The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-01-29

.TCHMAN AND SOJ
swamp and prepared to enjoy sea
son Of actual rest.
A surprise, however, was in atort
for Marion and his officers, in the
shape of an express from Governor
Rutledge with a generals commits
sion for Colonel Marion and fui
eolonelcies for his two captains
But there was not a man added to
the force nor a dollar to their ex-
chequer Marion called his officers
about him and told them the gov
ernor had given them dominion over
the land and sea from Charleston to
Georgetown, and thence westerl y tc
Camden and back to Charleston
again, if the could take it from the
British, which they must now pro
ceed to do. And, said he: "We
are to be generals and colonies now
from this time forth and forever" "
The chivalry of Georgetown and
its vicinity now focked to the stan
dard and the camp OF Marion. anx-
ious to be enrolled upon his staff, or
to enlist in the ranks and participate
in the crusades of "Nlarion's men. -
Their numbers were increased by
new enlistments, and notwithstand.
ing the proclamations of Lord Corn
wallis and the cruelties of his ode
luded followers as Marion styled
the tories, "Marion's men" were a
constant menace and terror to the
British forces to the very close of
the war
"The British soldier trembled
When Marion's name was told"
MARION FLIGHT TO NORTH CAROLINA.
Early in December, 1880, Corn
wallis determined, if possible, to cut
short the career of Marion, and de.
spatchcd Lieutenant-Colo onel Tarleton
with superior force, which was to
have been joined by a legion from
Camden for the purpose But
Marion got wind of the matter and
sent Major James to reconnoitre
James reported the enemy in such
force that an order was promptly
given to break camp and fall back to
Lynch's Creek. and the next evening
Marion commenced his flight to
North Carolina" accompanied by
only sixty men, pitching his camp
finally near the head of Waccamaw.
In the meantime he had sent his men
back to South Carolina to rally the
militia prepared to rejoin him on
signal, and determined on his part to
decoy Tarleton into some morass
where his cavalry and artillery would
be of no avail, and, perhaps, take
him back prisoner.
This brief campaign of December,
1880, proved to be one of the most
active of tb~ war. Taking advan-
tage of the sence Of Marion, the
Tories and their allies had committed
every description of outrage upon
the people, and especially upon such
as were attainted of treason, The
result was, that as soon as Marion's
signals had been given out, the little
"brigade" seemed to rise up out of
the very earth, with the face Of
every man turned toward Shows
island.
s'Esch valley, each sequestered glen,
Sent forth its little band o. men,"
And Marion and his captains in
their turn, fighting their way back as
they had opportunity, were soon
under the leafy canopy of the rem
devious Several of these running
engagements were of signal impor-
tance The whole south state seem
ed to be aroused, and CORVALLIS
sent an express to recall Colonel
Tarleton from his fruitless beating of
the bushes and marshes in scare h for
Marion, who, he said, "has so
wrought upon the minds. Of the peo-
pie that there is scarcely an inhabi-
tant between the Santee and Pedee
that is not in arms against US Some
parties have even crossed the Santee
and carried terror to the gates of
Charleston
Tarleton, already jaded out and
sick of his muddy chase Of Marion,
and discouraged at the sight of COX
swamp" to which he had been lured,
was only too happy to obey the sum-
mons; and, turning to his men, ex-
claimed: "Come, boys, let us go
back We will soon find the Game
Cock (Sumter), but as for this ID
Scamp Foe, the devil himself
couldn't catch him.
1t was from this circumstance, it is
said, that Sumter and Marion de-
rived the popular appellations by