The Swamp Fox

The Swamp Fox

Francis Marion was a American officer serving in Charleston, but wasn't captured in the siege because he had previously broken an ankle and was recuperating in the countryside. After the surrender of Charleston he organized a small force of irregulars serving without pay and attached himself to Horatio Gates command. Gates however had little to no confidence in Marion, and sent him to take command of the Williamsburg militia. Therefore Marion missed the decisive British victory at Camden. After this he became a terrible annoyance to the British by terrorizing Loyalists, and attacking outposts with spectacular hit-and-run tactics. Using paths that went the South Carolina swamps he could disappear suddenly, and reappear half-way across the countryside. Obviously this made him a very troublesome and dangerous opponent. The British finally sent their best cavalry officer Banastre Tarleton after Marion's guerrillas, but after a long chase even he gave declaring that nobody could catch him. He continued on to daring exploits not the least of which was the rescue of a small body of soldiers trapped by 500 British troops.

CWS