Mel Ain't no Marion Trivia Quiz

Answer: Francis Marion

Unlike his film adaptation, Francis Marion was not a pacifist at the beginning of the War of Independence and did not become involved in the war because of some personal tragedy brought about by the English. In fact, he was part of the American militia forces from the very outset of the war when he joined Wlliam Moultrie's regiment in 1775.

Answer: The Swamp Fox

Marion gained this title from his English adversaries, in particular Colonel Banister Tarleton, who complained to the English High Command that Marion was impossible to engage due to his elusive fighting tactics. This was actually quite a high mark of respect and was bestowed upon Marion because of his abilities to emerge from the Carolina swamps, commit great damage to the enemy with his band of fellow Carolinian troops and then disappear, evading capture.

In 1780 the British captured Charleston and forced the bulk of the American troops out of South Carolina. Marion, however, stayed and organized a small force of men.

In fact, after the American defeat at Camden in the Carolina campaign, Marion's troop of guerrillas constituted the chief colonial force in South Carolina.

Answer: Cherokee

Marion served in two campaigns against the Indians. In 1761 he distinguished himself as a lieutenant of militia by defeating some ambushed Cherokees. After his time in the Indian Wars, Marion returned to St. John's in South Carolina and entered politics, championing the American colonies in their quarrel with England. Marion was elected to the first provincial congress of South Carolina.

Answer: St. John's Parish, South Carolina

Marion was born most likely born on Goatfield Plantation in St. John Berkeley Parish, Berkeley County, near Georgetown, South Carolina, about 1732. This is where his father was from and so it has been presumed that he was born there also. This has been slightly muddied, however, by the fact that his mother's family came from St. James's Parish, Goose Creek.

In all likelihood though, it was probably St. John's as his mother would have first moved to where Marion's father lived shortly after their marriage. Marion was a descendant of French Huguenots who had settled on the Santee River. Prior to becoming involved in the Indian Wars, Marion established himself as a planter in St. John's Parish after coming into a small inheritance.

Answer: Brigadier General

Marion rose from Private all the way to Brigadier General in fighting for his country. He started the War of Independence as a Captain in charge of one of the two State regiments produced by South Carolina and authorized by the Congress of South Carolina that Marion was a representative in.

Answer: Most of them were completely exaggerated and wrong

Marion's services during the War of Independence probably would not have been made as much of had it not been for a fictitious publication issued in 1809 by Matthew Carey, a well known publisher. This publication was called 'The Life of Gen. Francis Marion, a Celebrated Partizan Officer, in The Revolutionary War, against the British and Tories, in South-Carolina and Georgia. From documents furnished by his brother in arms, Brigadier-General P. Horry: and his nephew, the Hon. Robert Marion, Esq. of Congress. Horry (one of Marion's Colonels) had actually provided the transcript to be published, but when giving it to the person (Mr. Weems) who was to provide it to the publisher, he requested that the publisher 'not alter the sense or meaning of my work, least when it came out I might not know {it;} and, perverted, it might convey a very different meaning from the truth.' He later told Weems, whom he had given the transcript 'Nor have the public received the real history of General Marion. You have carved and mutilated it with so many erroneous statements your embellishments, observation and remarks, must necessarily be erroneous as proceeding from false grounds. Most certainly 'tis not my history, but your romance.' The falsehoods that Weems concocted -- sometimes in malice -- have been accepted as truth and retold throughout the United States and used in enyclopaedias and text books, government reports and political speeches.

As a result, Marion has been honored by having counties and towns named for him to an extent equalled or surpassed by few of America's greatest men.

Answer: Battle of Eutaw Springs

Marion took part in many many battles during the War of Independence, for example in September 1775 Marion commanded the capture of the British fort in Charleston, South Carolina. In fact for a daring rescue of Americans who were surrounded by the British at Parkers Ferry, S.C. (August 1781), Marion received the thanks of Congress.

When Nathanael Greene had succeeded in ousting the British from North Carolina (in the Carolina campaign), his lieutenant, Light-Horse Harry Lee, brought reinforcements to Marion, and they took part together in several battles, notably that at Eutaw Springs, which is credited as being the point when the English were forced to retreat to North Carolina.

Answer: Appoint him commander of a Fort

The state Legislature actually awarded Marion by appointing him Commander of Fort Johnson, in Charleston. In addition, Marion was elected by the people of South Carolina to the State Senate in 1781, '82 and '84.

Answer: Leniency

Despite having been a continual thorn in the side of the English in his area of combat, and despite having inflicted heavy losses on the English with minimal impact on his own forces, Marion suggested a policy of leniency towards the English and all Loyalists.

This was a common sentiment amongst many Americans, a large number of whom had not wanted to sever the link with England in the first place. Marion advocated this policy from the South Carolina Senate

Answer: Florence

Obviously named after the Swamp Fox, this University was founded in 1970. It is one of South Carolina's 12 state-supported universities and also one of the state's five comprehensive institutions, FMU prides itself on providing a strong liberal arts education. It's sports teams are known as 'The Patriots'.