Marker Text:
Born Charleston, SC, 1824. Graduated West Point 1845. Brigadier General, C.S.A., 1861. Commanded 3rd Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah, July 21, 1861, at Manassas, Va. where he gave Gen. T. J. Jackson the name "Stonewall." Mortally wounded, he died July 22, 1861, and was buried in his family plot in St. Paul's churchyard.
Erected by Piedmont District, South Carolina United Daughters of the Confederacy--1968
Additional Information:
• The quote from which Bee's notoriety is derived is, "There is Jackson with his Virginians, standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer."
• It needs to be noted that the Bernard Elliott Bee celebrated on this sign is actually Bernard Elliott Bee, Jr.
Bernard Elliott Bee, Sr. is also an extremely noteworthy figure, mostly for his role in the formation of the Republic of Texas.
The Sr. Bee served the young Republic in a number of offices: as Secretary of the Treasury in 1836, Secretary of War from 1837-1838 and Secretary of State from 1839-1839. In 1839, Texas sent him as an agent to negotiate permanent peace and borders with Mexico. His offers were rejected and he began his return by sailing to Cuba, then obtained passage to Washington, D.C.. The Texas government then appointed him as minister (ambassador) to the United States. He served in that post from April 20, 1840 to December 13, 1841. He negotiated with Daniel Webster and settled the formal treaty by which the United States recognized Texas.
Bee returned to Texas, and generally to private life. He strongly opposed the annexation of Texas into the United States, and when that was accomplished, he returned to South Carolina. He died in 1853, and his grave adjoins that of his son in the family plot at St. Paul's.
For More on Bernard Elliott Bee, Sr., see
his entry in the
Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas published 1880.
• Other noteable members of the Bee family include:
Thomas Bee (father to Bernard E. Bee Sr) who served as Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina (1779-1780) and was a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1780 to 1782. He later served as a judge in the United States District Court from 1790 to 1812.
For more information on Thomas Bee, see
his biography card from the Biographical Directory of the United State Congress and
his Federal Judicial Center profile (which includes links to information on his judicial manuscripts).
James Hamilton, Jr (Brother-in-law to Bernard E. Bee, Sr) who represented South Carolina in the U.S. Congress (1822-1829) and served as its Governor (1830-1832). Also, much like his brother-in-law, he is also renowned for his role in the formation of Texas.
James was born on May 8, 1786 in Charleston, South Carolina to James and Elizabeth (Lynch) Hamilton. He practiced law in Charleston, and for several years served the city as its mayor. He was elected to the South Carolina state House of Representatives, and served from 1819 until 1822. When William Lowndes resigned from the U.S. Congress, Hamilton was elected to complete his term, and started his congressional career on December 13, 1822. He was re-elected in 1824 and 1826. He was a States' Rights Democrat.
Hamilton personally loaned $216,000 to the young Republic of Texas, and arranged other loans for them from the Bank of the United States. He served as a special agent for them in Europe, gaining diplomatic recognition for the new republic from Great Britain and Holland.
Clement Hoffman Stevens (brother-in-law of Bernard E. Bee, Jr.) served in the army of the C.S.A., first as an aide to Bernard E. Bee, then rose to the rank of Brigadier General himself. In 1861 he invented the first ironclad battery, which was built on Cummings Pt. near Charleston and helped bombard Ft. Sumter.
Stevens is honored with his own Historical Marker, and like both his brother/father-in-law, is interred in the Bee family plot at St Paul's.
Finally,
Hamilton Prieleaux Bee (son of Bernard E. Bee, Sr., and brother to Jr.) was also a Brigadier General in the army of the C.S.A., but prior to that appointment, served as member of the Texas Legislature (1849-59) and rose to the post of speaker of the House (1850-1857).
His service to the Republic of Texas led to his name being included as one of 59 individuals to be memorialized on the external frieze of the
Hall of State on the State Fairgrounds in Austin, TX.
For more on Hamilton Prieleaux Bee, including some notes on his service as a statesman (serving on committees that negotiated treaties for the Republic of Texas) as well as his rise to power in the Texas Militia through his service in the Texas/Mexican War, see his entry in the
Handbook of Texas Online (which was established and maintained by the University of Texas at Austin).
• For even more on the link between Pendleton, South Carolina and the Republic of Texas, see
"Would there be a Texas without Pendleton?", an essay by Hurley E. Badders
Former Executive Director Pendleton District Commission
of Pendleton, SC.