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Real Cool History for Kids
Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox (a special episode for Cassandra Hayes)
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Foreign. This is Angela Odell, and you are listening to Real Cool History for Kids, a podcast show featuring history told from a distinctly biblical worldview perspective. Welcome to an adventure. Welcome to episode 168 of Real Cool History for Kids. This episode is for Cassandra Hayes, who wanted to hear the story of Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox. You all know how much I love stories of courage and creativity and, well, just clever people. Well, today I get to tell you the story of one of the most clever heroes of the American Revolution, Francis Marion, who earned the nickname the Swamp Fox. His story is full of courage and creativity and danger, and some of the most daring escapes in our nation's history. Francis Marion was born around 1732 in the hot, marshy low country of South Carolina. I say he was born around 1732 because nobody is absolutely sure when his birthday was. His family were French Calvinist Protestants and he was the descendant of a Huguenot who fled to America from France because of religious persecution. Faith and courage were so important to Francis Marion's family. The low country of South Carolina was a wild place filled with swamps and thick forest and twisting and winding rivers and all kinds of animals. Francis grew up learning to ride horses and hunt for food and explore those swamps without getting lost, a skill that would someday confuse the British army so much they could hardly stand it. Francis wasn't a very big kid. In fact, he was kinda small and wiry. But he was tough and he was determined. When he was about 12 years old, he fell overboard from a ship during a trip with his family. He bobbed up and down in the rolling waves until the sailors could rescue him. After this experience, experience, Francis became more cautious and quiet. But he also became more unusually brave and able to face danger without panicking. When he grew older, Francis joined the South Carolina militia during the French and Indian War. During this time, he learned something that would become his trademark. Guerrilla warfare. That means using small groups and surprise attacks and quick escapes and just really unusual fighting techniques instead of lining up shoulder to shoulder on an open battlefield. Later, Francis would use this skill extensively during the American Revolution. By 1780, things had gone terribly wrong for the American patriots in the South. During the Revolution, the British army captured Charleston and defeated many American forces. Loyalists who supported the British were everywhere. The Patriots needed someone who could outsmart the British, someone like Francis Marion. Francis gathered a small band of ordinary men. Farmers, blacksmiths, hunters, teenage boys, and even older men. Francis Marion's men didn't have the uniforms or weapons like, like the British soldiers. They would be fighting Many of them had the patched and worn clothing they had on their backs and whatever weapons they could get their hands on. And that was it. They rode fast and lived off whatever food they could find and trusted Francis completely and followed him wherever he led them. The men affectionately called Francis General, even though he wasn't one. He. He was actually a lieutenant colonel, but titles didn't matter in this group. He planned daring raids, and he and his men startled the British again and again. One of his early victories happened at Nelson's Ferry, where Francis Marion and his men freed a group of American prisoners being marched toward Charleston. The British never expected a small mounted group to attack so quickly and then disappeared before they even knew what was happening. Francis Marion and his men traveled on narrow paths deep inside the swamps, paths so tricky that British soldiers refused to follow their horses splashed through dark, still water where mosquitoes buzzed in clouds and huge old cypress trees towered over them like watching giants. But Francis Marion felt at home there. He knew that land. This is the land he had explored his entire, and he knew it like the back of his hand. The British, however, were not amused, especially one British commander named Banastre Tarleton. Tarleton and hundreds of soldiers chased Marion for more than 20 miles, noisily crashing through the woods and swampy trails until they believed they finally had him cornered. But when they reached the end of the trail, Francis Marion and his men were gone. They had slipped quietly into the swamp, leaving not a trace behind them. Frustrated, Tarleton is reported to have grumbled. As for that old fox, the devil himself couldn't catch him. From that moment on, Francis Marion became known as the Swamp Fox. Hey, guys, I'm going to take a break right here in the middle of our story about Frances Marion the Swamp Fox, to give a shout out to a recent podcast reviewer, Violet, who said this. Hi, my name is Violet and I am 9 years old, and I love listening to this podcast. Thank you for working so hard on this podcast. My favorite episodes are Bobby the Wonder Dog and the Story of Balto and Togo. Because I love animals. Thank you so much for your wonderful review, Violet. I'm so happy that you're enjoying the show. I also want to remind everyone that we have a Patreon platform for just $8 a month. You get all kinds of great resources to go along with podcast episodes and a printable packet of activities for our weekly this Week in American History blog posts. This episode is made possible in part by America's Story 1, written by me and published through Master Books, a leader in Homeschool curriculum written from a distinctly biblical worldview perspective and designed for everyday life. Now let's get back to our story about Francis Marion, the swamp fox. Francis Marion's attacks helped weaken the British supply lines as they stretched out through the countryside. This, of course, made it nearly impossible for them to control the South Carolina backcountry. When General Nathaniel Greene arrived to lead the Southern Continental army, he quickly realized what a treasure Francis Marion and his men were. The two men worked together like a well tuned team. Greene handled the major battles, and Marion harassed the enemy from the shadows. Francis Marion's courage didn't just show on the battlefield. He was known for treating civilians fairly and respectfully. He protected families, and he told his men they were not allowed to steal. And he shared whatever food he had, even if it was only roasted sweet potatoes. One day, a British officer who carried a message under a flag of truce was invited to share a meal with Marian. That officer expected a grand feast. Instead, Francis Marion offered him those roasted sweet potatoes, and it was the best that they had. The officer was stunned. He later wrote that Francis Marion and his men were fighting for all that was dear to man and that their courage came from deep love of their home and their freedom. Well, as the war wore on, Francis Marion and his men continued to chip away at the British. They captured boats, they cut communication lines, they gathered information, and they stealthily slipped through enemy territory with remarkable speed. Sometimes they rode more than 50 miles in a single day. They slept on the ground, they hid in the trees, and they crossed rivers in the darkness. They faced constant hardships. They were often hungry and without decent clothing and shoes. But Francis Marion's men still followed him and held onto their cause and liberty. Francis Marion's group helped General Greene push the British northward out of the Carolinas. Soon after, the British suffered a major defeat at Yorktown in 1781. That victory, combined with the pressure from fighters like Francis Marion, led to the end of the Revolutionary War. After the war, Francis Marion returned to his plantation, married a young woman named Mary, and served in the South Carolina legislature. Francis didn't brag about his adventures, and he didn't seek fame. He called himself a humble believer, and he lived a quiet and simple life until his death in 1795. His story reminds us that sometimes the greatest heroes aren't the ones with the loudest voices or the most commanding physical attributes or the biggest armies. Sometimes they're the ones who trust God, use their unique gifts wisely, and refuse to give up even when things look impossible. Psalm 18:32 34 says this it is God who arms me with strength and makes me as sure footed as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. He trains my hands for battle. Francis Marion lived with this kind of steadfast and faithful courage. He knew liberty as a gift from God, not man. And now it's time for this episode's birthday shout outs. Happy Birthday to Eliana Rose who turned 8 on September 14th. Happy birthday to Calvin Hanson who turned 7 on November 5th. Happy birthday to Hazel Erickson who turned 10 on November 18th. Happy birthday. Happy Birthday to Otto Erickson who is turning 8 on December 12th. Happy birthday to Rosie Valadez who is turning 4 on December 13th. Happy birthday to Isabel Rojo who is turning 5 on December 14th. Happy birthday to to Canon Clark who is turning 11 on December 14th. And happy birthday to Lavetta Sandlin who is turning 9 on December 17th. Happy birthday to all of you from the Real Cool History for Kids family. I hope you've all enjoyed this adventure in history today. Remember to keep keep exploring, to keep asking questions. And always remember, history is full of real adventures and really cool stories. I'll meet you here soon for our next episode of Real Cool History for Kids. Until then, with the help and grace of Jesus our Savior, be the best you ever.