Francis Marion and a subset of his militia had a few weeks rest and most of the others had returned to their homes at harvest season when I posted the last time. Marion decided once again to re-enter the fray against the supporters of the British Empire, the local Tories and their Loyalist militias and on occasion, British regulars.
On 24OCT1780 Marion moves southwest out of the swamps closer to the North Carolina border towards the Kingstree district hoping to gain some men as well as some Intel. Marion is initially disappointed in the militia support that emerges from the district and momentarily considers leaving to join Continental Gen. Gates at Hillsborough, NC. Militia officer Lt. Col. Hugh Horry talks him out of this move and within hours the militia reforms and reinvigorates Marion. Over 150 men, with some accounts estimating even up to 400, came together and some brought with them Intel that Lt. Col. Sam Tynes with appox. 80 or so Loyalist militia had emerged from the High Hills of the Santee and are camped near what is called Tearcoat Swamp near the Black River.
The next morning, Marion and his men ride towards this camp and send Lt. Col. Tynes and his men back to the hills. Within a few days Lt. Col. Tynes and a few of his officers are actually captured by some of Marion’s militia commanded by Capt. William Snipes.
Lt. Col. Tynes loses include appox. 6 killed, 14 wounded and two dozen prisioners and more importantly, Marion gains eighty horses and muskets from this engagement.
Marion’s own losses are appox. the same as the Loyalist militia but there is a growing tide of defections from the Tories as many of Lt. Col. Tynes’ men actually come in and enlist with Col. Marion. The balance of the prisoners are sent to North Carolina Brig. Gen. Henry William Harrington at Cheraw, SC.
It is at this time that Marion proceeds toward establishing a new camp at Snow’s Island which would provide them a place of refuge in the months to come.
It should be noted that following Lt. Col. Tynes’ Loyalist militia defeat, Lt. Gen. Cornwallis has fifty men sent from Charlestown to Moncks Corner, while also maintaining patrols covering his line of communication at crossings up and down along the Santee River. The British Empire leadership is not amused at the successful guerrilla campaigns waged by Marion and his volunteer militia.
Stay tuned for a ramp up in the British reaction to Tearcoat 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,”
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.
Having lived at the edge of a swamp for twenty years, it is a well known act of nature that has fox, deer and other animals seek the refuge of a swamp for protection. Now, while this sounds like a lot of standing in water, it is not, for even these animals will seek out dry ground in the middle of swamps, creeks or rivers to offer them not just protection, but the ability to hear when predators approach.
So when Francis Marion (later to be known as the Swamp Fox) had stung the larger British forces with a prisoner release expedition, that caught Cornwallis’ attention, as well as a skirmish that resulted in 15-30 British regulars taken near Kingstree, he sensed that he needed to regroup with his men back towards where they first rendezvoused earlier in the month at Witherspoon’s Ferry and then on to land in between the Great and Little Pee Dee rivers at a place called Britton’s Neck. This became home for his forces from about 27AUG until 03SEP1780.
When in camp, Marion used letters to communicate with his forces as well as attempts at communicating with the Continental Army. The first day in camp he wrote Lt. Col. Peter Horry who was still burning boats on the Santee River to disrupt the supply lines from Charles Town to Camden to frustrate the British forces there. Marion commanded Horry to come to Britton’s Neck with as many men as possible. Being late August, there were many volunteers who had to opt to harvest crops at their farms and so by the time early September came, Marion commanded only 50 men.
Also during this time, Marion penned General Gates who had fled to North Carolina, asking “Where is the army?” Marion had no logistical support from any government or military authority and was feeling quite isolated. Having gotten the attention of the British high command, two months AFTER Cornwallis assured Gen Clinton in New York City that South Carolina was secured and that North Carolina was next on his list.
This delay of Cornwallis due to the actions of Marion’s militia was key towards keeping the British from joining with the British forces in New York to crush Gen. George Washington’s Continentals and end the quest for all of the American colonies that were seeking independence from the British Empire.
-SF1
NOTE:
The book “The Swamp Fox: How Francis Marion Saved the American Revolution“
Both of these resources have been invaluable in this series of posts reflecting back 238 years ago this month. Please consider these resources for your own research of these events.
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
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.
