The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1910-08-11
IN MARION'S RENDEZVOUS.
Rev. W. c. Kirkland Visits
Lower Marion and Secures
Severa. Interesting Relics
of the Revolution. A
Gourd from which Marion
Drank Honey Secured for
Wofford Library.

WOIIOfd LIBRARY.
every child Of ychool age in Ma
rion county knows ;ha, Woodbury.
and BrittOns Neck townships in the
to"cr end Of Marion abound in
history because ii was her" that
Francis Marion, Known as I'll. swan
FoN III the histcr! oi the Revolution
recruited his armies and sought
refuge when closely pursued by
overwhelming forces. Recently Rev
w. G. Kirkland visited this very
interesting spo, and succeeded in
"htairing from one Of the older res
ideHis some very interesting relics
of the Revolution. Speaking of
his trip Mr.. kirkland says.
During the last of July | had d
stay of Il few day, in the lower part
Of Marion county. The two Pee
DCes come together about 40 II les
below the city Df Marion. For me
distance from the junction OF the
two rivers the neck Of land is mar
now but il is land full of interest,
d idhu vi HiSNcIN ana lIaultlon. Al
one time that was beyond all ques-
uon the best part OF the county. One
hundred years ago ii was the head
wealth and aristocracy. This section
embraces two long narrow town
bury
lust about where the two town
ships come together is the now his
toric Dunham's Bluff. This bluff
is on the Big Pee Dee, 90 miles
from Marion. The boats from Geo
rgetown land hundreds Of tons of
fertilizers there every year. Stand
ing on this bluff | couldsee Shows
island across the river. Two miles
above the Bluff Lynchcs River same
into the Pee Dee. and about miles
below Bears Creek comes in. The
enclosure is said TO contain about
p 10000 acres of almost impenetrab ble'
swamp and was the hiding palce of
Marion and his men. This Shows
isalnd was sorroundcd by wealthy
and patriotic Americans who kept
the soldiers supplied and who acted
as spies for them when they were
in retreat. At Dunhams Bluff there,
is still to be seen one of Marion's
breastworks. |: gave me strange
sensation when got down and
stood behind il. 1t was evidently ,
strategic point. Tic Americans
were completely hidden behindthe
f,,,. =
landed on that Bluff there vas alb
solutely no way to escape in safety.
Not far from this place cut
half a dozen beautiful cat tails and
soon afterward young man showed
me two old coins that he had picked
up in the ncighborhood Il little olw-
er down. One was an American
coin with the date completely worn
away. The other was British
coin Of 1854. was fortunate in
being able to M. these coins. /
viii lay them up as Il memorial of
my first getting on the actual trail
of Francis Marion.
also met a Mr.. Joseph WOODBURY.
whose great grandfather, Richard
Woodbury., was one of Marion's
men. When Marion was III Shows
Island where he entertained the
British officer on potatoes, Rich
ard Woodbury. on one occasion car
ried him little gourd full of ho-
hey. This gourd has long been
considered a precious memento of
the Revolution. 1t has been hand
ed down always to the youngest son
and they have repeatedly refused
various sums of money for it. I
pointed out to Mr.. Woodbury. the
Importance of placing it in some mu
sieum where it would be better pro
tected from destruction from fire
or in some other way OF course I
thought OF the new fire proof Ii
brary at Wofford College which
has Just been completed at a cost
OF $4,000 where we already lave
great many collections Of histori-
cal value. Mr.. Woodbury. kindly
gave me the goUrd that mig
place IL NJ. Woffpr6 ~-----