The Symposium presented a Marion Family Tree to three direct descendants of Francis Marion’s father (Francis and Mary Esther had no children): (l-r) Doris Marion, Warner M. Montgomery, and Keith Gourdin. “Explore General Marion and the Southern Campaign” was the theme of the 7th Annual Francis Marion Symposium held in Manning October 16–17. The event was organized by Carole and George Summers of the Swamp Fox Murals Trail Society.

The speakers were

• Dr. Christine R. Swager, teacher and author, who explained many stranger than fiction facts about Marion, such as

– The British “rented” 30,000 Germans (Hessians) to fight the Southern patriots.

– Marion’s troops affectionally called him, “The Hooknose Bastard.”

– Members of Marion’s brigade wore a leather cap adorned with a white cockade and a metal crescent on which was engraved LIBERTY.

Dr. Wright Turbeville(l) shows a replica of the cap used by Marion’s Brigade to Dr. Christine Swager. – Marion’s brigade was made up of 25% black soldiers and 25% Indian soldiers.

• Dr. Wright Turbeville, minister and judge, told the story of John Laurens, the son of Henry Laurens, the richest man in America before the Revolution. John was an aide to Gen. George Washington and the only member of Washington’s staff to be killed in the Revolution.

• George P. Summers retired Air Force colonel, outlined the Bridges Campaign conducted by Marion in Clarendon and Williamsburg counties.

• Dr. Thomas C. Powers, professor at USC–Sumter, spoke on Marion and his commanders. His major point was that, from the very beginning, Marion was a Continental Army officer. During the war, this led to problems in the chain of command with S.C. Gov. Rutledge, Col. Thomas Sumter, and Gen. Nathanael Greene.

Dr. Karen MacNutt speaks on the families of Gen. and Mrs. Francis Marion. • Dr. William T. Graves, retired attorney and writer, explained how the Revolutionary War Pension Statements could be used in historical research.

• Dr. Karen C. Mac- Nutt, historian and attorney, analyzed the interrelated families connected with Francis Marion, such as Cordes, Videau, St. Julien, Simons, Gaillard, Alston, Huger, and Porcher.

• David Neilan, engineer and researcher, explained how he has used the Internet and personal contacts to organize The Marion Papers, a collection of over 650 letters which will soon be published.

• David Sherrill, a Revolutionary War reenactor, portrayed Benjamin Franklin and answered questions from the audience about “his” life during the Revolution.

Dr. Joe Stukes portrays Ben Franklin at the Francis Marion Symposium. • Dr. Joseph Taylor Stukes, retired history professor and former president of the S.C. Historical Association, put on his Revolutionary War uniform and morphed into Maj. John James of Marion’s Brigade for the Dinner Theater finale.
George Summers explains the Battle of Tearcoat during a tour of Revolutionary War battlefields in Clarendon County.