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At Burch s Mill A Truce Was SignedSome 12 miles below Francis Marion College along Hlghsvay 327-.-- the'River Road — an unpavetf road leads off lo the left, skirts a few open fields, passes several small habitated and wcll: tended dwellings, and after about two miles erids: at a bluff overlooking the Gr'eatPee Dee River. In the'days of river ferries, this-was Burch's Ferry. Old Inaps and records indentify it also as Burch's Mill.The bluff looks down cm the river where it makes one of its serpentine curves... Standing there, you see it coining toward you from upstream', then roundihg the bend and disappearing again as it makes its way toward the sea. At tow water, it flowsslowly and quietly as if dreaming its way through the lush swamp growth. But when the rains have swollen it to full or overflowing banks, it rushes forward with the urgency of mighty and relentless waters ,Only the name remains today to identify the place as once the location of a ferry and a mill. Yet it’s easy lo imagine the presence of both. From the bluff, you can descend to the'river along a cut of earth whieh you fancy was once the roud down to the ferry. Nearby and contiguous with what you think was the landing site. Mill Branch, now a clogged aiid sluggish stream, empti.es into the river You suspect that the mill may have been'located oh this branch (creek) a short distance from the river, and that the stream was kept cleared to accommodate a water flow adequate lo turn the mill's wheels.Across the river from ;he ferry landing and-the mill site, two centuries of tush swamp growth have iong since erased all evidence that (he ferry.oncc 1 anded on the Marion County side ami connected with a road leading away into clearings beyond.. Burch's found a special place in history in June 1782 when Tory leader Major Mieajah Ganey. came across the river to meet Francis Marion ard.there signed a truce to end their hostilitiesGanoy's career had illustrated the intensity of the civil strife that existed in South Carolina during the Revolution, and especially when South Carolina became a . fierce battleground for freedom in 1780. ,What is now Marion County was sharply divided between Whig and Tory, sentiment. Down in Britton's Neck which unlike now was populated by many families, the Scolch-Irish settlers were . loyhl Whigs whose fathers andsonsfoughl with Marion.'But up along Catfish Creek and,oti-Little Pee Dee. Tory sentiment .wasstrong. aruJMicajah Ganeywho lived on Catfish a few miles from present Marion was their leadeiThe son of an English man who settled inthe Pee Dee at an early pDried of colonialn, ■' ■ * ■ • i ’ ..history, he was a'substantial property owner. Owing to a Well -'developed mind and a physical strength and size above the ordinary, he was alsu a natiiral leader:'• In his first Rattle after taking command of the companies of Wiilianisbu'rg militia which1 became the nucleus of. Marion's brigade, Marion mefand defeated Ganey ' andhis Tories at Blue'Savannah on Little Fee Dee just west of the river and down from .Gnlivants Ferry. That was in September 1780./;.The following month near Georgetown, in aruinsuccessful attempt by Marion to 'clear the.-town'of Memy ti;oops, Ganey • and his Tories became-the object of a chase by’an advanced-guard under the command of ColrPeter Horry and consisting of Captain John Baxter, Sergeant , Alien McDonald and some 30 mounted troops.fn ihc chase, Ganey was selected by McDonald as his special target For two miles, the race continued with the short .distance between them remaining unchanged. BuDnear the town, McDonald pulled up close eriough to- thrust his . bayonet’forward into Ganey’s body with such force that the point came out through his chest. When he pulled .his weapon back, the bayonet separated frotn.it and Ganey, bleeding but still maintaining his seat, escaped into GeorgetownMiraculously he recovered and before the end of that year he was in the field again with his activities ranging from Georgetown upward to' the'Tory country along Catfish Creek and Little Pee Dee River ' •On June 17.1781. articles of agreement were drawn up between Ganey..representing ttic Catfish - Little Pee Dee Tories, and Peler Horry, on behalf of Francis .Marion. The articles se.t forth conditions for a truce and established a truce between (he Great Pee Dec River and North ■ Carolina. By the terms'of this agreement. Ganey and his officers were to lay daw, their arms and remain neutral They weife also to deliver as prisoners these who refused to comply, sr;d all deserter1: from the Americans. Bulh sides were lo restore all plundered property and pledge allegiance to the United States,' and to South Carolina “in particular This truce may have held but far two reasons. First. -it did not extend into neighboring portions Of North Carolina where Tory sentiment was strong; and second, Col. Maurice Murphy, a violent and hitler anti-Tory Whig, would not abide by truce terms that called for restoring plundered property to I heir owners : - •When North Carolina.Tories entered into the truce zone and pressed (hose under the truce to take up arms again, they therefore found Ganey not reluctant to avenge the conduct of Murphy and his men.• Inn letter'nddressed to Marion oh Sept. 8. he stated his “full desire to lie at pence with all parties if they, will let me.” He then added his complaint against'Murphy. declaring that he had “no reason to complain of any of your men, save that of(See BURCH'S Page 8-AI[PUBLIC FORUM
Newspaper Details
Florence Morning News
Florence, South Carolina, US
Sun, Jun 29, 1975
Page 3
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