▁way ▁into ▁South ▁Carolina , ▁he ▁ordered ▁Lee ▁to ▁abandon ▁Corn wall is ▁and ▁instead ▁join ▁forces ▁with ▁milit ia ▁Colonel ▁Francis ▁Mar ion ▁in ▁the ▁eastern ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁state . ▁ ▁Lee ▁and ▁Mar ion ▁met ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 4 , ▁and ▁first ▁target ed ▁Fort ▁Watson , ▁a ▁small ▁stock aded ▁fort ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁S ante e ▁River . ▁ ▁Sie ge ▁John ▁Watson , ▁the ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁fort , ▁had ▁gone ▁to ▁Lord ▁Raw don ▁at ▁Cam den , ▁and ▁left ▁Lieutenant ▁James ▁McK ay ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁ 1 2 0 ▁men . ▁ ▁When ▁Mar ion ▁and ▁Lee ▁first ▁approached ▁the ▁fort ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 6 , ▁their ▁thought ▁was ▁to ▁cut ▁off ▁the ▁fort ' s ▁water ▁supply , ▁as ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁decent ▁cover ▁near ▁the ▁fort ▁for ▁attack ▁or ▁sn ip ing . ▁ ▁While ▁they ▁successfully ▁denied ▁the ▁fort ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁nearby ▁lake , ▁the ▁g arrison ▁d ug ▁a ▁well , ▁fr ustr ating ▁that ▁plan . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁Gen . ▁Mar ion ' s ▁sub ordinates , ▁Major ▁He zik iah ▁Mah am , ▁then ▁came ▁up ▁with ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁building ▁a ▁log ▁tower ▁of ▁green ▁p ine ▁with ▁sufficient ▁height ▁and ▁thick ness ▁to ▁allow ▁protected ▁sh ar ps ho ot ers ▁in ▁the ▁nest ▁up ▁top ▁to ▁fire ▁into ▁the ▁fort . ▁ ▁After ▁several ▁days ' ▁prepar ation ▁off - site , ▁the ▁approximately ▁ ▁tower ▁was ▁brought