The Life of General Francis Marion — John Locke — John Shaqi
The Life of General Francis Marion
John Locke · en
I went with him, and was introduced to his wife, a lovely woman indeed!
to whom, with great glee, he related the whole history of the chase,
and his own narrow escape, and then laughed very heartily. But not so
his gentle partner. For, as he told of the shrill whizzing of our swords
close behind him, and of the groans of his dragoons as they fell,
cut down from their horses, her face turned pale, and pensive;
then, looking at him with great tenderness, she heaved a deep sigh,
to think how near her husband had been to death.
Meriot looked with pleasure on the troubled countenance of his lovely wife,
because he well knew the fond source of her troubles. Then, snatching up
a goblet of sangree, richly mantled over with nutmeg, he presented it
to her ruby lips, saying, "Come, my dear, drink, and forget the past!" Then,
taking my hand with great cordiality, he exclaimed, "Well, colonel Horry,
we have been foes, but thank God, we are good friends again.
And now let me drink to you a sentiment of my heart,
`Here's friendship in marble, enmity in dust.'"
The behavior of this noble Englishman, has often served to deepen
my abhorrence of WAR, which too frequently sets those to cutting
each other's throats, who were born to be brothers.
But to return to our story. "Meriot," you'll say, "and his brother officer,
brought `their pigs to a bad market'." Yes, indeed: but not a jot worse
than some of their friends came to the very day afterwards.
On the morning of that day, Marion, now concealed in the swamps,
near Georgetown, was pleased to order me out on a second excursion.
"Take captain Snipes," said he, "with thirty men, and proceed
down the Sandpit road, in quest of the enemy. The moment you discover them,
whether British or tories, charge with spirit, and I'll warrant your success."
As we approached the bridge, still moving on very circumspectly, in the woods,
we discovered at a short distance, a body of horsemen, perhaps a hundred,
apparently in great confusion, and very anxious to form.
Instantly we took the road, and clapping spurs to our horses,
dashed upon them at full speed, at the same time shouting as we rushed on.
The enemy broke and fled in all directions. We pursued.
Then you might have seen the woods all covered with armed men;
some flying, others pursuing; and with muskets, and pistols, and swords,
shooting and cutting down as fast as they could.
From the unevenness of the ground, and rapidity of the charge,
my men were all soon out of sight, leaving with me but a lad of fourteen,
named Gwinn, who carried a musket. At that instant,
a party of nine or ten men were seen advancing, whom I took for whigs,
and challenged as such, asking if they were not friends?
"Friends! O yes!" replied their captain, (one Lewis) "friends to be sure;
friends to king George!"