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November Historical Highlight
Colonel Francis Marion, "The Swamp Fox"
Francis Marion, nicknamed the "Swamp Fox" and known for his daring feats as a military leader in the swamps and backwoods of South Carolina, remains one of America's most prominent military figures and a forefather of modern military tactics.
Growing up in colonial South Carolina, Francis Marion was exposed to a variety of cultures and experiences as a young boy. He learned to speak both French and English, studied hard in school, and sought adventure wherever he could. After surviving a harrowing shipwreck in the Caribbean when he was 15, Marion decided upon his return to joined the South Carolina Militia in January of 1757. While battling Native Americans in the state for several years, Marion studied the natives' tactics and their uncanny ability to use dense forest and swamp to outmaneuver and ambush colonial militias time after time. It was these skills, knowing to use terrain and a superior knowledge of the countryside to surprise the enemy, that would prove so useful years later against the British.
After the colonies declared their independence from the English Crown, Marion was commissioned as captain of the militia and helped capture several British forts around Charleston at the start of the Revolutionary War. He was then promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the Continental Army, where he continued to serve for several years.
However, after South Carolina fell to British control in May of 1780, Marion's military prowess truly became evident. Rather than retreating northward with the rest of the Continental Army, Marion rallied a small group of hardened veterans and withdrew into the thick swamps and forests of the South Carolina wilderness. In August of that year, he succeeded in attacking a British encampment and rescued 150 American prisoners. Using the tactics he learned from Native American warriors, Marion continued to raid British outposts and evade capture for the remainder of the war. After one particularly daring raid and the ensuing 26 mile chase of Marion and his marauders, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton exclaimed, "As for this old fox, the Devil himself could not catch him." This statement elevated Marion to an almost mythical status in the minds of many South Carolinians and left him with a nickname that lives on to this day.
After the war, Francis Marion returned to the quiet life of farming also helped write South Carolina's state constitution. He died in February 1795. Though Francis Marion never commanded a large army or fought in a major battle, he was an important player in the Revolutionary War due to his success in keeping the cause of independence alive in the South. His novel tactics, so effective against the British army, continue to be practiced today by the Special Forces units of the U.S. military.
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