“Swamp Fox, Swamp Fox, tail in his hat. Nobody knows where the Swamp Fox’s at. Swamp Fox, Swamp Fox, hiding in the glen. He runs away to fight again!”
Many may remember these words, sung by Francis Marion’s men in a 1959 miniseries produced by Walt Disney about the famous 18th century military officer, planter and politician. But that is only one of dozens of books, films and television productions devoted to the life of Marion since 1805.
Join the Daniel Island Historical Society on Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 7 to 8 pm at Church of the Holy Spirit on Daniel Island as we welcome guest speaker Tom Elmore, who holds a B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of South Carolina. Mr. Elmore will examine what these representations got right and what they got wrong, and how Disney merchandised Marion, a Brigadier General who served the Patriot cause during the American Revolution. Plus – how did he get the nickname “Swamp Fox?” Francis Marion also has a storied history right here in his native Berkeley County – and is of course the namesake of the nearly 259,000 acre national forest that begins on the northern end of the Cainhoy peninsula.
This program is part of the “Revolutionary Perspectives – Speaker Series” supported by the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission.
Mr. Elmore, is the author of five books about South Carolina in the 19th century, as well as numerous articles in regional and national publications. He has lectured all across the Mid-Atlantic States and has been a book reviewer for two national magazines. Mr. Elmore is also the current State Historian for the Ancient Order of Hibernians. He is also a member of the Richland County 250 Committee, the Robert Burns Society of the Midlands and the Scottish Clan Davidson.