Siege of Fort Watson
circa 1781
Find in Google Maps or use the coordinates in your own mapping app:
33.60797, -80.34961 This mural can be found on the side of Summerton Hardware, and it depicts the order of events behind the Siege of Fort Watson in April of 1781.
During the American Revolution, Lieutenant Colonel “Light Horse” Henry Lee’s Legion of Virginia joined General Francis Marion’s Brigade along the Santee River. They laid siege to British-held Fort Watson built on top of Santee Indian Mound. The fort’s high vantage point made it hard to approach and allowed the British to control the supply road from Charleston to Camden as well as the Santee River.
Major Hezekiah Maham came up with the idea to build a tower high enough so that Patriot riflemen could shoot down into the fort. After days of chopping saplings, the Patriots erected the tower overnight. It stood roughly 40 feet tall. At dawn on April 23, 1781, riflemen who had climbed the tower began firing down into the fort. This led to the rapid surrender of Fort Watson by the British making it the first post in South Carolina taken from the British.
This mural can be found on the side of Summerton Hardware. You can observe the actual location of the fort by taking a quick trip over to the Santee National Wildlife Refuge.
As an ode to General Marion’s nickname, the muralist included a fox’s tale. Can you find it?