The last we knew it was February 11, 1781 and Francis Marion had received a letter that said Thomas Sumter was back in action and that the Gamecock was the highest ranking officer in the state. Sumter was not happy that Daniel Morgan had been given permission by the Continental Army to operate in the Catawba region of SC and made it look easy by what he pulled off at Cowpens, SC.
What has to be remembered is that the united States (emphasizing the thirteen sovereign states) under the Articles of Confederation which was to be formally ratified the next month (March 1781) did not give the federation's government power over the state's armed forces. Sumter was senior to Marion in the SC State militia even though Marion still held a commission in the Continental Army and Sumter had resigned his in 1778. At this point, recently promoted Andrew Pickens and Francis Marion would be reporting to Thomas Sumter who reported to the SC governor in exile John Rutledge.
1) With Cornwallis chasing Greene and Lee in NC, Sumter directed Marion to assist him in attacking smaller British outposts in SC. Sumter had just laid siege to Fort Granby on the Congaree River on Feb 19th. Sumter had wanted Marion's actions to distract Rawdon, Brit officer in charge at Camden, SC. Unknown to Sumter was that Rowden was on the move and had forced Marion to retreat 20 miles right after Marion had tried to recruit more men west of the Santee. Marion did not do well because a rogue Whig militia leader named Snipes had been plundering the civilian areas telling people he was under orders from Marion! Marion countered by re-emphasizing his philosophy of no looting and no taking provisions from plantations without direct orders from himself. He also published a proclamation that said unidentified parties not associated with his militia would be identified by name and at that time all would be free to put them to death without prosecution. It had come to that.
2) Marion then moved back to Snow's Island with Rowden in pursuit. The "Swamp Fox" was almost caught when Rowden was directed to go after Sumter who was threatening Ninety-Six. In Rowden's reports he lists Marion's strength at 300 and all mounted. It wasn't until Feb 26th that Marion received Sumter's orders from a letter dated Feb 20th. In the mean time Sumter had given up a siege of Fort Granby which he attempted without artillery and also an aborted effort to storm a stockade at Belleville SC. Marion responded that the British pressure was too great to his west at this time but would venture out at the next opportunity. Marion was not enthusiastic about Sumter, considered him a showboater and word of his recent attacks seemed like a fools errand. Marion knew his men did not like being at large distances from home but Marion saw this as an order and moved somewhat slowly 100 miles west toward Sumter.
3) Sumter was impatient and struck at Fort Watson on Feb 28th but called off action after 18 of his men were killed. Sumter again penned a letter emphasizing that Marion needed to connect with him but then on March 1st Sumter heard of a British until heading his way so he retreated to the High Hills region above the Santee, grabbed his paralytic wife and their son and rode another 40 miles to Black River at Bradley's Plantation. More than likely Sumter and Marion passed each other in the night and did not know it.
4) Sumter then penned another letter on March 4th expressing disappointment that they could not connect when there was such a need to have a combined force. Sumter waited one more day then took his 250 men further north running into a British force under Fraser dispatched by Rowdon to go after Sumter before he could connect with Marion. Heavy casualties were experienced by Sumter's men so he retreated to the Waxhaws region in NC. Sumter's men were greatly disillusioned by the whole campaign and did not hold Sumter in high regard. Sumter had a long talk with his militia and released them for spring plowing. In communique to Greene, Sumter blamed the poor show on Marion's non-appearance/assistance. Sumter took his family to near Charlotte, NC to recover, psychologically.
5) Greene was able to out pace Cornwallis to the Dan River and was resupplied and back in NC with Lee, Pickens and William Washington. This meant that Marion was on his own and Rawdon in a March 7th communique was set to get the fox once and for all. Rowdon assigned John Watson, 32 year old who was a Lt. Col in the 3rd Reg. of Foot Guards (Scots) who had opted for war in America to escape gambling debts. He had served three years in the North before arriving in Dec 1780 in Charleston. It seemed that no British commander wanted this guy as he had a reputation that he was difficult to work with. Being unfamiliar with Southern terrain and guerrilla warfare Watson asked a British office for advice. All he received was a shrugging of shoulders. Watson had been dropped off with his men in the region near Nelson's Ferry on Christmas Day 1780 and proceeded to build an outpost and name it after himself. This was one of the fortifications Sumter tried to take on his unsuccessful expedition in February 1781. In an attempted pincer movement, Watson would confront Marion from the front and another Brit unit under Doyle would attach toward Snow's Island at Marion's rear. Watson had 500 men and two "3 pounders" called grasshoppers while leaving only 40 men at his fort. Marion's 300-400 mounted force was not that far away and was alerted by a scout.
6) Marion moved his men to a causeway in the swamp and Watson getting plenty of intel as well met him there where the two of them met and stared at each other across the causeway for a time in a "high-noon" showdown. Watson dispatched a former Whig militia member who had his home plundered by rebels and was now a staunch Tory lead the charge. Marion had his men retreat several hundred yards so when the Tory thought he would see confusion, all he saw was Marion's men on horseback ready for attack. Back across the causeway the fight moved only to have Marion's men have their first experience with cannon grapeshot. At this point Watson sent the dragoons in to push back the rebels. At this point a Private of gigantic size slew two Tories and dragged one more 50 years before finishing him off. Marion then sent in cavalry charge ... and Watson countered with infantry and a bayonet charge. This too was a first time experience for Marion's militia and he ordered a retreat from Wyboo Swamp. The following two weeks the British superior force would try and bring a decisive battle. It was also during Marion's So-Called Bridges Campaign that he would morph from pure guerrilla tactics towards more conventional tactics.
Snippet 14B will be used to wrap up this chapter 14 which includes Marion attempting prisoner exchange in order to have released four named men (in exchange for 33 British/Tories) .. one of which was the father (in his 60s and ailing) of two militia members who was taken from his plantation and imprisoned near Georgetown.
Never a dull moment!
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