Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-01-05
A FAMOUS STORY.

story and OF song been written. Yet he
was far from toim9 of romantic turn.
.inlsclf. for he was one of the plancst and
most practical of men. But such a fighter!
fully rs much Of truth as of poetry was
here in this bit from what was once the
tar defamation of patriotic southern
:thoolboys:
Our band is few, but true and tried,
Our leader flank and bpll.
The Fri lsh soldier II CmblCs
When Marion : name is told.
This was literally n fact. Marion was
the terror OF the whole British army. At
one time the very mention of his name
put IL force of 200 or 300 soldiers to rout.
Marion himself had on this occasion not
more than dozen men.
In Summervillc, :. c., lives the nearest
surviving relative of General Marion, "a
great -grandniece, Mrs. Frank Fishburne.
In her possession are many of the personal
articles and other reminders of the famous
general. Among them is large oil paint
ing of Marion in the act of dining the
British officer on sweet potatoes, and sweet
potat- cs alone, under the shade of the
mammoth oak This hoary monarch of
the Carolina forests is still standing at
spot about nine miles from Summerville
and just in the rear of Ingleside. an old
colonial home belonging to the Parker
family also distinguished in Revolutionary
annals. 1t is in fair state of preserva-
ton, despite the ravages made upon it by
the relic hunter A Chicago Record writer
saw it but short time ago.
After the defeat of the American army
and the death of De Kalb Marion turned
upon the enemy with the desperation of u
wounded tiger. No one dreamed that he
| could win The odds were desperate
How was it possible to bring victory out
of such utter decentralization? But it was
done, rs history shows.
1t was during one of Marion bivouacs
/ in the swamps of the Santee that the Incl
! dent of the potato dinner occurred He
was awaiting flag of truce from the Brit
ish ut Georgetown, so as to make arrange
ments with reference to the exchange of
prisoners The bearer of the flag was a
young British officer of note. He came to
the conference with the renowned leader,
his mind filled with the most wildly col
ored pictures as to his appearance and sur
roundings What, then was his astonish-
mcnt on being conducted into the presence
of small swarthy, thin faced man, not
only clad in homespun, but ragged home
spun ut that. And insteac! OF the mag
nitcent army he had expected to see there
i was comparatively but q handful of rag
gcd, barcfooted, sun tanned men and boys
many of them only 10 and Ii years old,
At the close of the conference the officer
arose to depart.
"Ok, no, said Marion Hospitality. DO
not leave until you have had dinner We
are about To dine VIII you not share our
dinner with u.s.
The officer looked around. but saw no
preparation for n meal. Where could the
dinner be?
sit down, sir ~ said the general again
courteously and made room for him on
the same extended bough Of the tree where
he sat Then to u negro boy who stood
near he said;
Come Tom, give us our dinner
The boy raked from the ashes near by II
/ half dozen sweet potatoes roasted with
their jackets ON, He pinched them to sec
i if they were done. Then, cleaning them,
partly by blowing on them with his breath
and Partly by wiping them on the sleeve
of his shirt, he placed them upon large
piece of bark and set them between the
general and his guest
The young officer stared in astonish-
ment. Could this really be the dinner Of
the great Marion
! Come, sir, said the general pleasant
| ly, noting with some amusement the
amazed expression upon the face of his
| guest, fall to- You do not seem to be
hungry" !
Recovering his manners, the young
officer helped himself to one of the pota-
toes, but made a very poor attempt at eat
ing.
Il fear such as this doesn t tempt your
] .,,.il ~, hI,t i
I the best we have"
Suddenly to the generals astonish-
ment, the Young officer broke into laugh
/ ter.
why, what amuseS you, sir
II was thinking general, how our men
would look if they had to sit down to such
dinner as this
1t is first rate dinner indeed, said
the general, hungrily devouring his potato.
But surely, general, you usually have
better than this
NO" said Marion decidedly, this is
about the best. Generally we have worse.
but you get good pay"
Pay, SIR Pay, did you say? Well.
/ sir, that is something we don't get at all
"No pay, and such fare as this! Then
in heavens name, sir, for what are you
/ fghting>'
"ror what are we fghting?" repeated
Marion, his eyes on fire. "Why, sir, for
that dearcr than lie itself-for liberty
The conversation between the young
officer and Colonel Watson, the British
commander Mt Georgetown, on the return
of the former from Marion's camp, has OF
ten been quoted.
why, asked Colonel Watson, do you
look 50 scrous?"
"a have cause, sir"
What! Has General Marion refused to
| trcat?'
"No, So.
"Well, has old Washington defeated
! Clinton and broken up our army?'
"Not that either"
"What, them
"Well, sir, it is that I have seen al
American general and officers, without
nl, ,i k..llt cl..t hog Ii