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Discussion about Rebecca Motte with Chris Weatherhead

June 19, 2026

| 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Lectures | Greenville County

Senior Action – 3715 E. North St., Greenville, SC 29615. Plenty of free parking.

DISCUSSIONS are NOT costumed performances as are the other festival events. They are an opportunity to get to know the performers and discover what they think about their characters.

https://historycomesalive.org/

About Rebecca Motte

Rebecca Brewton Motte was raised in a wealthy family in Charleston and, along with her brother, Miles Brewton, became a passionate patriot by 1770. She and her husband, Jacob Motte (descended from Huguenots), began courageously supplying the newly gathered Continental army in 1775. Rebecca continued to do so after Jacob died early in 1780, even cleverly hiding her daughters in the attic from British officers during their occupation of her Charleston home following the invasion of Charleston on May 12 of that year. Later in 1780 the British allowed her to move to her other home on the Congaree River which, ironically, the Redcoats seized also, calling it Fort Motte. In 1781, Francis Marion (the Swamp Fox), Henry “Lighthorse Harry” Lee and Patriot forces arrived to fight. The enterprising Rebecca offered surprising tools to destroy the British garrison and force surrender of her occupied country home. She emerged as one of South Carolina’s bravest, most undaunted and wittiest individuals.
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For the 250th anniversary of America’s Revolutionary War – Chautauqua explores “Revolutionary Americans.” We celebrate those in the Carolinas who fought for freedom and those who continued to fight to make America a more perfect union.