Okla-homey
11/9/2007, 06:59 AM
November 9, 1780: Thomas Sumter evades Wemyss in South Carolina
http://aycu12.webshots.com/image/32411/2003073644987048977_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003073644987048977)
Thomas Sumter, The Gamec0ck
217 years ago, on this day in 1780, British Major James Wemyss, commanding a force of 140 British dragoons, attempts to surprise 300 South Carolina militiamen under General Thomas Sumter at Fishdam Ford, South Carolina.
Instead of capturing Sumter as planned, Wemyss, "the second most hated man in the British army," was wounded in the arm and knee, and captured by Sumter.
Sumter and Wemyss were major figures in the bloody civil war that raged along the Santee River of South Carolina during the American War of Independence.
http://aycu38.webshots.com/image/31837/2003052830945386619_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003052830945386619)
Warfare in the swamps of SC
British Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, the man Carolinians most hated, for his brutal destruction of life and property, had burned Sumter’s plantation on the Santee in the early summer of 1780. Enraged, Sumter recruited a militia, which dubbed him the "Gamec0ck" for his willingness to fight, and began returning Tarleton’s terror tactics in kind.
http://aycu21.webshots.com/image/32860/2003042057550238966_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003042057550238966)
Banaster Tarleton. The fiery redheaded dragoon leader pretty much did whatever he wanted thus dragging the war in SC to a very bloody and base level.
James Wemyss found his way to the Carolinas after being commanded by British General Charles Cornwallis to find a way to help defeat the cagey brigadier general of the South Carolina militia, Francis Marion, known as the "Swamp Fox." In short, Ol' Corny figured Tarleton could use the help.
http://aycu39.webshots.com/image/35118/2003039767002776769_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003039767002776769)
Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox
Wemyss, the younger son of a British earl, was just as willing to burn homes and terrify civilians as his green jacketed superior Tarleton. As it turned out, on this day in 1780 Wemyss was crushed at the hands of Thomas Sumter, never getting a shot at his primary target Marion.
Although Wemyss failed to capture Sumter on November 9, his fearsome compatriot Tarleton succeeded in wounding Sumter on November 20, forcing Sumter to give up his command.
http://aycu34.webshots.com/image/34233/2003056351205794070_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003056351205794070)
This collection of four patriot flags captured by Tarleton during the period were taken home to England by Tarleton after the war. In June 2006, they were put up for sale by the Tarleton family. The Sothebys auction grossed 16 million dollars. The one with the 13 stripes drew 5 million alone because it is the oldest surviving American banner with 13 red and white stripes.
In Sumter's wake, the able Marion took the reigns of power in the Carolinas and was instrumental in driving the British out of the sister colonies to Virginia, where General George Washington would finish the job and the war less than a year later at Yorktown.
The University of South Carolina chose the gamec0ck as its sports mascot in tribute to Thomas Sumter of South Carolina -- who chose to fight back against British power amid terrible odds.
http://aycu23.webshots.com/image/34742/2001377410236905387_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001377410236905387)
The Gamec0ck was a member of the state convention which ratified the Federal constitution for South Carolina in 1788, he himself opposing that instrument; of the national House of Representatives in 1780-93 and again in 1797-1801, and of the United States Senate from 1801 to 1810.
http://aycu15.webshots.com/image/30654/2003083551249982234_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003083551249982234)
The Gamec0ck's final resting place in Sumter County, SC.
At the time of his death at South Mount, South Carolina, on the 1st of June 1832, he was the last surviving general officer of the Revolution.
Thomas Sumter is buried near the SC town, and in the county named for him.
Sumter County Alabama and Sumter County Florida are also named for the Gamec0ck. Additionally, the fort in Charleston Harbor where the War of the Rebellion began in 1861 is named for Thomas Sumter.
http://aycu29.webshots.com/image/34508/2003023515968900286_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003023515968900286)
Jacksonville State University in Anniston AL sports the other collegiate gamec0cks.
The guerilla war waged by Sumter, Marion versus Tarleton and Wemyss served as partial inspiration for Mel Gibson’s film, The Patriot (2000). Gibson's character was a kluge of Thomas Sumter and Francis Marion. Thus, in a way, he was a Swamp C0ck, or a Game Fox.;)
http://aycu03.webshots.com/image/34282/2003082667982723564_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003082667982723564)
Postscript:
http://aycu21.webshots.com/image/32860/2003075708608398333_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003075708608398333)
Modern South Carolinians still love a good dust-up just like their Revolutionary War ancestors. Here, a Clemson student-athlete engages in a bit of good-natured hijinx with a USC student-athlete following the last meeting of the in-state rivals of the Lou Holtz era. SC law enforcement personnel stopped it before anyone got hurt -- except for Lou's reputation of course.
http://aycu12.webshots.com/image/32411/2003073644987048977_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003073644987048977)
Thomas Sumter, The Gamec0ck
217 years ago, on this day in 1780, British Major James Wemyss, commanding a force of 140 British dragoons, attempts to surprise 300 South Carolina militiamen under General Thomas Sumter at Fishdam Ford, South Carolina.
Instead of capturing Sumter as planned, Wemyss, "the second most hated man in the British army," was wounded in the arm and knee, and captured by Sumter.
Sumter and Wemyss were major figures in the bloody civil war that raged along the Santee River of South Carolina during the American War of Independence.
http://aycu38.webshots.com/image/31837/2003052830945386619_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003052830945386619)
Warfare in the swamps of SC
British Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, the man Carolinians most hated, for his brutal destruction of life and property, had burned Sumter’s plantation on the Santee in the early summer of 1780. Enraged, Sumter recruited a militia, which dubbed him the "Gamec0ck" for his willingness to fight, and began returning Tarleton’s terror tactics in kind.
http://aycu21.webshots.com/image/32860/2003042057550238966_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003042057550238966)
Banaster Tarleton. The fiery redheaded dragoon leader pretty much did whatever he wanted thus dragging the war in SC to a very bloody and base level.
James Wemyss found his way to the Carolinas after being commanded by British General Charles Cornwallis to find a way to help defeat the cagey brigadier general of the South Carolina militia, Francis Marion, known as the "Swamp Fox." In short, Ol' Corny figured Tarleton could use the help.
http://aycu39.webshots.com/image/35118/2003039767002776769_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003039767002776769)
Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox
Wemyss, the younger son of a British earl, was just as willing to burn homes and terrify civilians as his green jacketed superior Tarleton. As it turned out, on this day in 1780 Wemyss was crushed at the hands of Thomas Sumter, never getting a shot at his primary target Marion.
Although Wemyss failed to capture Sumter on November 9, his fearsome compatriot Tarleton succeeded in wounding Sumter on November 20, forcing Sumter to give up his command.
http://aycu34.webshots.com/image/34233/2003056351205794070_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003056351205794070)
This collection of four patriot flags captured by Tarleton during the period were taken home to England by Tarleton after the war. In June 2006, they were put up for sale by the Tarleton family. The Sothebys auction grossed 16 million dollars. The one with the 13 stripes drew 5 million alone because it is the oldest surviving American banner with 13 red and white stripes.
In Sumter's wake, the able Marion took the reigns of power in the Carolinas and was instrumental in driving the British out of the sister colonies to Virginia, where General George Washington would finish the job and the war less than a year later at Yorktown.
The University of South Carolina chose the gamec0ck as its sports mascot in tribute to Thomas Sumter of South Carolina -- who chose to fight back against British power amid terrible odds.
http://aycu23.webshots.com/image/34742/2001377410236905387_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001377410236905387)
The Gamec0ck was a member of the state convention which ratified the Federal constitution for South Carolina in 1788, he himself opposing that instrument; of the national House of Representatives in 1780-93 and again in 1797-1801, and of the United States Senate from 1801 to 1810.
http://aycu15.webshots.com/image/30654/2003083551249982234_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003083551249982234)
The Gamec0ck's final resting place in Sumter County, SC.
At the time of his death at South Mount, South Carolina, on the 1st of June 1832, he was the last surviving general officer of the Revolution.
Thomas Sumter is buried near the SC town, and in the county named for him.
Sumter County Alabama and Sumter County Florida are also named for the Gamec0ck. Additionally, the fort in Charleston Harbor where the War of the Rebellion began in 1861 is named for Thomas Sumter.
http://aycu29.webshots.com/image/34508/2003023515968900286_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003023515968900286)
Jacksonville State University in Anniston AL sports the other collegiate gamec0cks.
The guerilla war waged by Sumter, Marion versus Tarleton and Wemyss served as partial inspiration for Mel Gibson’s film, The Patriot (2000). Gibson's character was a kluge of Thomas Sumter and Francis Marion. Thus, in a way, he was a Swamp C0ck, or a Game Fox.;)
http://aycu03.webshots.com/image/34282/2003082667982723564_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003082667982723564)
Postscript:
http://aycu21.webshots.com/image/32860/2003075708608398333_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003075708608398333)
Modern South Carolinians still love a good dust-up just like their Revolutionary War ancestors. Here, a Clemson student-athlete engages in a bit of good-natured hijinx with a USC student-athlete following the last meeting of the in-state rivals of the Lou Holtz era. SC law enforcement personnel stopped it before anyone got hurt -- except for Lou's reputation of course.