"Marion and Lee could see the light of his camp-fires on the hills in the west. Whatever was done must be done quickly. But what could they do? They had no cannon; and even if they had, they could not batter down the fort; but a bright thought came to Colonel Mahan - to build a tower which would overlook the fortification. As soon as night came, all the axes in the camp were in use. The British could hear the choppers, and wondered what was going on; but they were astonished in the morning when they saw a tower high than the fort, and a swarm of men on the top firing through loop-holes, and picking off their rifles every man who showed his head above the parapet ... Before noon the Americans were in possession of the fort, and all its supplies."—Coffin, 1879

Marion and Lee Capturing Fort Watson

"Marion and Lee could see the light of his camp-fires on the hills in the west. Whatever was done must…

"Site of Fort Watson."—Lossing, 1851

<p>The Siege of Fort Watson was an American Revolutionary War confrontation in South Carolina that began on April 15, 1781 and lasted until April 23, 1781. Continental Army forces under Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee and South Carolina militia under Francis Marion besieged Fort Watson, a fortified British outpost that formed part of the communication and supply chain between Charleston and other British outposts further inland.

<p>The attackers, lacking artillery, were unable to make a dent in the fortified works, and failed in attempts to deny the garrison of a water supply. They then devised a plan to build a tower from which sharpshooters could fire into the fort's walls. Fort Watson was once again attacked by the Americans on April 23, with the British forces unable to control the walls due to musket fire from the tower. They surrendered shortly afterwards.

Fort Watson

"Site of Fort Watson."—Lossing, 1851 The Siege of Fort Watson was an American Revolutionary War confrontation…