“R” is for Rutledge, Edward (1749-1800)

“R” is for Rutledge, Edward (1749-1800). Lawyer, governor. A native of South Carolina, Rutledge studied law at the Middle Temple in London. One of his first cases involved a successful habeas corpus petition that freed a printer jailed for contempt by the upper house of assembly. The reputation he gained in this politically charged case paved the way for his election to the Continental Congress in 1774. In 1776, Rutledge was signed the Declaration of Independence. During the Revolutionary War, he was a captain in the Charleston Artillery. When Charleston fell, he was imprisoned in St. Augustine. In 1788 he was a leader in supporting ratification of the U.S. Constitution. His long tenure in the South Carolina Houe of Representatives ended in 1796 when he was elected to the state Senate. In 1798 Edward Rutledge was elected governor.