Dicey Langston
Dicey Langston
Dicey Langston, born Laodicea Langston on May 14, 1766, in South Carolina, was an American patriot during the Revolutionary War. She became known for her brave acts to protect her community of patriots.
At age 15, she learned that a Loyalist group called the Bloody Scouts planned to attack the Elder Settlement at Little Eden, South Carolina. She walked five miles through a swollen Tyger River to warn her brother and help organize evacuations.
On another visit, when their home was attacked, she protected her disabled father, Solomon Langston, by standing between him and the attackers’ weapons. The Loyalists spared them.
There are many stories of her challenging Loyalists and refusing to answer their questions, reportedly saying, “Shoot me if you dare. I will not tell you.”
In 1783 she married Thomas Springfield. They are said to have met years earlier when he took a musket from Dicey’s home, and she dared him to take it without signing for it.
Dicey died on May 18, 1837, at about 71 years old. She is praised for her daring deeds on behalf of her country and friends.
A children’s book, Rebel with a Cause: The Daring Adventure of Dicey Langston, Girl Spy of the American Revolution, tells her tales. A marker marks the site of Dicey’s home on Tigerville Road in Travelers Rest, South Carolina.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:43 (CET).