Francis Marion
Francis Marion was a notable military figure during the American Revolution, serving as a captain in the South Carolina Second Regiment. He made his mark early in the war by firing the last shot at the British fleet during the Siege of Charleston in 1776. After the British captured Charleston in 1780, Marion became a lieutenant colonel and took on the role of a military scout in the lowland areas of South Carolina. He organized a group known as Marion's Brigade, which utilized guerrilla tactics and intelligence from local scouts to launch surprise attacks against British forces, earning him the nickname "Swamp Fox." His strategic actions were crucial in preventing British dominance in the South, particularly during the battle at Eutaw Springs in 1781. Following the war, Marion continued to serve in various capacities within the state militia and held several political positions while focusing on rebuilding his plantation. His legacy has been preserved through stories and accounts from his contemporaries, maintaining his reputation for over two centuries.
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Subject Terms
Francis Marion
Armed Forces Personnel
- Born: 1732
- Birthplace: Winyah Bay, near Georgetown, South Carolina
- Died: February 27, 1795
- Place of death: Pond Bluff, South Carolina
Also known as: Swamp Fox
Born: 1732; Winyah Bay, near Georgetown, South Carolina
Died: February 27, 1795; Pond Bluff, South Carolina
Principal war: American Revolution
Principal battles: Charleston (1776), Eutaw Springs (1781)
Military significance: In 1780, he formed Marion’s Brigade, a band of volunteers whose guerrilla activities served to frustrate British attempts to control the south after the fall of Charleston.
Francis Marion was a captain in the South Carolina Second Regiment at the outbreak of the American Revolution (1775–1783). In 1776, at Charleston, he fired the last shot at the retreating British fleet. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Continental Establishment, a rank he held when he avoided being taken prisoner after Charleston fell to the British in 1780.
Marion’s attempt to attach a small band of rebels to the Southern Army was tepidly received by General Horatio Gates, and Marion served as a military scout in the South Carolina lowlands, where he organized Marion’s Brigade in 1780. Engaging in skirmishes using military intelligence gained from his scouts and a network of informers, Marion craftily attacked the British forces, emerging from and disappearing into the swamps in such a fashion that he was called the “Swamp Fox.” On September 8, 1781, he played an important role in the battle at Eutaw Springs, South Carolina. His attacks played an important role in keeping the British from dominating the south.
After the revolution, Marion served in the state militia, held several political offices, and concentrated on rebuilding his plantation. Marion’s legend, enhanced by his comrades after his death, has remained intact for more than two centuries.
Bibliography
Bass, Robert Duncan. Swamp Fox: The Life and Campaigns of General Francis Marion. New York: Holt, 1959.
Bodie, Idella. The Revolutionary Swamp Fox. Orangeburg, S.C.: Sandlapper Store, 1999.
Holbrook, Steward Hall. The Swamp Fox of the Revolution. New York: Random House, 1959.
Rankin, Hugh F. Francis Marion: The Swamp Fox. New York: Crowell, 1973.