McGuffey's Sixth Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson CXXXV · Part 13: Washington, Wordsworth and Mont Blanc
141. Marion (William Gilmore Simms)
Goal: Your student can describe Marion's hidden camp and his way of fighting.
You'll need
- The book, open to this lesson
- A notebook and pen
- A dictionary
What's in the book
From Simms's Life and Times of Francis Marion: the partisan leader's island camp in the swamps and his careful methods. The heading is mid-page.
The lesson, step by step
Words and meanings
Look over the notes and definitions printed at the end of the lesson before you start, so names and hard words don't trip up the reading.
A partisan is a fighter in a small band that strikes and hides, rather than in a regular army. Marion fought for America in South Carolina during the Revolution.
Your student picks three unfamiliar words, guesses each meaning from the sentence, then checks a dictionary.
About the author
The book says Simms (1806–1870) was born at Charleston, South Carolina, and calls him one of the most versatile, prolific and popular American authors. His family was poor and his schooling limited. He left the law, edited the Charleston City Gazette, and served in the state legislature. His home was Woodlands, a plantation at Midway.
Read aloud
Read it aloud while your student sketches the camp from the description.
Listen for these lines:
Art had done little to increase the comforts or the securities of his fortress.
The swamp was his moat;
Talk about it
SayWhat protected Marion's camp? List the natural defenses.
SayHow did his men travel without being found?
SayWhat does 'He knew his game, and how it should be played' tell us about him?
SayWhy might a small band beat a bigger army in country like this?
Narration
Your student explains Marion's camp and methods using their sketch.
Writing (optional)
Write a paragraph comparing Marion with another leader you've read about in this book.