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Revolutionary War-dated partly-printed DS, signed “Rich’d Richardson,” one page, 7.5 x 6, June 4, 1778. Official South Carolina Oath of Allegiance certificate issued during the Revolutionary War to “Lt. Coll. Matthew Shingleton.” The document reads, in full: “I do hereby certify, that Lt. Coll. Matthew Shingleton hath taken and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity, as directed by an Act of the General Assembly of the State of South-Carolina, entitled, ‘An Act to oblige every free Male Inhabitant of this State, above a certain Age, to give Assurance of Fidelity and Allegiance to the same, and for other Purposes therein mentioned.’” Signed at the conclusion by Richard Richardson. In fine condition.
Issued in 1778, as the newly independent states worked to establish functioning governments, this certificate captures a lesser-known side of the Revolution. While armies fought in the field, state governments were also working to establish authority at home, and loyalty oaths became one of the primary means of doing so. The partly-printed format reflects how frequently these documents were issued, requiring a standardized form to meet demand. Signed by South Carolina militia officer Richard Richardson, it certified the allegiance of Lt. Col. Matthew Singleton, a Patriot officer later associated with Francis Marion’s command. A vivid reminder that the Revolution was fought not only on battlefields.
Richard Richardson (c. 1704–1780), a prominent South Carolina militia officer and statesman, served as a delegate to the colony’s Provincial Congresses and played an active military role throughout the Revolution, including leadership during the Snow Campaign and service in the Charleston and Savannah campaigns. The recipient, Lt. Col. Matthew Singleton (1730–1787), an English-born planter and officer associated with Francis Marion’s command, was an influential South Carolina Patriot who served in both the Provincial Congress and the state militia during the war.
