Francis Marion was born in Berkeley County, South Carolina back in 1732. When he was 15, he was hired on a ship bound for the West Indies, the ship never made it as it sank, but the crew escaped on a lifeboat. He began his military career shortly before his 25th birthday to serve in the French and Indian War.
In 1776, the Continental Congress commissioned Francis a captain in the 2nd South Carolina Regiment. by 1776, he was a lieutenant colonel taking part in the siege of Savannah. In 1780, he joined Major General Horatio Gates. Gates sent Francis towards the interior to gather intelligence on the British Army. The British Army hated Francis (more on that later). They sent Colonel Banastre Tarleton out to either capture or kill Francis because of his fighting techniques. It was Tarleton who gave Francis his nickname. Due to his style of fighting Governor John Rutledge commissioned him a brigadier general in charge of the state’s troops. He died on his estate in 1795, he was 63.
What you may not know about Francis is that the nickname Tarleton gave him was “The Swamp Fox”, he was known for his irregular methods of warfare, he is considered one of the fathers of modern guerrilla warfare and maneuver warfare. He is credited in the lineage of U.S. Army Rangers and the 75th Ranger Regiment.
NW Arkansas, come for a visit, stay for a lifetime.
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