The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-07-25

Tcau ny MISS hOuSc, UCIOTc tuc nc
bccca Motto Chapter, Daughters Of
the American Revolution, at their
May meeting, 1900:
Madame Regent and Fellow Sisters
Of the Rcbccca Motto Chapter Of the
Daughters Of the American Rcvolu
ton:
On every heart is written the name
Of some locality or hero, hence it is
with much pleasure that | recall the
life of one in whom was embodied the
highest type of our State pride, cl.af-
actcr and influence, viz: Francis
Marion. lie was born on the banks
of Winyah Bay, Georgetown, S. c.,
in 1892, and for the first twelve years
Of his life frail little fellow was he;
but, with increasing health, a longing
for the sea came 'cr him, and at six
teen he came to this city and sailed
for the West Indies. The ocean did
not prove as friendly as at Winyah
and the vessel sank to the bottom Of
the sea. Minus food and clothing, he
escaped with the crew in life boat
and thus remained for six days, when
a passing vessel picked him up. Saved
thus from the pcrils Of the deep, he
returned to his mother, deciding to
5cooc." planter, and for the next
decade followed the life of an ordinary
farmer, when call to arms against
the Chcrokees on the Carolina border
awakened his slumbcring, vcnturcsomc
spirit, and he was among the first Of
the volunteer mounted men, under
command of his brother, Isaac. Again
and again he passed through similar
encounters, and in the battle of
Etchoee he was one of the few surviv
ors. True, he fought to conquer,
but it was with regret that he bchcld
the ruin Of the crude Indian huts and
corn fields as the following extract
from letter to friend will attest:
II saw everywhere around the foot
steps Of the little Indian children,
whoro they had iutciy played under
the shelter Of the rustling corn.
When we are gone they will return,
and, pceping through the weeds, with
fearful eyes, will mark the ghastly
ruin poured over their homes and
happy fields where they had often
played. who did tLis?' they will
ask their mothers The white peo-
ple-the Christians did it, will be
the reply
At the commencement of the Kevo-
luton, in 1875, when provincial
Congress OF Republicans was organ
ized to oppose governmental oppres-
sion, Marion was elected to represent
the Parish Of St. Johns, Berkeley,
and in the military organization which
followed he was appointed captain
in the company Of which William
Moultrie was colonel. With his
friend, Peter Horny, he began re-
cruiting, and it is not surprising that
they incited so much enthusiasm, for,
dressed in bright uniforms and wear
ing helmet-shaped leather caps, bear
ing silver cross with the immortal
words Of Patrick Henry, Liberty or
death" they came to Charleston with
ono hundred men to commence re-
sistance to Great Britain. They were
dispatched with their companies to
James Island to capture the British
fort, johnson, which they did in
lew hours. A heavy battery was then
erected on lIaddrcll's Point, and
fort commenced on Sullivan's Island
by Moultric. At Dorchester a mill
tary post was established where the
public stores and records were taken
Tor preservation, and Marion, who had
been promoted in his regiment, as
sumed charge.
lie was not destined to remain mac
tive for any length of time, and carly
in 1916, with the commission of
major, he appeared on Sullivan's
Island to defend the unfinished fort,
(built mainly Of palmetto logs,) against
.hc powerful British fleet. I quote:
The British feet appeared off
Charleston Bar on the 4th Of June,
and on the same day Gen. Charles Lee
arrived from the North to take the
chief command Of the Southern army
of patriots. Several hundred British
troops landed on Long Island, east
ward of Sullivan's Island, with the
design Of attacking Fort Sullivan
simultaneously with that Of the feet.
In the meantime the militia focked
into Charleston and every available
point around .hc h.-ho- =ss fortified.
Three weeks wore away, and then the