life of francis marion(弗朗西丝·马利翁传)-第30章
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them in check with his pistols； and finally leaped a chasm in the bridge；
supposed to be twenty feet in width。 He by this means gained time to rally
his men； and checked the British。
Thus Gen。 Marion had not left his brigade more than six weeks； before
it had dwindled away and had been defeated。 On the part of Horry's
cavalry it was a complete surprise。 Major Benson was killed； and what
number of men cannot be ascertained； but he lost thirty…five horses。
The British were commanded by Col。 Thompson； afterwards the
celebrated Count Rumford。 Maham having refused to cooperate with
Horry； lay still at Mepkin； and Gen。 Marion passing there on the 24th； took
command of his corps and proceeded towards Wambaw； but the colonel
was not present。 On his way Gen。 Marion was sorely vexed with the
disagreeable news of the defeat of his brigade； but with such a fine corps
as Maham's was then he felt sure of beating the enemy should they appear。
He proceeded down to Mrs。 Tiddiman's plantation； between Echaw and
Wambaw； and there halted for provisions。 （25th Feb。） There was a lane
with a high fence on each side； leading up to the house； and the cavalry
picketted in the lane。 In front of the lane was an old field； and a little to the
right a pond of water。 Scarce half an hour had elapsed when the British
appearing in the old field； displayed their columns and seemed to pause。
Capt。 John Carraway Smith commanded Maham's corps； he drew up his
men in solid column； and Gen。 Marion having posted a small body of
infantry to great advantage along the fence of the lane； ordered Smith to
charge。 He proceeded very well till he got to the edge of the pond； where
an inclination to the left was necessary to reach the enemy； but in
performing this evolution his men fell into disorder； and the enemy
charged with a shout。 All was now rout and dismay； but the British
followed no further than the edge of the woods。 Gen。 Marion had rallied a
troop there； and checked the pursuit。 The loss was but little； Lieut。 Smizer
and three men only were killed； but the disgrace was great。 Had this corps
been well trained the enemy must have been beaten。 Horry had thus lost a
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Life of Marion。
great part of his horses； and Maham's corps was a second time shamefully
defeated。
We have seen Count Rumford opposed to Gen。 Marion with a degree
of success； which perhaps he would not have obtained had the orders of
the general been obeyed。 It is well known that Count Rumford was a
native of Massachusetts； and of the town there whence he took his title；
also that he became after this a celebrated philosopher； and especially in
economics； his writings have been of great use to the world。 It is a pity
that the career of such a man should have commenced in hostility to his
native country。 His life has been published； but we have not yet had the
pleasure of reading it； and perhaps it may not contain the following
anecdote。 After his dashing success at the Santee he formed a grand
scheme； which was no less than that of surprising Gen。 Greene in his camp
at Ashley hill。 To effect this he must either have crossed Ashley river over
Bacon bridge； at Dorchester； which was too well secured for a sudden
attack of cavalry； or he must cross the river at Ashley ferry； ten miles from
town。 He determined on the latter； and put his four troops of cavalry in
motion。 When he arrived at the ferry it was ebb of tide； the water was
running out as from a millsluice； the banks on each side were so miry as
scarcely to support a crab the river was at least one hundred yards wide；
and there was not a boat。 He however ordered Major Fraser to lead on
the first troop into the river and swim across。 Fraser viewed him for some
time with astonishment； suspecting him not to be in his sober senses。 But
finding he appeared so； he said to him； 〃Why； Sir； I am not in the habit of
disputing； or hesitating to perform any order given by my commander； but
this thing is utterly impossible。〃 〃How so；〃 said Thompson； 〃it may be
difficult but not impossible； and if we do not attempt difficult things we
shall never be distinguished。 Alexander swam across the Granicus； beat
the Persians and immortalized himself。〃 〃And it would no doubt
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。
