Fighting at Wyboo Swamp alongside the ‘Swamp Fox’

Jim Bayne / Culpeper Star Exponent
Published: May 23, 2007

Of all the leaders for whom I have served none are more esteemed by me than Gen. Francis Marion. Marion has been nicknamed "the swamp fox" by Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton in recognition of his elusiveness in outwitting the British in the swamps of South Carolina.

Marion was born in the low country of South Carolina in 1732 and at the age of 15 went to sea but decided against a career on the seas. In 1756 he and his brother, Gabriel, enlisted to fight Indians and did so until 1761. In 1773 he purchased land on the Santee which was to become his home. He learned of the battles at Lexington and Concord in the colony of Massachusetts and in May 1775 went to Charleston where he enlisted and was commissioned a captain in a South Carolina Regiment. The following year the South Carolina Regiments were incorporated into the Continental Army and in June 1776 when the British attacked Sullivan's Island, Marion was in command of the guns defending the island.

Marion was involved in a number of engagements over the next few years and after Charleston fell to the British in May 1780 was in continual running battles with the British. By August 1780 he was ready to embark on his mission of harassing the British by every means possible. Mid- August found him in command of the Williamsburg Militia and taking control of the Santee River; on Aug. 24 he struck a British unit at Nelson's Ferry and released the patriots they were holding; the first week of September he ambushed the Tories at Blue Savannah and in late September Marion hit them again at Black Mingo. In late October he struck the British at Tearcoat Swamp on the Black River and early November found him at Richbourg's Mill and he led Tarleton on a merry chase from Jack's Creek to Ox Swamp.

In early December Gen. Nathaniel Greene relieved Gen. Horatio Gates and Marion was given orders to harass the British wherever and whenever possible. Thus Marion is found at Tory Tavern, Halfway Swamp on the Santee, Singleton's Mill and by late January he was at Georgetown with Col. "Lighthorse" Lee, which is where I joined him. We raided Moncks Corner and on March 6, 1781 we were at Wyboo Swamp.

On March 5 Marion received word from one of his spies that the British were sending colonels Doyle and Watson from Ft. Watson in an attempt to encircle and crush us. Marion and his men knew that we must stop the British here else the homes of his men would be destroyed. He moved us forward to set up an ambush at Wyboo Swamp, an area located on the Santee road.

We were ready and waiting when the British arrived. They stopped before coming onto the causeway through the swamp and Watson rode forward to survey the scene. A splendid sight was made by the colonel in his beautiful uniform sitting astride his majestic horse. What a visual dichotomy; the British in their fine uniforms and we (mostly farmers) in our ragtag clothing.

The British were the first to fire and their cavalry came charging over the causeway where they were met by our cavalrymen. The initial charge found both sides falling back but Marion sent our men forward again. The British held and our men had to fall back once again. Watson sent his dragoons forward and they were met by us and repelled. We drove them back across the causeway and the British came at us with all they had. At this point Marion knew we could not continue to hold these British regulars so he ordered us to mount up and withdraw to a position near the Cantey Plantation. We then began striking the British from wherever we could and through the end of March we fought them at Mount Hope Swamp, at the lower bridge on the Black River; at Snow's Island and at Sampit Bridge where we ambushed Watson and his men again. It is a privilege to serve with the "Swamp Fox."

Jim Bayne is the immediate past president of the Virginia Society, Sons of the American Revolution. He can be reached at .