unter him. Tarleton had been apprised of
the gatherings at Williamsburg, and, at the head of some seventy men,
was pressing forward with the hope of surprising James. M'Cottry,
more brave perhaps than prudent, after sending back to James for a
reinforcement, set forward to give Tarleton battle. The British Colonel
had taken post at Kingstree. M'Cottry approached him at midnight. It
happened, perhaps fortunately for the former, that Tarleton had received
some very exaggerated accounts of M'Cottry's force, which the boldness
of his approach seemed to confirm. Taking the alarm accordingly, he
disappeared in season, leaving to M'Cottry the 'eclat' which necessarily
attended his attempt. The excesses of Tarleton, while on this progress,
and the crimes committed in the same neighborhood by other British
captains about the same time, completed the movement which the native
spirit of patriotism in the men of Williamsburg had so happily begun.
The whole country was soon awakened--individuals and groups everywhere
beginning to show themselves in arms, and nothing was needed but an
embodied force of the Americans, upon which they could concentrate
themselves and rally with effect.

It was on the 10th or 12th of August, some four days before the defeat
of Gates, that Marion reached the post at Lynch's Creek, where M'Cottry
had taken his position. He was commissioned by Governor Rutledge to
take command of the country in this quarter, and we will henceforth
distinguish him as General Marion, although it is not so certain at what
period he actually received this promotion;--we find him in possession
of it in the following December.

Of his personal appearance at this time we have a brief but striking
account from the hands of the venerable Judge James--a son of the
Major--who had the honor to serve under Marion at the age of fifteen.

"He was a stranger," says the Judge, "to the officers and men, and they
flocked about him to obtain a sight of their future commander. He was
rather below the middle stature, lean and swarthy. His body was well
set, but his knees and ankles were badly formed, and he still limped
upon one leg. He had a countenance remarkably steady; his nose was
aquiline, his chin projecting; his forehead large and high, and his eyes
black and piercing. He was then forty-eight years of age, with a frame
capable of enduring fatigue and every privation." Of his dress, by which
we may form some idea of that costume which