Giant Pete, the Patriot

# Giant Pete, the Patriot

This installment of W. J. Hamilton's serial, set during the American Revolution in South Carolina swamps, opens with the pursuit of a Whig patriot known as "the Virginian Sampson." The protagonist, a large, physically powerful man armed with rifle and pistols, flees Loyalist forces led by Major Lawrence Campbell ("Wild Lawrie"), a ruthless British officer and American Tory. After hiding near his pursuers, Sampson overhears Campbell and Captain Phillips discussing his reputation for strength, scouting ability, and espionage work. In a dramatic confrontation, Sampson defeats both officers in combat, knocking them unconscious and stealing their horses, weapons, and personal effects. When Campbell and Phillips summon their mounted patrol—a multinational unit of armed riflemen—they fabricate a story about multiple attackers to explain their defeat, then pursue Sampson further into the swamp.