ALSO BY DANIEL W. BAREFOOT
Touring North Carolina’s Revolutionary War Sites
Touring the Backroads of North Carolina’s Upper Coast
Touring the Backroads of North Carolina’s Lower Coast
General Robert F. Hoke: Lee’s Modest Warrior
OTHER TITLES IN JOHN F. BLAIR’S TOURING THE BACKROADS™ SERIES
Touring the Backroads of North and South Georgia by Victoria and Frank Logue
Touring the Coastal Georgia Backroads by Nancy Rhyne
Touring the Coastal South Carolina Backroads by Nancy Rhyne
Touring the Middle Tennessee Backroads by Robert Brandt
Touring the East Tennessee Backroads by Carolyn Sakowski
Touring the Western North Carolina Backroads by Carolyn Sakowski
Touring the Shenandoah Valley Backroads by Andrea Sutcliffe
Touring the Carolinas’ Civil War Sites by Clint Johnson
Touring Virginia’s and West Virginia’s Civil War Sites by Clint Johnson
Copyright © 1999 by Daniel W. Barefoot
All Rights Reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions
BOOK DESIGN BY DEBRA LONG HAMPTON
PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE AUTHOR UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
The paper in this book meets the guidelines
for permanence and durability of the
Committee on Production Guidelines for
Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources.
Photographs on front cover clockwise from top left—
Old Exchange Building, Charleston
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Charleston
Historic Brattonsville
Monument to Elizabeth Jackson, Waxhaw
William Washington House, Charleston
Monument to General Daniel Morgan, Spartanburg
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Barefoot, Daniel W., 1951–
Touring South Carolina’s Revolutionary War sites / Daniel W. Barefoot.
p.
cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p.
) and index.
ISBN 0-89587-182-3 (alk. paper)
1. South Carolina—History—Revolution, 1775–1783—Battlefields Guidebooks.
2. South Carolina—History—Revolution, 1775–1783—Monuments Guidebooks.
3. Historic sites—South Carolina Guidebooks.
4. South Carolina Tours. 5. United States—History—Revolution, 1775–1783—Monuments Guidebooks.
6. United States—History—Revolution, 1775–1783—Monuments Guidebooks.
I. Title.
E263.S7 B37 1999
973.3'09757—dc21
99-33338
To Kay and Kris,
for all the thousands of miles of fun,
excitement, and love we’ved shared.
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Tour 1 The Swamp Fox Tour, Part 1
Tour 2 The Swamp Fox Tour, Part 2
Tour 3 The Swamp Fox Tour, Part 3
Tour 4 The Charleston Tour, Part 1
Tour 5 The Charleston Tour, Part 2
Tour 6 The Low Country Tour, Part 1
Tour 7 The Low Country Tour, Part 2
Tour 8 The Low Country Tour, Part 3
Tour 9 The Savannah River Tour, Part 1
Tour 10 The Savannah River Tour, Part 2
Tour 11 The Savannah River Tour, Part 3
Tour 12 The Redcoats, Tories, and Indians Tour, Part 1
Tour 13 The Redcoats, Tories, and Indians Tour, Part 2
Tour 14 The Redcoats, Tories, and Indians Tour, Part 3
Tour 15 The Piedmont Battlegrounds Tour, Part 1
Tour 16 The Piedmont Battlegrounds Tour, Part 2
Tour 17 The Piedmont Battlegrounds Tour, Part 3
Tour 18 The Waxhaws Tour
Tour 19 The Camden Area Tour
Tour 20 The Gamecock Tour, Part 1
Tour 21 The Gamecock Tour, Part 2
Appendix
Bibliography
Index
Don’t let liberty expire with me.
Sergeant James McDonald, seconds before
he died from wounds suffered on June 28,
1776, while defending Fort Moultrie from
British attack
Preface
MORE THAN FORTY YEARS have passed since my first visit to a battleground of the Revolutionary War.
But I still vividly recall the deep sense of patriotism and pride I felt when, as a seven-year-old boy, I
walked the very slope at Kings Mountain where Americans from the back country of the Carolinas and
Virginia dealt Patrick Ferguson and the British a staggering defeat in 1780. Little did I imagine that I
would one day live on the very street where, less than four months before Kings Mountain, Patriots
won the Battle of Ramsour’s Mill in the city and county named for the American general who
surrendered Charleston in 1780 and then personally accepted the British sword at Yorktown a year
later.
Few periods in the United States history spark more interest than the Revolution. The story of how
thirteen diverse colonies were able to band together to defeat an invading army of the best soldiers in
the world serves to inspire people around the globe more than two hundred years later. That the same
thirteen free and independent states were able to unite in the wake of the grim, bloody, and often
internally divisive struggle to craft a republic that has become the marvel of the ages was no less a
miracle.
Over the decades—indeed, the centuries—since the Revolution, historians have come to realize that
the war for independence was won in the South. And it can be argued that to achieve the victory, no
colony paid a higher price than South Carolina. During America’s bicentennial, South Carolinians
coined the slogan “Battleground of Freedom” for their state because of its longstanding claim to have
been the site of more action than any other colony. More than two hundred battles and skirmishes took
place on South Carolina soil.
Much like General Benjamin Lincoln, the officer whose spirits sagged with the surrender at
Charleston and soared with the victory at Yorktown, South Carolina was the epitome of the shifting
American fortunes throughout the struggle. Just a week before the Declaration of Independence, South
Carolina Patriots won a pivotal victory—one of the first in the South—at Sullivan’s Island
overlooking Charleston Harbor. But almost four years later, Charleston, one of the most important
ports in America, fell; soon thereafter, much of South Carolina was overrun by British troops. As the
spring of 1780 gave way to summer, the tide of the war reached its lowest ebb for the American cause.
That August, American forces suffered what some consider their worst defeat in any war, at Camden.
But suddenly, at Kings Mountain a scant two months later, frontier Patriots claimed a victory that
shifted the tide in favor of independence. Then, at the Battle of Cowpens in January 1781, Daniel
Morgan masterminded a triumph over Banastre Tarleton that put Lord Charles Cornwallis on the road
out of South Carolina through North Carolina and into Virginia to his rendezvous with destiny at a
place called Yorktown.
Throughout the long fight for independence, several South Carolina partisan leaders stood out as
men of courage and patriotism. America produced no greater legends during the Revolutionary War
than General Francis Marion (the “Swamp Fox”) and General Thomas Sumter (the “Gamecock”).
This book was written to tell the story of South Carolina in the American Revolution at the places
where famous (and infamous) events occurred—at the homes of the participants, on the ground where
Americans fought other Americans and the British to earn the right of self-determination, at the
graves of men and women who sacrificed all they had for a cause they believed was right.
The twenty-one tours are arranged geographically rather than chronologically, since most areas of
the state were the scene of events throughout the war. For example, Charleston Harbor was witness to
that crucial American victory just days before the Declaration and to the mass exodus of British troops
from South Carolina in the latter part of 1782.
From northeastern South Carolina, the tours make their way down the historic coast, then turn
inland along the Savannah River and through the mountains, foothills, and Piedmont before ending in
Columbia, the place selected as the capital of the independent state of South Carolina in the wake of
the Revolution. Each of the tours is designed to be completed in a day.
More than 216 years have elapsed since the war ended, and it is logical to assume that few of the
sites from that ancient conflict survive. Sadly, fires, storms, neglect, development, and vandalism
have all robbed South Carolina of its Revolutionary War landmarks. As I traveled the Palmetto State
while working on this project, I looked with great sadness at sites that have suffered desecration or are
threatened by development. Immediate preservation efforts are needed if these priceless pieces of
history are to be salvaged for future generations to enjoy.
But the state still holds a treasure trove of historic structures, monuments, and geographic features
that bring to life the drama of the fight for independence.
Whether you travel by automobile or armchair, please realize that, as exhaustive as this study is, I
could not include every site. However, by the time you complete the final tour, you will have traveled
virtually the length and breadth of the state and experienced the site of every important battle and
event of the war in South Carolina.
While I have taken great care to make the information presented herein as accurate as possible, be
aware that road numbers change, roads and bridges are rerouted, and historic buildings, landmarks,
and markers vanish almost overnight. And please note that unless a site is on a public road or public
property, you should not attempt to gain access without first obtaining permission from the property
owner.
As you pause at the tour stops, remember that you are visiting the places and standing on the ground
where poignant stories of heroism and sacrifice were played out many years ago—at a time when
South Carolina was fighting to be a free state, rather than a colony of the British Empire. Indeed, the
historic byways in this book are the very paths blazed by the men and women who gallantly made
South Carolina the “Battleground of Freedom.”
Acknowledgments
PRODUCING A COMPREHENSIVE BOOK about the sites related to the Revolutionary War in South Carolina
required the assistance of countless individuals in all parts of the state. While space does not allow me
to list each person who provided me information and directions, I offer my gratitude to all and hope
that this book will bring them some pleasure.
There are, however, some individuals who deserve special recognition for their contributions. Mike
Loveless, the late superintendent of Kings Mountain National Military Park, was one of them. Mike
spent an entire day with me and took me to places in the park that most visitors never see.
As I traveled from site to site, strangers became friends. For example, the owner of Cleveland
Plantation, Michael D. Tousey, greeted me at his home and made me feel welcome as I visited the
grave of Colonel Benjamin Cleveland on the banks of the Tugaloo River on the South CarolinaGeorgia line.
In my hometown, I have a great friend who has supported and aided me in countless ways on this
and past projects. Darrell Harkey, historical coordinator of Lincoln County and a great student of the
Revolutionary War, traveled with me to sites both far and near as I worked to produce this volume.
His unwavering loyalty, enthusiasm, and friendship brighten my life.
This is the fifth book I have completed in as many years. Such a publication schedule would not
have been possible without the fine folks at John F. Blair, Publisher. Their seemingly boundless
confidence in me has been a source of great inspiration since our relationship began. Carolyn
Sakowski, the president of Blair, cognizant of my desire to be as thorough as possible, generously
agreed that the Revolutionary War sites in each of the Carolinas be covered in a separate volume.
Then, as my work load increased, she graciously extended my deadline. Over the past five years, Steve
Kirk, my editor at Blair, has also come to be a good friend. His expert advice and suggestions, his
special attention to detail, his unlimited patience, and his desire to produce as good a book as possible
have been a great benefit to me. It is a true pleasure to work with him. Debbie Hampton, Anne
Holcomb Waters, and the rest of the staff at Blair continue the tradition of excellence in publishing
begun by the late Mr. Blair almost fifty years ago.
In this, as in all of my past efforts, my greatest gratitude and praise are reserved for my family. My
parents instilled in me at a young age a great love of history and an appreciation for America’s
heritage. Their love and support are the pillars upon which my life has been built. My sister is always
there to cheer me on and has labored, often behind the scenes, to gain recognition for my work.
Throughout my life, I have been blessed in many ways. My greatest blessings are my wife, Kay, and
my daughter, Kristie. Friends have labeled us “The Three Musketeers” because we have been almost
inseparable since Kristie was born eighteen years ago.
The completion of this book was complicated by my service in the state legislature of North
Carolina. The extra demands on my time and my extended service away from home were lightened by
an added measure of forbearance, support, patience, help, and love from Kay and Kristie.
Kristie typed virtually every one of my handwritten manuscript pages on this book and the previous
four. Over the past five years, she has brought the Barefoot family into the technological age and
blossomed from a teenager into a beautiful young woman who will soon reluctantly break up “The
Three Musketeers” when she enters the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. No parent could
be prouder of a child than I.
From the beginning to the end of this project, my wife did everything possible to lessen my load.
Without complaint, and always with her beautiful smile and sparkling eyes, she traveled countless
miles with me, acted as my sounding board, read and reread every word of the manuscript, and sat by
my side during many hours of hard work deep into the night. No one could have done more.
About the time this book makes its appearance on the shelves, Kay and I will celebrate our twentyfifth wedding anniversary. Over the past quarter-century, Kay has been my all—a loving wife, a
partner in every facet of my life, a source of unceasing encouragement and inspiration, and the best
person I know.
TOUR 1
The Swamp Fox Tour, Part 1
Marion to Florence to Clarendon County to Williamsburg County to Kingstree
Total mileage: approximately
201
THIS TOUR TRAVERSES the swampy area in the eastern portion of South Carolina that was the setting for
the Revolutionary War adventures of one of the most legendary figures in American history. Due to
his amazing exploits, General Francis Marion, known to friend and foe alike as the “Swamp Fox,”
emerged from the Revolution as one of the new nation’s greatest heroes.
The tour begins at the junction of U.S. 501 and S.C. 38 in Marion County, named for the Swamp
Fox. Drive south on U.S. 501 for 2.3 miles to a state historical marker for the Moody Cemetery,
located on the right. The ancient cemetery is in a grove of trees just west of the marker. Among the
graves here is that of John Smith, one of the many local partisans who continued to fight for the
American cause even after the fall of Charleston.
Continue south on U.S. 501 for 0.7 mile to the state historical marker for the Battle of Bowling
Green. On June 8, 1782, the Swamp Fox defeated Major Micajah Ganey and his five-hundred-man
army of Tories at a site approximately 0.5 mile northeast of the marker. Soon thereafter, Ganey signed
a peace treaty with Marion, and the Tories laid down their arms within site of the Lone Oak, the huge
tree that had served as their rendezvous point. Partisan warfare in the area was brought to a halt with
the treaty.
It is another 1.5 miles on U.S. 501 to the junction with U.S. 501 Business. Follow U.S. 501 Business
for 1.5 miles into downtown Marion. The city of Marion is the seat of the county of the same name.
Adorning the town green in front of Pee Dee Savings Bank at the junction of U.S. 501 Business (East
Main Street) and Dozier Street is a magnificent statue of General Marion.
During the Revolutionary War, South Carolina produced more than its share of military heroes.
Thomas Sumter, William Moultrie, and Andrew Pickens were illustrious sons of the Palmetto State.
But the most radiant of its military stars was Francis Marion (1732–95). Born in coastal South
Carolina, Marion gained his first military experience as an Indian fighter. At the outbreak of the fight
for independence, he took an active role in political and military affairs as a delegate to the South
Carolina Provincial Congress and a militia captain in William Moultrie’s Second South Carolina
Regiment. His skill and cunning as a soldier and his ability to inspire his men led to his promotion to
major and then to colonel.
It was not until Charleston fell to the British that Marion began to gain his enduring fame. With his
native state devoid of Continental Army troops and any organized resistance to the British army,
Colonel Marion found a haven in the almost impenetrable swamps of the region where he had grown
to manhood. He and his band of partisans took to hit-and-run tactics. Operating from his junglelike
lair, the Swamp Fox achieved a remarkable measure of success through speed, stealth, and surprise.
Once Marion’s guerrilla tactics began to exact a heavy toll on Cornwallis’s army, the British
general dispatched Banastre Tarleton to take care of the pesky rebel. Tarleton’s efforts were futile. On
one occasion, after chasing Marion for seven hours through 26 miles of swamp, the cavalry
commander welcomed a recall by Cornwallis. He told his legion: “Come, my boys! Let us go back. …
As for this damned old fox, the devil himself could not catch him!”
As this tour unfolds, you will see the swamps where Marion hid and the places where he chose to do
battle with the enemy.
Continue south on U.S. 501 Business for 1.4 miles to the junction with U.S. 501. Follow U.S. 501
southeast for 7.7 miles to S.C. 41. Nearby stands a state historical marker for the Battle of Blue
Savannah.
Approximately 0.25 mile to the south, on a swampy island near the Pee Dee River, Francis Marion,
recently appointed to the rank of brigadier general, used his guile to defeat the two-hundred-man Tory
army of Major Micajah Ganey under the command of Captain Jesse Barfield on September 4, 1780.
(The historical marker incorrectly gives the date as August 13.) Earlier in the day, the Swamp Fox and
his fifty-two mounted soldiers had routed a portion of Ganey’s army. Marion then feigned a retreat in
an apparent attempt to avoid Barfield’s larger force. He then simply circled back and ambushed the
unsuspecting Tories. Losing only three men, Marion won a decisive victory and broke the back of
Tory support east of the Little Pee Dee River.
In the aftermath of the battle, Marion’s jubilant men took time to revel in their triumph and enjoy
the spoils of war. They celebrated with roasted pigs and turkeys and a half-pint of brandy each. After a
night of merriment, the Patriots struck out after the survivors of the battle. During the march through
the swamp, they came upon a dead British soldier. An examination of his body revealed no bullet
holes, and the guerrillas were bewildered until one of them saw a rattlesnake crawl into the nearby
undergrowth. A gun was lifted to kill the snake, but one of Marion’s band pleaded for the reptile’s life.
A court-martial was ordered for the serpent. A horsehair noose was used to carry the rattler to camp,
where the trial began. One of Marion’s men served as attorney for the snake and presented a
convincing defense: “If this creature is a murderer, then so are we all. This snake has killed one
British soldier; we have killed many. This is not murder, gentlemen. This is war!”
The sympathetic jury cried out in unison, “Not guilty!”
Without further delay, the snake was released into the wilderness.
Turn right on S.C. 41 and drive 7.9 miles south to S.C. 908. Turn left, proceed 7.4 miles to U.S. 378,
turn left again, and go 0.2 mile to the state historical marker for Brittons Neck and Britton’s Ferry.
Located 6 miles south of the current tour stop, the ferry on the Great Pee Dee River was used
extensively by both armies during the Revolution. If you care to see the old ferry site, turn right on to
the dirt road at the historical marker and follow it to its terminus near the river.
Turn around near the state historical marker and drive 0.3 mile north to the junction with Dunham’s
Bluff Road. A nearby state historical marker notes that Snow’s Island, the lair of the Swamp Fox, is
1.5 miles south.
To enjoy an excellent view of Snow’s Island, turn left on Dunham’s Bluff Road and drive 1.8 miles
south to the turnaround along the banks of the Great Pee Dee; en route, take notice of the swampy
terrain characteristic of the area in which the Swamp Fox operated. From the turnaround, look directly
across the river. On the opposite side lies Snow’s Island, a swampy parcel of land bounded by the
Great Pee Dee, Clark’s Creek, and the Lynches River. Accessible only by boat, this isolated outpost in
southern Florence County is very little changed from the time when General Marion established his
camp here in 1780. From this wilderness, the Swamp Fox sent forth his partisans to inflict damage on
the British cause in South Carolina.
Despite the geographic isolation of Snow’s Island, Marion’s base was not immune from enemy
attack. In March 1781, while the Swamp Fox was away at Wyboo Swamp masterminding one of his
most spectacular missions (discussed later in this tour), an army of New York Tories commanded by
Colonel Welborne Doyle surprised Marion’s second-in-command, Colonel John Ervin, at Snow’s
Island. After sustaining twenty-two casualties, Ervin ordered the camp’s defenders to retreat and to
dump supplies in the Lynches River.
Although the attack cost Marion his prized base of operations, it came too late to aid the British
cause, since Major General Nathanael Greene was soon to arrive in South Carolina to begin largescale operations against the enemy.
Return to the junction with U.S. 378. Turn left and drive northwest for 5.5 miles to where U.S. 378
merges with S.C. 41. Follow U.S. 378/S.C. 41 for 1.2 miles to the bridge over the Great Pee Dee River.
Here, Marion County gives way to Florence County. Continue on U.S. 378/S.C. 41 as it swings south
for 1.8 miles to the junction with S.C. 51 and S.R. 21-57. Follow S.C. 41/S.C. 51 for 1.5 miles to the
state historical marker calling attention to Port’s Ferry on the nearby Pee Dee. If you wish to see the
site, turn left on S.R. 21-99 and drive east for 3.3 miles.
In Revolutionary War times, a ferry was operated here by Frances Port (1725–1812), the widow of
Thomas Port, who was a member of the South Carolina Provincial Congress. During the autumn of
1780, General Marion used the ferry extensively in his operations against the British. To fortify his
position here, Marion constructed a redoubt and mounted two old cannon to ward off Tories. Traces of
the fort existed well into the twentieth century.
Continue south on S.C. 41/S.C. 51 for 1.4 miles to the bridge over the Lynches River. Near the
bridge is a state historical marker at the site of Witherspoon’s Ferry. It was here that the Swamp Fox
assumed command of the partisan militia in 1780. It was also here that Colonel Hugh Horry, one of
Marion’s lieutenants, caught Colonel Doyle and his Tories retreating from their raid on Snow’s Island.
Turn around and retrace S.C. 41/S.C. 51 to the junction with U.S. 378 and S.R. 21-57. Proceed north
on S.R. 21-57 for 19.6 miles to S.C. 327. Turn right, go 4.8 miles to U.S. 76/U.S. 301, turn left, and
follow U.S. 76/U.S. 301 for 11.1 miles to S.C. 52 in Florence, the county seat of Florence County.
Continue west on U.S. 76 for 4.4 miles to the junction with South Ebenezer Road and South Cashua
Drive. On the left side of U.S. 76 just west of the junction is a state historical marker for William Gee,
a private in the North Carolina Continental Line.
Gee settled in this area fifteen years after the war. As a member of the Washington Society, he was
a prime mover in building an academy on nearby Jeffries Creek. To see his grave, walk southwest for
250 yards. Gee’s government-issue headstone is located in an unkept cemetery that is virtually
inaccessible in the warm-weather months.
Return to the junction with U.S. 52 in Florence. Turn right and proceed 1.9 miles south to U.S. 301.
Follow U.S. 52/U.S. 301 for 10.1 miles to where U.S. 301 veers southwest. It is 13.5 miles west on
U.S. 301 to the Clarendon County line; continue another 13.2 miles to S.R. 14-50. Turn right and go
north for 2.9 miles to the state historical marker near the site of the skirmish at Tearcoat Swamp.
Under direct orders from General Horatio Gates to continue his harassment of the enemy, the
Swamp Fox seized an opportunity to strike here on October 25, 1780. Marion and his force of 150
soldiers launched a surprise attack on Colonel Samuel Tynes and his Tory army just after midnight.
Without losing a single man, the Patriots inflicted severe casualties on the Tories and captured a good
supply of badly needed horses and stores. Of even greater importance, a number of the Tories joined
forces with Marion following the attack.
Return to U.S. 301. Turn right and drive west for 11.3 miles to U.S. 521 in Manning, the county seat
of Clarendon County. Turn left and drive 0.5 mile south to the bridge over Ox Swamp, a swampy
branch that flows into the Pocotaligo River.
It was here that a disgusted Banastre Tarleton called off his quest to capture Francis Marion. His
troops and horses were greatly fatigued, and he had no clue as to where the Swamp Fox might be
hiding. Lying ahead of Tarleton was only more of what he had seen for miles and miles—a forbidding
wilderness of swamps and bogs.
Return to the junction with U.S. 301. Turn left and proceed west for 9.2 miles to S.R. 14-26 in
Summerton, then turn right and go 2.3 miles to the bridge over Jack’s Creek.
On the night of November 7, 1780, after escaping an ambush planned by Banastre Tarleton, Marion
rested his men at Richbourgs Mill, which stood nearby along the creek. Alerted that Tarleton had laid
a trap for him, the Swamp Fox and his men galloped south through Woodyard Swamp until they
reached the mill dam. As his warriors dismounted, Marion proclaimed, “Now we are safe!”
During Marion’s brief sojourn here, a Tory prisoner escaped and headed straight to Tarleton. As the
new day broke, Tarleton’s horse soldiers set out to capture their elusive prey. But the Swamp Fox was
not about to be caught. His men were likewise in the saddle at first light, and they led Tarleton on the
arduous chase that ended without success at Ox Swamp.
Continue north on S.R. 14-26 for 8.2 miles to S.R. 14-76 at Rimini. Turn left and proceed south for
1 mile to the state historical marker for the “Encounter at Halfway Swamp.”
It was in this vicinity on December 12, 1780, that the Swamp Fox was outfoxed for one of the few
times during the entire war. The episode began when Marion’s men slammed into the rear guard of a
sizable force of British regulars and recruits under the command of Major Robert McLeroth. Realizing
he was in trouble, McLeroth attempted to buy some time by proposing to Marion that the two forces
fight out in the open. Marion countered with a proposal that each army send forth its twenty best men
to do battle. McLeroth tentatively agreed to the proposition, but when darkness came, he pulled his
army off the field and placed the soldiers in defensive positions.
For one of the few times in his partisan campaign, Marion had a numerical superiority in troops.
However, he decided to wait for first light to launch his assault on the British. To his dismay, word
reached him just after midnight that McLeroth and his troops had slipped away.
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church stood near the site of Marion’s encounter with McLeroth. Established
in 1757, the original structure was burned by the British during the Revolution.
Continue south on S.R. 14-76 for 1.2 miles to the state historical marker for the Richardson family
and its cemetery. To visit the isolated burial ground, turn right on the unimproved road at the marker
and drive three hundred yards west. Buried within the graveyard are several members of the
Richardson family who rendered outstanding military and political service to South Carolina: Richard
Richardson, a brigadier general during the Revolution; James B. Richardson, governor of South
Carolina from 1802 to 1804; and John Peter Richardson, governor of South Carolina from 1840 to
1842 and the founder of the Citadel. Six of General Richard Richardson’s descendants became
governors of South Carolina.
General Richardson died during the war and was laid to rest on the grounds of his plantation, which
was located nearby. After Banastre Tarleton gave up his attempt to catch the Swamp Fox, he paid a
visit to Richardson’s plantation. Highly angered that General Richardson’s widow had enabled Marion
to escape by alerting him of the approach of the British cavalrymen, Tarleton sought retribution. He
directed his troopers to dig up the body of General Richardson, who had been buried six weeks earlier.
When asked the reason behind such a ghoulish act, Tarleton stated that he wanted to “look upon the
face of such a brave man.” The Richardson family was forced to witness the hideous spectacle.
Tarleton also allowed his men to plunder the plantation house. More indignities followed. He
ordered the Richardsons to prepare a meal for him. Once it was over, his troopers were unleashed to
round up all the livestock on the plantation. The animals were placed in barns, and then the final order
was given: the torch was to be put to the plantation.
When he reported to Cornwallis, Tarleton was boastful, despite his failure to catch Marion. “I
returned on my steps & laid the Houses & Plantations of violent rebels waste about Richardson’s and
Jack’s Creek,” he wrote. “The Country seems now convinced of the error of Insurrection.”
Continue south on S.R. 14-76 for 7.4 miles to S.R. 14-373. Turn right, drive 1.2 miles south to U.S.
15/U.S. 301, turn right again, and proceed 3.8 miles west to S.R. 14-803. En route, you will notice a
state historical marker for Fort Watson. To see the site, turn right on S.R. 14-803 and follow the road
for 1 mile to its terminus on the shore of Lake Marion (named for the Swamp Fox) in Santee National
Wildlife Refuge.
Towering above the lake and the moss-draped trees near the water’s edge is the giant Indian mound
that later became Fort Watson. A wooden walkway allows visitors to ascend to the summit. A climb to
the top affords a view similar to that enjoyed by British soldiers when they established their outpost
here during the Revolutionary War.
Named for Colonel John Watson, who commanded a large Tory force in the area, the fort consisted
of a small stockade protected by three rings of abatis. All of it stood atop the fifty-foot-high ancient
Indian mound. A garrison of eighty British regulars and forty Tories manned the installation, which
was a key link of communication to Charleston.
On April 14, 1781, Colonel Lighthorse Harry Lee joined forces with the Swamp Fox to invest Fort
Watson. When the British command refused to comply with the American demand to surrender,
Marion and Lee laid siege. They cut off the water supply to the fort, but the defenders dug a well.
The American commanders found themselves lacking in siege artillery, so they turned to Colonel
Hezekiah Maham for a solution. Maham devised a log tower by which soldiers could direct fire into
the fort. Five days were required to cut and prepare the logs for the rectangular crib upon which the
rifle platform was placed. Finally, on the night of April 22, American marksmen took their elevated
position in the “Maham Tower” and rained deadly fire on the hapless troops in the fort. Meanwhile,
two attack parties scaled the mound and forced a surrender. Fort Watson thus became the first
important British installation retaken by the Americans in their quest to liberate South Carolina.
Retrace your route to S.R. 14-373. Turn right on S.R. 14-373 and drive south for 1.4 miles to S.R.
14-664.
If you care to take a side trip to visit the former site of Nelson’s Ferry (now under the waters of
Lake Marion), turn right on S.R. 14-664 and proceed west for 2.8 miles to S.R. 14-400. It is 0.8 mile
on S.R. 14-400 to an unimproved road that leads to the shore of Lake Marion; turn right and proceed
to the water. Nelson’s Ferry was located near here. In Revolutionary War times, the ferry was a major
crossing of the upper Santee River. Great Savannah, the plantation of General Thomas Sumter, was
located just north of the ferry. Tarleton raided and burned the plantation in the summer of 1780. Soon
thereafter, the Swamp Fox, only recently promoted to brigadier general, ambushed a force of British
regulars at the plantation site and rescued 150 Maryland Continentals who had been captured four
days earlier at the Battle of Camden. Return to S.R. 14-373 to complete the side trip.
Continue on S.R. 14-373 for 0.1 mile to S.R. 14-727. Turn right and go east for 8.7 miles to S.R. 1425. Turn right, drive 2.3 miles to S.C. 260, turn right again, and head south for 5.5 miles to S.R. 14410. Turn right and drive 0.2 mile to the state historical marker for the skirmish at Wyboo (or Weboo)
Swamp.
Approximately six weeks before Fort Watson was captured by the Americans, Colonel John Watson
—the man for whom the fort was named—was assigned the daunting task of leading an army of five
hundred Tories down the Santee River in search of the menace who had been disrupting British
communications between Charleston and Camden. Naturally, the culprit was the Swamp Fox. At about
the same time, a second British force, consisting of three hundred Irish volunteers under the command
of Colonel John Doyle, left Camden on a mission to attack Marion’s base at Snow’s Island.
Upon receiving intelligence about the movements of both columns, Marion had to choose between
defending his base and intercepting Watson’s large force. Relishing a fight, the Swamp Fox positioned
a small guard at Snow’s Island and took the bulk of his wily band with him to meet Watson at the
current tour stop.
When Marion reached this area on March 5, 1781, he deployed Colonel Peter Horry and a small
group of soldiers near the entrance to the swamp. Marion then lay in wait with the remainder of his
force. Watson’s army soon came into view. Horry’s men held the enemy in check until two pieces of
artillery were brought up, at which time Horry fell back, followed closely by Tory horsemen.
Had it not been for a private serving under Marion, the tide of battle might have turned in favor of
Watson. Gavin James almost single-handedly checked the enemy advance until the Swamp Fox could
bring up the main body of his force. James put himself in harm’s way atop his gray horse. With
musket and bayonet, he took on three Tories almost simultaneously. He fired a well-placed bullet into
the body of the lead dragoon, bayoneted the second, who was charging hard with drawn saber, and then
impaled the third on his bloody bayonet. The latter victim grabbed the barrel of James’s gun and was
dragged for fifty yards until death caused him to release his grip. James’s heroics allowed Marion to
disperse Watson’s Tories.
Over the next three weeks, Marion and Watson would do battle three more times. Meanwhile,
Colonel Doyle carried out his successful raid on Marion’s base at Snow’s Island. But Watson enjoyed
no success in his mission to destroy Marion and his army. Ultimately, he skulked into Georgetown
complaining that the Swamp Fox “would not fight like a gentleman or a Christian.”
Return to the junction with S.C. 260. Turn right, drive south for 1.3 miles to S.R. 14-323, turn left,
and go 1.4 miles to S.R. 14-351. Turn right and drive 3.8 miles to S.R. 14-48. It is 2.1 miles east on
S.R. 14-48 to Williamsburg County, named for Prince William, the son-in-law of King George II.
Continue east on S.R. 45-48 for 2.3 miles to a junction with an unnumbered road. Turn right and
drive east for 1.5 miles to the bridge over Mount Hope Swamp.
The Battle of Mount Hope Swamp, the second of the encounters between Watson’s Tories and
Marion’s Patriots, was fought in this vicinity. In preparation for the enemy’s arrival, Marion
destroyed the bridge here and once again left Colonel Peter Horry to block the advance. As a result,
Watson had to use artillery to force passage. Historians believe the action at the current tour stop took
place around March 9, 1781.
Continue east for 1.8 miles to S.R. 375. Turn left, drive south for 5.7 miles to S.R. 377, turn left
again, and go 8.7 miles to the Black River. En route, you will pass a state historical marker for the
Battle of Lower Bridge.
Soon after the encounter at Mount Hope Swamp, Marion grew concerned that Watson was going to
proceed against Kingstree, the county seat of Williamsburg County. To counter Watson, he crossed to
the north side of the Black River near the current tour stop, then destroyed the bridge and placed
sharpshooters at the bridge site and the nearby ford.
Upon his arrival, Watson surveyed the landscape and once again called up his field pieces.
However, he found the terrain here unsuitable for efficient fire. The Tories’ attempt to cross the ford
was repelled with deadly accuracy by Marion’s marksmen, led by John James, Thomas Potts, and
William McCottry. Over the next few days, American snipers and raiders constantly harassed Watson,
forcing him to forgo his plan to attack Kingstree.
The tour ends here. If you wish to continue following the life and adventures of the Swamp Fox, you
can combine this tour with Tours 2 and 3.
TOUR 2
The Swamp Fox Tour, Part 2
Kingstree to Georgetown to Charleston County
Total mileage: approximately 143 miles.
THIS TOUR CAN BE COMBINED with Tours 1 and 3 for a complete look at the life and escapades of Francis
Marion, the “Swamp Fox.”
The tour begins at Williamsburg Presbyterian Cemetery, located on S.C. 261 approximately 0.3
mile east of the junction with S.C. 527. This sprawling graveyard is located on both sides of the road.
A number of Revolutionary War veterans, including John Witherspoon (whose house is visited later in
the tour), are buried here. The earliest graves date to the first half of the eighteenth century, when the
cemetery was begun by the congregation of Williamsburg Presbyterian. Organized in 1736, the church
was the first of its denomination in the South Carolina back country. The congregation moved to a
church in downtown Kingstree in 1890.
From the cemetery, go west on S.C. 261 for 1 mile to the junction with U.S. 52 (Main Street) and
S.C. 527 in the heart of Kingstree.
Just east of this intersection is the Williamsburg County Courthouse. On the courthouse grounds
stands a monument to the Patriots of Williamsburg County during the Revolutionary War. Virtually
every able-bodied Williamsburg man between the ages of fifteen and sixty fought under the command
of General Marion for some or all of his two-year partisan campaign to reclaim South Carolina from
British control.
The monument honors the sacrifice of local Patriots, who often dressed in nothing more than the
skins of the animals they killed for food. They supplemented their diet with fish and locally grown
sweet potatoes. To do battle with Tarleton’s troopers and Watson’s Tories, Marion’s followers from
Williamsburg used swords fashioned from handsaws and bullets molded from pewter spoons.
Following the war, when Cornwallis was teased about the inability of his troops to subdue Marion
in Williamsburg, the British general was quick to reply, “I could not capture web-footed men who
could subsist on roots and berries.”
A state historical marker in front of the courthouse notes that this lot was the muster ground of local
militia in colonial and Revolutionary War times.
Directly across Main Street from the courthouse is the Williamsburg County Museum, located at
the corner of Main and Academy Streets. The museum’s exhibits and displays chronicle the long
history of the area, including the period of the American Revolution.
It was here, at the head of Academy Street, that one of Marion’s most trusted lieutenants from
Williamsburg, Major John James, intercepted Major James Wemyss and a British column on the night
of August 27, 1780. After gaining an accurate count of the enemy party sent to raid the Williamsburg
area, James launched a hit-and-run strike and galloped off to inform Marion of the presence of the
British force.
Just west of the intersection is a D.A.R. marker in an island in the middle of U.S. 52/S.C. 261. It is
located on the exact site where the “King’s Tree” stood for many, many years within a stone’s throw
of the Black River. An early explorer notched the white pine with an arrow to reserve its use for naval
stores for the king’s navy; it was thus that the tree acquired its name. And in time, the community that
evolved here—the oldest inland settlement in South Carolina—took its name from the tree.