Francis Marion/Swamp Fox Symposium: 
Presenters & plans are in progress for Francis Marion Symposium Oct. 14-15, 2011
You missed the best one yet.
  October 15-16, 2010: 8th Francis Marion / Swamp Fox Symposium
 Immerse yourself in Francis Marion's world and learn the significance of the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution.

Site: FE DuBose Campus of  Central Carolina Technical College, I-95, Exit 122, ½ mi E on US 521, Manning, SC.

      This is what you missed at some past Francis Marion Symposiums 2006-2003:

     Francis Marion Symposium commemorates the 225th anniversary for the Rev. War campaigns in the South.

      “1781, The War Changes, Victory in the South.”
     October 27 and 28, 2006 is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Revolutionary War History. 
Let the American Revolution come alive and be real for you as it approached its crescendo in South Carolina in 1781.  Ride where Marion rode on the Old River Road.  See the battle sites.  Make friends and meet researchers and authors as they tell and act out the extraordinary story of the Revolutionary War.  South Carolina is arguably the richest of all treasure troves of Revolutionary War History.  We are just beginning to push back the curtain and understand the magnificent courage and character of our early ancestors.  A refreshing, wonderful experience you'll treasure for a long time.

	Friday, Oct 27, 2006 Christine Swager: Set the Stage with the Southern Campaign   Photo by GP Summers
	Vernon Tanner: The American Indian Participation   The Jack's Creek Militia and their cannon at the Reception at Silver Lakes Plantation Trophy Room Photo by Brian Jarvis of The Manning Times
	Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 Pat O’Kelley: The Bridges Campaign of 1781, Watson / Marion
	Depart for tour: Notable Marion Revolutionary War Sites: First stop: Battle of Wyboo Swamp Site George & Patrick set the scene. Photo by Brian Jarvis of The Manning Times
	Lunch: Church of the Epiphany Nicki Sackrison:   The Non-traditional 18th Century Woman Daniel J. Bell: A Distant Memory of Heroes: Burial Sites: Hayne / Marion Karen MacNutt:   Marion, the Man
	Linzy & Karen Washington              An evening in history:   Joe T. Stukes and Linzy Washington:   “Gen. Francis Marion and Oscar Marion Reminisce ”  Menu:    Peter Horry Wild Boar Pork    Eutaw Springs Sweet Potato    Baby Banastre Butter Beans    Squash Ferguson    Green Dragoon Salad    Sumter Biscuits     Pound Watson Cake           & Wild Marion Berries    Ox Swamp Tea,  Jack’s Creek          Water,  Black Hole Coffee Brian Jarvis of The Manning Times

Inclusions: All Presentations Friday & Saturday - Friday: Presentations, Reception, including heavy Hors D’oeuvres  -
 Saturday:  Breakfast snacks - Saturday:  Presentations and lunch  - Saturday:  Dinner Theater

Drum and fifes (Ray Moran, Garland Hart and Dan Culpepper) 
at Francis Marion Symposium 2005 were a big hit. 
Photo provided by The Item.
Videos Available: (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010)

     One of the best things about the symposium, nine years old Trevor Tollison said, was that he learned about battle strategies Marion used. “I learned that Francis Marion would attack on three sides instead of four,” he said, “because if they attacked on four, the British would probably be more determined to fight.  And Marion didn’t have many men, which would make the greater risk, so by leaving one side open, he would actually give the enemy an opportunity to escape.”

          Trevor’s favorite part of the symposium was the film, “Chasing the Swamp Fox,” shown on Friday evening.  The film, which was created by two young filmmakers for South Carolina’s ETV, used a great deal of footage shot in Clarendon County last summer.  Fort Watson, the Richardson Cemetery, Mt. Hope Swamp, and Half Way Swamp were some of the local sites featured in the film.

          For that reason, Trevor enjoyed the bus tour, especially when they saw Half Way Swamp.   He admitted, however, that he didn’t actually see all the sites visited on the bus tour.  “The bus tour was good, but I fell asleep after lunch, after we saw the Half Way Swamp,” he said.  “The seats were so comfortable, and I ate a lot of food.”

          He also enjoyed the fife and drum performance during Friday evening’s reception at the historic Land Law Offices building.  Trevor took the opportunity to talk to drummer Ray Moran and fifers Garland Hart, and Dan Culpepper, who were delighted to have such a charming and eager young fan.

         Trevor’s third grade class, with teacher Kay Prothro, recently studied about South Carolina’s role in the Revolutionary War and Francis Marion’s importance, which sparked his interest in that part of history.   Trevor even saved his students’ weekly South Carolina newsletter on the subject because “I knew it would be important some day.” 
When his parents, Steve and Beverly Tollison, showed him the article in The Item about the symposium, he immediately asked if they could go. 

         Trevor did not attend all the presentations.  Steve, a physician with the Palmetto Women’s HealthCare, and Beverly brought him to the activities they thought he would most enjoy, such as the bus tour, the movie, and the musicians’ performance.   They did not bring him to the dinner theater on Saturday night, because he had had quite a full day already, and they did not know whether the event would be age-appropriate. 

            “I really liked the dinner and the impersonation of  (South Carolina’s first Gov. John) Rutledge,” said Beverly.  “I didn’t really know that much about him, and Dr. Stukes just brought him to life.  And the food was excellent.  I think Trevor would have enjoyed it.”
      Trevor is already making plans to attend next year, and they hope to invite some classmates and friends who he thinks would enjoy it as well. “We were very lucky to go there,” he said emphatically. 

     For a special school project assignment, Trevor is now planning to do a report on “the life of Francis Marion, or some of his battles, or maybe both,” accompanied perhaps by a model of a battle, and he’s busy researching now.  At nine years old, he is already a frequent visitor to the Harvin Clarendon Library and the Clarendon County Archives. 

        Frank Stovall - Musgrove's Mill: Aug 18, 1780: Elijah Clark & Isaac Shelby vs Patrick Ferguson
        Scott Withrow - Kings Mt.: Oct 7, 1780:  Maj. Patrick Ferguson meets his end 
        Reception @  Historic Land CourtYard, Manning, SC & Moran  & Fifer Culpepper - Military commands w/ music
        Val Green - Catawba Path/Lawson's in this area 
        Doug Crutchfield - Marion & his Militia
        Dr. Christine Swager - Marion Battle/ Engagement sites to be visited
      Tour  ( The sites of Sumter's home, Battle of Great Savannah, Richbourg's Mill, Jack's Creek, Ox Swamp,      
                  Richardson Cemetery, Half Way Swamp  and others may be part of the tour.
        Steve Smith - On-going research & findings at Fort Motte
        Dinner Theater -  An evening in history with  “John Rutledge” Get inside the brilliant mind of SC Governor John Rutledge as he coordinated partisan bands and bonded with General Nathaniel Green.

   Inclusions: All Presentations - Friday – Reception, including heavy Hors D’oeuvres
        - Saturday - Breakfast snacks - Saturday - Bus tour with lunch - Saturday - Dinner Theater
  Presentations @ Days Inn, I-95, Exit 115 & US 301:  5973 Alex Harvin Hwy., Manning, SC 29102
  Meals, tour guides, lectures, displays, bus transportation, all included, 
  discounts for couples & early registrations. 
  3rd FRANCIS MARION SYMPOSIUM, March 11-12, 2005 was at the Days Inn of Manning, I-95, Exit 115 & US 301

Some of the 1780 campaigns:
  Mar 7 – May 12, 1780:  Siege of Charleston
  August 1780:  Battle of Camden
  August 18, 1780: Battle of Musgrove Mill
  Aug 20-24, 1780:  Battle of Great Savannah or Nelson's Ferry
  Oct 7, 1780:  Battle of Kings Mt.
  Oct 25, 1780:  Battle of Tearcoat
  Nov 7-8, 1780:  Confrontation at Richbourg's Mill & Chase to Ox Swamp
  Nov 1780:  Richardson Cemetery & Tarleton
  Dec 12-17, 1780: Battle of Half Way Swamp

  225th Anniversary of SC 1780 Campaigns   Manning/Summerton, Clarendon County, SC

   Francis Marion Symposium III Draws People from as Far Away as Massachusetts
   By Sandi Chaney, The Item

         It is often true that people who live in Paris have never been in the Eiffel Tower and New York City residents have not visited the Statue of Liberty.  Tourists and visitors, however, frequently make those two destinations their first priority.

        So it seems to be with many local residents and the Francis Marion legacy here in Clarendon County.  Many people in the county, or even in the state, do not realize the importance that Marion, also known as the Swamp Fox, had during our fight to gain our independence from England or, in the larger sense, the important role that South Carolina played during the Revolutionary War struggle. 

         The third annual Francis Marion Symposium was held March 11-12, and people came from MA, PA, NC, GA as well as from Clarendon County and all over SC, to attend the two-day event. 

         Karen MacNutt came from Massachusetts for the second year in a row to learn about Francis Marion and area history.  “I have been a big Revolutionary War fan, in particular a fan of the Southern campaign, and in particular a fan of Francis Marion for more years than I can remember,” she said, “probably from the time that Walt Disney created the “Swamp Fox” television productions with Leslie Nielsen.   But I quickly realized the man (Marion) was much more complex, much more interesting than he's ever been portrayed in fiction.   I've read a lot of biographies, and many people who were in the army during the Revolutionary War were pretty shallow.  But some are real patriots and have quite a depth.  I think Marion felt the cause passionately.”

      County newcomers Tom and Sue Czerwinski enjoyed the entire event.  Tom was particularly impressed with the quality of the presenters and the obvious, sometimes emotional, connection many of the attendees have with Francis Marion and the entire Revolutionary War experience.

      “These people (presenters) are real historians, probing primary sources of information,” said Tom, who has had a longtime professional and personal interest in military history.  “So many have gone into original journals and documents to get their information.  And the more you read, the more you understand that this is a fascinating story of very complex people, and from a military point of view, it has been underestimated and unappreciated.”

      Sue agreed, emphasizing also the eloquence of the presenters that made all their knowledge even more interesting to the audience.   And that audience, she said, was so diverse it made the event even better than she had expected.  Mark Davis, lead park ranger at the Fort Moultrie National Monument, mentioned the multi-faceted group as well, saying it was educational just to meet the various attendees with their diverse backgrounds and reasons for coming.

      Symposium organizers always hope there will be something for everyone, and they seem to have succeeded again this year.

  The musical performance by drummer Ray Moran and fifers Garland Hart and Dan Culpepper was a big hit at Friday's reception at the historic Land Law Office building.  The three gave a sample of the musical commands and camp duty tunes, like “reveille,” “assembly,” and “inspection,” that were used at that time since, as nine-year-old attendee Trevor Tollison said, “they didn't have walkie-talkies back then.”  A look around the room found many toes tapping as the trio played a concert of marches of the era. 

     Everyone enjoyed the Saturday evening dinner theater, with Dr. Joseph Stukes portraying the first governor of South Carolina, John Rutledge.“I've seen Joe several times before, portraying other people, and he's always excellent,” said organizer George Summers, “but this was absolutely the best I've ever seen him.  He crammed so much history into his presentation, and he made it enjoyable.”

       Rep. James E. Clyburn, from South Carolina's 6th District, came to the event to announce that, after three years of effort, Clarendon County has been included in a bill designed to authorize a study to determine the feasibility of establishing a Revolutionary Heritage area in South Carolina.  That bill is scheduled to come up soon for debate and possible vote.

     Many people spent time at the display table of Revolutionary War weaponry, most crafted by local residents Al Hausfeld and Dickie Felder.  The rifles, close to five feet tall and weighing more than 10 pounds, are made from beautifully grained wood and brass or silver decorative pieces.   The walls were filled with images from the South Carolina Historical Society's collection of items pertaining to Francis Marion and this area, brought to the event by Mike Coker.  There were posters, notecards, crafts, and many other items on display and available for purchase. 

      MacNutt believes there are some valuable life lessons to be learned from studying Marion's life and times – lessons that transcend the man himself.  “They had nothing, really,” she said.  “Everybody was surrendering, but he didn't do that.  He kept going, and by the force of his own character, he kept things together.  It's a lesson we can all learn, that if something is worth having, it requires you to fight hard for it.  The fact that you don't have everything you need or you don't have the best of everything just means you have to be smarter than the next guy.  And if you have that force of character, that force of will, the commitment, and a belief in something bigger than yourself, you will have the advantage.”
        “People have to have a feeling for their history or they lose it,” said MacNutt.  “They lose a sense of who they are and why they're here.”

        Tom Czerwinski calls the Revolutionary War history in this area “part of the heartstrings of South Carolina.”   This heritage is empowering, he believes, both to South Carolina's standing among the other 49 states and, on a more personal level, to South Carolinians’ pride and self-esteem.