CRAVEN COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA. Ill 



gallantry, but also for a certain skill in the art of 

 reducing fortified places. It was at his suggestion 

 that the expedient was first adopted (similar, by the 

 way, to the method practised in the middle ages) of 

 constructing against such places a tower of logs so 

 high as to command them. This was first practised 

 at Fort Watson, and the description of Weems, 

 which I give, is all that can be wished. '' Finding 

 that the fort mounted no artillery, Marion resolved 

 to make his approaches in a way that should 

 give his riflemen a fair chance against the mus- 

 queteers. For this purpose large quantities of pine 

 logs were cut, and, as soon as dark came on, were 

 carried in perfect silence within point-blank shot of 

 the fort, and run up in the shape of large pens or 

 chimney stacks considerably higher than the enemy's 

 parapets. Great, no doubt, was the consternation 

 of the garrison next morning, to see themselves 

 thus suddenly overlooked by this strange kind of 

 steeple, pouring down upon them from its blazing 

 tops incessant showers of rifle bullets. . . . Our 

 riflemen lying above them, and firing through loop- 

 holes, were seldom hurt ; while the British, obliged 

 every time they fired, to show their heads, were 

 frequently killed." Weems, who does not once 

 mention Maham's name in his book, ascribes the 

 invention solely to Marion. Lee, on the contrary, 

 gives Maham credit both for the design and the 

 execution ; and he frequently, afterwards, speaks of 



