instantly tore the weapon from the
tree. He declared himself for instant and continued war. "The spirits
of our slain brothers," was his cry, "call upon us to avenge their
massacre. He is a woman that dares not follow me!"

Such being the spirit of the savages, the Carolinians had no alternative
but to resume their arms. Col. Montgomery having gone to England, the
command devolved upon Colonel Grant, and the Highlanders were once more
ordered to the relief of the province. The Carolinians were now somewhat
better prepared to cooperate with their allies. A native regiment of
twelve hundred men was raised, and the command given to Col. Middleton,
a brave and accomplished provincial officer.

To this regiment Marion was attached, under the immediate command
of Moultrie. Many of his associates in this Cherokee war became
subsequently, like himself, distinguished in the war with Great Britain.
Among these may be mentioned the names of Moultrie,* Henry Laurens,
Andrew Pickens and Isaac Huger. These were all officers, even in that
early day, and Marion himself held a lieutenancy--some proof that,
however little we may know of the circumstances by which he secured the
confidence of his neighbors, he was already in full possession of it.
How much of the future acts and successes of these brave men was due
to the exercises and events of this Cherokee war, may reasonably
be conjectured by every reader who knows the value of a stern
apprenticeship to a hazardous profession. Its successive campaigns
against no inferior enemy, and under circumstances of peril and
privation of no common order, were such as must have afforded them
frequent opportunity of making themselves familiar equally with the
exigencies and responsibilities of command.

* Moultrie in his Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 223, would seem to
settle the question in the negative, whether Marion was or
was not in the preceding campaign. He says, "General Marion
and myself ENTERED THE FIELD OF MARS TOGETHER, in an
expedition against the Cherokee Indians, under the command
of Colonel James Grant, in 1761, when I had the honor to
command a light infantry company in a provincial regiment;
he was my first lieutenant. He was an active, brave and
hardy soldier, and an excellent partisan officer." This is
very far however from being conclusive, inasmuch as we have
seen that Marion 'entered the field of Mars' two years
before