Swamp Fox: General Francis Marion and his Guerrilla Fighters of the American Revolutionary War

ISBN: 1492217662

Author: James, William Dobein

Condition: New

"Swamp Fox: General Francis Marion and his Guerilla Fighters of the Revolutionary War" is the story of the American general who waged a guerrilla war against British forces commanded by General Tarleton, harassing them and eventually driving the British Army out of South Carolina. This book, written by one of Marions his militia members, tells the story of the "Swamp Fox." Throughout the war, Marion showed himself to be a singularly able leader of his "irregular" soldiers. Unlike the Continental troops, Marions Men served without pay, supplied their own horses, arms, and often their food. All of Marions supplies that were not obtained locally were captured from the British forces. Marion rarely committed his men to frontal warfare, but repeatedly surprised larger bodies of British regulars with quick surprise attacks and equally quick withdrawal from the field. The British especially hated Marion and made repeated efforts to neutralize his force, but Marions intelligence gathering was excellent and that of the British was poor, due to the overwhelming Patriot loyalty of the populace in the Williamsburg area. Col. Banastre Tarleton, sent to capture or kill Marion in November 1780, despaired of finding the "old swamp fox," who eluded him by travelling along swamp paths. Tarleton and Marion were sharply contrasted in the popular mind. Tarleton was hated because he burned and destroyed homes and supplies, whereas Marions Men, when they requisitioned supplies (or destroyed them to keep them out of British hands) gave the owners receipts for them. This story of Marions exploits, as told so vividly in "Swamp Fox," makes fascinating reading for anyone interested in guerrilla warfare or the American Revolutionary War.