esources, and finally laid him open for defeat. He seldom
lingered long in any one spot, changing his ground frequently, with
Indian policy; his scouts, well chosen, were always on the alert; and,
by constant activity and enterprise, he not only baffled pursuit, but
deprived retreat of its usual mortifications. The employment which he
thus gave his men, not only hardened them against every turn of fortune,
but kept them always in good spirits.

Tarleton rose from a sick bed to undertake his capture. He had been
confined for some time in Charleston with fever. The first moment of
convalescence was seized upon for carrying into effect the wishes of
Cornwallis. He concerted his plans before he left the city. His legion,
which was at Camden, were instructed to meet him, while with a troop of
horse he set forward for some point upon the Wateree. From this point
he was to descend the Wateree in quest of our partisan. His plan of
pursuit, as furnished by his own pen, will be seen hereafter. Marion
was not unadvised of his progress, but, either from the rapidity of
Tarleton's movements, or some error in the report of his scouts, he
failed of success in the object which he aimed at. This was the capture
of Tarleton, while, with his troop of horse, he was on his way to join
the legion. With this object he pressed his march for Nelson's Ferry on
the Santee, and placed his men in ambush in the river swamp. He arrived
too late. Tarleton had already crossed fully two days before. Marion
passed the river in pursuit, advancing with some earnestness on the
footsteps of his foe, still under the impression that Tarleton was only
in command of the small troop with which he had marched from Charleston.
But the British commander had already effected the junction with his
legion, and was at hand in greater force than our partisan dreamed of.
At night, having reached a strong position in the woods, Marion was
taking his usual precautions for making his camp. He was suddenly struck
with a great light, seemingly at the plantation of General Richardson.
This awakened his anxieties, and led him at once to suspect the presence
of his enemy in that quarter. The progress of the British was thus
usually distinguished when they reached a settlement of the patriots.
The suspicions of Marion were soon confirmed by the arrival of Colonel
Richardson, from whom he learned that Tarleton was really at the
plantation, the fires of which he saw, in force with hi