On my walking tours of historic Charleston, we typically go by this house on South Battery Street that was the home of William and Jane Washington. William was a cavalry officer and George Washington’s cousin, who came to South Carolina from Virginia to fight the British during the Revolution, and fell in love with Charlestonian Jane Elliott. Jane was in the city during its occupation by the British from 1780-82, living on Legare Street with her family, while William was still outside the city, carrying on the fight. The Elliott’s, like numerous Charleston families, were forced to have British military officers use their house for quarters and entertainments, and one of these social gatherings occured only a few weeks after William’s cavalry had chased the vaunted British cavalry off the field at the Battle of Eutaw Springs, and news of the battle spread throughout the city. Some of the same British officers who had faced William were now looking at the attractive Jane and making improper comments when she reminded them that she was engaged to Col. Washington. Apparently one of the British soldiers acted dismissively to her reply, saying disdainfully, “I would like to see this Colonel Washington” Jane responded by telling the group of British officers that they had seen Col. Washington, reminding them that he was the cavalry officer chasing them off the field at Eutaw Springs. After that, the British were more respectful of Jane, who married William and occupied this house until his death in 1810. <img.src=”Charleston History” alt=”William Washington House”
