Talk:Charles Cotesworth Pinckney

→Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 1740-1825, distinguished as a patriot, soldier and diplomatist, was born in South Carolina in 1740. His education was received in England, where he passed through Westminster school and the University of Oxford with a high reputation for ability and industry. After reading law at the Temple, he returned to Carolina in 1769, but was not able to practice his profession for any length of time, the commencement of the Revolution obliging him to exchange the gown for the sword. He was first appointed a captain in the continental line, and, soon afterward, commander of the first regiment of Carolina infantry. When the South had been freed, for a period, from invasion, by Moultrie's gallant defense of the fort on Sullivan's Island, Colonel Pinckney joined the northern army, and was made aid-de-camp to Washington. In that capacity he was present at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. When the South was again menaced with danger, he returned to Carolina, and displayed great resolution and intrepidity, on the rapid and harassing march which saved that city from General Provost, and on the subsequent invasion of Georgia, and the assault on the lines of Savannah.

→Some time after the return of peace, Colonel Pinckney was placed in command of the militia of the lower division of the State, but was very soon appointed by Washington, whose confidence and friendship he enjoyed in a high degree, minister plenipotentiary to France. he returned home, having been named a major-general by Washington, who had been placed at the head of the forces raised for the protection of the American shores. Superior rank, however, was accorded to General Hamilton, who had been his junior during the Revolution. Some one spoke to General Pinckney of this preference as unjust, but he briefly answered, that he was satisfied that General Washington had sufficient reasons for it. "Let us," he continued, "first dispose of our enemies; we shall then have leisure to settle the question of rank."

→Previously to his going to France, General Pinckney had been offered by President Washington several places under government of the highest importance, all of which, however, private considerations obliged him to decline. The first was that of judge of the supreme court; the next that of secretary of war, on the resignation of General Knox; and then that of secretary of state, when Randolph had been removed. He was a member of the convention which framed the constitution of the United States, and afterward, in the convention of South Carolina, assembled for deliberating upon the instrument, he contributed greatly to its adoption. He died in August, 1825. As a lawyer, General Pinckney was distinguished for profound and accurate learning, and strength and ingenuity of reasoning, without having much pretension to eloquence. In his practice he was high-minded and liberal.

Law partner
When Edward Rutledge, a signer of the Declaration of Independence from South Carolina, returned to Charleston after his law education in England, the law firm where he became partner was that of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, who became his brother-in-law. Town of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina: Our history: Founding Fathers: Edward Rutledge /& Charles Coatsworth Pinkney http://sc-mountpleasant.civicplus.com/index.aspx?NID=291 http://sc-mountpleasant.civicplus.com/index.aspx?NID=289 Thank you, Wordreader (talk) 19:34, 17 August 2013 (UTC)


 * Edward Rutledge, John Rutledge, and Charles Cotesworth Pinkney are also mentioned in this article: Middleton-Rutledge-Pinckney family. Overkill? I think the way that article is formatted misrepresents some of the relationships. Wordreader (talk) 04:49, 18 August 2013 (UTC)

Family relationship
The disambiguation page on Charles Pinckney gives the family relationship between Charles Cotesworth Pinckney and Charles Pinckney (governor) as second cousins, but here they are listed as first cousins once removed. Which is correct? — Dodiad (talk) 10:29, 8 September 2018 (UTC)

Liberty Ship Honors -
Possibly a ship was named for Charles Pinckney for the US Coast Guard as a Merchant Ship and destroyed. My father served on the Thomas Pinckney Liberty Ship during WWII. Charles Pinckney ship is not listed in the Naval lists. Savelakepeigneur (talk) 16:31, 12 May 2019 (UTC)