Francis Marion, The Swamp Fox: The Story and What Is True

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Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox is a story from Pee Dee region. The South Carolina Encyclopedia says Marion organized a partisan force in the Pee Dee in 1780 and fought at Great Savannah, Blue Savannah, Black Mingo, Tearcoat Swamp and Halfway Swamp.

WherePee Dee regionPee Dee
KindHistorynot a ranking
Sources1named, linked below
CheckedOct 262026

Collected 0 of 21All legends

A story with a documented core.

No. 20 of 21

Francis Marion, The Swamp Fox

The legend says a British commander gave up chasing a Carolina militia leader through the swamps and said even the devil could not catch him, and the nickname Swamp Fox stuck.

What The Record Shows

The South Carolina Encyclopedia says Marion organized a partisan force in the Pee Dee in 1780 and fought at Great Savannah, Blue Savannah, Black Mingo, Tearcoat Swamp and Halfway Swamp. His nickname 'reportedly' came from British officer Banastre Tarleton, who called him a 'damned old fox' and swore the devil could not catch him, so the quote is a reported one, not a document. The Encyclopedia adds that some counts put 'Marion's Men' above two thousand, but the band was generally considerably smaller. He set up camp on Snow's Island in December 1780.

Sources: South Carolina Encyclopedia – Marion, Francis.

A note: Marion's home site is under Lake Marion per the Encyclopedia. No county given because he fought in several; no visit link found on an official page.

FAQ

Is the story of Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox true?

The South Carolina Encyclopedia says Marion organized a partisan force in the Pee Dee in 1780 and fought at Great Savannah, Blue Savannah, Black Mingo, Tearcoat Swamp and Halfway Swamp.

Is this a legend?

It is a story with a documented core. The facts are listed on this page with their sources.

Where do these facts come from?

From the named sources listed on this page: South Carolina Encyclopedia – Marion, Francis.

Sources

South Carolina Encyclopedia – Marion, Francis

Read on October 26, 2026. Stories are for fun; the facts come from these sources. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.

Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “Francis Marion, The Swamp Fox”, itssouthcarolina.com/things-to-do/south-carolina-legends/swamp-fox-francis-marion/ (updated 2026-10-26). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.