Tag: British Regulars

20SEP1780: How Long Does the Fox Stay in the Swamp?

In my last post about the adventures of Francis Marion and a small remnant (about 60 men) of his men who in two weeks had cause a large part of the British forces, both Tory militia and British regulars numbering about 1500, to try to hunt him down, Marion’s men had reached the safety of Great White Swamp just 30 miles over the border in North Carolina.

I also shared that British office Wemyss was terrorizing the areas of South Carolina that supported Marion and in a letter to Cornwallis, Wemyss shared his frustrations:

In a letter to Cornwallis on September 20 the thirty-two-year-old Wemyss wrote that he had done everything in his power to nab Marion and Colonel Hugh Giles but lamented that “I never could come up with them.” Nonetheless he boasted that he had broken up their band and forced their retreat into North Carolina. The rest of his report was, in Cornwallis’s view, “not so agreeable.” Wemyss had discovered that every inhabitant in that part of the country was deeply caught up in the rebel spirit, whereas the Tories were dispirited and apathetic. “It is impossible for me to give your Lordship an idea of the disaffection of this country,”

Oller, John. The Swamp Fox: How Francis Marion Saved the American Revolution (Kindle Locations 1106-1111). Da Capo Press. Kindle Edition.

Part of Wemyss’ frustration was also on how Capt. James and a few of the Kingstree militia, maybe no more than 20 in number, that had stayed behind in South Carolina to harass the British as they targeted the innocent people and homes. On 15SEP1780 at McGill’s Plantation, Capt. John James, Jr. fires on Maj. James Wemyss and his 63rd Regiment of Foot (200 British Regulars) as well as another 100 men from South Carolina and North Carolina Loyalist militia units.

It would take more than a week for this news to finally reach Marion and it turned into a great excuse to leave their swamp existence as outlined again in John Oller’s book:

… Back at Great White Marsh, camp life had turned grim for Marion’s men. Food was scarce, mosquitoes prevalent, the mood downcast. Among those present was young William Dobein James, whose father and brother were still in Williamsburg Township assessing the situation there…

While there is safety in the swamps, the long hot summer and all the mosquitoes made for almost a more dangerous environment.

… Among those felled by the fever were young William James and Peter Horry. The others were starting to complain and become restless …

These men suspected that in their absence there was nothing good to come from the British having free rein of South Carolina, especially the areas known to support the rebels:

It was Major James who brought word that Wemyss had torched the major’s house as well as the Indiantown Presbyterian Church, where James was an elder and many of Marion’s men regularly worshiped. Other churches were either burned or turned into British army depots, and those that were not were closed by their congregations, as the people felt it was unsafe to gather in public. The men of Williamsburg, aroused as never before, were anxious to take the field again.

Oller, John. The Swamp Fox: How Francis Marion Saved the American Revolution. Da Capo Press. Kindle Edition.

So from a two week whirlwind of victories against the British and Tory forces, to a two week respite in the swamps of North Carolina, how did this leader impress the men in their first month together?

Gravity—seriousness of purpose—was what gave Marion the intangible, almost mystical power he held over his men. Although he lacked physical presence or a magnetic personality, they regarded him with awe. Part of their reverence was due to his success, which naturally bred respect. But it was his steady, equable character that most caused them to follow where he led. … “He yielded to few excitements, was seldom elevated by successes to imprudence—as seldom depressed by disappointments to despondency.”

Oller, John. The Swamp Fox: How Francis Marion Saved the American Revolution (Kindle Locations 1145-1151). Da Capo Press. Kindle Edition.

Seldom depressed by the vary real circumstances that were totally out of his control, and yet he was able to stay the course. That quiet, resolute character strength was just what the militia needed as they lamented their family and friends lot back home.

It is this steadfastness of character that caused many after the war to pay high respects to this man who humbly led men, whether 20 or 200, in a variety of engagements towards stalling the British in South Carolina and keeping focused on the cause, freedom from tyranny!

Before the end of the war, Marion himself would be very aware that this “tyranny” would not evaporate once the conflict was over. George Mason from Virginia would say in 1782:

“posterity will reflect with indignation that this fatal lust of sovereignty, which lost Great Britain her western world, which covered our country with desolation and blood, should even during the contest against it, be revived among ourselves, and fostered by the very men who were appointed to oppose it!”

Sick, isn’t it? To go through a revolution and end up with practically the same thing? So basically, freedom and liberty in this world is an everyday battle for every generation to embark on. One of my goals is to give insights for the next generations to consider. Passing on not only knowledge, but wisdom if I can.

-SF1

03SEP1780 Francis Marion Receives Intel on Nearby Loyalist Militia (led by an ex-Patriot)

Blue Savannah Battle – Patriot Win

As it happened time and again in the Revolutionary War in South Carolina, many men changed sides for various reasons. Sometimes their house was burned down or horses were stolen. Other times, just the tide of war changing into the other “team’s” favor led men to leave one cause for another.

The pattern we have seen in the previous victories by Marion’s new milita force come into play once more. Intel is received on 03SEP1780 that Francis Marion keeps to himself that a larger Tory/loyalist force of 250 men lies north of them. Marion uses the element of surprise to move TOWARD the threat, a great military tactic, the next morning and engages a subset of this force under ex-Patriot Gainey who is known to be quite the hot-head.

As Marion’s 50 or so men scatter this force which emboldens Marion to quickly followup and engage the full force just three miles north. Marion then decides to quickly disengage, and retreat back to a savannah area described by J.W. Lewis and his work at his Carolana site:

He conceals his men at Blue Savannah, an open sandy area surrounded by scrub pines. Capt. Barefield leads his men right into the ambush. Col. Marion charges with 50 men, weapons firing and swords flying. Capt. Barefield’s men send one volley that hits three men, and then his men break and run. Col. Marion’s men pursue to the edge of the nearby swamp, but do not penetrate it. They know that a cornered enemy is very dangerous

Whether you count this as 3 for 3 (Nelson’s Ferry win, Kingstree win, Blue Savannah win) or 2 for 2 if you see Kingstree without Marion was only a skirmish, you should know that THIS will probably get Cornwallis’ attention. Never the less, Marion returns to his “home” in Britton’s Neck:

The next day Marion marched back to his camp at Britton’s Neck, where sixty new volunteers from Colonel Hugh Giles’s militia joined him, doubling the size of his yet small force. Two weeks earlier his name was unknown to the British, and now suddenly he was capable of operating behind Cornwallis’s lines and harassing his right (eastern) flank. It was a vexation his Lordship needed to eliminate before he could launch his planned invasion of North Carolina. The success of Marion’s hit-and-run tactics so infuriated the British high command that at least half a dozen death squads, beginning with Wemyss, were dispatched in sequence to go after him.

From: Oller, John. “The Swamp Fox: How Francis Marion Saved the American Revolution” (Kindle Locations 1063-1068). Da Capo Press. Kindle Edition.

The pressure would be on soon, but Marion keeps receiving valuable intel, this time on 07SEP1780 he hears how about 150 British regulars and Tories were burning the very homes of the men serving under Marion near Williamsburg. Marion would yet again do something that goes against military protocol, divide his smaller force into three forces:

  1. Sending Maj. James and a small group towards the British forces who were unleashing their frustration against the civilian population in the area
  2. Keeping 25 men at camp at Britton’s Neck
  3. Moving the remaining men, about 75 in all, towards Indiantown where he would meet up again with Maj. James who had even more intel to share

Once Francis Marion adds up all the numbers of British regulars and Tories that are in the area AND their mission, the North Carolina border (seen in the map above) will look real good!

-SF1

 

27AUG1780: Surprise Night Attack by Marion’s Militia Captures British Regulars

Irregular warfare will always surprise traditional military thought. Cornwallis’ response to the militia victory in releasing 150 prisoners was designed to chase the patriots into the swamp or back to their homes. Instead, Marion directs Maj. James to take 150 men and move TOWARDS the British force advancing on Kingstree.

In a night move, the patriot force is able to engage part of the 300 man (some sources claim 500 man) British force under Wemyss. While both sides lose about 15 men, it is estimated that between 15-30 British regulars are captured. This skirmish, won again by the militia, will infuriate Cornwallis who expected a quick suppression of “farmers with pitchforks”.

Rather quickly, Francis Marion has adapted from a Continental officer to a freedom fighter, complete with the honorable characteristics of never engaging the enemy in a way that would cause considerable hardship on the fighting men, in this case, volunteers whose hearts are about defending their families, homes, and communities. The fact that the 150 man force was content with a small win allowed the psychological edge to follow as the local communities would see this as a cause that had yet to expire. Hope in a future without the British Empire was not desired by the majority, however, actions taken by the British military when on South Carolina soil would be remembered for generations.

SF1

August 16, 1780 – British Empire vs. Continentals/Militia : Battle of Camden

The darkest hour of the War for Independence from the British Empire in South Carolina was on this day 238 years ago. As mentioned in my previous post, the 4000 Continentals led by Horatio Gates, hero of Saratoga, and Major General Johann DeKalb faced Lord Cornwallis and Lt. Colonel James Webster and other British leadership on the fields just south and west of present day DeKalb, SC which is north and west of Camden, SC.  More in depth information on the Battle of Camden can be researched here.

The mismatch in the troops was apparent from the first shots as volunteers from Virginia were ordered to march within 50 yards of the British and hesitated at that command. Facing the best of the British army, the 23rd and 33rd regiments, is an unnerving experience. The Virginians saw the expertise being aimed at them and broke. The ripple effect of this continued past the Virginia militia, to the North Carolina militia and even to the Maryland Continentals.

This alone was all it took to have Major General Horatio Gates mount a fast horse and ride hard and long for 60 miles, about 2-3 hours, leaving any further damage control and subsequent retreat to other officers on the field.

The 1st Maryland Brigade put up a heroic fight against the British as things were coming apart at the seams, keeping this event from being a rout. This delay helped other units on the field but ultimately the troops had to flee into the nearby swamps that kept Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton’s horse from pursuing them in this terrain allowing them to live to fight another day.

The 2nd Maryland, Delaware Continentals and North Carolina militia (one unit) remained on the field but were outnumbered 600 to 2000. Major General Baron Johann DeKalb led many bayonet charges for over an hour and had his horse shot out from under him.  In his final assault he killed a British soldier and then went down to bayonet and bullet wounds. His troops protectively closed around him and opposed another bayonet charge from the overwhelming British forces.

Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton returned from his pursuit of the 1st Maryland in the swamps and chased the rear of the balance of the American troops. This battle was over.

The type of warfare typical to the 18th Century had Lord Cornwallis taking Baron DeKalb back to Camden and had him seen by his personal physician. Unfortunately Baron DeKalb died in Camden and is buried in Camden with a monument that has been erected to his memory on the old battlefield.

The final tally was about 700 American troops killed or taken prisoner out of 3000 troops that actually engaged in fighting, that Gates had abandoned, while the British lost 300 troops who were wounded or killed (68) out of 2200 engaged in this fight.

This fight effectively left a huge power vacuum in South Carolina that would take the Americans months to recover from. It is into this vacuum that men like Francis Marion would step up and into for the cause they had on their hearts.

August 1780 was a time when men of this region had to put into action, the words they had on their lips for the previous four years. Effectively, the resulted in an internal civil war in South Carolina. The method that men chose to fight would be known for generations to come and the legacy of the Swamp Fox would be born.