life of francis marion(弗朗西丝·马利翁传)-第37节
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immortalize you；〃 replied Fraser； 〃if you could swim the Ashley； and
surprise Gen。 Greene； but let us put the matter to the test。 Here is Serjt。
Allen； the best trooper and the best swimmer in the corps； and here is my
horse that cost me one hundred guineas。 Let Allen try it first； better that he
than that all should be lost。〃 The proposition was agreed to。 Allen was
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Life of Marion。
mounted on the major's charger； and was ordered to swim the river。 〃I'll
try；〃 said he； 〃since the colonel orders it but the Lord have mercy upon
me；〃 and having so said； he plunged into the river。 As might have been
expected； the current swept him a quarter of a mile below the landing on
the opposite side； he attempted to land there； but the fine horse was
swallowed up in the marsh； and Allen escaped with the utmost difficulty。 …
… This was the last notice we have of Col。 Thompson （Count Rumford） in
this country： he was a burning meteor but soon disappeared。*
* Count Rumford told professor Pictet； of Geneva； many years after；
that he had never been able to efface from his imagination； the horrid
spectacle of the dead and wounded upon these occasions。 See Pictet's
Tour in England； p。 212。
After the defeat at Wambaw； Gov。 Matthews； having taken much pains
to find out from Gen。 Marion who was the best cavalry officer of the two；
Horry or Maham； incorporated the two regiments and gave the command
to the latter。 The preference appears to have been extorted from Marion。
The fact was that Horry； though said to be a good infantry officer； failed in
one most essential requisite in the command of cavalry； and that was
horsemanship。 In several charges he made； it is said he was indebted to
some one or other of his men for saving his life； yet possessing great
personal bravery； his supreme delight was always to be at the head of
cavalry。 From the commencement of this narrative； his patriotism has been
conspicuous： in fact； his property was wasted and his life often exposed in
the cause of his country； and few men were more devoted to her than Col。
Peter Horry。 He now resigned； but as some consolation； Gen。 Marion
made him commandant of Georgetown； with full powers to regulate its
trade and defend it from the enemy。 It was from thence and Cainhoy； that
Gen。 Marion after long perseverance； got much clothing for Greene's army。
But Col。 P。 Horry； instead of leaving trade to flow into Georgetown as
freely as the tides which passed before him； put it under such restrictions
that the merchants soon began to murmur。 About the 20th of April； there
was an alarm excited among the civil authority of the state； that the British
in Charleston had been reinforced and were about to attack Gen。 Greene。
Gov。 Matthews immediately wrote to order Gen。 Marion to his assistance。
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Life of Marion。
He lay at that time near Murray's ferry； his men had been dismounted by
an order from the same authority； and they now set out for Bacon's bridge
on foot for the first time。 When they reached within eight miles； the alarm
had subsided； but another had taken place； that the enemy had sailed for
Georgetown； and the governor ordered Marion there。 After a forced march
of four days he arrived at White's bridge； but there was no enemy near
Georgetown。 In this march of about one hundred and sixty miles； Marion's
men had but one ration of rice； all the rest were of lean beef driven out of
the woods in the month of April。 As Ganey's party had been troublesome
to the people of North Carolina； and had not observed the treaty of
neutrality with Gen。 Marion； made June 17th； 1781； a joint expedition was
concerted between Gov。 Matthews； of South and Gov。 Martin of North
Carolina； to subdue them。* Of this expedition Gen。 Marion was to have
the command。 His very name was sufficient for the purpose intended。 At
Burch's mill on Pedee； a treaty was signed； （June 1782） by which Ganey's
party agreed to lay down their arms as enemies of the state； to demean
themselves hereafter as peaceable citizens； to deliver up all stolen property；
to apprehend all who did not accede to the treaty now made； to take all
deserters from the American army and deliver them up； to return to their
allegiance and abjure that of his Britannic majesty。 From this treaty；
Gibson； who killed Col。 Kolb； and Fanning and his party were excepted；
but they escaped。 Fanning was properly of North Carolina； but
occasionally acted with Ganey； and was one of the most active men； and
one of the most deliberate murderers of the whole party。 But little defence
had been made by the tories； only one skirmish took place； in which the
general's friend； Robert James； was wounded； and at the Bowling Green；
between Great and Little Pedee； at least five hundred men laid down their
arms to Gen。 Marion。 Thus ended an opposition to the country； which
commenced more from the desire of plunder than from principle； and
which； except with regard to sex； and some to age； had been carried on in
the true spirit of savage warfare。 Of Harrison's party； many had gone with
him to the British； with those who remained a species of warfare was
waged even after the peace with Great Britain。
* Capt。 Crafton's letter to Marion； 13th June； 1782。
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Life of Marion。
During Gen。 Marion's absence； Gen。 Greene appears； from the
correspondence； to have been very anxious for his return。 After the
adjournment of the Jacksonborough assembly； he had crossed the Edisto
and encamped on the west side of Ashley river； sixteen miles from
Charleston； and here the sufferings of his men had risen to the utmost
extremity。 They were often without rations； and when served； it was
generally with lean meat without bread or rice； or bread or rice without the
lean meat。 They had as yet received no pay； and their clothes were so worn
and broken； that they were as naked as the Caffres of Africa。 Here； in a
state of inaction； they became mutinous； and were plotting to deliver up
their commander to the enemy。 But it is surprising； that when mischief of
any kind began to brew in such a situation； that only twelve should have
been concerned in it； and it is honourable that none of those were native
Americans。
About the 9th of July； Gen。 Marion had returned to the Santee； and
received orders from Gen。 Greene to remain between that and Cooper
river； as heretofore。 The militia were now so far relieved； that； by law； they
were obliged to turn out only one month in three； but were ordered； as we
have mentioned above； to be dismounted； which discouraged them； and
rendered their movements less rapid。 The experience derived both from
the history of the revolutionary and the late war； fully shows that the
militia are effective only when mounted。
On the 25th of August； in this year； Lieut。 Col。 John Laurens was
killed in a skirmish at Page's point； on Combahee river。 He fell in the
flower of his youth； and yet had long been the admiration of both the
contending armies。 In history the parallel to his character is perhaps to be
found only in that of the Chevalier Bayard： the knight without fear and
without reproach。
During the remainder of the summer of 1782； Gen。 Marion frequently
changed his encampments from place to place； between Cooper and
Santee rivers； with three objects constantly in view； to cut off supplies
from the enemy； to prevent all surprises from their sudden irruptions； and
to provide for his own men。 His scouting parties still penetrated into St。
Thomas' parish as far as Daniel's island and Clement's ferry。 At the head of
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