The Swamp Scout

Catalog Note This 1888 dime novel by W. J. Hamilton follows "The Swamp Scout," set during the American Revolution in South Carolina. The narrative opens on the Santee River where scout Sam Carey, a small, wiry frontiersman, parts ways with Jake, a tall enslaved man, after crossing by canoe. Carey reveals his personal vendetta: Major Gainor, a Tory officer, led the raid that killed Carey's wife while pursuing patriot activities. Receiving orders from Colonel Peter Horry to track Gainor, Carey disguises himself as a neutral settler. When a dark-faced stranger approaches asking directions, Carey recognizes him as Major Gainor himself. In their tense dialogue, Gainor discusses ongoing military campaigns (mentioning Gates, Tarleton, and Marion), offers one hundred guineas for Marion's location, and attempts to recruit Carey. Carey maintains his neutral pretense while suppressing his desire for vengeance, ultimately refusing enlistment. The narrative emphasizes frontier dialect and the Revolutionary conflict between Whig and Tory forces in the Carolinas.