A Sketch of the Life of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion

W >> William Dobein James. >> A Sketch of the Life of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

On the 27th of September Gov. Rutledge had ordered by proclamation,
that the disaffected should come in within thirty days and do duty
for six months. -- This measure brought down disgrace, and soon after
nearly ruin upon Marion's brigade. This proclamation is long
but to the following effect: --

"That whereas, the British had been compelled to evacuate
all their strong posts, and could no more give protection to their adherents,
and as many of them still remained with the British or lurked
in secret places. And whereas, the commandant of Charleston,
having sent beyond sea the wives and families of all the avowed
friends of America in town and country; and the brigadiers of militia
had been ordered to retaliate by sending the wives and families
of such adherents within the British lines; and it is understood
that they are in great distress and poverty. Therefore,
a free pardon is offered for the offence of having borne arms,
provided they surrender themselves up to a brigadier of the state
within thirty days, and do constant duty in the militia service
for six months; and upon performance of these conditions
their wives and children were allowed to return; except such
as having joined the enemy, were called upon by two proclamations
to return in forty days, in pursuance of an ordinance of the legislature.
All such as were sent out of the state for refusing to take
the oath required of them by law and had returned. All such as subscribed
addresses to Sir H. Clinton and Lord Cornwallis, congratulating them
on their victories. All such as hold or have held military commissions.
And all those whose conduct has been so infamous that they cannot
consistent with policy and justice partake of the rights of citizens.
But if they surrender to the commander in chief for the time,
and were judged inadmissible, they should not be detained."

This abstract has been given to show the singular manner of legislating
in those times.* Not, but that it was necessary thus to legislate,
as it was certainly better to have some kind of civil government than none.
The raising of two regiments of cavalry was suggested by Gen. Greene,
and highly approved both by the governor and Marion, and it certainly
promised well at first. Col. Hezekiah Maham, who had been elected
by the provincial congress a captain in the first rifle regiment,
when they passed an act to raise two such regiments, in March, 1776,
was now appointed commander of one corps, and Col. Peter Horry
commander of the other; he had been captain in the 2d regiment
from the beginning of 1775, and was the older officer of the two;
the reader will hereafter see the effect of this observation.

--
* Governor Rutledge had but two of his council with him at this time,
Daniel Huger and John L. Gervais.
--

As they had no bounty money to give, recruiting went on slowly,
and they fell upon the following expedient, which was warmly opposed
by Gov. Rutledge at first, but it is supposed was favoured by Marion.
All men that could hire a substitute in the regiments now raising
were exempted from militia duty. -- This soon drew from the ranks
the best of Marion's men, men who had served from the first,
and had left their families at home in huts, and still in distress;
but they could yet spare one or two negroes, which they did not much value,
to hire a substitute to do duty for them. The war was now moved
comparatively far from them, and they sighed for home. In the mean time,
the six months men came tumbling in by scores, to supply their places.
Their new white feathers, fine coats, new saddles and bridles,
and famished horses, showed they had lately been in the British garrison.
These were not the men to endure privations and fight their country's battles.
Those of Marion's tried men who remained, could never confide in them;
and now, as is always usual in armies, the most unprincipled men
enlisted in the new regiments, but were not kept in the discipline
necessary for taming such characters, or making them good soldiers.
When Maham had got about seventy men and Horry not yet a troop,
both their commissions being of the same date, they quarreled about
precedence in rank; and although Gov. Rutledge reasoned,
Gen. Greene persuaded, and Marion threatened, they could never be reconciled.
Maham appears to have been very refractory on this occasion,
and would listen to no accommodation. While in the end,
Horry acted much in the wrong.

There are in the correspondence of that day many letters of Gov. Rutledge,
several of which, without the suppression of names, it would be
highly injurious to the feelings of many to publish at the present time;
the rest are not interesting, except a few which show the spirit of the times;
and are mostly long and able constructions of militia laws, now obsolete.
About this time he issued a proclamation suspending the acts of assembly,
and making paper money* a tender in law, which, although strong,
was certainly a just proceeding.

--
* For an example of its present depreciation, see p. 152.
[Detached Narratives for 1781, Paragraph 6 -- list of prices. -- A. L.]
--

Col. Maham having now raised and equipped part of his cavalry,
passed the Santee, burnt some British stores in the house of
Sir John Colleton, at Fairlawn, and took some prisoners.
On the 16th of October, Gen. Greene writes to Marion, "Col. Maham's success
is highly honourable to himself and corps, and I hope will be followed
by future strokes of good fortune." This hope was not realized.
A letter from Col. Doyle, of the British, shows strongly what different views,
men engaged on opposite sides, will take of the same transaction.
It is to Gen. Marion: "Sir, I am directed by Brigadier Gen. Stewart,
to represent to you an outrage that has been committed
by a party of your corps, under the command of Col. Maham,
upon a parcel of sick, helpless soldiers in an hospital at Colleton house,
on the morning of the 17th inst. The burning an hospital,
and dragging away a number of dying people to expire in swamps,
is a species of barbarity hitherto unknown in civilized warfare.
The general expects that those unhappy sufferers will be
sent immediately as prisoners upon parole. Attacks on hospitals are,
among your own continental army, unprecedented. The hospital at Camden
was by Gen. Greene's order protected, although it had an armed guard
for its internal police." Gen. Greene, who ere this, the reader
must have perceived, was polite to his friends, and humane to his enemies,
for even they are obliged to confess it, immediately instituted an inquiry
into this complaint;* but how it was accommodated cannot now be ascertained.

--
* Greene's letter, 24th Nov.
--

On the 9th October, 1781,* Gen. Marion received the most agreeable news
of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, and the next evening gave a fete
to the ladies of Santee, at the house of Mr. John Cantey. The general's heart
was not very susceptible of the gentler emotions; he had his friend,
and was kind to his inferiors, but his mind was principally absorbed
by the love of country; and as the capture of Lord Cornwallis
was intimately connected with this passion there is no doubt he felt joy
on the occasion. But if he did feel joy upon a few occasions, certain it is
that watchful anxiety was the daily inmate of his breast.

--
* This date is given both here and in Simms' Life of Marion,
but it must be an error, as Cornwallis did not surrender until the 19th.
The 29th October or 9th November are more likely dates. -- A. L., 1997.
--

On the same day he received the thanks of congress "for his wise,
decided and gallant conduct, in defending the liberties of his country,
and particularly for his prudent and intrepid attack
on a body of British troops on the 31st day of August last;
and for the distinguished part he took in the battle of the 8th Sept."
Immediately on receiving the intelligence of the capture of Lord Cornwallis,
Gen. Greene prepared for moving his army into the lower country.
On the 5th November, he writes to Gen. Marion, "Gen. Sumter has orders
to take post at Orangeburgh, to prevent the tories in that quarter
from conveying supplies to town, and his advanced parties will penetrate
as low as Dorchester; therefore you may act in conjunction with him,
or employ your troops on the enemy's left, as you may find from information,
they can best be employed. Please to give me your opinion
on which side they can be most useful." Gen. Marion four days after
passed the Santee, and in a short time took post near Huger's bridge,
as it was still termed, though all the bridges in the lower country
were taken down, except the one at Goose creek, which seemed to be left
by mutual consent of both armies, for the purpose of reaching one another,
by at least one way. He arrived at Huger's bridge in the night,
and in less than an hour after detached a strong party
by the heads of Huger's and Quimby creeks, to Cainhoy, in St. Thomas'.
On the 23d November Gen. Sumter was posted at Orangeburgh;
on the 17th of the same month Gen. Greene marched for the Fourholes.
December 7th, he lay at Jacksonborough, and on the 13th of the same month,
he encamped at the Round O.

His movements were at this time cautious, in keeping both
the Edisto and Ashley between himself and the enemy; because he had heard
they were reinforced, and he was as yet without ammunition.
He wrote now frequently to Gen. Marion, and almost every letter has a clause
similar to the one of the 15th of November: "You are at liberty
to act as you think advisable. I have no particular instructions to give you,
and only wish you to avoid surprise."

At the close of this year, Gov. Rutledge and his council issued
writs of election for members of the senate and house of representatives,
which, by proclamation issued afterwards, were appointed to meet
at Jacksonborough. Gen. Greene still lay at the Round O,
where he secured the rice and other provisions from the enemy,
by sending out patroles of cavalry as far as Dorchester:
but he had not yet received a supply of ammunition for his infantry,
and Marion was also without that indispensible muniment of war.
As to other necessaries he says, "Our horsemen have neither
cloaks or blankets, nor have our troops received a shilling of pay
since they came into this country. Nor is there a prospect of any.
Yet they do not complain."* At length on the 14th of December
he received a supply of ammunition and sent ~it all~ to Marion,
then at Watboo, saying, "he was in expectation of soon receiving more."

--
* Greene's letters, 13th and 14th December.
--

The British extended their patroles of cavalry nearly up to Dorchester,
but their main body was now confined to Charleston neck.

Thus, in the course of the campaign of 1781, the American army
under Gen. Greene, without pay, without clothing, and as we have seen
frequently without ammunition, had driven the enemy from
all their strong holds but one; had defeated them in battle,
and retaken all South Carolina but a neck of land.

--------

Detached Narratives for 1781.

There was with Marion's brigade throughout, a young man, Robert,
commonly called Bob James, but oftener, ~the general's right hand man~.
It was known to very few that Marion employed him often to gain intelligence
from the enemy in Georgetown and other places. The general never suffered him
to mount guard or do common duties; being an excellent woodsman,
he was his favourite guide; being an expert swimmer, he was generally
by his side when swimming rivers, or paddled him over in a canoe
if they had one; being a good fisherman, he often caught him fish;
the general would laugh and joke with him, but with no other private.
He did not however employ Bob in these small matters when he had
any thing serious for him to do. Surprised at his exact intelligence
from Georgetown and other places, the author asked him once "how he got it?"
He related several interesting particulars, among others this one:
"Just in the outskirts of Georgetown there is a pond full of bushes,
and in the middle of it a large gum-tree with a thick top and branches
that reach the thicket below. This tree overlooked the garrison
and both roads leading out of town. I used to climb into it
and watch for days together, and if I saw any thing important,
immediately came down, mounted my horse, hid in a neighbouring swamp,
and told it to the general myself, or sent the only other person we trusted."
The gum tree stood there lately, but Robert James sleeps with his fathers.
"Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him Horatio." It was generally thought that
although he swam so often on horseback, or crossed rivers in unsteady canoes,
the general could not swim himself. His body was sufficient for endurance;
and his mind, to sagacity and foresight, united the higher virtues
of patience and fortitude. In one thing he appeared singular;
long swords were now in fashion as best for attack or defence,
but Gen. Marion always wore the little cut and thrust, which was in use
in the second regiment, and he was seldom, perhaps never, seen to draw it.
His messmates told a story, whether true or not is of little consequence,
as it shows the public opinion. The sum of this story was,
that on one occasion he attempted to draw it, but it was so rusty
he could not extricate it from the scabbard. He had a reason
for this apparent singularity; a long sword might have tempted him,
a small man, to act the common soldier, and he appeared to place no reliance
on his personal prowess. Gen. Greene depended entirely upon him
for intelligence. -- Now, intelligence is the life of an army.
Sumter and Greene were then at variance, and if Sumter gained any, he would
not condescend to let Greene know it, but take advantage of it himself.
Lee, whose particular business it was to furnish Greene with intelligence,
was always too fond of seeing his men and horses in good plight,
to expose them to hardships. Marion's were for every day's use.

An anecdote worthy to be recorded happened at the brick house at the Eutaw.
Capt. Laurence Manning, since adjutant general in this state,
marched at the head of the legion infantry to batter down
the door of the house. Intent on this single object, and relying confidently
on his men, he advanced boldly up to the door; when, looking behind him
for the first time, behold his men had deserted him. He stood for a moment
at the side of the door, revolving what was to be done. --
Fortunately a British officer, Capt. Barry, opened the door gently
to peep out, and Manning seizing him fast by the collar, jerked him out.
He then used him as an ancient warrior would have done his shield,
and the enemy, fearing to shoot least they should kill Barry,
Manning escaped without a shot being fired at him from the house.

During the struggle of the present year, (1781) Capt. Wm. Allston,
of True Blue, on Little river, All Saints parish, served under Gen. Marion.
He was a firm patriot and good soldier; indeed he may well be enumerated
among the martyrs to the cause of his country; for having been seized
with a fever in camp, he had scarcely time to reach his home,
where he expired at a middle age. He left behind him, by his last wife,
two sons and a daughter; his eldest son he named after
the illustrious Washington; and he has since proved himself
to be highly worthy of that distinction. In this son
will be readily recognised the distinguished artist, Washington Allston;
whose pencil has bestowed celebrity upon the place of his birth,
and whom every American should be proud to claim as his countryman.

Towards the conclusion of this year, Maj. Edward Hyrne,
one of Gen. Greene's aids, was commissioned by him to negociate
a cartel of exchange of prisoners in Charleston. He had to conduct this
with Col. Balfour, who was haughty and unreasonable as well as cruel;
his demands were so exorbitant, that Maj. Hyrne, after waiting upon him
several times with much patience, at length declared they were
utterly inadmissible, and took his leave. Returning to his lodgings,
he wrote a note to each British officer on parole in town,
informing him he must prepare to follow him into the country the next day.
His firmness or good policy had the desired effect; Balfour's quarters
were soon besieged by at least forty officers, many of whom
were of higher rank than himself, and Major Hyrne succeeded
to the extent of his wishes.

The party under Major John Postell, which was ordered out on the 29th January
in this year, and succeeded in taking eleven British waggons
with soldiers' clothing at Keithfield, consisted with the officers,
commanding of thirty-eight men.* They carried off what clothing they could,
and what they could not they burnt. What was carried away
was sold for a division, and bought in, as it appears, in continental dollars,
on the 2d February, 1781.

--
* This statement is confusing. To paraphrase, Postell's party
(which made this attack) consisted of thirty-eight supernumerary officers.
-- A. L., 1997.
--

The prices of a few are inserted; sixteen blankets were sold.

1 Bought by Major Postell for $1590
1 do. Capt. Wm. Capers 2200
1 do. (the lowest priced)
by Capt. Thomas Potts, 900
1 Loaf of sugar, Francis Greene, 2000
1 Coat by Capt. Capers, 6210
1 Knife and fork, A. Simons, 700
1 Pair of Stockings, Capt. Capers, 800
&c. &c. &c.

Most of this party were supernumerary officers, who placed themselves
under the command of Major (then Captain) Postell, who was justly considered
as one of the most enterprising officers in Marion's brigade.
Of these thirty-eight men, the only survivor is Richard Greene,
who has been long a respectable and opulent planter on Black river.
The account of sales is in the hand writing of Capt. Thomas Potts.
There is a list of the names of the thirty-eight, many of whom
fought then and afterwards with great bravery. -- John Futhey,
then a lieutenant, after being promoted to a captaincy
was killed in a skirmish at Avant's ferry on Black river.
Thomas Potts, jun. a lieutenant, was twice wounded. John M`Bride,
father of the late friend of the author, Dr. James M`Bride, was always
at his post. What a loss to science was the early death of the son?
Capt. Wm. Capers was imprisoned by Balfour in the upper story
of his ~provost~, and made his escape by slipping past the keeper at night
when he brought their scanty supper to the prisoners. He had then
to descend a steep flight of stairs and pass the guard at the bottom.
Luckily he stumbled at the head of the stairs and fell to the bottom,
and the guard mistaking him for the keeper, raised him up and gave him
much consolation. He had only to refrain from speaking and to utter
a few groans, which being an indistinct tone of the voice, made no discovery,
and the guard suffered him to pass. A friend furnished him with a small boat
to pass Cooper river; but now the difficulty was to get through
the British guard ships which lined the river. Being a pretty good mimic,
he bethought himself of assuming the character of a drunken sailor
~going on board his own ship~, and acted his part so admirably well,
that he was suffered, though often threatened, to pass through
the whole fleet. Capt. Capers lost no time in joining Gen. Marion,
with whom he fought bravely in the ranks until the general advanced
down into St. Thomas' parish, where he commanded a company,
and where he had left property at the mercy of the enemy.*
Capt. Wm. Capers, and his brother G. Sinkler Capers, were often afterwards
the terror of the enemy, who had early oppressed and imprisoned them,
for G. S. Capers had also made his escape from the ~provost~.

--
* The following is a curious fact in natural history. When Capt. G. S. Capers
returned to his plantation in 1782, it had been completely stripped
of all live stock and poultry, except one cock. When the British chased him
he had always taken refuge under a kitchen low to the ground.
This bird was carefully preserved. After the war, it was the fashion
for ladies to wear scarlet cloaks, and so strong was his recollection
(must it be so called) of the colour of the British uniform,
that whenever he saw ladies in scarlet cloaks, he would squall out,
as such birds usually do at sight of danger, and run directly
under the kitchen.
--

Francis G. Deliesseline, the present sheriff of Charleston district,
joined Marion when a boy, and made if possible a still more surprising
and narrow escape out of the same ~provost~; but as the narrative would expose
certain names which he wishes concealed, he has declined giving it publicity.
At so early an age, none behaved better than Deliesseline, and no one
has refreshed the author's memory more in the detail of facts of that period.

Many of the privates of Marion's brigade were men of character and honour;
most of them lost their fortunes by the war, and many made them,
or at least handsome competencies, after it; but it is believed that more,
cast out of the ways of industry and economy, and losing their all,
sunk under the pressure brought upon them. Where they are known,
what an injustice would it be to pass over the merits of such men? --
On the monument erected by the Greeks at Thermopylae,
the names of Leonidas and his three hundred men were not inscribed,
because it was thought impossible to imagine they could ever be forgotten.

Pardon me, ye sons of my fellow soldiers! should my memory be found
not so tenacious; and should I have passed over the merits
of many of your fathers without even a shade of remembrance.

Chapter IV.

CAMPAIGN OF 1782.

The military history of this year, is not remarkable for any great events;
but the most material of these happened in the brigade of Marion.
As they are not altogether of a pleasant nature, it appears to have been
the wish of many to bury them in oblivion, and therefore some of them
have been suppressed, and others but slightly recorded.
But, the correspondence gives dates and hints, which bring the whole
to recollection; and it is the duty of the biographer to be impartial.
It was hoped that he might have avoided saying any thing more
about the dispute which arose between Cols. Peter Horry and Maham;
but, as that dispute terminated in unhappy consequences,
it becomes necessary that they should be developed. Gen. Marion was returned,
at the elections which took place for the Jacksonborough assembly,
a member of the senate for St. John's, Berkley. Being about to take his seat,
he gave the immediate command of the brigade to Col. Peter Horry,*
subject to his future order. Of this order, all that is necessary
to state here, is as follows: "You will take command of my brigade
until I return. You will keep the guards at Cainhoy and Fogartie's.
Their orders are to prevent any boats or persons from going to or from town,
without a written pass from me or yourself. Col. Maham's corps
will be ordered to Mepkin, to remain there until my further orders."
As the enemy got most of their intelligence from persons,
more especially women, going to and from town, this part of the order
was very material. In the mean time application was made
by Gen. Marion to Greene to decide this unhappy dispute between the colonels;
and, in a conciliating letter, he decided it in favour of Horry. (16th Jan.)
On the 18th of January, Gen. Marion writes to Horry: "I send you
Gen. Greene's letter in answer to mine, sent him as soon as I arrived here,
and it is determined as I expected. You will keep the letter,
and if the enemy should approach your quarters, and you find it necessary,
you must call on Col. Maham's troops and horse, as reinforcements;
and I wish he may not be called upon for any other purpose."
In a letter from Col. Maham to Horry, of the 20th of January,
it is to be inferred that the latter had immediately called upon him
for a return of his corps, and to submit to his orders; for he answers,
"I cannot think of being commanded by an officer of the same rank.
I think it proper not to make you any return of my regiment,
and I shall not obey any order you may be pleased to send." It appears
from a subsequent letter of Maham's of the same date, that Gen. Marion
had not written to him concerning the determination of Gen. Greene;
but Gen. Marion's order, both then and subsequently, was certainly sufficient
to convince him he ought to submit. After this Col. Horry writes
to Gen. Marion: "Col. Maham interferes with my command so much
that I can scarcely act; he gave passes to several ladies
to go to town without my leave, and they accordingly went in a boat,
which boat has since returned, and the ladies have since come up."
And again, "I assure you your presence is much wanted. Your brigade
lessens daily." (31st Jan.) On the 3d of February, Marion answers:
"I am surprised at Col. Maham's interference with your command.
I have written him positive orders not to do so in any respect whatever,
and was in hopes Gen. Greene would have prevented such evils before this."
But from a former letter of Gov. Rutledge, which is a philippic against Horry,
and the subsequent determination of Gov. Matthews, it is evident that Maham
had got the civil authority on his side, and he did not regard the general's.
And thus it is, when civilians interfere with military affairs
that they invariably commit blunders. Having premised these facts,
to show that in Marion's absence there was naught but discord and dissention,
we now proceed to state the consequences.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14