USA > South Carolina > Williamsburg County > History of Williamsburg; something about the people of Williamsburg County, South Carolina, from the first settlement by Europeans about 1705 until 1923. > Part 9
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General Marion buried his seventy-one dead in the field on the left hand side of the road about five hundred yards going South from Shepherd's Ferry. He interred the British dead at the Red House about one mile further South on the same side of the same road. This battle of Black Mingo resulted in the abandonment of the British
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plans for building a chain of forts through Williamsburg and was a turning point of the Revolutionary War in the South.
Captain Mouzon's and Captain James' companies from Williamsburg suffered most severely in this battle. Cap- tain Mouzon's company was almost wiped out. Captain Mouzon and Lieutenant Joseph Scott were both so severely wounded that they were rendered useless for further mili- tary service in the War and made cripples for life.
It is strange that there is no monument on this Black Mingo battlefield. It is stranger still that years ago some- body was permitted to move away for building chimneys to cabins the brick which had walled in the spot where the seventy-one of Marion's valiant dead were buried.
The Historian Simms thinks that Marion was in error in permitting his troopers to make so much noise in passing over the Black Mingo Bridge that the British at the Red House knew of his coming. Simms says Marion learned a lesson from this and henceforth whenever he crossed a bridge with cavalry his troopers covered the bridge with their saddle blankets so that the horses might pass over without making noise.
With due deference to Simms, it would seem that the noise which Marion's horses made in crossing the bridge was just exactly what the "Swamp Fox" desired. General Marion knew that the number of the British under Colonel Ball at the Red House equalled his own of Americans, and certainly Marion preferred attacking these British in the open and about the swamps to besieging them in a strong- hold. Marion's force of cavalry and riflemen would have stood little show against these British in their trenches with their excellent artillery. Colonel Ball would not have led his forces out in the open if he had known the strength of Marion's command. Colonel Ball attempted by scat- tering his forces to surround Marion and capture him, since the capture of General Marion was the one thing
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the British forces desired. This fighting of small detach- ments of troops in the swamps was Marion's strongest point. For, like Brer Rabbit, who was "born and bred in the briar patch," so Marion's men were born and bred in the swamps.
Late in September, 1780, Marion left Snow's Island and proceeded up Lynch's Creek for the purpose of driving out the British and the Tories under Colonel Harrison, who were threatening Williamsburg. While on his way, Gen- eral Marion learned that Colonel Tyrnes was at Tarcote, in the forks of Black River, where he had collected large supplies of provisions and war material. Marion's forces were sorely in need of rifles, powder, and balls, and cloth- ing, and Tyrnes was stirring up much trouble in the Black River vicinity. General Marion camped near where the town of Cades now stands while he was on his way to Tarcote. His camping there gave the name "Camp Branch" to that vicinity for a hundred years. From that point, General Marion proceeded on his way to Tarcote, crossing the lower ford on the North branch of Black River at Nelson's plantation, and came upon the camp of Tyrnes at midnight. Tyrnes and his Tories were enjoying them- selves. Some of them were sleeping, others were eating and drinking, and others were playing cards, but none of them were looking for the "Swamp Fox." Marion fell upon them immediately, killing twenty-six, capturing Tyrnes and two of his officers, and many of his men, without resistance on their part. Most of the Tories escaped in the swamp and never reassembled. General Marion se- cured many valuable supplies and was enabled from them to outfit his entire brigade.
A little later than this, Tarleton, with a very superior force, attempted to capture Marion, while on the South branch of Black River. The story goes that Tarleton fol- lowed up Marion for many miles until the Britisher reached Ox Swamp. Looking over the way that Marion had gone,
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this miry waste, he exclamed to his Legion. "Come, my Boys ! Let us go back. We will soon find the Game Cock, (meaning Sumter) but as for this 'Swamp Fox', the Devil himself could not catch him." It was from this expression that General Marion became known as the "Swamp Fox."
Another invasion of Williamsburg was attempted in 1781 when Lord Rawdon undertook to crush Marion in his rendezvous on Snow's Island. It was planned that Colonel Watson with a British Regiment and a large body of Loyal- ists should proceed from Fort Watson down the Santee and thence through Williamsburg, reach Snow's Island about the time that another British Regiment and a band of Tories under Colonel Doyle, which was directed to proceed by way of McCallum's Ferry and down Jeffry's Creek to the Pee Dee, where these forces under Colonel Watson and Colonel Doyle were to form a junction and take Snow's Island. Marion was advised by his scouts of these approaching British armies almost as soon as they had left Fort Watson. He hurried forward and met Colo- nel Watson at Wiboo Swamp about half way between Nel- son's and Murray's Ferries.
The first point of contact between these forces at Wiboo was that of the Tory Cavalry under Colonel Richbourgh and Marion's Cavalry under Colonel Peter Horry. These advance guards fell back on their main bodies. Finally, a troop of Tory Cavalry under Harrison attempted to pass over the narrow causeway toward Marion's army. It was here that Gavin James, a private soldier, mounted on a strong gray horse and armed with a musket and bayonet, advanced in front of his comrades directly in the path of the enemy. He fired his rifle and felled the leader and drew a volley from the platoon approaching, not a shot of which took effect. A dragoon rushed upon James but was stricken down by the bayonet, another rushed for- ward to the assistance of his comrade and shared the same
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fate, but, in falling, laid hold of the muzzle of James' mus- ket and was dragged in the retreat about fifteen yards.
Captains Macauley's and Conyers' troops of cavalry re- sisted the oncoming Tories and Captain Conyers here killed Harrison, the Tory leader. Marion's force was not sufficiently strong to resist Watson, so he withdrew, march- ing down the river. Marion contested Watson's advance again at Mount Hope in Williamsburg. He burned the bridges that crossed Mount Hope Swamp; and, while Watson's engineers were rebuilding them, his sharpshoot- ers killed and wounded many. Watson had several pieces of artillery and finally succeeded by shelling the swamps in driving out Marion's men.
Watson led his command towards the Lower Bridge. General Marion sent Major James, commanding a detach- ment of fast moving cavalry, thirty of whom were Mc- Cottry's expert riflemen, by a nearer way to the Lower Bridge. He crossed toward the King's Tree, destroyed the bridge and placed his riflemen on the North side of the River before Watson's command arrived. Later, Gen- eral Marion, having come by way of the King's Tree, re- inforced Major James at the bridge. Marion arrived before Watson.
The river at this point at the bridge is about fifty yards wide. Some distance below, it was fordable. On the southwest, the bank of the river is a high bluff; on the northeast, the land is low and swampy. Watson ap- proached the river from the southwest and opened up his field pieces upon the ford. Watson's artillery could not fire effectively upon the ford without placing their guns in a position exposed to the deadly fire of McCottry's rifle- men. Every attempt made to bring the field pieces to bear upon the low ground occupied by Marion's men resulted fatally for the artillerists. Watson attempted to rush the ford. The officer leading this forlorn hope fell from Cap- tain McCottry's rifle. Captain McCottry's first shot was
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a signal for his riflemen along the banks to fire; and, as fast as the British approached, they fell before the un- erring aim of McCottry's men. Watson was terrified at the fierce resistance that he had received. He said that he had never before seen such shooting in all of his life. At night the firing ceased and Colonel Watson retired and took up his quarters at the house of John Wither- spoon. The losses to the British in this battle have never been known to the Americans. They buried their dead in the river.
This defeat of Watson at the Lower Bridge possibly saved Marion's Brigade from destruction. Watson re- mained on the Witherspoon plantation a few days, where he was constantly harassed by Marion's forces. It was here that Sergeant McDonald climbed a tree on the Wither- spoon Avenue and shot the British Lieutenant Toriano at a distance of three hundred yards, a marvelous feat of marks- manship with a rifle at that time. Realizing that Marion was collecting sufficient forces to cross the river and at- tack, Watson proceeded by forced marches toward George- town. He was constantly annoyed on his way by troops of Marion's Brigade; and as he crossed the Sampit Bridge, was given a parting volley by McCottry's riflemen.
In the meantime, Colonel Doyle had reached Snow's Island unresisted. When General Marion set out from Snow's Island to meet Colonel Watson, he left Colonel Hugh Ervin in command. Colonel Ervin realized that he had too small a force to resist Colonel Doyle's command, so he threw all of his stores and ammunition into Lynch's Creek and retreated. By that time, Marion was hurrying toward Snow's Island, having driven Watson out of Wil- liamsburg. He arrived too late to meet Doyle; however, his brigade fired on Doyle's forces as they were crossing Witherspoon's Ferry on their way back to Camden. Soon after this time, Lee's Legion joined General Marion and
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the American cause found brighter hopes out of frequent victories.
Marion's Brigade brought light out of Williamsburg in the darkest hours of the Revolution. When Williamsburg invited General Marion to marshal its forces in the cause of Liberty, hope for independence in South Carolina had fled from all but the Scotch-Irish of Williamsburg. Out of action, which seemed suicidal, there came independence. Some time the American people will realize that Marion's campaigns in Williamsburg kept the fires of liberty burn- ing when its flames were flickering low and then lovers of patriotism will visit these unmarked shrines in Williams- burg and will then do honor by placing marble and bronze on so many places where valiant dust reposes. One might place immortelles on almost any spot in Williamsburg and the muse of history would commend.
Half a century of pioneer conditions in which Williams- burg lived, almost shut off from communication with the other parts of the world and rejoicing in the fact, had made them self-reliant, self-supporting and strong. Hunting and stalking wary game had taught them the secrets of field, forest, and stream. Rounding up horses and cattle had made them fearless riders. Marion's horsemen and their horses knew the topography of all this country and how to overcome the difficult natural conditions. Shooting squirrels, on the Santee, made many of Marion's riflemen for the Revolution.
When Williamsburg formed James' battalion, the nu- cleus of Marion's Brigade, it was equipped entirely in the district. It had the finest rifles and the best horses and the strongest men in America; and Marion's troops, from that time until the war had been practically won, were supplied largely from the resources of Williamsburg and from the material obtained by capture from the enemy.
It is true that Marion's men were sometimes poorly sup- plied with clothing and with provisions and that often
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they dressed in the skins of animals they had slain and lived on sweet potatoes and fish, and fought with swords their women had filed out of handsaws and shot the bullets these same women had moulded from their pewter spoons. Cornwallis said after the War, on being taunted on account of his inability to destroy Marion in Williamsburg, "I could not capture web-footed men who could subsist on roots and berries." He was thinking of the ability of Marion's Men to cross the swamps in Williamsburg and of their potato diet.
All of the men of Williamsburg from fifteen to sixty fought under General Marion for more than two years. The women of the district showed remarkable adaptability in doing their men's work about the home and on the plan- tation. These Williamsburg Revolutionary women deserve much notice from history. Tales of their labors, their hardships, and their triumphs have never been told. Know- ing how the average man of that time in Williamsburg dominated completely and how little exercise of discretion and authority he allowed his wife and the women of his family, it is remarkable, to say the least, how these Wil- liamsburg women apparently all at once emerged out of their restricted spheres and managed plantations and con- trolled slaves with such excellent judgment. They kept the home fires burning, the cornfields growing, and the cattle breeding.
On of the best known heroines of Revolutionary Wil- liamsburg was Margaret Gregg, wife of Captain William Gordon. For her and her soldier husband, the Margaret Gregg Gordon Chapter, Daughters of the American Revo- lution, is named. Two stories of her are told in Wallace's History of the Williamsburg Church as follows:
"Pending the predatory warfare of Hamilton, in Wil- liamsburg, a party of marauding Tories went to the house of Captain William Gordon, and commenced plundering the house. But conscience makes men cowards. The alarm
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was given, whether false or not does not appear, that the Whigs were coming, when the whole party fled. One of them becoming fastened in some way on the fence, was unable to get over. Mrs. Gordon ran and caught the fel- low, and pulling him down on her own side of the fence, detained him until help came, and he was secured.
"At another time, the free-booters came and carried off all Mr. Gordon's horses, while he was absent fighting the battles of his country. Mrs. Gordon, unable to prevent the robbery, followed the party at a distance, and observed where the horses were enclosed. That night she went alone, caught the best horse in the lot-a better than any one of her own, and mounting him rode away in safety with her reprisal."
CHAPTER XI.
WILLIAMSBURG SOLDIERS IN THE REVOLUTION.
So far as is known, all records of Marion's Brigade have been lost; indeed, it is not certain that General Marion kept any rolls of his soldiers. Tradition is full of tales of these men of valor, but it is difficult to obtain authentic information of many who must have been among them. Some years after the War, those soldiers who sub- mitted accounts for services and supplies were paid. There are a great many of these "Pay Indents" in the office of the Historical Commission of South Carolina and from these records it has been established that nearly all of the fol- lowing served under General Marion. There are a few names on the list that have other incontestable evidence to warrant their worthiness among these mighty men.
Colonels : John Baxter, Hugh Ervin, John Ervin, Archi- bald McDonald.
Majors : John James, William Buford, James Conyers, Morgan Sabb, James Postell.
Captains : John Armstrong, Philip Frierson, William Frierson, John Graham, James Green, William Gordon, John James, Hugh Knox, Andrew Lester, John Macauley, Robert McCottry, John McKenzie, John Mills, Henry Mouzon, Robert Paisley, William Spivey, John Nelson, Samuel Taylor, James Wilson, James Witherspoon, John Witherspoon, David Witherspoon, Gavin Witherspoon, Daniel Conyers, Andrew DuBose, Mark Huggins.
Lieutenants : James H. Allison, Daniel Britton, Daniel Cottingham, John Frierson, William Gamble, James Gor- don, Roger Gordon, James Hamilton, John Hinds, Alexan- der James, Thomas Kerwin, Andrew Lester, James Mc- Dowell, Hugh Postell, John Reed, Joseph Scott, John Mckenzie, James McDowell, John Wilson, William Wil- son, James Davis, William Huggins.
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Sergeants : George Frierson, Gavin James, Thomas Mc- Gee, David Simms, William Nelson.
Soldiers : Alexander Adair, Benjamin Adair, James Adair, John Adair, James Allison, James Armstrong, John Armstrong, William Armstrong, John Arnett, Fran- cis Austin, John Austin, Thomas Austin, John Anderson.
Israel Baxter, Samuel Bennett, John Blakeley, James Bradley, John Borland, John Boyd, John Bradford, Joshua Braveboy, John Brockinton, James Brown, John Brown, James Brunson, William Brunson, Joseph Bur. gess, William Burgess, John Burns, William Burrows.
David Campbell, Duncan Campbell, George Campbell, James Campbell, Thomas Campbell, William Campbell, John China, George Chandler, Isaac Chandler, Jesse Chandler, Jacob Coleman, Benjamin Coker, Nathan Coker, West Cook, William Cook, Samuel Cordes, Dill Cotting- ham, John Cunningham Thomas Clark, John Cantey, Charles Cantley, Thomas Coker, John Cousar.
John Daniel, John Davis, James Davis, Robert Davis, John Dial, John Dickey, Peter Dubose, Ben Duke, Wil- liam Duke, John Dye, Isaiah Dennis.
Daniel Eaddy, Henry Eaddy, James Ervin.
Hugh Ferguson, John Ferguson, Thomas Ferguson, James Fleming, John Fleming, William Fleming, Absalom Frierson, George Frierson, Joshua Frierson, Robert Frier- son, William Frierson, William Frierson, Jr., John Ford, William Fullwood, Moses Ferguson, James Frierson, James Fleming, Jr., Robert Fraser, William Fraser.
Hugh Gamble, James Gamble, John Gamble, Robert Gamble, Samuel Gamble, Stephen Gamble, Samuel Gar- ner, Jesse George, Richard George, William George, James Gordon, James Gibson, Robert Gibson, Roger Gibson, William Godwin, Moses Gordon, John Gordon, James Green, James Graham, William Graham, Samuel Garner, Benjamin Green, William Green, Andrew Gillespie.
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James Hamilton, John Hamilton, William Hamilton, Richard Hanna, Sr., Robert Hanna, Jr., William Hasel- den, Richard Haselden, Robert Heathley, John Huggins, James Hodge, Benjamin Hodge, William Hodge, Benja- min Howard, Edward Howard, John Hutson, William Hutson, John Howard.
Gavin James, William D. James, Robert Jamison, Na- thaniel James, David James, James James, Robert James.
Abraham Keels, Isaac Keels, John Keels, James Kelly, John Kelly, Samuel Kelly, Alexander Kennedy, James Kennedy, Joseph Kennedy, Stephen Kennedy, Thomas Kennedy, Robert Knox, Archibald Knox.
Andrew Lee, John Lee, Henry Lenud, Peter Lequex, Samuel Lequex, Daniel Lesesne, Francis Lesesne, John Lesesne, James Lester, Robert Lowry, William Lowry.
David Matthews, John Marshall, Isaac Matthews, Joseph Matthews, Samuel Matthews, William Matthews, Samuel Mayes, David McCants, John McCants, Thomas McCants, William McCants, John McCown, Samuel McCown, Moses McCown, John McCreary, James McCreight, Alexander McCown, John McConnell, James McConnell, Hugh McConnell, Thomas McConnell, Robert McCormick, Hugh McBride, James McBride, Barkley McClary, John Mc- Clary, Matthew McClary, Jr., Thomas McClary, Samuel McClary, William Michau, James Macauley, James Mc- Cutchen, James McCullough, John McCullough, Hugh Mccullough, Nathaniel Mccullough, William McCullough, Francis McDonald, James McDonald, John McDonald, William McDowell, James McDowell, William McElveen, Edward McFaddin, John McFaddin, Thomas McFaddin, William McFaddin, Adam McKee, Robert McKee, Thomas McKee, John McKnight, Moses McKnight, Robert Mc- Knight, James McGee, Thomas McGee, William McGee, John McGill, Samuel McGill, Thomas McGinness, Charles McGinney, John McCrea, Thomas McCrea, Thomas Mc. Crea, Jr., James McCutchen, William McPherson, Andrew
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Miller, Jesse Mills, Thomas Mills, Thomas Mitchum, Wil- liam Moffat, Hugh Montgomery, James Montgomery, Robert Montgomery, Samuel Montgomery, Norman Mont- gomery, Benjamin Morris, Thomas Morris, William Morris, Edward Murphy, John Murphy, James Murphy, William Murrell, John Mills, John Morris, George Morris, Andrew McMuldrow, John McMuldrow, James McMul- drow, William McMuldrow, Hugh McMuldrow, David McMuldrow.
Isaac Nelson, Samuel Nelson, Thomas Nelson, William Nelson, John Nesmith, Lemuel Nesmith, Robert Nesmith, Samuel Nesmith, Thomas Nesmith, Joseph Nettles, Robert Nettles.
William Oliver, William Orr.
John Perdreau, John Paisley, James Parnell, James Parsons, John Postell, Joshua Patrick, James Patrick, Patrick Pendergrass.
James Richbourg, John Robinson, William Robinson, Andrew Rodgers, John Rodgers, Jr., Nathanial Rodgers, William T. Rodgers, Benjamin Reeves.
Morgan Sabb, Peter Salters, Alexander Scott, James Scott, John Scott, Samuel Scott, Thomas Scott, William Scott, Daniel Shaw, William Sellers, David Simms, Thomas Simms, Richard Singleton, Peter Sinkler, Samuel Smiley, William Smiley, James Smith, John Smith, Wil- liam Smith, James Snow, William Snow, John Staggers, Alexander Stewart, Hugh Stewart, James Steele, William Steele, Robert Strong, Hugh Sutton, Robert Swan, Wil- liam Swinton, Shadrack Simons, Edward Sexton, James Steele, William Shaw, Jacob Sutton.
Edward Thomas, William Thompson, Archibald Thom- son, James Thomson, John Tomlinson, James Thomas, Na- thaniel Tomlinson, William Thomas.
Michael Wallace, James Wallace, John Wallace, Wil- liam Wallace, John Watson, James Watson, Robert Watson, John Wheeler, John White, Jesse Williamson,
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Sterling Williamson, William Williamson, Hugh Wilson, James Wilson, Edward Wingate, Gavin Witherspoon, John Witherspoon, John Workman, Robert Workman, John Wilson, John Woodberry, David Watson.
Among those who furnished supplies for Marion's bri- gade were the following: John Armstrong, John Burns, David Campbell, John Cantey, Charles Cantey, Thomas Ferguson, Moses Gordon, Thomas Kerwin, James Lester, James Macauley, John Macauley, Robert McKnight, James McCullough, Samuel Montgomery, Nathaniel Mont- gomery, Mrs. Susannah Parsons, William Thompson, Michael Wallace, John Watson, Mrs. Catherine Watson, John Wilson, Mrs. Mary Wilson, Captain Hugh Knox, Robert McKee, John Mills, John Mills, Jr., William McFaddin, William Nelson, Alexander Kennedy, Robert Gibson, James Gibson, John White, Benjamin Screven, Benjamin Singleton, John Woodberry, Daniel Lesesne, Edward Thomas, William James, Mrs. Sarah James, Thomas Kennedy, Thomas Simms, John Lee, Archibald McDonald, Mrs. Rachel McDonald, Daniel Kelly, Abra- ham Keels, John Kennedy, Charles McGinney, John Gordon, John Arnett, Daniel Eaddy, William Graham, Robert Lowry, Peter Lequeux, William Michau, Isaac Nelson, James Richbourg, Peter Sinkler, Samuel Cordes, James Brunson, Henry Lenud, John Staggers, Joseph McKee, John McGill, Thomas McCants, William Bur- gess, John Perdreau, James Armstrong, John Adair, William Burrows, John Dye, Samuel Bennett, Nathaniel Mccullough, James McCullough, John Scott, William Scott, Mrs. Jane Arnett, Mrs. Martha Boyd, John Boyd, Absalom Frierson, Hugh Gamble, Theodore and Peter Gourdin Estates, Mrs. Mary Lesesne, Thomas McFaddin, Mrs. Mary Salters, Morgan Sabb, Ben Duke, Mrs. Eliza- beth Dobbin, Henry Lenud, Hugh Mccullough, James Belin, John Dickey, Mrs. Elizabeth Bradley, George Chandler, James McCullough for estate of Paul Fulton,
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William Snow, John Gamble, Allard Belin, James Belin, Mrs. Margaret Gordon.
Colonel John Baxter was a son of the Reverend John Baxter, minister of the Black Mingo Presbyterian Church in 1733. Colonel Baxter was born and reared in Williams- burg, where his father was a successful planter as well as a vigorous preacher. Colonel Baxter was severely wounded at Quinday, from which wound he never fully re- covered.
Colonel John Ervin commanded the Britton's Neck Reg- iment and served in Marion's Brigade. He was born March 25, 1754, and died June 10, 1820, the son of John and Elizabeth Ervin. He married Jane Witherspoon, daughter of Gavin and Jane James Witherspoon, January 10, 1775. Their children reaching maturity were Samuel, who moved to Georgia and married Harriette Keith; Elizabeth, who married Mr. Ford of Mississippi; and James Robert, who married Elizabeth Powe. Jane, wife of John Ervin, died September 20, 1790, and he, on October 6, 1799, married his cousin, Margaret Ervin. Two of their children reached maturity, Hugh and John. Colonel Ervin was born in the Cedar Swamp section of Williamsburg County but moved just before the War of the Revolution to the Aim- well community of the great Pee Dee River. He was one of the founders of the Aimwell Presbyterian Church and one of its first Session of Elders. It is probable that he was the youngest man who attained to the rank of colonel during the War of the Revolution.
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