Revolutionary Skirmish Near Wyboo Swamp Marker

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Jordon in Clarendon County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Revolutionary Skirmish Near Wyboo Swamp

By Mike Stroud, October 11, 2009

1. Revolutionary Skirmish Near Wyboo Swamp Marker

Inscription. During Francis Marion's 1781 campaign to drive the British from the Pee Dee, he and his men clashed near here in March with British and Tory forces numbering more than 500 men. During the Wyboo skirmish a Marion private, Gavin James, single-handedly held back an emeny advance. Marion's men finally dispersed the British and Tories.

Erected 1980 by Clarendon County Historical Society. (Marker Number 14-7.)

Location. 33° 32.368′ N, 80° 13′ W. Marker is in Jordon, South Carolina, in Clarendon County. Marker is on Patriots Road (State Road 14-410) near Lesesne Drive (State Road 14-480), on the right when traveling west. Click for map. Note the new street names, which do not agree on some maps. The State Road numbers are still correct. Marker is in this post office area: Manning SC 29102, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, as the crow flies. Taw Caw Church (approx. 8.3 miles away); The Patriot and the Redcoat (approx. 9 miles away); Siege of Fort Watson (approx. 9 miles away); Wagon Travel (approx. 9 miles away); Anne Custis Burgess (approx. 9 miles away); Patriot Departs to Ride with Marion (approx. 9.1 miles away); Senn's Mill (approx. 9.1 miles away); Francis Marion’s Grave (approx. 9.5 miles away).

Revolutionary Skirmish Near Wyboo Swamp Marker, looking west along State Road 14-410 Photo, Click for full size

By Mike Stroud, October 11, 2009

2. Revolutionary Skirmish Near Wyboo Swamp Marker, looking west along State Road 14-410

Regarding Revolutionary Skirmish Near Wyboo Swamp. Battle of Wyboo Swamp (Tuesday, March 6, 1781): Lt. Col. John Watson Tadwell Watson and Colonel Welbore Ellis Doyle were sent to encircle and crush General Marion. Early on March 5, Watson and his Buffs marched from Fort Watson down the Santee Path and bivouacked near Nelson’s Ferry. Marion heard their location from his spy, Capt. Zach Cantey. His men knew they must fight to prevent the enemy from continuing to overrun their homes and farms. Marion ordered his troops to advance and set up an ambush, at Wyboo Swamp, a difficult pass on the Santee Road. The British marched into view and out rode Watson to survey the scene. Out rode Marion to face his opponent. The quarter mile causeway spanned the muck and morass of Wyboo swamp. Watson, towering and majestically uniformed, sitting a splendid charger and backed by Britain's finest soldiers, opposite the small Huguenot, sitting a sorrel gelding and backed by farmers in homespun. Watson opened the battle. He sent Col. H Richborg and his Loyalist horsemen thundering over the causeway. Anticipating this, Marion sent Peter Horry and his horsemen to meet them. After a brief skirmish on the narrow roadway,
both sides recoiled. Marion again ordered Horry to charge. Watson’s regulars held. A fusillade of grapeshot sent Horry’s cavalry reeling

Revolutionary Skirmish Near Wyboo Swamp Mural at the IGA in Manning Photo, Click for full size

By Mike Stroud, October 23, 2009

3. Revolutionary Skirmish Near Wyboo Swamp Mural at the IGA in Manning

Part of the Swamp Fox Murals Trail- Artist: Terry Smith

backward.
Watson threw in the Troy dragoons. Gavin James, powerful of frame and fierce of courage, turned back to dispute Harrison’s passage. Mounted on a gray horse and armed only with musket and bayonet, he threw himself directly in the path of the dragoons. Their foremost man he dropped with buckshot. Before he could reload, a dragoon rushed him with his saber. James slew him with his bayonet, and a second with the same bayonet. In falling he seized the barrel of James’ gun and for 50 yards in his retreat Gavin James dragged the dying Tory. As the dragoons crossed the causeway, Marion’s militia charged, driving the Tories back across Wyboo. Watson ordered his Guards to clear the passage. Marion knew his men could not stop the veterans and called them to mount and retreat. Marion withdrew to a position near the Cantey Plantation.
( Revolutionary History in Clarendon County, SC )

Also see . . . Touring South Carolina's Revolutionary War Sites By Daniel W. Barefoot, page 11-12. Marion and Watson would meet 3 more times in the next 3 weeks. (Submitted on November 15, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)