Robert Barnwell Rhett

Robert Barnwell Rhett
Deputy to the Provisional C.S. Congress
from South Carolina
In office
February 4, 1861 – February 18, 1862
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
United States Senator
from South Carolina
In office
December 18, 1850 – May 7, 1852
Preceded byRobert Barnwell
Succeeded byWilliam de Saussure
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from South Carolina
In office
March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1849
Preceded byWilliam Grayson
Succeeded byWilliam Colcock
Constituency2nd district (1837–43)
7th district (1843–49)
8th Attorney General of South Carolina
In office
November 29, 1832 – March 4, 1837
GovernorRobert Hayne
George McDuffie
Pierce Butler
Preceded byHugh S. Legaré
Succeeded byHenry Bailey
Member of the
South Carolina House of Representatives
from St. Bartholomew's Parish
In office
November 27, 1826 – November 29, 1832
Personal details
Born
Robert Barnwell Smith

(1800-12-21)December 21, 1800
Beaufort, South Carolina
DiedSeptember 14, 1876(1876-09-14) (aged 75)
St. James Parish, Louisiana
Resting placeMagnolia Cemetery,
Charleston, South Carolina
NationalityAmerican
Political partyDemocratic
Other political
affiliations
Southern National Party
RelationsR. Barnwell Rhett Jr. (son), Alfred M. Rhett (son), Alicia Rhett (great-granddaughter)
OccupationPolitician, lawyer, planter, and newspaper publisher

Robert Barnwell Rhett (born Robert Barnwell Smith; December 21, 1800 – September 14, 1876) was an American politician who served as a deputy from South Carolina to the Provisional Confederate States Congress from 1861 to 1862, a member of the US House of Representatives from South Carolina from 1837 to 1849, and US Senator from South Carolina from 1850 to 1852. As a staunch supporter of slavery and an early advocate of secession, he was a "Fire-Eater", nicknamed the "father of secession".

Rhett published his views through his newspaper, the Charleston Mercury.[1]

His son Alfred M. Rhett commanded a battery at Fort Moultrie at the time of the bombardment of Fort Sumter.[2]

  1. ^ The Secession Archived March 6, 2017, at the Wayback Machine Charleston News and Courier. December 18, 1960
  2. ^ Island, Mailing Address: 1214 Middle Street Sullivan's; Us, SC 29482 Phone:577-0242 Contact. "Alfred M. Rhett - Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved August 7, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)