{"product_id":"9781462827626","title":"Swamp Fox","description":"\u003cp\u003eSwamp Fox is the story of a southern revolutionary hero.  Francis Marion was a lawyer and a successful plantation owner in South Carolina.  He was no longer a young man in 1776.  Marion had already served with distinction in the South Carolina militia during the Indian uprisings years before.  And yet when his country needed him he answered the call and took up his old position as a major in the militia.  The British were sending a fleet of warships against Charles Town and he had volunteered to defend the city.  The story, Swamp Fox, begins as Francis constructs a fortress using the only materials available.  Even his superiors believe any attempt at defense is futile, but Francis perseveres.  The defense of the city is successful, Marion is elevated to the rank of Colonel, and for a period of time the war doesn’t seem to impact the south.        The story touches upon the elegant life of the wealthy southerners as Marion and Mary are guests at a ball giving in honor of the Marquis de La Fayette upon his arrival in America.  Francis begins to get on with his life and proposes marriage to the beautiful Mary Videau.  Unfortunately he chooses the very day that Savannah is attacked and falls to the British.                                                                                                                        The British again turn their attention on Charles Town.  On the evening of the attack, all officers meet to finalize their plans and in a freak accident, Francis breaks his ankle and is ordered to go home.  Protesting the situation Francis is taken home by Oscar, his plantation overseer and friend since childhood.  Oscar, and all the blacks who work on Marion’s plantation, are freed men and women since Marion is very much against slavery.      Charles Town falls to the British and all the American officers are either killed or captured.  The British know of Colonel Francis Marion and are searching for him as he is the only remaining American officer in the south.  To hide from the British, Francis takes to the swamp with a handful of close friends.  From the safety of the swamp, Francis Marion plans to rally others to the American cause of Liberty and Freedom and strike at the British.  Other southerners hear that Colonel Marion is in the swamp calling for recruits and slowly a small band of men come together.  They begin to harass the British who are still searching for him.  Just when they seem to have captured him he slips away like a ghost into the swamp.  It is the frustrated British who dub him ‘The Swamp Fox’.      Throughout the tale, Francis fights discrimination and prejudice against blacks.  He staunchly defends his beliefs even voicing them to his superiors.  In one instance, he and is men offer their services to General Gates who laughs at them and mocking promotes Marion to the rank of general.  The title sticks as Francis shrugs off the insult and continues fighting on his own.      On occasion, and then only at night, Marion is able to go to the Videau plantation to see Mary.  He dare not go to his beloved plantation, Pond Bluff, as the British watch it constantly.  Marion’s band grows in size and he is able to attack the British on a larger scale, but he always is depressed as he doesn’t have any contact with the American forces.  Working alone, without orders, he claims that he wouldn’t know if the war was over or who won.  He just continues to fight and harass the British.      Finally General Greene acknowledges Francis and what he has been doing.  The general sends the colorful, Colonel ‘Light Horse Harry’ Lee and his distinguished group of disciplined Continentals to combine forces with Marion’s swamp fighters.  The clash of cultures of the two fighting forces and their leaders is quite extraordinary.  In spite of this, Marion and Lee become close friends and have many exciting adventures together.      On two occasions Lee and his men are recalled and at times Marion disbands his men allowing them to return to their homes to prepare for winter or to care for family.  The band of men can be and is recalled quickly when needed.  Joining forces with General Greene, Marion is placed in charge of all of the southern militia in the battle of Eutaw Springs.  Under Marion’s leadership the militia does well and is praised after the successful battle.        In December of 1782, the British gave up the south by evacuating Charles Town.  The war was over and all the available American troops were massing for a proud return to Charles Town ... a parade and a celebration.  Bursting with pride, Marion and his band of swamp fighters prepare to enter Charles Town, but are refused entrance because the men were in rags and some of them are black.  An argument ensues and the officials relent allowing all but the blacks to march in honor.  Marion angrily turns his entire troop around and leaves.  He is deeply depressed that his men were refused their rightful honor.      Francis disbands his men and he and Oscar go home to find his home, his Pond Bluff, ravaged and burned to the ground.  With head hanging and spirits low he goes to Mary Videau.  When they speak of their future together, Francis tells Mary that, although he loves her dearly, he cannot marry her since he has nothing to offer; no home, no income, ... nothing.  She offers her plantation, and he refuses.  She implores him to stay with her a while before he leaves to go to his brother’s home where he intends to live.      On the day he leaves she entices him to let her ride along with him and to stop at Pond Bluff.  As they near the destroyed plantation, Francis hears a large body of men chopping and hammering.  Angry that people are taking the last vestige of his land, the trees, he charges up the hill to Pond Bluff.  He finds his plantation restored.  Hundreds of people are there all putting the final touches on the reparation of his plantation.      With tears in his eyes he thanks his friends and once again proposes marriage to Mary.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Xlibris US","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47125618589936,"sku":"9781462827626","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781462827626_p0.jpg?v=1763678517","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781462827626","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}