Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-11-21


Mt. Romance aud tradition have extended
the fame Of those wonderful exploits Of
Marion In regions Of bog and briar which
drew from his bnfled enemy, Tarlcton, tho
expression. "As for this swamp fox, the
devil himself couldn't catch him" and II
the widely credited stories Of those exploits
sfe not true In every detail. or nrc too
highly colorcd. they are Characteristic and
deal with strong aud picturesque side OF
the life OF ono % the most sublime aud
daring heroes Of the south.
Marion ~ n certain stage OF his career
was swamp Fox" and conducted an ir-
regular warfare, but his methods were
snlted to the region OF his campaigns aud
to the nature Of his enemy Iu point OF
fact be passed but an Insignificant portion
II his service In independent warfare, and
was almost constantly acting 10 the regu'
lar ranks Of the Revolutionary army.
Before the Revolution Marion distinguish.
ed himself IA q soldier, aud In the Cherokee
war virtually won a battle BY leading a for
lorn hope OF 10 men TO storm the key
point Of the Indian position. After that he
served In the provincial congress, and In the
hrst regiment Of Revolutionary volunteers
organized In bis district wa. elected cap.
tain. In the desperate battles around
Charleston and Savannah and In the cam
pnigns Of the south, from iiIj 10 i'ip, hc
won promotion step by step until he be-
came colonel and was for time second Ia
command TO Gen. Lincoln. the American
leader In the south.
by a fortunate accident In Charleston
before the British lines closed around Il,
he broke Quo Of his legs and went away 70
his home In the interior. and 40 escaped
a. "A 80 L.. "A
Other military disasters soon followed tho
surrender OF Charleston and In few
weeks there was not an armed body Of
Americans 10 the field Ia South Carolina.
Meanwhile Marion had recovered from his
hurt, and Governor Rutledge placed him
IN command OF district that was rising
u arms against British oppression. The
oppression was not imaginary but rchl, II
was not tho menace " laws passed away
over the sea. but tho hand Of tyranny felt
daily nj home. The kings ofiicer-, after
prevailing upon tho inhabitants by peace.
ful proclamAtions 20 lay down their arms
as patriots, demanded that they take them
up again IA British soldiers and fight
against their brethren. The people Of a
large district known "a Williamsburgh.
learning that Marion was under way 20
head an uprising, boldly refused To obey
the kings minions and secretly organized
four companies under the title Of "Marlon's
brigade
Il was this force, Aitorward increased o.
depleted according To luck or necessity,
that Marion handled with disturbing effect
on the British, using the swamps u tho
central river region now us an ambush,
now a. lair. with these men. dispersed
IN crises of grave danger aud summoned
10 arms again At the moment Of oppor.
tunlty. Marion cut oh supplies from tho
foreign armies IN South Carolina, brokeup
the haunts Of Tory adhcrcuts Of tho hate,
ful rule. captured scouting parties and dis.
patch bearers, and In a dozen ways con.
vIuced the enemy that conquest u the soil
didn't includcthcsu hjugation Of the people.
Marion's brigade undoubtedly gave the
British ample cause To stigmntiEe II ~ a
hand Of outlaws, AZ least ample from a
British point Of view. The men weru not
uniformed and were armed with rude
weapons, their sabers being wrought out
Of saws taken from mills lying In the enc.
my'a districts. Marion himself had no
regmentAls until he secured them by the
recapture Of some supplies at a British
post, The warfare he wugrd was emhit.
tered by the activity Of the Tory lnhabt-
ants, who, backed by the kings forces.
were guilty u namelcss cruoltles toward