I 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5057 

To authorize the Marion Park Project and Committee of the Palmetto Conservation Foundation to establish a commemorative work on Federal 

land in the District of Columbia, and its environs to honor Brigadier 

General Francis Marion. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 30, 2006 

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. BROWN of 

South Carolina, Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina, Mr. SPRATT, and Mr. 

BARRETT of South Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources 

A BILL 

To authorize the Marion Park Project and Committee of 

the Palmetto Conservation Foundation to establish a 

commemorative work on Federal land in the District 

of Columbia, and its environs to honor Brigadier General 

Francis Marion. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. COMMEMORATIVE WORK TO HONOR BRIGA4 DIER GENERAL FRANCIS MARION AND HIS 

5 FAMILY. 

6 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that: 


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1 (1) Francis Marion was born in 1732 in St. 

2 John’s Parish, Berkeley County, South Carolina. He 

3 married Mary Esther Videau on April 20th, 1786. 

4 Francis and Mary Esther Marion had no children, 

5 but raised a son of a relative as their own, and gave 

6 the child Francis Marion’s name. 

7 (2) Brigadier General Marion commanded the 

8 Williamsburg Militia Revolutionary force in South 

9 Carolina and was instrumental in delaying the ad10 vance of British forces by leading his troops in dis11 rupting supply lines. 

12 (3) Brigadier General Marion’s tactics, which 

13 were unheard of in rules of warfare at the time, in14 cluded lightning raids on British convoys, after 

15 which he and his forces would retreat into the 

16 swamps to avoid capture. British Lieutenant Colonel 

17 Tarleton stated that ‘‘as for this damned old swamp 

18 fox, the devil himself could not catch him’’. Thus, 

19 the legend of the ‘‘Swamp Fox’’ was born. 

20 (4) His victory at the Battle of Eutaw Springs 

21 in September of 1781 was officially recognized by 

22 Congress. 

23 (5) Brigadier General Marion’s troops are be24 lieved to be the first racially integrated force fight25 ing for the United States, as his band was a mix of 


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1 Whites, Blacks, both free and slave, and Native 

2 Americans. 

3 (6) As a statesman, he represented his parish 

4 in the South Carolina senate as well as his State at 

5 the Constitutional Convention. 

6 (7) Although the Congress has authorized the 

7 establishment of commemorative works on Federal 

8 lands in the District of Columbia honoring such cele9 brated Americans as George Washington, Thomas 

10 Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln, the National Cap11 ital has no comparable memorial to Brigadier Gen12 eral Francis Marion for his bravery and leadership 

13 during the Revolutionary War, without which the 

14 United States would not exist. 

15 (8) Brigadier General Marion’s legacy must live 

16 on. At present, and since 1878, United States Res17 ervation 18 has been officially referred to as Marion 

18 Park. Located between 4th and 6th Streets, S.E., at 

19 the intersection of E Street and South Carolina Ave20 nue, S.E., in Washington, DC, the park lacks a for21 mal commemoration to this South Carolina hero who 

22 was important to the initiation of the Nation’s herit23 age. 

24 (9) The time has come to correct this oversight 

25 so that future generations of Americans will know 


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1 and understand the preeminent historical and last2 ing significance to the Nation of Brigadier General 

3 Marion’s contributions. Such a South Carolina hero 

4 deserves to be given the proper recognition. 

5 (b) AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH COMMEMORATIVE

6 WORK.—The Marion Park Project and Committee of the 

7 Palmetto Conservation Foundation may establish a com8 memorative work on Federal land in the District of Co9 lumbia and its environs to honor Brigadier General 

10 Francis Marion and his service. 

11 (c) COMPLIANCE WITH STANDARDS FOR COMMEMO12 RATIVE WORKS.—The commemorative work authorized by 

13 subsection (b) shall be established in accordance with 

14 chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code (commonly 

15 known as the Commemorative Works Act). 

16 (d) USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS PROHIBITED.—Fed17 eral funds may not be used to pay any expense of the es18 tablishment of the commemorative work authorized by 

19 subsection (b). The Marion Park Project and Committee 

20 of the Palmetto Conservation Foundation shall be solely 

21 responsible for acceptance of contributions for, and pay22 ment of the expenses of, the establishment of that com23 memorative work. 

24 (e) DEPOSIT OF EXCESS FUNDS.—If, upon payment 

25 of all expenses of the establishment of the commemorative 


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1 work authorized by subsection (b) (including the mainte2 nance and preservation amount provided for in section 

3 8906(b) of title 40, United States Code), or upon expira4 tion of the authority for the commemorative work under 

5 chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code, there remains 

6 a balance of funds received for the establishment of that 

7 commemorative work, the Marion Park Project and Com8 mittee of the Palmetto Conservation Foundation shall 

9 transmit the amount of the balance to the Secretary of 

10 the Treasury for deposit in the account provided for in 

11 section 8906(b)(1) of such title. 

12 (f) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this section, 

13 the terms ‘‘commemorative work’’ and ‘‘the District of Co14 lumbia and its environs’’ have the meanings given to such 

15 terms in section 8902(a) of title 40, United States Code. 

Æ 


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