340 THE FRENCH BLOOD IN AMEEICA 



in the dark took a British guard of thirty-two men and re- 

 leased 150 prisoners, with only one man wounded. When 

 the general cause looked hopeless, reduced in men to a 

 handful through desertion and discoui-agemeut, the 

 spirits of Marion were undaunted, and with the baud of 

 faithful officers who were ready to follow him to the death, 

 he revived courage among the despondent, recruited his 

 forces, and by spirited attacks and steady victories of 

 surprising character inspired such confidence that men 

 flocked to his command. 

 Resource- Hc was marvcllous in resourcefulness. Once he was 



fulness attacking a far superior force of the Tories, who were ad- 



vantageously posted to receive him. In the sharp conflict 

 that followed, suddenly Marion was heard to call out, 

 "Advance cavalry and charge on the left," whereupon 

 the dismayed Tories, thinking their flank was turned, 

 broke and ran for the swamp. This victory enabled 

 General Marion to march into Williamsburg. His suc- 

 cesses were often due to the fact that his attacks were 

 surprises. In all his marches Marion and his men lay in 

 the open air with little covering, and with little other 

 food than sweet potatoes and meat mostly without salt. 

 The general fared worse than his men ; for his baggage 

 having caught fire by accident he had literally but half a 

 blanket to cover him from the dews of the night, and but 

 half a hat to shelter him from the rays of the sun. But 

 he established himself in impregnable positions, and be- 

 The Swamp camc knowu as the Swamp Fox, sending his scouts in all 

 directions, harassing the enemy at diverse points, making 

 unexpected assaults upon supply stores, and giving the 

 Tories some of their own medicine in the way of devasta- 

 tion. 



Marion indeed so effectually thwarted the schemes of 

 the British against South Carolina, that a turning point 

 in the fortunes of the war came largely through his perni- 

 cious activity, which inspired the superior forces of the 

 enemy with dread, and discouraged the Tories who hoped 



Fox 



