author
William Dobein James
1764–1830
A South Carolina judge, planter, and Revolutionary War veteran, he is remembered for writing one of the earliest firsthand accounts of Francis Marion and his brigade. His work helped shape the enduring legend of the "Swamp Fox."
1 Audiobook
A Sketch of the Life of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion and a History of His Brigade
by William Dobein James
About the author
Born in 1764, William Dobein James grew up in South Carolina and, while still very young, served with Francis Marion's militia during the American Revolution. Later in life he became one of South Carolina's associate judges in equity, combining public service with a lasting interest in the history of the war.
He is best known as the author of A Sketch of the Life of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion and a History of His Brigade, published in 1821. Because James had direct experience of the campaign and close ties to Marion's circle, the book became an important early source on Marion and the fighting in the South.
James died in 1830. Although some details of his life are less widely documented than those of the men he wrote about, his book remains the reason readers still encounter his name today: not just as an author, but as a witness to the events he described.