This straightforward biography of Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion is carefully researched and well-written. Marion was born on a rice plantation near Charleston, South Carolina. As a child, he loved to explore the swamps surrounding his home. Later, he signed on as a ship's boy, but a near-fatal accident caused him to give up life on the seas. He returned home to South Carolina where he would have been content to farm his rice plantation and marry a childhood friend, but the Revolutionary War intervened and he chose to fight on the side of the rebellious colonists. Despite his small staturehe was barely 5 feet tall Francis was a brave leader whose detailed knowledge of the swamps helped him wage a successful guerrilla war against the British troops occupying South Carolina. His exploits earned him the title "Swamp Fox" and a congressional gold medal. After the war ended, he rebuilt his plantation and married his sweetheart. Amply illustrated with both color and black-and-white reproductions of archival images, the book includes a glossary, chronology, Revolutionary War timeline and recommendations for further reading.