The Gov. Paul Hamilton Chapter of the South Carolina Society SAR placed a bronze SAR Patriot Marker recently on the grave of Frenchman and Beaufort resident Maj. John LaBoularderie de Treville, known in French as Jean Le Poupet de La Boularderie de Treville.
Maj. de Treville was with the 4th Continental Regiment of Artillery and 2nd Commander of the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery and Militia at Fort Lyttleton, located in what is now the Spanish Point area of Beaufort.
On March 1, 1779, after spiking the cannons at Fort Lyttleton prior to a reported pending British attack from Savannah, he and his men convinced Gen. William Moultrie and Gen. Stephen Bull to bring some of their 200 militia and light artillery across the Whale Branch River to Beaufort in advance of the British forces.
The result was the Battle of Port Royal Island, aka, the Battle of Grays Hill, fought on Feb 3, 1779. A historical marker just off U.S. 21 near the Air Station notes that battle.
Surviving the war, de Treville later died in 1791 and was buried on the family plantation in the de Treville-Lawrence Cemetery located on MCAS Beaufort property.
The grave marking service followed a meeting of the SAR Chapter on the Air Station Officers Club, which was attended by members of the Sons of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American Revolution, Colonial Dames XVII Century, Colonial Dames of America and 15 descendants of de Treville who traveled from various states including California, Texas, Maryland and North and South Carolina to honor their patriot ancestor.
Top photo: Pictured from left, Frank Farmer, Lisa de Treville Farmer, Ralph de Treville, Polly and Gerry de Treville, Robert Ellis and Karen de Treville, John LaBoularderie de Treville, Brenda and Rick de Treville, Trev Sherrod, John Richard de Treville, and Brock Sherrod attend the grave marking ceremony. Photos by Don Starkey.
