S.C. group wants to honor 'Swamp Fox'

http://www.charlotte.com ^

[Stew Padasso]

S.C. group wants to honor 'Swamp Fox'

Associated Press

CHARLESTON, S.C. - A stone marks Revolutionary War Gen. Francis Marion's grave in Berkeley County, but members of the area Historical Society think he also needs a statue marking his birthplace.

Jean Guerry is spearheading the effort to honor the war hero.

"I would like to see it in a very public place where people can see it coming into town," she said. "It would create interest and pride in what is here."

Marion's guerrilla warfare tactics of striking the British and then slinking back into Lowcountry swamps rattled the enemy and earned him the nickname Swamp Fox. He is buried off the beaten path between the manmade lakes that now cover the plantation he once fought feverishly to protect.

Guerry said she will have to form a committee to determine what the statue will look like and what its cost will be before fund raising can begin, but she is determined to make it a reality.

"We don't want to end up with a little bust," she said. "We want it so everyone can see it as they ride by the county office building. This has always been a dream of mine, and we are going to get this done even if it takes 20 years."

[Amelia]

Good idea!

[Stew Padasso]

Ditto.

[what's up]

There is a reference to Francis Marion in the current movie, "The Notebook".

They talk about the place where he was rumored to have proposed to his wife (the bottom of a staircase).

I wondered about the accuracy of that statement during the movie.

[fat city]

"Swamp Fox, Swamp Fox

Tail on his hat

Nobody knows

Where de Swamp Fox at"

[ken5050]

Those were the days...when Disney made good movies...compare Swamp Fox, or Davy Crockett..to the current "Alamo"..ugh

[colderwater]

I concur that a monument is warranted. Francis Marion was an indispensable part of the effort with Nathaniel Greene that drove The British out of the Carolinas. While Greene was busy denying Cornwallis battlefield dominance; Marion was busy cutting British supply and communication lines. When Cornwallis left for Virgina for fairer game and to refit at Yorktown, we trapped him.

There was more to the war in the South than this, but these two men were outstanding performers for our side.

CW

[bushfamfan]

Great to read that some people aren't forgetting our Revolutionary War heroes. There are not enough memorials to those who fought and died in our war of independence.

[jwalsh07]

Francis Marion SPECOP bump.

[SC Swamp Fox]

SC Ping

Click Here if you want to be added to or removed from this list.

[dixie sass]

While looking for some facts about Francis Marion, I came across this an interesting fact - South Carolina had more battles fought in the Revolutionay war than any other of the 13 Colonies - approximately 43.

[doosee]

Since you are the SC Swamp Fox, you will be expected to help lead the way. The article should mention that their is a university, FMU, national wildlife preserve, and many other things named after FM. I dont think he has been neglected.

[Salo]

There was a longer article in the Newsless Courier - they want taxpayers to pay for the statue - at least in part. I like FM - worked with a direct decendent of the man - one of the finest men I have ever met, surely a family trait, but no statue unless it's paid for by private funds. Hell, name the county office building after him - that would be a good tribute that is taxpayer friendly.

---

Article: 07/06/04 Newsless Courier

---

Swamp Fox may ride tall again in Berkeley
BY WARREN WISE
Of The Post and Courier Staff

Revolutionary War Gen. Francis Marion has a whole forest named after him.

A college and a lake, too.

But try to find a statue of him in Berkeley County, where he was born and is buried, and the closest thing you'll find is a stone marker at his tomb off the beaten path between the man-made lakes that now cover the plantation he once fought feverishly to protect.

Some Berkeley County Historical Society members want to change that.

They believe the county should erect a statue to the man whose guerrilla warfare tactics of striking the unprepared British and then slinking back into Lowcountry swamps rattled the enemy and earned him the nickname of Swamp Fox.

They say the ideal place for it is in front of the new Berkeley County Office Building, an old Kmart being renovated for occupancy in 2005.

"This is his birthplace, and he is buried here," said Berkeley County Historical Society member Oliver Buckles, who often lends his hand to public service efforts of great scope, such as the 400-mile Palmetto Trail. "We have never honored him in any substantial way other than the national forest being named after him in Berkeley County."

Fellow Historical Society member Jean Guerry agrees, and she's spearheading the effort to honor the war hero.

"I would like to see it in a very public place where people can see it coming into town," she said. "It would create interest and pride in what is here."

Two things have to be accomplished before anybody can see any likeness of the war hero.

First, the county has to approve the project, since it would be on county property.

"I think that would be wonderful," Berkeley County Supervisor Jim Rozier said. "It's an idea that I would support wholeheartedly."

Second, a full-size bronze statue, including one Guerry prefers of the general on a horse, is going to take money -- a lot of it.

She isn't sure how to raise it since the idea is just in its infancy, but county historians believe it would be widely endorsed by businesses, industries and civic clubs.

The General Marion's Brigade Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution supports the idea.

"He was important in the Revolutionary War in helping to secure freedom for the country, and people should know about him," local DAR Regent Darlene Borts of Jamestown said.

The small chapter doesn't have a lot of money, but Borts said it would stand behind the effort 100 percent since it bears Marion's name.

Berkeley County government could pitch in some money, but Rozier said County Council will have to approve it.

"It would be something that would set our county office building apart from others," Rozier said.

Adding the general's statue would fit in with plans to paint a mural in the new County Council chambers, he said. The mural will depict the history of the county, one of the first three in the state, from its beginning to the present.

"It's in the conceptual phase now," Rozier said.

Guerry said she will have to form a committee to determine what the statue will look like and what its cost will be before fund-raising can begin, but she is determined to make it a reality.

"We don't want to end up with a little bust," she said. "We want it so everyone can see it as they ride by the county office building. This has always been a dream of mine, and we are going to get this done even if it takes 20 years."

Warren Wise can be reached at 745-5850.

[JRPerry]

While looking for some facts about Francis Marion, I came across this an interesting fact - South Carolina had more battles fought in the Revolutionay war than any other of the 13 Colonies - approximately 43.

That's because the British had a stronghold in this state and had declared SC their home base of sorts for their entire war effort. They were under the mistaken impression that they had a majority of loyalists in South Carolina. They found out the hard way that such was not true.

I thought that Mel Gibson could have done a better job of portraying Francis Marion in 'The Patriot' instead of combining Marion's life with Thomas Sumter's and coming up with the Martin "The Ghost" character. But alas, such is Hollywood.

In addition to the school and the Sumter National Forrest we must not overlook the town of Marion, SC. BTW, I agree that a statue is called for and should be erected in his honor. Thomas Sumter and he were the two biggies for us in that war.

[dixie sass]

Actually the character was based on three men of that time, I can't remember who the third was but they were all heros. The battle of Cowpens was the decisive battle in the southern theater.

Bloody Tarleton was as bad as Sherman in my estimation. Cruel and sadistic with a lust for blood.

[JRPerry]

Actually the character was based on three men of that time, I can't remember who the third was but they were all heros. The battle of Cowpens was the decisive battle in the southern theater.

The third was Morgan, under the command of Greene, who defeated Tarleton at Cowpens. But Gibson's character never really made reference to Morgon except in the next to final scene when he walked up and told Sumter his plan for battle ... basically firing shots then retreating back to a line of sharpshooters.

Bloody Tarleton was as bad as Sherman in my estimation. Cruel and sadistic with a lust for blood.

Worse than Sherman in that regard quite frankly dixie ass. While "Bloody Tarleton" is the modern day common name for him ... back then most referred to him as "Bloody Ben The Butcher," or just plain old "Butcher Ben," That has been dropped over the years in text books for politically correct reasons to appease the British years ago.

[JRPerry]

( 8(|) ... DOH!

Needless to say, I meant "Dixie Sass" ... my sincerest apologies. You are anything but an ass I assure you, as you already know. ::::::: blushing :::::::

Note to self - proof read, proof read, proof read.

[PistolPaknMama]

Oh a vanity post, eh? :-)) I'd sure contribute to this worthy project. Any idea how to get in touch with this lady? Maybe we could make this a FReeper project.

[dixie sass]

You are right, they don't teach that in schools. I think if I had known the type of person he was, I would have had nightmares.

I've heard of Francis Marion all my life - in fact, isn't there a statue of him in Marion Square at the old Citadel Building across from the Francis Marion Hotel? I can remember even before starting school hearing tales of him.

Disney did a movie about him in the '50's for his television show and I can remember long shots from the harbour of the Battery.