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MARION MARIOTTE 171 officer, his quiet humor when dealing^ with both friend and foe, his perpetual vigilance and sudden movements, have all entered into the legends of the country. Though Snow's island, a natural fortress of swamps and for- ests accessible only under good guidance, was lis favorite hiding place, yet he had other re- Teats in almost every swamp of Carolina, where he found ready refuge from a superior enemy, and whence he could rapidly emerge. His food was chiefly potatoes and corn; his only drink was vinegar and water ; for months he slept without a blanket, and marched with- out a hat ; and he trained his followers to his own habit of cheerful endurance. He disci- plined in his style of warfare many young offi- cers, who proved in time worthy of their mas- ter. In December, 1780, Gen. Greene, super- seding Gates, took command of the southern army. He was able to appreciate the courage and services of Marion, who now united his brigade with the main army or acted separate- ly, as the occasion or the wishes of the con- tinental general required. He was Greene's great resource for obtaining intelligence ; had his spies in the British camps and garrisons, in Camden, Charleston, Georgetown, and Savan- nah ; and was himself almost ubiquitous with his brigade. He baffled Tarleton, Barfield, Doyley, Gainey, McArthur, Coffin, and We- myss, all of whom were in turn or in concert ' despatched for his express capture or defeat. After Cornwallis had driven Greene's army out of the state Marion held his ground, pressed his predatory warfare to the gates of Charleston, and interrupted the line of com- munication between the metropolis and all parts of the interior. Col. Watson with a picked force was sent to expel or crush him. Major Gainey, of whom great expectations were formed, was also sent in pursuit ; yet he was defeated by Marion, narrowly escaping with his life. Col. Tyne, whom Marion had once before defeated, was also on his track, and was again foiled. Major Mcllraith, sent with another division to cooperate with Wat- son, was in close pursuit of him, but he baf- fled them both, so palpably that Mcllraith was disgraced. The next auxiliary of Watson was Col. Doyle, subsequently distinguished as a British general in India. Each took the field with a regiment of British, and a large addi- tional force of loyalists. Unable openly to meet either division, Marion determined to prevent their junction. Watson was led into one ambush after another until, having lost a large part of his men, he reached Georgetown. Marion then turned upon Doyle, who made a precipitate retreat and avoided him. This re- treat was in part occasioned by the necessities of Rawdon, who called in his detachments at the approach of Greene. Being joined by Lee's legion and supplied with ammunition, Marion determined to attack Fort Watson on the San- tee river. It was on high ground, and as he was without artillery, towers made of logs were extemporized during the night, and raised sufficiently high to enable the riflemen to plant themselves on an elevation equal to that of the fortress ; and while the sharpshooters plied their bullets, a storming party scaled the walls, and the garrison surrendered. Lee then re- joined Greene, but after the battle of Hobkirk's Hill aided Marion in investing Fort Motte on the Congaree. The besiegers again felt the want of artillery, but Mrs. Motte, the original owner of the house around which the fort had been constructed, furnished an Indian bow with arrows, which, tipped with combustibles, set fire to the roof over the heads of the gar- rison, which then capitulated. Marion distin- guished himself by prudence and humanity su- perior to his times, and prevented Lee's men from hanging some of the prisoners. Some causes of complaint tempted him soon after to resign his commission and join the main army under Washington ; but Greene succeed- ed in dissuading and retaining him, and he was soon repeating his exploits on the skirts of Lord Rawdon's forces, and while holding him in check captured Georgetown. He subse- quently joined Greene and Sumter in the pur- suit of Rawdon, till he intrenched himself in Orangeburg, and declined battle. After the evacuation of Orangeburg and the departure of Rawdon for Europe, the forces of Marion and Sumter swept the country to the gates of Charleston. He. then resumed his indepen- dent command in the Santee country, took an important part in the battle of Eutaw Springs (Sept. 8, 1781), and pursued the enemy in their retreat. The British were gradually confined almost to the walls of Charleston, and the le- gislature of the state again assembled for the purpose of restoring civil authority. Marion steadily refused to engage in any unnecessary enterprise after the prospect of peace. He disbanded his brigade soon after the British fleet and army evacuated Charleston (Dec. 14, 1782), taking a tender farewell of his follow- ers, and returned to the avocations of a farm- er almost in poverty. He was subsequently returned to the senate of the state by the elec- tors of St. John's parish, Berkeley. In 1784 he accepted the appointment under the state of commandant of Fort Johnson, and soon after married. In 1790 he was a member of the convention for framing a state constitution, and in 1794 he resigned his commission as one of the generals of the state militia. He was buried at Belle Isle, in the parish of St. John's, and a slight oblong tomb, the tribute of a pri- vate citizen, covers the remains of one of the purest men, truest patriots, and most adroit generals that American history can boast. MARIOTTE, Ednie, a French physicist, died May 12, 1684. The date and place of his birth are unknown. He was prior of St. Martin- sur-B.eaune, Dijon, and one of the original members of the French academy of sciences. Condorcet says that " Mariotte^ was the first one in France who introduced into physics a