Today, Sept 8, marks the 244th anniversary of the battle of Eutaw Springs.
This battle entailed a fight between two of my favorite Revolutionary War heroes – Lt. Col. William Washington of the 3rd Continental Light Dragoons and Major John Marjoribanks (pronounced Marshbanks) of the British Flank Battalion.
55 year old John Marjoribanks joined the British army at age 16. During his career he fought in only one battle, which was an unsuccessful assault on a French island in a previous war.
In June of 1781 he arrived in Charleston from Ireland with the 19th Regiment of Foot and promptly marched with Lord Rawdon to break Nathanael Greene’s Siege of Ninety Six. By September the two armies were fighting again at Eutaw Springs.
Notice the painting by Don Troiani. This scene is the wounding and capture of William Washington.
As the tide of the Eutaw Springs battle ebbed and flowed, Major Marjoribanks became ensconced in the British stronghold, which was a brick mansion. William Washington wanted to flank the mansion, but he was thwarted by a thicket of black jack oak. In a rash decision, Washington charged in front of the mansion.
Washington’s horse was killed and landed on top of him. A British dragoon ran him through with a bayonet. As the dragoon raised his musket for another stab, Marjoribanks stayed his hand and saved William Washington’s life. Lt. Col Washington spent the remainder of the war in Charleston as a POW (and had a grand wedding as a prisoner, but that’s another story).
Marjoribanks stand at the brick mansion saved the day for the British. He was wounded during the battle and also came down with a fever. As the British retreated to Charleston he couldn’t keep up. He was placed in a slave cabin at Wantoot plantation to recuperate. His reputation proceeded him and he was well cared for, but he died and was buried there. He was only in America for 3 months.
When Lake Marion was built Wantoot Plantation was flooded. Maj. Marjoribanks’ body was moved to the Eutaw Springs battlefield and placed near the spot where he made his heroic stand near the brick mansion.
Every American today owes British Major John Majoribanks a huge debt of gratitude.