Thomas W LeeThe author's friends in his hometown of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, encouraged him to write about the events of that era in the Palmetto State. One day in June 2023, he passed a small historical marker just north of Georgetown, South Carolina. Itread simply "Lafayette, a lover of Liberty, left France ... and arrived at Benjamin Huger's summer home near here in June 1777." That sign piqued Lee's curiosity, and he began to research. What he found was a rich story that began with Lafayette's arrival, the siege of Charleston in 1778, and the exploits of a unique South Carolina militia officer. Told through the eyes of the fictional son of plantation owner Benjamin Huger, The Palmetto Patriot recounts the British attempt to subdue South Carolina 1778-1781 and march north to trap George Washington.The story recounts the exploits of Lafayette and John Laurens, two of Washington's closest aides. Laurens was born on his father's South Carolina plantation, captured at Charleston, paroled and dispatched by Washington to the Court of French King Louis XVI to plead America's cause. Laurens returned with supplies, armaments, and French money to equip and pay the beleaguered American Continental soldiers, leading to the pivotal victory at Yorktown in 1781. Written for both younger readers and adults who want to know more about this little known chapter in the American Revolution, The Palmetto Patriot also tells the story of Francis Marion, the famous "Swamp Fox," as the British generals called him. After Charleston fell, this diminutive militia officer and his small group of men were the last thing stopping the British advance north in 1779-1780. Read More Read Less