Siege of Fort Motte

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Siege of Fort Motte
partof=the American Revolutionary War


caption=
date=May 8-12, 1781
place=Fort Motte, South Carolina
result=American victory
combatant1=Britain
combatant2=United States
commander1=Daniel McPherson
commander2=Francis Marion
strength1=175
strength2=About 450
casualties1=175 captured
casualties2=2 woundedThe Siege of Fort Motte was a military operation during the American Revolution. 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 themselves close enough to the mansion they were able to hit the roof with flaming arrows. Mrs Motte, a Patriot 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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