Earlier Francis Marion Symposium 2018-2022
In Clarendon County, SC
The 23rd Annual Francis Marion Symposium!
October 17-18, 2025
Immerse yourself in Francis Marion’s world and the significance of the Southern Campaigns of the American Revolution.
Previous FM Symposium for some Marion times and histories 2013-2022:
Earlier Francis Marion Symposium history: 2018-2022 – This page
Previous FM Symposium for some Marion times and histories 2003-2012:
The 20th Annual Francis Marion Symposium!
October 21-22, 2022
(Motels at exit 119 listed near bottom)
Explore the Rev. War Southern Campaigns and
the “Times of Francis Marion, 1732-1795”
Special Thank you to our Great Presenters, Sponsors and Participants.
2022 Gold Sponsors:
SC 250th Revolutionary War Anniversary Commission, Columbia, SC;
American Revolution Round Table-SC, Hilton Head, SC;
Dr. Elwood Owens, Photographer, Videographer, Florence, SC;
Warren and Jay Graves, Hilton Head Island, SC.
Prothro Chevrolet, Buick and GMC Lannes Prothro, Manning, SC;
FTC, Kingstree. SC;
A Friend of the Francis Marion Symposium, Bluffton, SC;
A Friend of the Francis Marion Symposium, Gable, SC;
Anderson Pharmacy, Rock, Manning, SC;
Bank of Clarendon, Manning, SC;
South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust, Charleston, SC;
In Memory of Col. George Summers, Manning, SC.
More Great Sponsors: Thank you.
Edward Jones, Whit, Manning, SC;
D & H BBQ, Henry, Manning, SC;
Mill Street Grill, Brandi, Manning, SC;
Santee Electric Cooperative, Kingstree, SC;
Sub Station II of Manning, Rick, Manning, SC;
Rick Jackson, St. Matthews, SC;
James Warren, New Bern, NC;
In Memory of Peter Reilly, Sound Beach, NY;
In Memory of Bob Swager, Moore, SC;
Special Thanks to Molly Fortune, Heather Hawkins, Bill Segars, Don and Shirley Miller, Doug and Sue Butterfield, Gloria Joseph, Louis Griffith and all the many helpers.
20th Francis Marion Symposium is done and got good reviews. Thanks to all who participated, presented and helped in so many ways. Participants from: AZ, FL, GA, MA, NC, NY, PA, WI
And all over SC: Alcolu, Awendaw, Bluffton, Bowman, Camden, Cameron, Columbia, Conway, Florence, Gable, Gaffney, Georgetown, Greenville, Hardeeville, Hartsville, Heath Springs, Hemingway, Hilton Head, Irmo, Kingstree, Laurens, Liberty Hill, Little River, Lugoff, Manning, Moncks Corner, Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, Pineville, Ridgeway, Round O, Simpsonville, Six Mile, St. Matthews, Summerton, Summerville, Sumter
Immerse yourself in Francis Marion’s world and the significance of the Southern Campaigns of the American Revolution.
FE DuBose Campus, Central Carolina Technical College
I-95, Exit 122, US 521,
FE DuBose Campus, CCTC, 3351 Sumter Highway, Manning, SC 29102
Tour Swamp Fox Murals, Manning, and Clarendon Museum, if you like.
Garrison Marcoux: The Liberty Trail app
Doug Bostick: SCBPT, 250th and Liberty Trail: “Battleground Trust”
Rick Wise: Black Mingo: One of Marion’s Early Victories
Karen MacNutt: Mrs. Swamp Fox, a brief Biography of Mrs. General Marion
Walter Edgar on SC Public Radio with Doug Bostick and Catherine Noyes – American Battlefield Trust: The Liberty Trail: The trail to independence. We’ll talk about it at the Symposium too.
Ed reminds of this quote by John Adams, who on the first anniversary of the document he helped to edit – The Declaration of Independence, wrote the following: “Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make good use of it.. If you do not, I shall repent it in heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it.”
Another favorite quote comes from Ben Franklin as he was being carried by prisoners in his sedan chair back to his home after the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Enroute he was stopped on the street by a female passerby who asked “so Dr Franklin what have you given us? The good Dr simply replied “A republic if you can keep it.“
The 19th Annual Francis Marion Symposium!
October 22-23, 2021
Explore the Rev. War Southern Campaigns
and the “Times of Francis Marion, 1732-1795”
Special Thank you to our Great Sponsors: 2021:
Allison Investment Management, John, Columbia, SC;
Anderson Pharmacy, Rock, Manning, SC;
Bank of Clarendon, Manning, SC
Col Hezekiah Maham SAR Chapter, Berkeley County, Moncks Corner, SC;
DuBose Campus, Central Carolina Technical College, Manning, SC;
Edward Jones, Whit, Manning, SC;
Dr. Elwood Owens, Photographer, Videographer, Florence, SC;
FTC, Kingstree, SC;
A Friend of the Francis Marion Symposium, Bluffton, SC;
Phil and Sue Adair, Laurens, SC;
Peggy Chiappetta, Gable, SC;
Warren and Jay Graves, Hilton Head Island, SC.
Rick Jackson, St Matthews, SC;
Prothro Chevrolet, Lannes Prothro, Manning, SC;
In Memory of Peter E. Reilly, NY;
SC 250th Anniversary Commission, Columbia, SC;
In Memory of Bob Swager, Moore, SC;
Mill Street Grill, Manning;
In Honor of South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust, Charleston, SC;
G and C Summers, Manning, SC.
19th Francis Marion Symposium got great reports. Thanks to all who participated, presented and helped in so many ways. Participants and sponsors from: FL, KY, MA, MI, MO, NC, NY, VT, WI and all over SC: Awendaw, Bluffton, Blythwood, Camden, Cameron, Charleston, Columbia, Conway, Elgin, Florence, Fountain Inn, Gable, Goose Creek, Hardeeville, Hartsville, Hilton Head, Heath Springs, Irmo, Kingstree, Lake City, Laurens, Little River, Lugoff, Manning, Moncks Corner, Moore, Mt. Pleasant, North Charleston, Pamplico, Pineville, Six Mile, Spartanburg, St. Matthews, Summerton, Summerville, Sumter, Vance, Walterboro
Immerse yourself in Francis Marion’s world and the significance of the Southern Campaigns of the American Revolution.
2021 Agenda (Links to most presentations on Youtube.)
JD Lewis: “All Roads Lead to Charles Town”
Drew Ruddy: “The Dog Day Foray and Lewisfield Vessel” (near Fort Fairlawn)
Charles Baxley: SC 250th Anniversary Commission
Parson John introduces Maggie Delaney: “Bound for Passage and Another Man’s Property” (Part B, Maggie concludes)
Jeffrey Kline: “Andre Michaux -The French Botanist” Brushing shoulders with American Revolutionaries. (Part B, Jeff concludes)
John Allison “Finding and Understanding the Battle of Beaufort” …a story of Patriot Heroes, Redcoat Looters, and French Spies
Christine Swager “How the English Lost the Colonies”
Erick Nason: “The Fox and the Wolf – the early partisan days of Francis Marion” (Erick concludes)
Steve Smith: The Archaeology of Recovered Ammunition at Star Fort, Ninety Six
Leon Harris: “Who Ordered the Burning of Fair Lawn Hospital?“
Ould Badger and Maggie: “Out of the Ground and Sold Away” (Maggie and the Parson conclude)
*** Thank you our great presenters!
FE DuBose Campus / Central Carolina Technical College
I-95, Exit 122, US 521, CCTC, DuBose Campus 3351 Sumter Highway, Manning, SC 29102
2021: Special thanks to the great presenters, many volunteers and sponsors who make this experience outstanding, and thanks to the attendees with such great enthusiasm.
Thanks to Dr. Elwood Owens from Florence for the great photography.
Special Thank you to our Sponsors: 2020:
American Revolution Roundtable-SC, Bluffton, SC;
Anderson Pharmacy, Rock and Vicki Ouzts Manning, SC;
Anonymous Friend;
Dr. Elwood Owens, MD, JD, Photographer, Videographer, Florence, SC;
In Memory of Peter E. Reilly, NY;
John Beakes, Maryland;
DuBose Campus, Central Carolina Technical College, Manning, SC;
Edward Jones, Whit Jordan, Manning, SC;
EPR Manning Chapter NSDAR, Manning, SC;
FTC;
Mill Street Grill, Manning, SC;
Prothro Chevrolet, Lannes Prothro, Manning, SC;
Richard Jackson, St. Matthews, SC;
David Neilan, Bethel Park, PA;
North Shore Villas, Summerton, SC;
David Brinkman, Historysoft, Columbia, SC;
The Wannamakers, St. Matthews, SC;
Gus Dunlap, Hartsville, SC;
G and C Summers, Manning, SC
Explore the Rev. War Southern Campaigns and the “Times of Francis Marion, 1732-1795”
2020, October 23-24 Opening 2:20
Durant Ashmore: “Battlefield Preservation in the South Carolina Backcountry”, ‘Rediscovering Lost History’, Durant Concludes.
Mark Motsinger: Southern Illinois Connection to the Southern Campaign. Mark concludes So. Ill. Connection.
Charles Baxley: SC 250th Anniversary Commission
Erick Nason: “The Forlorn Hope.” 1761, South Carolina is in flames as the Anglo-Cherokee War blazes across the up country.
Charles Baxley and David Reuwer: SC Liberty Trail
Ed Forte Oh! Sweet Patriot Revenge: 1780. Ed concludes Patriot Revenge.
Kim Stacy: Myth of Halfway Swamp?
Thank you great presenters!
Ed reminds of this quote by John Adams,
who on the first anniversary of the document he helped to edit – The Declaration of Independence wrote the following: “Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make good use of it.. If you do not, I shall repent it in heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it.”
Another favorite quote comes from Ben Franklin as he was being carried by prisoners in his sedan chair back to his home after the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Enroute he was stopped on the street by a female passerby who asked “so Dr Franklin what have you given us? The good Dr simply replied “A republic if you can keep it.“
18th Francis Marion Symposium is a wrap and got great reports. Thanks to all who participated, presented and helped in so many ways.
Participants & sponsors from: FL, GA, IL, NC, NY, PA and all over SC: Alcolu, Awendaw, Bishopville, Bluffton, Bowman, Camden, Cameron, Chapin, Columbia, Conway, Elgin, Florence, Fountain Inn, Gable, Hartsville, Hilton Head, Inman, Irmo, Kingstree, Laurens, Lugoff, Manning, Moncks Corner, Pamplico, Pineville, Round O, Six Mile, St. Matthews, Summerton, Summerville, Sumter,
2020: Special thanks to the great presenters, many volunteers and sponsors who make this experience outstanding, and thanks to the attendees with such great enthusiasm.
Thanks to Dr. Elwood Owens from Florence for the great photography.
17th Francis Marion Symposium October 25-26, 2019 agenda.
2019 FM Symposium presentations on Youtube:
Doug Bostick: Liberty Trail. SC’s Role in Am Rev
Karen MacNutt: Why We Admire Marion.
Ed Forte: Continental Marines, 1775-1783. Ed’s Continental Marines, conclude.
Jay DeLoach: Adm. Farragut’s Father. NC and Spanish Connection.
Peggy Pickett as Rebecca Motte.
John Beakes: Baron DeKolb John’s Baron DeKolb, concludes.
Rick Wise: Last Best Chance to Corner the Swamp Fox. Rick’s Last Best Chance to Corner the SF, part 2. Rick’s Last Best Chance, concludes.
Rev. Panel Discussion, Around the Campfire. Rev. Panel Discussion, Around the Campfire, concludes.
Steve Smith: Parker’s Ferry. Steve’s: Parker’s Ferry, concludes.
Harriet Little: Richardson-Sinkler Connections. Harriet’s: Richardson-Sinkler, concludes.
Leon Harris and Charles Baxley: Ave. of the Cedars Leon and Charles: Ave. of the Cedars, concludes.
Erick Nason: Buying Time at the Racetrack, Charlestown Neck. Erick’s: Charles Town Neck, Buying Time, concludes.
2018, October : Agenda:
“Times of Francis Marion, 1732-1795”
Adm. Jay DeLoach: ‘American Revolution – A Maritime Conflict‘
Beverly Enwall: “The Fox and Me: The Story of the Swamp Fox and Oscar”
John Allison and Charles Baxley: “Locating the Battle of Tar Bluff” and the Demise of John, the son of Henry Laurens, 1782; John and Charles conclude.
Dinner Theater: Doug Bostick: The Development of the South Carolina Liberty Trail
Sheila Ingle: “Judith Manigault, One Persecuted Refugee, One Carolina Matriarch, Her Huguenot Story “; Sheila concludes.
Erick Nason: Blood on the Ramparts: Savannah and the Spring Hill Redoubt, 1779
JD Lewis: “SC’s Founding Fathers“ ( look at JD’s work on Carolana.com
Karen MacNutt: More about Buddy: ‘Oscar Marion, Hero in the Shadow‘
Ed Forte: “The Fort NOT too far!” 1781; Ed concludes Fort Watson. ‘The Patriot’ – Speech – Will You Stop At Mere Words??!!
Leon Harris: “What pension applicants said about Marion, and can it be trusted?” Leon concludes Pension Apps.
Dinner Theater: Bruce Hillis: “Redden’s Recollections, the portrayal of a 75 year old Patriot’s attempt to recall his service record to support his pension application”: Redden McCoy from Sumter District. Sit with this Patriot and listen to his story: Redden’s Recollections 1832
16th Francis Marion Symposium is a wrap and great reports. Thanks to all who participated, presented and helped in so many ways.
Participants from: FL, GA, MA, MI, MO, NC, NY, OH, PA, TX, VA, VT, WI, and all over SC: Awendaw, Beaufort, Bluffton, Bowman, Cameron, Charleston, Columbia, Conway, Darlington, Elgin, Eutawville, Florence, Fort Motte, Greenville, Greer, Hartsville, Heath Springs, Hemingway, Hilton Head, Hollywood, Irmo, Kingstree, Lake City, Landrum, Laurens, Lexington, Little River, Lugoff, Manning, Mt. Pleasant, Moncks Corner, Myrtle Beach, North Charleston, Pawley’s Island, Pineville, Round O, Seabrook Island, Six Mile, St. Matthews, Spartanburg, Summerton, Summerville, Sumter, Vance, Wilson.
2018: Special thanks to the great presenters, many volunteers and sponsors who make this experience outstanding, and thanks to the attendees with such great enthusiasm.
2018, DAR and SAR Members (24, some missed the photo) who attended FMS, from: Bluffton, SC; Cameron, SC; Kingstree, SC; Laurens, SC; Manning, SC; Mexico, MO; New Bern, NC; North Charleston, SC; Oak Island, NC; Paw Paw, WI; Pineville, SC; Seabrook Island, SC; Spartanburg, SC; St. Matthews/Fort Motte, SC; Summerville, SC.
Thanks to Dr. Elwood Owens from Florence for the great photography and videography.
Karen MacNutt revealed her impression of Buddy >
Special Thank you supportive Sponsors and helpers:
- Allison Investment Management, LLC, Columbia;
- Anderson Pharmacy, Manning;
- Bank of Clarendon, Manning;
- Barbara (“The Poppy Lady”) and Norbie Walsh, FL & NJ;
- Bruce and Lynn Hillis, SAR and DAR, Mexico, MO;
- Drs. Christine and Bob Swager, Spartanburg;
- DuBose Campus, Central Carolina Technical College, Manning;
- Edward Jones, W. Jordan, Manning;
- Dr. Elwood Owens, Photographer, Videographer, Florence;
- EPR Manning Chapter NSDAR, Manning;
- Farmers Telephone Coop, Kingstree;
- In Memory of Charles Hester, Manning;
- In Memory of Jim Hamilton, Bluffton;
- In Memory of Nell Black, Manning;
- In Memory of Peter E. Reilly, NY;
- Prothro Chevrolet, Manning;
- Colonel Matthew Singleton Chapter SAR, Sumter;
- SubStation II, R. Richardson, Manning;
- G and C Summers, Manning;
- Roy and Lynn Vitters, Bluffton.
- We partner with South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust and the South Carolina Liberty Trail.
- Thanks for extra work by: Sue and Doug Butterfield; Nancy Cave; Louis Griffith and Gloria Joseph; Karen MacNutt; Elwood Owens; Jack Shandor; Bob Smothers
Tributes to Francis Marion on-line:
Karen MacNutt reminds us why we admire General Francis Marion at his tomb: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdF1r1Y_j8s
Professor Joe Stukes recounts a brief Francis Marion history: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSw7ms2qUKw
Professor Joe Stukes recounts a horse for Francis Marion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qaYMQS-PBY&feature=related
Francis Marion Foils the British By Jefferson M. Gray: http://www.historynet.com/up-from-the-swamp-francis-marion-foils-the-british.htm
Motel and B&B Accommodations near Exits on I-95 in South Carolina
Motels at exit 119 are closest to Symposium site CCTC at exit 122.
Baymont Inn – Exit 119 Manning (Pet-friendly)
2284 Raccoon Rd., Manning, SC 29102
803-473-5333 / 803-473-5334 / 877-229-6668
Days Inn of Manning – Exit 119 Manning (Pet-friendly)
2825 Paxville Rd., Manning, SC
803-473-4021
Hampton Inn – Exit 119
2822 Paxville Rd., Manning, SC
803-505-4800
Quality Inn – Exit 119 Manning
3031 Paxville Rd., Manning, SC
803-473-7550
Sure Stay by Best Western – Exit 119 Manning (Pet-friendly)
2816 Paxville Rd., Manning, SC
803-473-5135
