USA > Georgia > A history of Georgia : from its first discovery by Europeans to the adoption of the present constitution in MDCCXCVIII. Vol. II > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36
2 Lee's Memoirs, ii, 105.
261
SIEGE OF AUGUSTA.
in danger of capture, as he well knew he should be executed on a gibbet, if taken. A good supper was now presented to him, with his grog; which, being finished, and being convinced by the arguments of Lee, that his personal safety could not be endangered, as it was not desired or meant that he should take any part in the siege, but merely to attend at the tower to direct the pointing of the piece, he assented; declaring that he entered upon his task with dire apprehensions, and reminding the lieutenant-colonel of his promised re- ward. Lee instantly put him in care of his adjutant, to be delivered to Captain Finley, with the information communicated, for the purpose of blowing up the enemy's magazine. It was midnight; and Lieutenant- Colonel Lee, expecting on the next day to be much engaged, our preparations being nearly completed, retired to rest. Reflecting upon what had passed, and recurring to the character of his adversary, he became much disquieted by the step he had taken, and soon concluded to withdraw the sergeant from the tower. He had not been many minutes with Captain Finley, before an order remanding him was delivered, commit- ting him to the quarter guard. In the morning we were saluted with a new exhibition, unexpected, though not injurious. Between the quarters of Lee and the fort stood four or five deserted houses; some of them near enough to the fort to be used with effect by rifle- men from their upper stories. They had often engaged the attention of Pickens and Lee, with a view of ap- plying them, whenever the enemy should be assaulted, to aid in covering their, attack. Brown, sallying out before break of day, set fire to all but two of the houses. No attempt was made to disturb the opera-
ยท
262
GEORGIA IN THE REVOLUTION.
tion, or to extinguish the flames, after the enemy had returned; it being deemed improper to hazard our troops in effecting any object not material in its conse- quence. Of the two left, one was most commodious for the purpose originally contemplated by Pickens and Lee in the hour of assault.
" The besiegers being incapable of discovering any reason for the omission to burn the two houses, and especially one nearest the fort, various were their con- jectures as to the cause of sparing them ; some leading to the conclusion that they were left purposely, and consequently with the view of injuring the assailant. The fire from the tower continued, and being chiefly directed against the parapet fronting the river, in which quarter the proposed attack would be directed, demon- strated satisfactorily that the hour had arrived to make the decisive appeal. Orders were accordingly issued to prepare for the assault, to take place on the next day, at the hour of nine in the forenoon. In the course of the night, a party of the best marksmen were selected from Pickens' militia, and sent to one of the houses nearest to the fort.
" The officer commanding this detachment was ordered to arrange his men in the upper story, for the purpose of ascertaining the number which could with ease use their rifles out of the windows, or any other convenient aperture ; then to withdraw, and report to the brigadier. It was intended, before daylight, to have directed the occupation of the house by the same officer, with such a force of riflemen as he should re- port to be sufficient. Handy was ordered to return to the river quarter at the dawn of day, as to his detach- ment and the legion infantry the main assault would
263
SIEGE OF AUGUSTA.
be committed. These, with all the other preparations being made, the troops continued in their usual sta- tions, pleased that the time was near which would close with success their severe toils.
" About three in the morning of the 4th of June, we were aroused by a violent explosion, which was soon discovered to have shattered the very house in- tended to be occupied by the rifle party before day- break. It was severed, and thrown into the air thirty or forty feet high, its fragments falling all over the field. This explained, at once, not only the cause of Brown's omitting its destruction, but also communi- cated the object of the constant digging which had until lately employed the besieged.
" Brown pushed a sap to this house, which he pre- sumed would be certainly possessed by the besieger, when ready to strike his last blow ; and he concluded, from the evident maturity of our works, and from the noise made by the militia, when sent to the house in the first part of the night, for the purpose of ascertain- ing the number competent to its capacity, that the ap- proaching morning was fixed for the general assault. Not doubting but the house was occupied with the body destined to hold it, he determined to deprive his adversary of every aid from this quarter ; hoping, too, by the consternation which the manner of destruction could not fail to excite, to damp the ardor of the troops charged with storming.
" Happily he executed his plan too early for its suc- cess, or our gallant band would certainly have shared the fate of the house. This fortunate escape excited grateful sensations in the breasts of the two command- ants, for the gracious interposition of Providence; and
264
GEORGIA IN THE REVOLUTION.
added another testimonial to the many already re- ceived, of the penetration and decision which marked the character of their opponent."
On the 3d June, Pickens and Lee a second time summoned Brown to surrender, who replied, as he had done on the 31st of May, " As it is my duty, it is like- wise my inclination, to defend the post to the last extremity." The next day, learning that some of the prisoners in Brown's possession were purposely placed in the most exposed position of the fort, so that the Americans, if they fired, would be likely to kill their own friends, the commanding officers proposed to Brown to send them out of the fort during the con- test, to " be considered yours or ours, as the siege may terminate." To this humane proposal Brown refused to accede, and the American commanders determined to carry the fort by a general assault; but its execu- tion was stayed, to receive a flag from Brown, offering to surrender on specified terms; but they were such as could not be granted, though terms were trans- mitted in reply, which, with some slight modifications, were accepted. On the 5th June, the following arti- cles of capitulation were signed by both parties, and at 12 M. Fort Cornwallis was delivered up to Major Rudolph, the British troops marching out and laying down their arms :-
" ARTICLES OF CAPITULATION
PROPOSED BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL BROWN, AND ANSWERED BY GENERAL PICKENS AND LIEUTENANT-COLONEL LEE.
" ARTICLE I. That all acts of hostilities and works shall cease between the besiegers and besieged, until
265
SIEGE OF AUGUSTA.
the articles of capitulation shall be agreed on, signed, and executed, or collectively rejected.
" Answer. Hostilities shall cease for one hour; other operations to continue.
" ARTICLE II. That the fort shall be surrendered to the commanding officer of the American troops, such as it now stands. That the King's troops, three days after signing the articles of capitulation, shall be con- ducted to Savannah, with their baggage, where they will remain prisoners of war until they are exchanged ; that proper conveyances shall be provided by the com- manding officer of the American troops for that pur- pose, together with a sufficient quantity of good and wholesome provisions, till their arrival at Savannah.
" Answer. Inadmissible. The prisoners to surrender field-prisoners of war. The officers to be indulged with their paroles; the soldiers to be conducted to such place as the commander-in-chief shall direct.
" ARTICLE III. The militia now in garrison shall be permitted to return to their respective homes, and be secured in their persons and properties.
"Answer. Answered by the second article, the militia making part of the garrison.
" ARTICLE IV. The sick and wounded shall be under the care of their own surgeons, and be supplied with such medicines and necessaries as are allowed to the British hospitals .- Agreed.
" ARTICLE V. The officers of the garrison, and citizens who have borne arms during the siege, shall keep their side-arms, pistols, and baggage, which shall not be searched, and retain their servants.
"Answer. The officers and citizens who have borne arms during the siege, shall be permitted their side-
266
GEORGIA IN THE REVOLUTION.
arms, private baggage, and servants; their side-arms not to be worn; and the baggage to be searched by a person appointed for that purpose.
" ARTICLE VI. The garrison, at an hour appointed, shall march out with shouldered arms and drums beating, to a place agreed on, where they will pile their arms.
"Answer. Agreed. The judicious and gallant defence made by the garrison, entitles them to every mark of military respect. The fort to be delivered up to Cap- tain Rudolph at twelve o'clock, who will take posses- sion with a detachment of the legion infantry.
" ARTICLE VII. That the citizens shall be protected in their persons and property.
" Answer. Inadmissible.
"ARTICLE VIII. That twelve months shall be allowed to all such as do not choose to reside in this country, to dispose of their effects, real and personal, in this province, without any molestation whatever, or to remove to any part thereof, as they may choose, as well themselves as families.
" Answer. Inadmissible.
" ARTICLE IX. That the Indian families now in gar- rison shall accompany the King's troops to Savannah, where they will remain prisoners of war, until ex- changed for an equal number of prisoners in the Creek or Cherokee nations.
"Answer. Answered in the second article.
" ARTICLE X. That an express be permitted to go to Savannah, with the commanding officer's despatches, which are not to be opened.
"Answer. Agreed.
" ARTICLE XI. Additional. The particular attention
267
SIEGE OF AUGUSTA.
of Colonel Brown is expected towards the just delivery of all public stores, moneys, &c., and that no loans be permitted to defeat the spirit of this article.
" Signed at headquarters, Augusta, June 5, 1781, by " ANDREW PICKENS, B. G. Mil. " HENRY LEE, JR., Lieut .- Col. Com.
" THOMAS BROWN, Lieut .- Col.,
commanding King's troops at Augusta."
So exasperated were the Georgians at the wanton cruelties committed by Brown and Grierson, that they were both placed under a strong guard, to secure them from the determined assaults of those whose fathers, brothers, and sons had been massacred by them. Brown, under the care of Captain Armstrong, was, with difficulty, saved from assassination ; but Grierson was shot down the day after the capitulation, by a man on horseback, who, riding up to the room where he was confined, and, without dismounting, shot him so that he expired soon after. The American officers exerted themselves to the utmost to check these mur- derous feelings ; but the long course of atrocities per- petrated by these men; the many personal insults, which, in the excited minds of the individuals, de- manded personal revenge; and the generally exaspe- rated state of the militia, made it extremely difficult to secure to them the protection which was guaranteed by the articles of capitulation.
Immediately after the surrender of Augusta, the commanding officers, Pickens and Lee, marched their troops to Ninety-Six, and joined the main army under General Greene, leaving Major James Jackson in com- mand at Augusta.
CHAPTER VIII.
EVACUATION OF SAVANNAH.
THE excitement kindled in Georgia by the success of this siege was so great, and the danger to which, in the view of the British, the Province was exposed, was so imminent, that Lord Rawdon felt compelled, even in his own weakness, to send the king's American regiment, in a small craft, and without convoy, from Charleston, in order to reinforce Lieutenant-Colonel James Wright, at Savannah.1
Augusta had been a stronghold of the English, by means of which they held in check the whole up- country of Georgia, and preserved an open communi- cation with the tories of Carolina; but, being now driven from this, the British found themselves reduced to narrow limits. With the exception of Savannah, they had but two garrisoned outposts,-at Ebenezer, twenty-five miles northwest, and at Ogeechee, about the same distance southwest of Savannah. Communica- tion was still preserved with Florida, by the seaboard, and through this route the tories and Indians made frequent and harassing incursions ; for such was still the influence of the British over the Indians, by means of presents and resident agents, that parties of them
1 Tarlton's Campaigns, 486.
269
EVACUATION OF SAVANNAH.
were ever on the alert, to cut off stragglers from the American forts, and massacre such as were in the Ame- rican interests.
As the British lines contracted, the spirit of the Georgians expanded; the dawning hope that they might yet drive out the foe, roused many who had heretofore desponded of liberty ; while others, who had been kept passive by the overawing force of regulars, tories, and Indians, now joined the American camp, and seemed anxious to atone for long inactivity, by the most energetic efforts. General Greene, also, deem- ing it a favorable moment, had promised General Twiggs that, so soon as St. Clair, then on his march from the North, should form his camp, he would send Wayne, then lying at Purysburg, with a large detach- ment, to his help in Georgia. Under these circum- stances, Twiggs began a movement southward, cau- tiously feeling his way, and securing every foot of ground over which his troops passed, until he reached Burke County ; when, hearing that a band of loyalists and Indians were collecting on the western frontier of Georgia and Carolina, he retraced his way to Augusta, where the legislature was then sitting, to devise measures to disperse the enemy.
In the meantime Colonel Jackson, to whom Congress had committed the raising and command of a Georgia legion, with a small advance corps, had attempted, on the 2d November, 1781, to surprise the British post at the Ogeechee, commanded by Captain Johnson ; but, failing in this plan, through the impetuous conduct of one of his officers, at the very moment that victory seemed certain, he retired towards Ebenezer, having lost sixteen of his command in killed, wounded, and
270
GEORGIA IN THE REVOLUTION.
prisoners, while he had inflicted upon the enemy a loss of three officers and nine privates killed, and wounded, and taken prisoners. On the return of General Twiggs to Augusta, after dispersing the Indian and tory bands at the Big Shoals, on the Oconee, which, for a few months, gave peace to that harassed district, he ordered Colonel Jackson to retreat to Burke County, for the purpose of recruiting his force, and then to proceed against Ebenezer. As soon as his corps num- bered one hundred and fifty, he completely shut up the garrison at Ebenezer,-cutting off their foraging parties, and so harassing them, that the post was soon broken up by the retreat of the British to Savannah.
On the 4th January, 1782, General St. Clair effected a junction with General Greene, in South Carolina. Upon this accession, the mind of the southern com- mander turned at once to Georgia, and, agreeably to his promise, he detached General Wayne, on the 10th January, with the 3d regiment of dragoons, under Colonel White, and a party of artillery, to proceed thither, and assume the command of all the American forces there. Colonel Hampton's cavalry had previously been detached from General Sumpter's brigade, in order to report himself for service under Wayne in Georgia.
The distressed situation of Georgia took a deep hold upon the mind of General Greene. The savages had laid waste nearly all the frontier settlements, and often penetrated into the older districts with the torch and scalping-knife. The tories, lost to all feelings of hu- manity, wreaked their fiery and bloody vengeance upon the plantations and persons of all interested in the American cause. The British soldiers, most of whom were imported loyalists from the north, or German
271
EVACUATION OF SAVANNAH.
hirelings, ravaged the country with merciless vigor. The continual alarms prevented planting or reaping. The absence of so many males, embodied in the va- rious partisan corps, drew largely on the resources of the country. The havoc and destruction of the whigs upon the tories, and the tories upon the whigs, and the general insecurity of life, and labor, and property, reduced the State to a most pitiable condition. It is not too much to say, that no State suffered more, inter- nally, than Georgia. The legion of Jackson, popular as it was, was subsisted with difficulty; their rations were mostly boiled rice, in small quantities, and even then uncertain. The most common articles of provi- sion were exorbitantly high. Salt often commanded two dollars (specie) a quart. Rice, to keep the people of the upper districts from famishing, was obtained with difficulty from the State of South Carolina. The frontier settlers were grouped chiefly in log forts, and planted and tended their corn by companies. While some guarded the forts with the women and children, the others worked and guarded each other by turns. The utmost distress prevailed. They planted, but knew not that they should reap. They built rude cabins, but knew not how long it would be before they were burnt over their heads. They went out to labor in the morning, not knowing that they should ever return to their little fortress; and each night was a night of horrors and alarm. That General Greene knew much of this distress, is evident from his instructions to General Wayne, in which he says, "The peculiar situation of Georgia, and the great sufferings of the good people of that State, and their uncommon exer- tions to recover their liberties, induce me to embrace
272
GEORGIA IN THE REVOLUTION.
the earliest opportunities to give them more effectual support than has been hitherto in my power." He was particularly enjoined to "invite all the people to join him when he should get into the low country, and to give protection and security to all such as should engage in service under his command." In General Greene's letter to Governor Martin, Janu- ary 9th, 1782, he gives expression to the following sentiment : " I cannot help recommending to your Excellency to open a door for the disaffected of your State to come in with particular exceptions. It is better to save than destroy, especially when we are obliged to expose good men to destroy bad. It is always dangerous to push people to a state of despe- ration, and the satisfaction of revenge has but a mo- mentary existence, and is commonly succeeded by pity and remorse. The practice of plundering, which, I am told, has been too much indulged with you, is very destructive to the morals and manners of the people. Habits and dispositions, founded on this practice, soon grow obstinate, and are difficult to restrain ; indeed, it is the most direct way of undermining all government, and never fails to bring the laws into contempt, for people will not stop at the barriers which were first intended to bound them, after having tasted the sweets of possessing property by the easy mode of plunder. The preservation of morals, and an encouragement to honest industry, should be the first objects of govern- ment,-plundering is the destruction of both. I wish the cause of liberty may never be tarnished with inhu- manity, nor the morals of people bartered in exchange for wealth."
Wayne, with his command, reached Sister's Ferry, on
273
EVACUATION OF SAVANNAH.
the Savannah, on the 12th, and crossed the river in small canoes, swimming his horses by their side. The artillery, which formed part of his detachment, he was compelled to leave in Carolina, as he had no means of transporting it across the river. The Legislature was at this time in session in Augusta; and immediately, on receiving intelligence from General Wayne of his being in Georgia, accompanied with a suggestion akin to that of General Green, " recommending proclama- tions to be issued for opening a door for the absent citizens of this State, and to encourage desertion from the enemy," appointed a committee of the Executive Council to wait on General Wayne to devise measures to carry out these views. The result of this conference was, that two proclamations were made, viz., one for opening a door for the reception of citizens; and another to encourage desertion from the enemy, particularly among the Hessian troops, who, from their nearness to the Germans of Ebenezer, were strongly attracted thither. The appearance of General Wayne, and the vigilance and activity of his dragoons, and of the legion of Jackson, drove the enemy within their lines, after they had destroyed all the provisions in the vicinity of Savannah which they could not carry thither.
The proclamations also had a very good effect, espe- cially as they were aided by a general dissatisfaction among the troops in Savannah. Many of the former citizens who had been compelled, from various causes, to take protection under the British Government, and who had even joined the armies of the enemy, availed themselves of the door opened by the proclamation, which had special reference to them, returned to their State allegiance, and joined the camp of General VOL. II.
18
274
GEORGIA IN THE REVOLUTION.
Wayne, proving their sincerity by the most zealous efforts to merit the pardon and protection extended to them by the Executive. A vindictive and revengeful feeling, however, existed against many of these men, and it required the strong arm of civil and military power to hold in check the ebullitions of feeling which frequently betrayed themselves in a desire to injure and even to murder these reclaimed citizens. Spurred on by passions, which the camp tended to excite, rather than subdue ; roused by prejudices, the offspring rather of ignorance than of justice, the militia and other citi- zens were led to the commission of acts of atrocity for which there can be no extenuation, save in the un- bridled spirit which war ever begets, and the jealousy of sharing blood-bought rights with those who had, for a time at least, turned traitors to their country.
The condition of the enemy in Savannah was greatly straitened; and though reinforced by Lord Rawdon with one hundred and fifty men of the 7th regi- ment, there were, including these, the militia and a corps of one hundred and fifty negroes, armed and equipped as infantry, under the command of the notori- ous Brown, only about one thousand men. The town, indeed, was well fortified and protected by ordnance, and guarded on the river side by row-gallies and brigs; but so completely had the Americans com- pressed their operations, that Jackson, with his legion, often pursued the enemy within sight of Savannah, and, in several instances, picked off men and horses even from the town commons. The British spared no pains to form and keep up alliances with the Cherokees, Creeks, and Chickasaws, and aimed to ingratiate them- selves into their favor by rivalling them in deeds of
275
EVACUATION OF SAVANNAH.
cruelty and blood. These savages were induced to visit Savannah under the idea of receiving presents, and were mostly brought round from the Alatamaha by boats, through the inland passage. The peculiar ferocity of the enemy, at this time, is indicated in the following extract of a letter from General Wayne, dated Headquarters, Ebenezer, 26th March, 1782 :-
" On receiving intelligence that the enemy were on the point of moving out in force, I determined to more than meet them, and to avail myself of circumstances and position; from a conviction that, although our numbers were not so great as I could wish, yet we were not to be disgraced, and that if we could possibly pro- duce disorder in their ranks, the enemy would have no reason to triumph from the encounter. Our advance guard fell in with a party of their dragoons three miles from Savannah, whom they immediately charged and drove into the lines, and then sounded a charge within the influence of their batteries. This temerity in the officer, drew the enemy out in force, and, in falling back before them, one of his dragoons was killed. How- ever, as soon as they discovered that the advance were supported, they retired into their works, bearing off the scalp of the dragoon, with which they paraded the streets of Savannah, headed by the Lieutenant-Governor and other British officers, who gave an entertainment to the Indians, and had a dance on the occasion. Nor did their barbarity rest here: they mangled and dis- figured the dead body in a manner that none but wretches inured in acts of cruelty would possibly be capable of, and ordered it to remain unburied ; but the Ethiopians, more humanized, stole it away, and de- posited it in the ground, for the commission of which
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.