Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-12-04
NO. 2s7.
Tales and Sketehes.
MARION AND HIS MEN.

II is said that Marion often cncamped at
The Oaks, the owners, the Middletons.
having been from the first devoted patriots.
And this brings up again Marion and
Marion's men, a little band who probably
never dreamed that they were to 90 down
on the pages OF history embalmed in poetry
and romance and songs. figures strong in
local South Carolina coloring, and yet
known all over the country almost as
widely as George Washington himself
Gen. Francis Marion, who, as the angry
and harrassed British officer complained,
would not fight like Christian and
gentleman belonged to the Huguenot
colony of the Santee, north Of Charleston.
the same Santee that owned those High
Hills On the formation of the Revolu-
tionary army of Carolina, Marion was
made captain in the regiment CON-
manded by Moultrie he rose 10 Colo
nelcy before the evacuation of Charleston,
and, escaping the fate of prisoner of war
which fell TO Moultrie and many other
officers, he collected the fragments of his
regiment together in the recesses of the
swamps, and from that moment became
dread to the whole British army in the
South. Marion/made war in his own way;
he was like meteor in the night. and the
successes gained by his extraordinary swift
ness and daring seemed marvellous alike To
friend and foe. He selected young men for
his band, generally from his own neigh
bors, of French descent; he lived in the
swamps; he swan rivers on horseback
his favorite encampment was cane-brake.
He did not wait for all his troops but sailed
A,,t xrif1, fon txxyol he,
took saws from the mills and turned them
into swords; he frequently engaged when
he had but three rounds to a man. Scouts
were kept out constantly, and when word
was brought in of a small party of the en-
emy anywhere, then forth went Marion's
men, like lightning, after them. 1t was
said that he was so secret in his plans that
his own soldiers had no idea when they
were to be called out. and that their only
way of knowing was to watch the negro
cook; when the old man was seen cook
ing little store of the poor food which
was their only fare, then they prepared
for departure. Marion's favorite time for
starting was sunset. and then the march
lasted all night. Mar:on's men-brave,
shoeless, ragged, blanketless, gallant little
band-the following is a verse Of one OF
the many songs that were made about
you:
"Our band is few, but true and tried
Our leader swift and bold;
The British soldier trembles
When Maron's name is told.
Our fortress is the good greenwood,
| Our tent the cypress tree
| We know the forest round US
| As seamen know the sea;
| We know its walls of thorny vines,
Its glades of reedy grass,
Its safe and silent islands
Within the dark morass.-BRYANT.
1t is said that Cornwallis had an especial
fear of Marion, and never sat down in any
strange house in the neighborhood of
Charleston, but always on u piazza or un
der tree, that with his own eyes he could
watch for the swilt-darting. Poor Corn
wallis what joy swept over the country
when he was taken Even the Dutch
watchmen of Philadelphia called the news
| after midnight, "Bast twelfe o'clock, and
Corvallis es dagen !'-Harper's Maga-
| zine.