Siege of Fort Motte

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Siege of Fort Motte
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Date May 8-12, 1781 Location Fort Motte, South Carolina Result American victory
Combatants
Britain	United States
Commanders
Daniel McPherson	Francis Marion
Strength
175	?
Casualties
175 captured	2 wounded

A force of Patriots led by General Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion and Lt. Colonel "Light Horse" Harry Lee set out to capture the British post at Fort Motte, strategically located at the confluence of the Congaree and Wateree Rivers. The fort was not much more than a mansion owned by the Motte family, but was garrisoned by roughly 175 British soldiers under Lt. Daniel McPherson.

Marion and Lee learned that Lord Rawdon was retreating towards Fort Motte in the aftermath of the Battle of Hobkirk's Hill. The Americans forces invested the place on May 8 and wished to capture the fort before Rawdon arrived. Two days later Marion, called for the British to surrender and McPherson refused. The next day, Colonel Lee informed Mrs. Motte that he intended to burn the mansion down to force the British out. On May 12, the American forces had entrenched close enough to the mansion that flaming arrows were shot onto the roof. Mrs Motte, a Partiot not only accepted Lee's plan, but offered up her own set of bow and arrows. Marion's artillery fire added to the desperation of the British and, by 1:00 that afternoon, Lt. McPherson surrendered the garrison to the Patriots.

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