Sorry for the delay between posts. School has been keeping me busy. Hope you all enjoy this new post. It was a research paper I wrote this past semester (Fall 2014).
Francis Marion is considered by many historians to be the father of guerrilla warfare. His tactics and methods inspired men such as John Singleton Mosby to follow in his footsteps. Marion’s greatest enemy was the British who were occupying South Carolina. Marion, due to his efforts during the American Revolution, became a hero of sorts at the war’s end. This paper will focus on Francis Marion’s motivations to fight in the American Revolution, and will also focus on some of the various tactics that he used.
Francis Marion was the son of a South Carolina plantation owner. He spent most of his childhood working on the plantation. At the age of six Marion was sent to get a formal education. Many historians believe that Francis’ education was nothing more than basic subjects.[i] A young Francis was fascinated by ships and sailing from a very young age. At age fifteen he embarked on a voyage to the West Indies. The journey was fairly uneventful until the crew headed home. While on the way home the ship sprung a leak and began to take on water. The men were forced to abandon the ship in favor of a small rowboat. The men were in this small boat for seven days. They had no food or water, and two of the men died. The men, inorder to quench their thirst, killed a dog that was on the boat with them and drank its blood.[i] Needless to say this near death experience gave Francis a new outlook on the sea.
After his near death experience at sea
Francis Marion decided to go back to working on the plantation. Marion stayed
loyal to the farm even though his siblings were getting married and leaving.
This proved to be a good decision, as Francis’ father passed away in
1750. Francis was now left with his mother and the plantation to tend to.[ii]
When Francis Marion was twenty-five years
old he began his military career. Little did he know that by joining the
military, his name would become synonymous with early colonial history. At the
time of his enlistment the French and Indian War was taking place. The war was
taking place primarily on the Western Frontier. Francis did not see much action
until he encountered a Cherokee ambush near the Indian town of Echoe. Marion
was able to drive the Cherokees back, and then retreated all the way back to
Fort Prince George. While retreating Marion was able to fend off two minor
attacks.[iii]
Throughout the remainder of the French and
Indian War, Francis Marion was able to prove to his superiors that he was
indeed a very capable military leader. Francis and his men were responsible for
clearing the way for Lieutenant Colonel James Grant to go through and clear out
and scatter the Cherokee Indians. After his band was discharged, Marion
returned to the plantation. He had gained much respect and fame during the war.
He had served alongside men who became very prominent members of South Carolina
government.[iv]
These men had taken notice of Marion’s conduct during the war, and would call on him later on down the line.
Francis Marion did not participate much if
at all in the Colonial resistance against the British Parliament. Historians
have found evidence that Marion may have participated some at the local level.
Evidence suggests that Francis and his brother Job were elected to
to South Carolina’s first Provincial Congress.[i] This is really
the only evidence that historians have found that Francis Marion was involved
in protesting against the British. Marion would do most of his protesting
through his guerrilla warfare tactics.
The South Carolina Congress divided up men
into different companies and regiments at the beginning of the war. Marion was
given command of his own company of troops. The catch to this was that he had
to go out to the territories along the Santee, Black, and Peedee rivers and
recruit men to join his company. He was able to do this relatively easy. By the
time he had finished recruiting he had signed around sixty men.[ii]
All of these men were eager for the chance to fight for their independence.
Francis Marion was not only responsible for recruiting
these men, but he also had to train them. The training began as soon as the men
got back to Charleston. Much is not known about the training that these men
went through, but it was most likely fairly similar to the training that goes
on in the military today. By September of 1775, Marion felt that these men were
ready to go to war.[i]
The first action that these men saw was at
the Battle of Fort Johnson and Moultrie. Marion was put in charge of building
up the defenses at Fort Johnson. He saw this task as a way to serve his
country. After leaving Fort Johnson, he traveled down to meet Colonel William
Moultrie. Moultrie was in the process of building a fort, which bore his name.
The men in charge of building it were members of the Continental army. The fort
remained unfinished when the British made their attack on it.[ii]
On June 20, 1776 a British fleet of nine ships
approached Fort Moultrie. The fleet was commanded by Peter Parker. The men
immediately dropped anchor and attacked the fort. By the end of the battle,
there were forty four British soldiers killed, and the Americans had only lost
twelve.[i]
This led to increased conflict between the British and the Americans.
Over the next few years Francis Marion and
his men engaged in a few minor battles. These minor battles included Gates, and
Nelson’s Ferry. Marion did not
start engaging in serious guerrilla tactics until 1780. From 1780 to 1782
Francis Marion embarked on three of the earliest and possibly most famous
guerrilla campaigns in American history. In 1780 Marion left Moultrie’s command, and became
lieutenant colonel of his own band of men.
Marion and his army started off at
Sheldon, which was near Pocotaligo. They were ordered to watch the movement of
Prevost. They wanted to prevent him, and the British army from getting supplies
from the Carolina side of the Savannah River. They laid low for a little while
in the Carolina countryside. Marion stayed at St. Johns for a while before
moving from house to house staying with different civilians. Marion was able to
fly off the radar for five months.[ii]
Francis
Marion’s biggest enemy was most
likely Colonel Banastre Tarleton. Their relationship was much like that of
Champ Ferguson and Tinker Dave Beaty, during the Civil War. While Marion had
been off the grid Tarleton and his British troops had been surprising and routing
the American forces. Marion was determined to get revenge. Marion and Tarleton
met at Lynch’s and Peedee Creek,
where Francis was given the command of the troops.[i]
Marion and his men did most of their fighting
around Port’s Ferry. They engaged in some minor skirmishes with British forces
at and around Port’s Ferry. Most of the skirmishes consisted of some minor
raiding and looting by the Americans. There were really no battles that took
place. [i]
Francis Marion later encountered the renowned Banastre
Tarleton near Charleston. Marion and his men put their new guerrilla tactics to
good use. They hid in the bushes and waited for the British to come marching
through. The Americans, however, were unaware that Tarleton and his men had
already passed them. Marion and his men saw lights just up the road and thought
that the British were burning down a nearby plantation. Colonel Richard
Richardson came and told Marion that the British were indeed nearby and they
had double the number of men that the Americans had. Marion was also informed
that Tarleton had a guide that was showing him the area. Marion was forced to
retreat because he knew at this stage in his campaign he would be no match for
Tarleton and his British army.[i]
Quite possibly the biggest engagement that
Francis Marion was involved in during the American Revolution was the Battle of
Charleston. This battle meant a lot to Francis because he was defending his
home. Marion was put in charge of the guns on the left flank. His job was to
fire on the enemy, and when he ran low or ran out of ammunition, he was
responsible for reloading the guns. This was a very dangerous job but Francis
was able to carry it out and was successful at it. Charleston however proved to
be a victory for the British. Marion was thought to have hurt his ankle during
the battle, but was able to make a full recovery.[ii]
The Battle of Savannah was the second
major battle that Francis Marion was involved in. His role was greater than it
had been during the Battle of Charleston. He was put in charge of his own
regiment of men, who issued to him and Brigadier General Isaac Hunger. The
battle was very bloody and the Americans lost many men. Even though it was a
loss Francis gained the respect of many members of the Continental army. After
the battle he was told to take his men and go out and look for deserters from
the Continental Army. He and his men were successful in carrying out this
mission.[i]
Francis Marion like other guerrilla
fighters throughout history used his own unique tactics. During the Civil War
irregular fighters focused mainly on the enemies’ supply lines. Marion
was no different. He focused primarily on the British supply lines between
Charleston and Camden. Marion felt that by raiding the British supply lines he
could force the commanders to move men off the battlefield, and out to guard
the supply lines near the road. Marion, by doing this also was able to provide
much needed supplies for his men. The practice of raiding supply lines became a
common practice not only during the American Revolution, but for years to come.[i]
Francis Marion also used a variety of
weapons to carry out his irregular warfare. Most of his men carried extremely
heavy sabers that were made with the saw blades from local Carolina
plantations. Marion himself used a variety of different rifles. He had some
that he used for close range shots, and others that he used for long range
shots. The rifles and sabers came in handy when carrying out an ambush mission
for the continental army. The guns were used early in the engagement and then
if it got to the point of being hand to hand combat, then the sabers were used
to jab the enemy. When weapons were lost or stolen Marion and his men would
often take the weapons off the dead and wounded, or simply raid British
supplies of new weapons. Sometimes General Marion and his men would steal
weapons from loyalists when they would raid their houses.[ii]
Marion unlike later guerrillas like
William Clarke Quantrill or Champ Ferguson, conducted reconnaissance missions
to help scout the enemy. This greatly increased the success that Marion and his
men had on the battlefield. The men knew exactly what they were going up
against and could plan their strategy accordingly. Oftentimes locals who
supported Marion and what he was fighting for would give him tips on where the
British army was, or where British loyalists lived.[i]
The idea of using reconnaissance was adopted by John Singleton Mosby during the
Civil War. This proved that Marion did indeed have a brilliant military mind.
General Marion often attacked what historians refer to
as soft or weakly armed targets. These targets were obviously easier to
capture. By doing this Marion did not have to worry about getting his men
killed or injured. They could attack quickly and then move on to the next
target. Marion like other guerrilla fighters often surprised their targets.
This gave Marion and his men and advantage because the enemy that they were
attacking would have little to no time to react.[i]
This strategy was also adopted by John Singleton Mosby. This is how he got the
nickname “Gray Ghost.”
Francis Marion got the nickname “Swamp Fox” because he carried out
most of his attacks either in swamps or in swamp-like conditions. He felt that
he had an advantage by leading the enemy into disgusting terrain. Most armies
do not like to fight in unpleasant conditions, and the British were no
different. Another advantage of doing this was that the British army was
unfamiliar with the terrain. General Marion and his fighters could lure a band
of British soldiers into a swamp or a place that had swamp-like conditions, and
could easily defeat them. This strategy that was employed by Marion forever
made him known as the Swamp Fox.
Marion’s main goal during
the American Revolution was to go out and rid the colonies of British
loyalists. He was able to recruit some of his Revolutionary war co fighters.
These men joined forces with Marion, and were very loyal to him. These men provided
their own weapons and horses. These men joined Marion with one goal in mind,
and that was to kill. These men became known as “Marion’s Men,” and from 1780
to 1782 they would terrorize all people that they knew or believed to have
known to have been a British loyalist. Colonel Banastre Tarleton as was mentioned
earlier knew who Francis Marion was. His goal was to eliminate Marion and his
men. Marion had first attempted to engage Tarleton in combat by hiding in the
bushes along the road to Charleston. This was a failed attempt because Marion
knew he would be no match for the British. Tarleton was very much a pain in the
neck for the Americans. He always seemed to get the better of them. Marion soon
grew tired of Tarleton and his boasting. He decided that he would track him
down and beat him himself.
Marion never had the opportunity to defeat
Tarleton however. On January 17, 1781 Tarleton and his men were heavily
defeated by the Americans, led by General Nathanial Greene at Cowpens in South
Carolina. The news of Tarleton’s defeat spread quickly
through the colonies. British loyalists were upset because they felt that they
were now vulnerable to irregular bands like Marion’s Men. Many historians believe that Francis Marion did indeed play a
role in defeating Tarleton. It is believed that the British had to focus on
protecting their lines of communication from guerrilla bands such as Marion,
and they left Tarleton vulnerable to Greene. Marion did not find out about the
defeat of Tarleton at Cowpens until Greene wrote him a letter explaining to him
what had happened.[i] Either way
Marion’s biggest threat was defeated.[ii]
Francis Marion and his men
continued to raid for the next few months, they no longer had to worry much
about any British threat to their guerrilla activity. Not much is known about
his activities during the spring and summer of 1781. He and his men were able
to capture Fort Watson, and made a failed attempt to take Georgetown.[i]
After the victory at Fort Watson, Marion wrote a letter to Nathanial Greene
telling of how the battle played out, and also how many casualties there were.[ii]
On September 5, 1781 Marion was served
with orders telling him to join with Nathanial Greene at Eutaw Springs in South
Carolina. Greene was planning to attack the British that were at Eutaw Springs,
and he needed Marion and his men to strengthen his army. The plan was to attack
the British on the right flank. The British who were commanded by Alexander
Stewart had let their guard down and were unaware of the American threat.
Things were shaping up for an American success at Eutaw Springs.[i]
On September 8, 1781 at around four in the
morning Greene, Marion, and Charles Lee set out from Burdwell’s Plantation to Eutaw Springs. Marion’s task was to fight on
Greene’s right flank. Greene made the decision to use the
same strategy that Daniel Morgan had used earlier at Cowpens. Stewart and the
British still had no idea that the American’s were anywhere around
them. At around eight that same morning the British finally realized that the
Americans were there. By this time it was too late for the British. They had to
stay and fight because if they retreated they would be cut up. Stewart’s only move was to send out men to start minor skirmishes to slow the
Americans down and buy him some time. The Americans performed extremely well
according to accounts. They were able to advance about half a mile and they
fired very slowly but they were very accurate.[ii]
The British were very vulnerable on the
left flank and the Americans took advantage. They attacked the flank forcing the British to retreat. The Americans
destroyed everything as they pursued the British. Many local loyalists fled to
Charleston, or hid in nearby ditches and ravines. The Americans were faced with
a low supply of ammunition. They also knew that they had to take the water
supply from Stewart. Greene’s plan was to attack the
British as they marched. Greene decided to leave a band of men in the area to
keep tabs on the British army’s movements.[i]
Based on accounts, Marion’s militia fought really well. Greene praised Marion and his men in his
official reports. He ordered Marion and Charles Lee to go out and try to either
slow Stewart from moving to Charleston, or intercept the British supplies.
Greene allowed Marion to be independent after the Battle of Eutaw Springs. He
kept a close watch on Eutaw Springs and Charleston.[i]
For the rest of 1781 Marion continued to
do some minor raiding. It was not until January of 1782 that the next major
event in Marion’s life took place. He
was elected to a new state assembly at Jacksboro. Marion accepted his new
position and left his men to take his seat. He put Peter Horry in command of
his militia. Marion vowed to return, but a few of his men decided to rise up
and turn him over to the British. This however is rumor, and Marion was never
captured by the British. While Marion was gone Horry lost a skirmish at Wambaw.
Marion finally returned and led his men to a victory at the Battle of Peedee
River. Francis Marion discovered that his place was on the battlefield, not as
a government official. [ii]
In December of 1782 the British removed
their garrison of Charleston, and the treaty of Paris was then signed bringing
an end to the American Revolution.[i] Francis
Marion retired to his plantation only to find that had been burned and his
slaves and livestock were gone.[ii] He had gone
from being one of the wealthiest men in South Carolina to one of the poorest.[iii]
This was the British loyalist’s way of making him pay
for all the things that he had done to them. Marion like so many other patriots
was forced to rebuild his life from scratch. Marion later became a South
Carolina senator. As a senator he managed to stay true to his beliefs and
values.[iv]
Marion’s personal life improved after the war as he met and
fell in love with Mary Videau. Her wealth was able to assist Francis in
rebuilding his plantation. For the rest of their lives Francis and Mary Marion
lived lives that included a world of happiness and contentment.[v]
Francis finally passed away on February 27, 1795 at his plantation, from an
unknown illness that he had been battling for some time.[vi]
A true American hero had fallen.
Francis Marion became the
subject of many great honors after his death. Probably the most notable honor
that has been bestowed upon Marion was the university in South Carolina that
bears his name. Marion also has a park that was named after him. There are
multiple counties in South Carolina and the United States that are known as
Marion County. He has also been the subject of numerous books and film. The
most notable film that Marion’s life story was featured in was an eight part
Disney series that detailed his life and military exploits. As far as being the
father of guerrilla warfare goes, Marion set the standard. Marion, since he was
affiliated with the Continental army and took orders from them, would be
considered a partisan ranger. If he had been a regular guerrilla like Champ
Ferguson, then he would not have been honored very much if at all and if the
Americans had lost he probably would have been executed. Francis Marion truly
is an American hero who played a vital role in helping this country gain its
independence.
Francis Marion often lured his enemy into swamps and marshes throughout South Carolina. This is where he got the name Swamp Fox. The above painting illustrates this.
Francis Marion's legacy lives on as he has a university named in his honor.
The book entitled Francis Marion: The Swamp Fox by Hugh F. Rankin is one of the books that I used to assist me in writing this paper. I highly recommend it.
Sorry for the weird formatting of this paper, I copied and pasted it from a Word document and it came out weird.
Stay tuned for more blog posts about tales from Tennessee and beyond.
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