Other names: Wambaw Creek Bridge, Strawberry Ferry

What: 25 February 1782, BG Marion vs. *Lt.Col. Thompson, skirmish

Where: 33.22529 -79.472410 Tydiman's Plantation

Maps: [map notes]

• 33.22529,-79.472410 Tydiman's Plantation JCP
• ACME Mapper.
• National Map, simple. Click X to exit.  National Map how-to
• Google
• Confidence: 3

Sources:

• Tydiman does not appear on Cook's 1773 map. From the 1820 Mills Charleston District map:

  

• Sherman's Calendar.... Search for strawberry ferry. To avoid long downloads, use option to "Save and view this PDF in Reader".

• William Dobien James, Life of Francis Marion. Project Gutenburg. Search for durant. Biblio.

• Terry Lipscomb, Names in South Carolina, XXVII, Winter 1980, p.16, "South Carolina Revolutionary War Battles, Part Eight", English Dept., Univ. of South Carolina

  Marion received the news that his brigade had been defeated, while he was still thirty miles away at Mepkin plantation. He immediately set out for the Santee with Maham's cavalry regiment. These dragoons were under the command of Captain John Carraway Smith, Maham himself being absent when the news arrived. On February 25, Marion halted at Tidyman's plantation, not far from where the fighting had taken place on the previous day. Only half an hour later, the British under Thompson unexpectedly made their appearance again. Although each army was somewhat startled at encountering the other, both sides rapidly formed for battle and charged. By some mishap, the troops of Maham's Legion failed to understand their orders, and instead of executing a proper charge, they moved off into the woods on their right. The result was another American defeat, in which twenty of Marion's soldiers were killed and twelve made prisoners. The British also captured the officers' baggage, a number of fine horses, Marion's tent, and some canteens filled with rum. Many of the Patriots were forced to escape by swimming the river, and some of them drowned in the attempt, including Lieutenant John Smiser. In the subsequent controversy over the conduct of Maham's corps, John Carraway Smith resigned his commission,¹⁷

  ¹⁷Life of Greene vol. 2. p. 306-9; James. p'. 160-63: The Royal Gazette Fehruary 27, March 2. 1782: British Headquarters Papers. documents 9952,.9953; Gibbes. vol. 3 (1781-1782), p. 210-41. 260-61. For identification of Captain Bennett. see Audited Account of Robert Quash (AA6183). South Carolina Archives. For identification of Major Benison. see Audited Account of William Benison (AA440). Lieutenant Smiser is tentatively identified on the basis of the Audited Account of Alexander Coldough (AA1350). The spelling "Smiser" has heen preferred to "Smizer" or "Smyser" because it is written this way in signatures on record at the Archives. The Loyalist Major Young was probably Major William Young of the Ninety Six militia. a prominent Tory from the area that is now Spartanburg County.

• NBBAS:Four, p.35 ff.

• RevWar75  
• Feb 1782 listing. Tydiman's Plantation. 25 Feb 1782.

Related sites: Durant Plantation   Wambaw Plantation (Elias Ball) & Wambaw Bridge   Benjamin Thompson  

Confidence level: 3