrom Atlanta to
Augusta and to Macon cut offentirely.
Theymeetnoopposition. Itisalsoreported
thatAtlantaisvirtuallysurrounded.
JamesHenry(Harry)Hammond To prevent the estate's sale to outsiders,
Hammonddividedmostoftheproperty amongthe
(1832-1916)
family. His mother, Catherine, heldownership of
When James HenryHammonddiedin 1864, Redeliffeandnearly400surroundingacres.Catherine
controlofRedeliffepassedtohiseldestson,James wroteofherpost-warsituationinSeptember 1865:
Henry Hammond n, who was known as Harry.
HarrywasborninColumbiaandspenthischildhood / often can scarce restrain a burst of
ontheplantationcomplexatSilverBluffwithsummer complaintatmychangeofcircumstances-
vacationsintheNorthCarolinamountains.Heearned -butasIcomparemylotwithmanyothers,
degrees from the South Carolina College and the Iseeonlycauseforthankfulness. Astothe
UniversityofPennsylvania. DuringhisGrandTour future, ifIcould, I wouldscarce liftthe
ofEuropein 1855,Harrypurchasedpiecesnowin curtain. WeareinGod'shandswhoalone
theRedeliffe artcollection including a numberof hasbroughtaboutthiswonderfulstateof
plasterbustsandacopyofRaphael's"The Trans- affairsandwhoonlycanunravelit.
figuration."Uponhisreturn,hestudiedatHarvard
andlatertaughtnaturalsciencesattheUniversityof Catherine indicated in September 1865 that
Georgia. During his father's absences, Harry mostoftheformerslavesremainedwiththem:
managed the
Silver Bluff We have notlostmany negroes. . . 300
plantations and, mouths tofeedis no small charge-meat
with his brother andcornbothlow,butthenewcropcoming
Spann,directedthe in.
construction of
Redeliffe.In1859 In 1897
he married Emily HCarurym'smsoni,Hnengry
Cumming (1834-
Hammond,
1911), the only
child of Julia remarked of the
BHryaanrafndoHrendry dramatic changes
thewarhadbrought
Cumming, of
tohisfather:
Augusta,Georgia.
Often the
thought is
broughthome
MajorJamesHenry(Harry)Hammond, to me of the
C.S.A.,sonofCatherineandJamesHenry hardshipsand
Hammond.Harrysupervisedthe disappointments,
constructionofRedeliffeandlivedthereuntil JuliaBryanCummingandher in a material
hisdeathin1916. daughterEmilyCumming way at [east,
Harry joined the Confederate forces in whichhavebefallenyouand thegeneration
September1861andearnedtherankofmajor,serving and class ofwhich you were a member.
withGeneralsMaxceyGreggandSamuelMcGowan. Born to comfort, ease and luxury; with
Servingthedurationofthewar,hesurrenderedwith every reasonable expectation that they
the Army ofNorthern Virginia at Appomattox on wouldbecontinuedduringthislifetimeto
April9, 1865. suddenly become the targetoftheslings
andarrows ofoutrageousfortune was a
Hisfather'slifehadbeenlargelydevotedtothe shockthewithstandingofwhichrequired
acquisition andmanagementofthe 300 slaves and thefortitude ofa hero. Thepoverty, the
14,000-acre plantation complex. Harry's task-to narrowedfieldofaction, theanxietyand
preservetheholdings-wasnolessformidable.Years thecarewhichwithoutwarningenvironed
laterherecalledthatwhenhereturnedtoRedeliffe yourlifeinitsprimewasmadetolerable,I
fromthewar,heowned"apipe,sometobacco,and shouldthink,onlybytheseconsiderations:
literallynothingelse." Yourlotwasthecommonlot;fairlygood