There is no more wanted man in the state of South Carolina than Francis Marion. He and his volunteers are being hunted in every swamp and tributary up and down the coast.
Further endangering Marion, the fall of Charleston has turned South Carolina into a haven for Loyalists. Fearing British reprisals, throngs of citizens eagerly swear an oath of allegiance to King George. Men throughout the backcountry and Lowcountry rush to join Loyalist militias, isolating Marion and his men in the swamps.
“I have given orders that all of the inhabitants of this province who have subscribed, and have taken part in this revolt, should be punished with the greatest rigor,” Cornwallis says by way of proclamation. “I have ordered in the most positive manner that every militia man … shall be immediately hanged!”
* * *
On September 4, Colonel Marion sends a small advance unit of horsemen ahead to scout. The rebel band has now been riding for two hours, and the sun is turning the day uncomfortably warm and humid.
Meanwhile, the Loyalist force under Maj. Micajah Gainey approaches from the opposite direction. Gainey is not yet thirty, and the owner of a plantation in nearby Catfish Creek. The Tory militia he commands is local, raised from among the farmers and laborers living near his home. He now rides forth in search of Marion, knowing that a victory would surely make him a local hero among the Loyalist population. Traveling a few miles behind Gainey’s force of forty-five men is another militia, of two hundred men. The two forces combined outnumber Marion and his rebels five to one. Major Gainey is confident of victory.
Just before 8:00 a.m., Colonel Marion’s advance unit comes face-to-face with Major Gainey’s scouts. To the surprise of the rebels, the Tory cavalry does not fight. Instead, they turn and gallop away, terrified.
Maj. John James, leading Marion’s advance guard, orders a charge. “Come on, my boys! Come on! Here they are,” he yells, seeing that the Tories are regrouping after a short gallop. It is a clever ruse on James’s part, for he is now so far out in front of his riders that he is actually alone.
Still, it works. The Tories mount up once again and flee. In the fighting that occurs, fifteen escape, including Major Gainey. The other thirty do not, many of them killed.
Francis Marion quickly interrogates the new prisoners. Not only do the captives offer up the information he requires, but many also ask to join his militia—which Marion allows, though keeping the newcomers under close watch.
The colonel soon learns that an enemy force of two hundred men is three miles away—and waiting for him. Among their numbers are members of the British Sixty-Third Regiment, which also fought in Charleston and Camden. The news confirms that it is the regular army hunting Marion, and not just the local militia.
This time, Marion does not attack. Instead, he orders his men to retreat into the thick pine and scrub of a swampy region known as Blue Savannah.
There they wait in the heat, harassed by flies and mosquitoes. Taking cover in the trees, they conceal themselves among the shrubs and await the fight. Marion did not merely order them to retreat, but also instructed them to race away from the battlefield as if in fear, hoping the enemy would think the day was won.
Marion has set his trap. It is a huge gamble, for defeat by the superior British force would not only slaughter this small guerrilla band, but would also spell the end of hope for many in South Carolina who still believe that independence and democracy can prevail over the might of the world’s greatest monarchy.
Soon, the British infantry under the command of Capt. Jesse Barfield marches into Blue Savannah, its men not knowing they are walking into a death trap. Suddenly, Colonel Marion’s rebels gallop through the British ranks, wielding makeshift swords made from saw blades and shooting down redcoat and Loyalist alike.
The British break and run, taking shelter in the swamps adjacent to the Pee Dee River, cowering in the thick grass and dark waters. One British soldier is bitten, fatally, by a snake. The remaining men wait until the safety of nightfall to wade back onto dry land, relieved to find that Colonel Marion and his men have called off the search for them. Two Americans are wounded, and two horses shot dead. Otherwise, there have been no casualties among Francis Marion’s nimble force.
The British are not so lucky. At least thirty are dead, and many more wounded.
* * *
Colonel Marion and his men not only have won the day, but have also captured more than sixty Loyalists. Marion shows respect for his prisoners, knowing that, at war’s end, they will once again be his neighbors and countrymen. He also displays restraint by allowing the remaining British to hide in the Little Pee Dee Swamp rather than hunting them down. For this reason, five dozen Loyalists switch allegiance, requesting that they be allowed to join Francis Marion’s guerrilla band.
In this way, the insurrection gains ground. And as summer turns to fall, Francis Marion and his ever-growing army will continue to evade the British, slipping in and out of the swamps as silent as ghosts. For example, Marion orders that his men place blankets over wooden bridges before crossing them, all the better to quiet the heavy sound of horse hooves.
Wherever he goes, Francis Marion’s focus is on disrupting British communications and supplies, leaving the enemy to think he can strike anytime, anywhere. Marion develops a reputation for being daring and bold, when in fact he is cautious. He takes few risks and plans his forays well in advance. He rarely overwhelms an opponent, instead drawing the enemy into an ambush. When the battles are over, Marion’s men often return home to their farms and families and worship publicly in their local churches.
LEGEND HERE
In response to Marion’s battlefield success, the British burn plantations and crops. They mistakenly believe that these terror tactics will beat down the rebels. Instead, they have the opposite effect, swinging popular support away from the king’s men and toward the rebellion.
* * *
By October 7, just one month after the Battle of Blue Savannah, Lieutenant General Cornwallis abandons his plans to invade North Carolina. This is a serious blow to the British Army’s southern strategy, but one forced by Marion’s growing control over the backcountry of South Carolina. His dominance is reinforced that same day when a thousand Americans defeat a large Loyalist force at a place called Kings Mountain. The fighting is horrifying, as vengeance sweeps through the rebel militias. Loyalist soldiers are shot dead as they try to surrender. Rather than leave the Loyalist commander, a Scottish officer from the British regular army, on the field after he is killed, the Americans allow his excited horse to drag the body through the battlefield and then strip the corpse naked. Even after the fighting is over, the Americans show no mercy—hanging nine Loyalists for treason.
* * *
Just one man can be considered Marion’s equal in the art of brutal hit-and-run warfare. It is inevitable that Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton will soon meet Col. Francis Marion on the field of battle. South Carolina has become the hotbed of the Revolutionary War, a place where more battles are fought than in any other state. And it will be Tarleton who will coin the nickname that will follow Francis Marion throughout history.
The name is born out of frustration: Swamp Fox.
25
LONG CLOVE MOUNTAIN, NEW YORK
SEPTEMBER 22, 1780
1:00 A.M.
Benedict Arnold’s treachery has begun.
Now the commanding general at West Point, he steps out from a thin forest of fir trees and onto the banks of the Hudson River. A rowboat, its oars wrapped in sheepskin to ensure total silence, eases up to the shoreline. Maj. John André, the dashing British officer who once courted Arnold’s wife, Peggy Shippen, steps out of the boat. To avoid traveling in disguise, and thus being treated as a spy should he be captured, Major André wears his crimson officer’s uniform under a thick blue watch cloak.
The war is now five years old, and it has been sixteen months since Benedict Arnold approached the British about betraying his country. The drama leading to this mo
ment has consisted of equal parts caution and audacity, culminating with Arnold brazenly stating that he would resign from the military unless George Washington gave him command of West Point, the most strategically vital fort in all of America.
His Excellency, not wanting to lose one of his top generals, agreed.
LEGEND HERE
André and Arnold step back into the woods, away from the boatmen. The American general quickly gets to the point, handing over a bundle of documents that will allow the British to seize West Point: estimates of manpower, location of troops and artillery, and a top-secret record of George Washington’s last council of war, held on September 6, which details the Continental Army’s upcoming battle plans. Most important of all, Benedict Arnold hands Major André complete descriptions of the four forts constituting the West Point fortress, specifically pointing out where they might be most easily attacked.
Left unsaid is that Arnold has intentionally weakened these fortifications by neglecting necessary repairs and improvements. His troops are scattered across the fort rather than concentrated at the weak spots. Also making an attack easier for the English, Arnold has ordered a link removed from the heavy chain now strung from one side of the Hudson River to the other to stop British shipping.1 Enemy victory will be as easy as sailing up the river and landing troops.
André is impressed. In order to ensure Arnold’s treason, he offers a cash payout equal to fifty thousand dollars in gold and a rank of brigadier general in the Royal Army. Arnold is not impressed.
* * *
Thirty miles downriver, in New York City, British ships and troops are getting ready to sail upriver. The mission will begin as soon as André returns. The battle plan is designed to hide Arnold’s treason: the British will assault West Point and a besieged Arnold will request reinforcements from George Washington, but will surrender before any help can arrive.
However, the ego of Benedict Arnold does not allow him to settle for André’s offer. He demands more, suggesting that King George should grant him lands and a noble title if the British are successful.
Major André can make no such promise, and the tense discussion drags into the night. Hours pass. It is crucial for the secrecy of this arrangement that André be rowed back to the Vulture, the British sloop anchored downriver, before sunrise. Traveling by ship is the only guarantee that André can safely return to British headquarters, for the overland route is choked with rebel militia who are aggressively looking for the British.
The deal is not done, and André refuses to leave. Intelligence sources have confirmed that George Washington is now on his way to West Point. If the British can synchronize their attack with the general’s arrival, the war will most surely end—and André will then be the hero. He must conclude negotiations with Arnold.
When the sun rises on the horizon, it is obvious that André cannot be rowed back to the Vulture until night falls once again. He reluctantly makes plans to ride through American lines to spend the day resting at a safe house four miles away. General Arnold has prepared for this eventuality and has brought with him a spare horse for André to ride.
The major well remembers the last instructions of his superior, Sir Henry Clinton, prior to the start of the mission: don’t cross American lines, accept no documents from Arnold that could incriminate you if captured, and don’t change out of your uniform, or risk being hanged as a spy.
Disobeying the order, André accepts documents from Arnold within moments of their meeting. With daylight now established, André and Arnold ride into American-held territory and toward the town of Haverstraw.
Maj. John André has now disobeyed two of General Clinton’s orders. By 10:00 a.m. on September 22, he and General Arnold finally come to terms at a small house in Haverstraw. But André’s escape is now in jeopardy. American cannon firing from the shore have laid waste to the Vulture, forcing her to withdraw downriver to safety. That leads to more disobedience—as André must now navigate the back roads of the New York countryside to return to New York City. A pass issued by Arnold will guarantee safe passage for “Mr. John Anderson.”
For the ruse to work, however, Major André cannot wear the uniform of an officer of the British Army during his flight. General Arnold offers him a plain set of clothes to wear instead. By the rules of warfare, André is now officially a spy.
About eight hours later, tucking Arnold’s documents of betrayal into his boots, Maj. John André sets out for New York City under cover of darkness.
* * *
George Washington feels confident.
On the morning of September 23, 1780, he rides out of Hartford, Connecticut, with the Marquis de Lafayette, Alexander Hamilton, and the rest of his staff.2 The general has just concluded some very fruitful negotiations with America’s French allies, in which he has been promised extensive ships and soldiers at this vital juncture in the war. There is a growing belief that the British can be defeated through a well-coordinated offensive. At the same time, it is acknowledged that the enemy is far from beaten and could win the war with a few effective moves.
Several scenarios of attack were discussed at the Hartford meetings, all of them incumbent on combining rebel ground troops with French naval might. This is the first-ever meeting between Washington and the Comte de Rochambeau, his French military equal. They are both keen to defeat the British Navy in New York, gain control of the harbor, and then launch an invasion of the city.
The key to the attack is West Point. Thousands of rebel soldiers and large amounts of supplies vital to the war are maintained there. Its fortifications must be powerful enough to repel a British assault. If West Point were taken by the enemy, American and French troops would be unable to invade New York, as British forces would be massed to the north, waiting to launch a counterattack. In all likelihood, the British could then surround the rebels and their French allies, a catastrophe that could spell doom for the American cause.
So it is that General Washington desires a firsthand look at the West Point fortifications, to reassure himself that all is well.
The general and his staff gallop along the upper road from Hartford to West Point. A chance meeting with a French diplomat in Fishkill, New York, causes Washington a short delay. The Chevalier de la Luzerne is an old friend, an envoy sympathetic to the rebel cause. It was the thirty-nine-year-old Luzerne who loaned his own money to help feed Washington’s troops during the harsh winter at Morristown.
So, when Luzerne enthusiastically requests some time with Washington, the general reluctantly delays his trip.
At first light on September 25, Washington and his aides ride hard for West Point. The distance is just twenty-six miles. Washington orders two young officers to ride ahead and instruct Arnold’s staff to prepare a meal. Afterward, Washington will take a personal tour of the fortifications with General Arnold.
Washington arrives at Arnold’s headquarters, across the Hudson from West Point, at 10:30 a.m. His Excellency is in a rare mood, sensing, after five long years of conflict, that victory is within his grasp. The thought of seeing Arnold once again also fills him with confidence. Despite the many headaches that come with such a tempestuous commander, Washington knows that Arnold is a man who will fight—unlike Gen. Horatio Gates, whose retreat in South Carolina has actually heightened Arnold’s stature.
General Washington steps into the wood-and-stone house serving as Arnold’s headquarters. It once belonged to a Loyalist but was confiscated by the Americans. He finds it odd that Arnold has not come outside to greet him personally, but is reassured by the sight of Arnold’s wife, Peggy, who is as beautiful and poised as ever. Washington is informed by a young major that General Arnold sends his regrets. He has been called away to West Point temporarily but will soon return.
An hour passes with no sign of Arnold. Washington is then rowed across the Hudson to inspect West Point, and still the fort commander does not show himself.
This initially pleases Washington, just as surely as the natural beauty of
the Hudson River Valley and the site of the majestic fortress at West Point. “On the whole, I am glad that General Arnold has gone ahead,” Washington comments, “he will give us a salute, and the boom of the cannon will produce a fine effect among these mountains.”
But there is no salute.
Washington’s irritation grows. He enjoys the occasional show of respect. On this day, reveling in the combined power of the Americans and French at his disposal, he is insulted by Arnold’s rude behavior.
His temper increases when Arnold is not there to greet him at the dock. “Is General Arnold not here?” he demands of the officer there.
“No, sir,” comes the reply. “He has not been here for two days, nor have I received any word from him.”
“This is extraordinary,” Washington responds, his curiosity aroused.
After seeing for himself the shocking dissipation and disarray of the West Point defenses, General Washington is rowed back across the Hudson. There is still no sign of Arnold, a mystery now in need of an answer.
“On my return to his quarters he was still absent,” Washington will explain to Congress. “In the meantime a packet had arrived from Lt. Col. Jameson, announcing the capture of a John Anderson, who was endeavoring to go into New York with several interesting and important papers, all in the handwriting of General Arnold.
“This was also accompanied with a letter from the prisoner, avowing himself to be Major John Andre, Adjutant-General to the British Army, relating to the manner of his capture and endeavoring to show that he did not come under the description of a spy.”
But the question remains: where is Benedict Arnold?
* * *
It was at breakfast, just after dawn, at the precise time General Washington and his staff made their journey from Fishkill to West Point, that Benedict Arnold was handed the note that would change his life. He was seated at the table in his home with the two young officers Washington had sent in advance, enjoying his morning meal with them.
Killing England Page 22
