Chautauqua Festival 2026 – Revolutionary Americans – Rebecca Motte

Hear her story in her own words. A prominent early Patriot supporter, Rebecca Motte’s wild adventures during the
British siege of Charleston included her later escape upriver to help destroy the British headquarters in her occupied home! Even though reared in a wealthy family, she suffered the death of her brother in a shipwreck, the loss of four of her seven children and, during the war, the death of her husband Jacob. After the surrender of Charles Town in 1780, the British commander chose Rebecca’s home on King Street as his headquarters. She then moved her family to Mt. Joseph, a newly built country home on a commanding hill overlooking the Congaree River. Ironically, the British soon after decided to seize that home as well because it was near a key supply road and ferry for both armies. Rebecca, resigned to her fate, sadly watched as the British moved in nearly 200 soldiers, turning her new home into a British garrison with deep trenches and massive fortifications. When General Francis Marion (the “swamp Fox”) and Colonel Henry Lee and their Continental Army troops attacked Fort Motte, Rebecca aided them in setting her own home on fire to force the British to surrender!

Chris Weatherhead (Rebecca Motte)

Chris Weatherhead has been a leading actress in film, television and stage for fifty years. She trained with Brewster Mason of the Royal Shakespeare company (USC, Irvine and London). She is a writer, director and producer of nine award-winning films and co-starred, wrote, directed and co-produced All For Liberty, Echoes of Glory, Heroes from the American Revolution, The Final Trials of Anne Hutchinson, Light for Your Journey and John at Patmos, An Allegory. She also wrote/directed Frederick Douglass, No Turning Back and John Laurens’ War. She recently co-starred in the thriller Valley of the Horntak. On prime-time television, Ms. Weatherhead has had numerous guest starring roles including on Dallas, Our Family Honor, Moonlighting, Night Court, Sinatra (mini-series) and Equal Justice.

Based in Greenville, SC, Chautauqua History Comes Alive is interactive theater and the performances offer an astonishing journey into the past allowing the audience to hear stories of the characters in their own words. This year’s character performances are Rebecca Motte (Saturday, June 13); Paul Robeson (Tuesday, June 16); Mother Jones (Thursday, June 18); Captain Henry Felder Saturday, June 20); and Edgar Allen Poe (Tuesday, June 23). Doors open one hour before show, seating is first come, first served. The Chautauqua Festival at the Transylvania County Library is made possible by the generous support of the Friends of the Library.