Transition Towards Peace - But One Last Battle
Getting closer ... the author goes on a bit of a rabbit trail in sharing what happened in August 1782 when John Laurens, the most esteemed man of the war died in a small skirmish 50 miles from Charleston with the Brits. This late in the war it is tough to lose men when it makes no strategic difference. Laurens was brave and reckless in 1779 at Savannah, as an aide to George Washington, at Redoubt #10 at Yorktown and helped negotiate the British surrender there, trying to oust the Brits from Johns Island in Charleston harbor in January 1782, took a seat at Jacksonboro and attempted to arm slaves for the fight yet to come and then took over Light Horse Harry Lee's troops .. all without pay. The "golden boy" of the Revolutionary War, he had no faults according to George Washington.
1) Two days after Laurens' death, Marion's men came across the Black Dragoons, former slaves under African American officers fighting for the British and "cut them to pieces". Sad when it seems that politicians were dragging their feet thousands of miles away while people re still dying. Marion himself was occupying the deserted plantation of the loyalist Colleton at Wadboo Barony, a 12,000 acre spread with a castle for a house. Marion and his men (including 40 former Tories) were without horses to save expenses as the war was winding down when Brit Thomas Fraser with 100 cavalry found himself in the neighborhood. Marion was able to station his men under cedar trees that had not been trimmed in some time (the owner living in London) while a few men with horses went out towards Fraser. Fraser gave chase and the men came back to the ambush zone in the cedar trees which resulted in 20 shot and four killed including the captain who led the charge however Marion's ammo wagon was captured by the Brits. Marion had only a few men wounded. This was to be Marion's last engagement in the field. Greene offered his congrats as did George Washington.
2) Marion stayed at this location for a few months but felt disconnected from Greene who was northwest of Charleston 50 miles away. By October 1782 there was a treaty with the Cherokees. By November there were preliminary peace papers signed in Paris. Also at this time there were large British shims in Charleston Harbor. Greene and Leslie agreed that the Brits could leave unmolested if they left without burning the town. On December 14th 1782 the British forces departed Gadsden Wharf with 4000 loyalists and 5000 slaves (to be used as slaves elsewhere) departing for Florida, Jamaica, NYC, Nova Scotia and England. The Continentals entered Charleston and escorted Gov. Matthews while the city celebrated WITHOUT the militia. It was agreed to keep the militia out of Charleston for fear of violence with the loyalists. Greene indicated that Marion could come with 3 or 4 friends but Marion noticed a slight when he saw one and begged off saying he did not want to catch smallpox there. Greene gave permission for Marion to dismiss the militia once the Brits set sail and so in a simple ceremony Marion did just that at a small ceremony at the Cedars at Colleton's plantation after which Marion rode off on the horse Ball that was captured at Black Mingo a couple years prior and he returned to his Pond Bluff plantation.
The fighting has ceased, it is time to count what was won and what was lost. That will be addressed in the last snippet #26.
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