The whigs in high spirits on account of our success --an express from Governor Rutledge -- promotions -- British and tories in great wrath -- sketch of their treatment of the patriots.
The news of this fourth overthrow of the enemy, was soon spread far and wide among both our friends and foes; producing everywhere the liveliest emotions of joy or sorrow, according as the hearers happened to be well or ill affected towards us. The impression which it made on our honored executive, was sweeter to our thoughts than honey or the honeycomb. For on the fifth day after our last flaggellation of the tories, in came an express from governor Rutledge, with a commission of brigadier general for Marion, and a full colonel's commission for me. Having always looked up to my country as to a beloved mother, whose liberty and prosperity were inseparably connected with my own, it is no wonder that I should have been so delighted at hearing her say, by her favorite son, governor Rutledge, that, `reposing especial trust in my courage, conduct, and attention to her interests, she had appointed me a colonel in her armies,' &c. &c.
Scarcely had I perused my commission, before Marion reached me HIS;and with a smile, desired me to read it. Soon as I came to his new title, "brigadier general", I snatched his hand and exclaimed, "Huzza! God save my friend! my noble GENERAL MARION! general! general!
Aye that will do! that will do! that sounds somewhat in unison with your deserts.""Well, but what do you think of the style," replied he, "and of the prerogative -- is it not prodigiously in the pompous?""Not at all," said I.
"No," continued he; "why now to MY notion, it is very much in the turgid, in the Asiatic. It gives me dominions from river to river, and from the mountains to the great sea, like Tamerlane or Ghengis Khan;or like George III. `by the grace of God, king of Great Britain, FRANCE,' &c. &c. whereas, poor George dares not set a foot there, even to pick up a periwinkle!""Well, but general," said I, "as the English gave France to George because they wish him to have it, so I suppose the good governor gives you this vast district for the same reason.""Perhaps so," replied Marion.
The truth is, governor Rutledge was a most ardent lover of his country;and, therefore, almost adored such an unconquerable patriot as Marion.
Hence, when he found, that notwithstanding the many follies and failures of northern generals and armies; notwithstanding the victories, and proclamations, and threats of Cornwallis and Tarleton, Marion still stood his ground, and fought and conquered for Carolina;his whole soul was so filled with love of him, that I verily believe he would have given him "all the kingdoms of the earth and the glory thereof,"had they been in his gift. Indeed what he did give him was sketched out with a prodigiously bold hand. He gave him all that territory, comprehended within a line drawn from Charleston along the sea, to Georgetown; thence westerly to Camden; and thence to Charleston again;making a domain of extent, population, and wealth, immense;but over which the excellent governor had no more power to grant military jurisdiction, than to give kingdoms in the moon;for the whole of it was in the hands of the British, and their friends the tories; so that the governor had not a foot to give Marion;nor did Marion hold a foot of it but by his own vigilance and valor;which were so extraordinary, that his enemies, with all their men, money, and malice, could never drive him out of it.
But while governor Rutledge, with all the good whigs of the state, were thus heartily rejoicing with Marion for his victories, the British and tories were as madly gnashing their teeth upon him for the same. To be struck four such severe blows, in so short a time, and all rising one over another in such cursed climax of bad to worse;to be losing, in this manner, their dear allies, with all their subsidies of arms, ammunition, and money; to have their best friends thus cooled;their worst enemies thus heated; and rank rebellion again breaking up, out of a soil where they had promised themselves nothing but the richest fruits of passive obedience: and all this by a little, ugly spawn of a Frenchman! It was too much! they could not stand it.
Revenge they must and would have; that was certain: and since, with all their efforts, they could not get at Marion, the hated trunk and root of all, they were determined to burn and sweat his branches, the poor whigs, i.e. to carry the curses of fire and sword through all their families and habitations.
Now, had this savage spirit appeared among a few poor British cadets, or piney wood tories, it would not have been so lamentable.
Their ignorance of those divine truths, which exalt the soul above such hellish passions, would have furnished some plea for them.
But, that a British general, and that general a nobleman! a lord! with an archbishop for his brother, and hot-pressed bibles, and morocco prayer books, and all such excellent helps, to teach him that "God is love", and "mercy his delight"; that such a one, I say, should have originated the infernal warfare, of plundering, burning, and hanging the American patriots, is most HORRIBLE. And yet, if possible, more true than horrible. Yes, sure as the day of doom, when that fearful day shall come, and lord Cornwallis, stript of his "brief authority", shall stand, a trembling ghost before that equal bar: then shall the evil spirit, from the black budget of his crimes, snatch the following bloody order, and grinning an insulting smile, flash it before his lordship's terrified optics.
August 18, 1780, To lieutenant colonel Cruger, commandant at the British garrison at Ninety-Six.
Sir, I have given orders that all the inhabitants of this province, who had submitted, and who have taken a part in this revolt, shall be punished with the greatest rigour; that they shall be imprisoned, and their whole property taken from them or destroyed.
