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A working manuscript draft in the hand of Mason Locke Weems of a section from Chapter XIV of The Life of Gen. Francis Marion. (pp.120-22 in the accompanying copy). The section is titled "A Conversation Between General Marion & a Whig Boy," and describes a scene just after Marion and his men have taken a brief rest in Waccamaw. A boy has been sent by his father to warn Marion that Tory forces are gathering up the Little Pedee (Pee Dee) River. Marion is calm and sanguine in his reply to the news, "Very well my son I thank you and your daddy too for letting me know it. I believe I must try to meet the tories there." The boy is almost incredulous at Marion's cool demeanor: "O la sir general try to meet em indeed! yes, to be sure! dear me sirs hearts alive that you must, sir general! for daddy says as how he is quite sartin if you'll be there tomorrow night you may make a proper smash amoung the tories." The boy goes on to explain that the Tories have heard of Marion, and that they're coming after him with "a tarnal nation sight of pistols! and bagonets! and swords! and saddles! and bridles and the dear knows what else besides!" As he goes on, the boy grows a bit unsure of Marion: "But to be sure sir general, you look like a mighty small man to fight them great big tories there on Pedee. But daddy says as how the heart is all and he says too that though you are a little man you have a monstrous great heart!" The manuscript text is almost identical to the final printed version, except for a few minor word changes and some additional punctuation. The manuscript is accompanied by a 1841 copy of the biography, published in Philadelphia by Joseph Allen. General Francis Marion, nicknamed "The Swamp Fox," was one of the leading American commanders in the Revolution in the South. His brilliant operations in the Carolinas kept thousands of British troops tied down and contributed immensely to ultimate American victory. Plain and unassuming, he was widely beloved by his contemporaries, and after his death this book began the process of his ascent to legend. Peter Horry, his second-in-command for part of the war, supplied many of the facts, although he was allegedly disgusted by Weems' flowery passages and disclaimed any connection with the book. What he disliked, others embraced, and the book went through many editions. Surviving manuscripts - even a portion thereof - of American books from the early nineteenth century are quite uncommon. This manuscript is especially notable for being in the hand of Mason Locke Weems, examples of whose letters and writings are exceedingly uncommon in the market. Weems not only enhanced the reputation of Francis Marion, but famously did the same for the legend of George Washington through his popularization of the "Cherry Tree" story and its central role in shaping Washington's character at a young age. Manuscript: Old folds. Right edge of recto unevenly torn, affecting a few letters of text. A few spots of spilled ink, some damage to lower margin due to ink burn (affecting two letters of text). Book: Contemporary calf, spine ruled in gilt, brown morocco gilt label. Boards lightly rubbed, corners bumped, joints starting to split, textblock split (but holding). Light tanning and foxing throughout. About very good overall.
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