Francis Marion served as a Continental soldier during the 1776 battle of Charleston that gave the state its state tree and state flag. But after Charleston fell in 1780, Marion retreated to the swamps of the Pee Dee to continue the war with a militia. His attacks and the efforts of Col. "Lighthorse Harry" Lee eventually forced the British to leave the state. Smith's book explores Marion's 1780-1781 campaigns in the Pee Dee. It emphasizes individuals and communities that made up his successful and revolutionary fighting force. The book also highlights recent archaeological research and discoveries that have helped scholars better understand Marion’s campaigns and the people who fought in them. It was during these campaigns that a British colonel, Banastre Tarleton, said Marion was as elusive as a fox, leading to the nickname “The Swamp Fox” for Marion. The book is the first to discuss this aspect of Marion's life. It uses archaeology to build a picture of the social and strategic context in which he campaigned.