James Butler

Captain James Butler Sr., A017634, was born in 1737 in Prince William County, Virginia. He was killed at Clouds Creek, Ninety-Six District (now Saluda County), South Carolina on November 7, 1781.

At the time of his death he lived in Ninety-Six District, a British commanded loyalist fortified settlement, with his wife Mary Elizabeth Simpson. Their children included sons Stanmore, Thomas, William and James Jr., and daughters Sallie, Nancy and Elizabeth. He served in South Carolina.

Captain James Butler Sr. had been imprisoned in Charleston by the British for having refused to take the oath of allegiance and accept British protection since the Patriot Siege of Ninety-Six during May and June of 1781.

After his release, he was killed in the Massacre at Clouds Creek by the notorious Major William “Bloody Bill” Cunningham, also a resident of Ninety-Six District.

According to records, Captains Sterling Turner and James Butler Sr., with a detachment of two companies of the Lower Ninety-Six District Regiment of Militia totaling 30 men, had camped at Cloud’s Creek for the night after raiding loyalist forces in the back country of South Carolina.

It rained that night and their guns would not fire. The next day, November 7, 1781, the men went to a nearby cabin to dry their guns. Major Cunningham and his 300-man loyalist militia surrounded them. Captain Butler offered his life in exchange for that of his son, James Butler Jr., but after a shot killed one of Cunningham’s men, they were attacked and overpowered. They were then rounded up and slaughtered. Cunningham killed many of them himself using his own sword. Of the 30 Patriot militiamen involved, only two escaped. Captain Butler’s son, James Butler Jr., was among those killed.

At the time of the massacre, Captain Butler’s wife and some of his children were ill with smallpox. His 16-year old daughter Nancy Butler was required to go to the site where her father, brother, and many of their friends had been so cruelly killed to identify them and assist in their burials.