According to Francis Marion University, Francis Marion was born sometime in 1732 in St. John's Parish, Berkeley County, South Carolina, making him a South Carolina native. His parents were French Huguenots who lived and farmed along the Santee River. He was the fifth and youngest son to Gabriel Marion and Esther Cordes Marion. He gained his great military experience as a lieutenant of militia in an expedition against the Cherokee Indians. He rose to prominence in his community, and was a delegate in 1775 to the South Carolina Provincial Congress. Later, he was named a captain in the 2nd South Carolina Regiment. In June of the next year he participated in the defense of the first Siege of Charleston, and then became known as the commander of the Regiment. In October 1779, he led his command in an unsuccessful assault against Savannah. This could be due to a broken ankle incident, which he got from jumping out of a two story building after being held captive in Charleston when the city fell to the British. At that point, organized resistance to the British in South Carolina became non-existent. Marion began his campaign as a guerrilla leader. His work in disrupting British communications and preventing the organization of the Loyalists from participating fully in the battle of King's Mountain, along with other assaults and skirmishes, that helped to turn the tide of the war in the South. In late 1780, he was appointed Brigadier General of the S.C. Militia. In cooperation with troops under the command of Henry Lee, he raided Georgetown and took Fort Watson and Fort Motte. He went on to support attacks on Augusta and Ninety-Six, South Carolina. He was elected in 1781 to the state senate and attended the general assembly of 1782. After the war, he was appointed commander of troops at Ft. Johnson. He was re-elected to the senate in 1782 and 1784 and sat in the state constitutional convention. In 1786, he married Mary Esther Videau. The couple had no children and he died at his home "Pond Bluff," on Feb. 27, 1795. He is buried at Belle Isle, near present day St. Stephen, South Carolina ("Francis Marion University").