The Life of General Francis Marion — John Locke — John Shaqi
The Life of General Francis Marion
John Locke · en
What gigantic form is that which stalks thus awfully before
the eyes of my memory; his face, rough and dark as the cloud of winter,
and his eyeballs burning like coals of fire? 'Tis the impetuous
captain Snipes. He is just returned from the quarter house near Charleston,
where he and captain M'Cauley, with Macdonald and forty men,
have recently surprised and cut to pieces a large party of the enemy.
He looks as if the fury of the battle had not yet subsided
in his wrathful countenance. His steps are towards Marion,
and as he presents a packet, he exclaims in an angry tone, "There, sir,
is a Charleston paper. You'll see there how those villains are going on yet.
Not satisfied with all the murders they had committed before,
they have gone now and murdered colonel Haynes." Here he gave
the heads of that disgraceful act, seasoning his speech every now and then,
as he went along, with sundry very bitter imprecations on lord Rawdon.
"Ah shame! shame upon him!" replied the general with a sigh,
and shaking his head; "shame upon lord Rawdon!"
"Shame!" answered captain Snipes, his eyes flashing fire; "shame!
I hope something heavier than shame will light upon him for it soon.
The American officers have sworn never again to give quarter
to the British or tories."
Marion. God forbid that my countrymen should have taken such an oath as that!
Snipes. Why, general Marion, would you have the enemy go on at this rate,
and we take no revenge?
M. Revenge? O yes, to be sure, sir; revenge is sweet,
and by all means let us have it; but let it be of the right kind.
S. Of the right kind, sir! what do you call revenge of the right kind?
M. Why, sir, I am for taking that kind of revenge which will make our enemies
ashamed of their conduct, and abandon it for ever.
S. Ashamed of their conduct! Monsters! they are not capable of shame.
M. Pshaw! don't talk so, captain Snipes! our enemies, sir, are men,
and just such men as we are; and as capable of generous actions,
if we will but show them the way.
S. Well then, general Marion, how do you account for that great difference
between us and them in point of spirits? We have never yet killed
any of their men, except in fair fight, that I have heard of;
but they have often murdered ours. Yes, the cowardly rascals!
they have often done it, and that in cold blood too.
M. Granted. And I am very glad that when we have had them in our power,
we have always treated them so much more generously. But, I suppose
the reason of such barbarity on their part, is, they have had,
or which is the same thing, have THOUGHT they had greater provocations.
S. They be d--n-d, they and their provocations too! Are not WE the persons
who have been invaded, and plundered and murdered by THEM,
and not they by us? How then can they have greater provocations?