The Swamp Fox (Recap #9)

Series of Recaps on the book:

The Swamp Fox - How Francis Marion Saved the American Revolution

9th incremental recap - Chap 9

So from August to October 1780, Marion never had more than 70 men at one time to engage the enemy and at times had only a dozen.

It had been over a month since he received any communication from Gen. Gates whose forces were in NC ... even after multiple letters.

It was harvest time and Marion was frustrated by the militia who came and went as their families/farms needed them.

1) Marion asked for 100 troops from Gates to engage the coastal port of Georgetown where the Brits were entrenched. Not hearing a thing he decided to probe Georgetown with 40 men on horseback .. on Oct 9th he entered the city without an issue, demanded surrender of the Brit garrison but got the refusal he expected and saw the fortification too intense for his force, but to get the Brit's attention he made off with some of the enemy's horses and equipment as well as capturing several Tory military men (immediately paroled to their homes). This would help keep resources there to defend the 2nd largest city in SC.

2) A separate advance guard of Marion's men was able to kill Tory leaders Ganey's Lt. and also chased down Ganey himslef where one of the three prisoners rescued from Nelson's Ferry (3% - er) bayoneted him leaving the bayonet in him .. although Marion thought he was mortally wounded, he actually recovered after several months.

3) Marion finally hears from Gates to keep up the harassment of the Brits in the SC lowcountry. Marion then set his sights on a 100-man force up in the high hills of the Santee near Camden (where Cornwallis thought a 500-man unity could be raised). Led by Major John Harrison, who had assisted by ratting out patriot homes during the 70-mile Weymss "total war" sweep, needed to be chastised according to Marion. The volunteer militia did not respond well to that so an alternate target had to be sought out.

4) October 24th a patrol indicated that 200-man force was encamped near Tearcoat Swamp led by Colonel Samuel Tynes, a VAA born man of 30 yo. Tynes was a patriot until Charleston fell and he switch to be a Tory. This group had stocked up on guns, ammo and equipment and Marion accomplished another Black Mingo strategy .. let his force sleep until midnight, then wake his men up and surprise the enemy with a three prong attack. Marion used youths to scout the encampment first to ensure they were lax in manning the night guard duty. Eighty horses w/ bridles and saddles, muskets, ammo, food. Tory forces had 6 dead, 14 wounded and 23 captured (Marion lost no men and only two horses). Tynes got away but Marion sent a posse (led by Capt. William Clay Snipes) to track him down toward the man's home and they came back with Tynes, two other Tory officers and two justices of the peace in custody. Marion sent them to NC and settled into winter camp at Witherspoon's Ferry.

5) The Brits did not like this "gap" in their supply line, to sustain Cornwallis inland, they could not use the Santee .. and had to supply from Charleston or Georgetown mainly overland in a wide arc to avoid Marion's reach. Marion was bleeding the British to death by a thousand cuts.

Chap 9 finished ... 81 pages down ..

dad

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