My previous post talked about how intelligence was leaked to Francis Marion about 150 Maryland prisoners of war held at Thomas Sumter’s abandoned house on the north savanna of the Santee River guarded with 90 British. Knowing that “leaks” can happen in either direction, he kept this information from his men as they went to bed on August 24th and were awakened before dawn on the 25th to ride to the first Francis Marion led militia effort (as well as his first military expedition leadership effort in the three months since the fall of Charles Town (Charleston, SC)).
Before this point in the war, Marion was operating within the Continental line with infantry and other units. His operational structure now, at this desperate hour, was with volunteer militia who received no pay for their service. Freedom fighters who sacrificed time and sometimes their lives in securing their family, friend and communities from the tyranny of the British Empire.
Battle of Nelson’s Ferry / Great Savannah involved 23 killed or captured British regulars in order to release all the prisoners. Even after this heroic effort, MOST elected NOT to join Marion’s Militia. It is fairly certain that this was the first time British General Cornwallis heard of Marion.
Col. Francis Marion leadership that day included:
- Lt. Col. Lemuel Benton (Cheraws regiment) with 16 men
- Kingstree regiment led by Lt. Col. Hugh Horry and Maj. John James with four (4) known companies, led by:
-Capt. John James, Jr.-Capt. John McCauley, Capt. Robert McCottry, Capt. William McCottry - Berkeley County Regiment detachment of one (1) known company, led by:
Capt. William Dukes - Lower Craven County Regiment detachment of one (1) known company, led by: Capt. Henry Mouzon
[Source material from JD Lewis at http://www.francismariontrail.com/ ]
The reaction of Lt. Gen. Charles Lord Corwallis is to issue this order to Maj. James Wemyss to move from the High Hills of the Santee to Kingstree:
“I should advise your sweeping the country entirely from Kingstree bridge to Pedee, and returning by the Cheraws. I would have you disarm in the most rigid manner, all persons who cannot be depended on and punish the concealment of arms and ammunition with a total demolition of the plantation.”
Cornwallis, who thought that he was done in South Carolina is now having to send troops back into the Kingstree district to suppress the momentum shift due to Marion’s surprise victory and release of 150 prisoners of war. Hope is renewed from this small 60 man force!
Irregular warfare is about to emerge, and the British are ill equipped strategically to counter act it.
SF1