USA > Georgia > The history of Georgia, Volume II > Part 36
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The first positive information which Ash received of Prevost's demonstration in his rear was transmitted by a courier from an advanced party of Williamson's command. This was quickly confirmed by a messenger from Colonel Smith who was in charge of the baggage guard.
General Ash's command in camp had been so reduced by de- tachments on duty at other points and upon special service that it did not exceed eight hundred men.1 A mile in advance of his camp, and at the bridge where the main road crossed Brier Creek, a guard of one hundred men was posted. Within sup- porting distance was the light infantry with one four-pounder gun.
Cognizant of the near approach of the British, General Ash ordered the long roll to be beaten. As the men fell in it was discovered that even at that late hour the militia had to be sup- plied with ammunition. Miserably were they equipped, some appearing with rifles, others with shot guns, a few with muskets, and some without arms. Line of battle was formed in three divisions ; the right under the command of Colonel Young, the centre under General Bryant, and the left, consisting of sixty continental troops, one hundred and fifty Georgia militia, and a field-piece, under the command of General Elbert assisted by
1 McCall's History of Georgia, vol. ii. p. 210. Savannah. 1816.
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DEFEAT OF GENERAL ASII.
Lieutenant-Colonel John McIntosh. The vanguard of the enemy having driven in the American pickets at three o'clock in the afternoon, Prevost prepared for action. His light infantry, with two field-pieces, was formed on the right with instructions to fol- low a road leading to the American camp. His centre, composed of the second battalion of the 71st regiment and some Florida Rangers and Carolina loyalists, was preceded by a section of light artillery. His left, consisting of one hundred and fifty dragoons, was directed to turn the American right. Three companies of grenadiers and a troop of fifty dragoons were held in reserve four hundred yards in the rear. At a pass by which it was feared the Americans might attempt to turn the British left and gain their rear fifty riflemen were posted in ambush.
His line of battle having been formed, General Ash advanced to a position about a quarter of a mile in front of his encamp- ment and there awaited the enemy's attack, his left resting upon Brier Creek and his right extending to within eight hundred yards of the Savannah River swamp. At four o'clock Colonel Prevost, when within one hundred and fifty yards of the Ameri- cans, opened the engagement with his artillery and pressed for- ward. Ash's centre, which was thrown a little forward, did not withstand the shock five minutes. It broke and fled in wild con- fusion. The right, so soon as it was attacked, followed suit. The left alone remained, and, under General Elbert, fought so stubbornly that Prevost found it necessary to order up his re- serves to support his right which was opposed to this gallant body of men. Notwithstanding the great disparity in the con- tending forces, Elbert prolonged the conflict until nearly every man of his command was either killed, wounded, or captured. Those constituting the American centre and right took refuge in the deep swamp bordering upon the Savannah River. Such of them as could swim escaped to the Carolina shore. Many were drowned in the attempt. Colonel Prevost says one hundred and fifty Americans 1 were killed upon the field and in the adjacent swamp, and that Brigadier-General Elbert, "one of their best officers," twenty-seven other officers, and two hundred men were taken prisoners. In this estimate he does not include " officers
1 Captain McCall estimates the entire loss of the Americans as follows : killed and drowned, one hundred and fifty ; and twenty-seven officers and one hundred and sixty-two non-commissioned officers and privates captured.
General Prevost's return, furnished to General Lincoln about the 10th of March, presents the names of 24 officers and 162 non-commissioned officers and privates captured by the British at Brier Creek.
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and men drowned in attempting to save themselves from the slaughter by plunging into a deep and rapid river." The British loss, marvelous to relate, amounted to only five privates killed and one officer and ten privates wounded.
Seven pieces of field artillery, a considerable quantity of am- munition, provisions, and baggage, and one thousand small arms 1 fell into the hands of the victors. The number of slain would seemingly claim credence for the report, which has been handed down, that in their pursuit of the fugitive Americans Sir James Baird cried aloud to his light infantry, " Every man of you that takes a prisoner shall lose his ration of rum." Not a few of the militia seeking refuge in the Savannah swamp were cruelly bayo- neted by the exultant British soldiery.
Never was encampment more injudiciously located or command held in such wretched plight for action. The only ray of light amid the gloom of the whole affair is shed by the gallantry of Colonel Elbert and his command. From Matthew's Bluff, on the evening of the day on which this catastrophe occurred, Gen- eral Ash, who appears to have been outstripped by none in rapid flight from the scene of conflict, penned this unsatisfactory dis- patch to Major-General Lincoln : -
"SIR, - I am sorry to inform you that at 3 o'clock P. M. the enemy came down upon us in force ; what number I know not. The troops in my division did not stand fire five minutes. Many fled without discharging their pieces. I went with the fugitives half a mile, and finding it impossible to rally the troops I made my escape into the river swamp and made up in the evening to this place. Two officers and two soldiers came off with me. The rest of the troops, I am afraid, have fallen into the enemy's hands as they had but little further where they could fly to. Luckily Major Grimkie had not got the artillery out of the boat, so that I shall keep them here with Gen: Rutherford's brigade to de- fend this pass until I receive further orders from you. This in- stant Gen: Bryant and Col: Perkins arrived. Col: Eaton 2 was drowned crossing the river.3
" Since writing the above a number of officers and soldiers have arrived. We have taken a man who says he was taken by them and would not take their oath and was formerly under Lee to the northward. He informed there were 1,700 Red coats in
1 Moultrie's Memoirs, vol. i. p. 375. was the first who gave General Lincoln New York, 1802.
an account of the defeat.
2 Colonel Eaton was not drowned, but 8 The Savannah.
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GENERAL MOULTRIE'S ACCOUNT.
the action, also a number of new levies from New York, Georgia militia, and Florida scouts : that 1,500 men had marched up to Augusta to fortify that place : that they are fortifying Hudson's very strongly : that the day before they marched off, 7,000 men had arrived from New York. Gen : Bryant and Rutherford are of opinion that it is better to retreat to your quarters : therefore I am inclined to march to-night when we get all our fugitives over."
After this fashion does General Moultrie allude to and com- ment upon this most unfortunate occurrence : "Gen. Ash's af- fair at Brier-Creek was nothing less than a total rout. Never was an army more completely surprised, and never were men more panic struck as Gen. Ash's letter and the evidences at the Court show. The poor fellows! Most of them threw down their arms and ran through a deep swamp 2 or 3 miles to gain the banks of a wide and rapid river,1 and plunged themselves in to escape from the bayonet. Many of them endeavoring to reach the opposite shore sunk down and were buried in a watery grave, while those who had more strength and skill in swimming gained the other side, but were still so terrified that they strag- gled through the woods in every direction. A large body of them were stopped early the next morning at Bee's Creek bridge, about 20 miles, by a detachment of the second regiment under Captain Peter Horry, marching to camp, who told me he had just heard of the affair at Brier-Creek and saw a large body [2 or 300] of the fugitives coming in a hasty and confused man- ner, most of them without their arms, and Gen. Ash and Bryant with them. He drew up his men at the bridge. Gen. Ash rode up to him and requested that he would stop those men, that they were running away. Gen. Bryant said they were not running away. Gen. Ash insisted they were. Capt. Horry then asked of the two generals who was the commanding officer ? It was answered Gen. Ash. Then, sir, I will obey your orders, and pre- sented fixed bayonets and threatened to fire upon the fugitives if they attempted to come forward, which stopped them. After- wards Capt. Horry proceeded to camp with his detachment, and Gen. Ash and Bryant brought back the fugitives.
" We never could ascertain the number of men that were lost in this unfortunate affair, as many of them made no stay any- where until they got to their own homes in North Carolina. The loss of arms was almost total, and it was a very serious con-
1 Savannah.
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THE HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
sideration with us at that time as we could not replace them. Col. Elbert, with a few Continentals and a field-piece or two, fought some little time, but they were soon surrounded and made prisoners of.
" This unlucky affair at Brier-Creek disconcerted all our plans, and through the misfortunes of Gen. Howe and Ash the war was protracted at least one year longer, for it is not to be doubted that had we have crossed the river with our army and joined Gen. Ash, which we were preparing to do, we should have had a body of 7000 men : besides strong reinforcements were march- ing to us from every quarter sufficient to drive the enemy out of Georgia; and all the wavering and all the disaffected would have immediately joined us : and it is more than probable that Carolina would not have been invaded had this event not taken place." 1
On the 13th of March a court of inquiry, consisting of Briga- dier-General Moultrie, president, General Rutherford, Colonel Armstrong, Colonel Pinckney, Colonel Locke, and Edmund Hyrne, deputy adjutant-general, judge advocate, convened at Purrysburg " to examine into the affair of the 3d instant at Brier Creek, and the conduct of Maj. Gen. J. Ash relative to his com- mand there." After hearing the statement of General Ash and weighing the evidence of many witnesses who testified, the court, on the 16th inst., gave expression to this opinion : " The court having maturely considered the matter before them are of opinion that Gen. Ash did not take all the necessary precautions which he ought to have done to secure his camp and obtain timely intelligence of the movements and approach of the enemy, but they do entirely acquit him of every imputation of a want of personal courage in the affair at Brier Creek, and think he re- mained in the field as long as prudence and duty required." 2
Most lenient truly was this finding when we consider the fright- ful calamity which had overtaken the American arms in conse- quence of the imprudence and incompetency of this officer. Ashi's defeat changed the entire aspect of affairs, and converted the of- fensive policy which Lincoln was about to inaugurate into one of observation and defense. The effect upon the militia of Georgia and Carolina was most prejudicial. Many who were on their
1 Moultrie's Memoirs of the American of this court of inquiry, and an abstract of the testimony submitted, see Moul- trie's Memoirs of the American Revolution, etc., vol. i. pp. 337-353. New York. 1802.
Revolution, etc., vol. i. p. 324. New York. 1802.
2 For a full account of the proceedings
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DISPOSITION OF THE ROYAL FORCES.
way to join the American standard, dispirited at the news of this disaster, returned home. Others, undecided in their views and anxious to ally themselves with the stronger party, no longer hesitated to seek the protection of the king's forces.
The British troops within the limits of Georgia now numbered some four thousand, and consisted of the first and second battal- ions of the 71s tregiment, Sir James Baird's light infantry, De- lancey's New York corps, volunteers from New York and New Jersey, Carolina Royalists, portions of the 16th and 60th regi- ments, two battalions of Hessians, Brown's rangers, and the Florida and Georgia militia. At Paris' Mill they formed a strong encampment defended by the guns captured at Brier Creek and by two additional field-pieces. On the left of the road, as one comes up from Savannah, a stout fort had been builded to guard the crossing at Sister's ferry. Here two six-pounder guns, two howitzers, and some other field-pieces were in position. Heavy pickets were on duty at Pace's. The hill commanding the Sa- vannah River was fortified, - both artillery and infantry being present for its retention and to guard the passage. Three miles south of Ebenezer were a rail battery and a picket. At the town of Ebenezer appeared " a redoubt on the water on the north side, a strong picquet at the bridge, two strong redoubts, another round the little house near the tavern, another down at the ferry, another on the hill at the south side of the south pass, and a very strong picquet. This place has a good train of artillery and is very strong, more so than Savannah." Redoubts, armed with eighteen-pounder guns, connected by curtains and protected by abattis in front, guarded the approaches to Savannah. Prevost was resolved upon the retention of Georgia; and Lincoln, stag- gered by the blow delivered at Brier Creek, was, for the time being, unable to undertake his dislodgment.
Influenced by Stuart and Cameron the Creek and Cherokee Indians exhibited a threatening attitude. For the patriots the present was dark indeed and the future fraught with apprehen- sion.
That he might utilize in the interest of the Crown all real and personal property owned by rebels, and in order to render pro- ductive such as had been captured or abandoned, Colonel Camp- bell, on the 15th of March, appointed John Pereman, Martin Jolie, James Robertson, William Telfair, and Roger Kelsall com- missioners of claims, with instructions to open an office in Sa- vannah and take possession of all lands and negroes belonging VOL. II. 23
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to those who had been active in their opposition to the king's government. Persons having any effects or property belonging to absconding rebels were enjoined, under severe penalties, to make prompt return and surrender to the commissioners. Over- seers and managers were to be named " not only for the care and employment of the negroes, stock, and effects on the confiscated plantations of the American adherents, but also for the improve- ment and cultivation of them." These overseers and managers were required to submit monthly reports of the stock and negroes employed, of the agricultural operations conducted on the plan- tations entrusted to their supervision, and of every disbursement made in cultivating, harvesting, and transporting the crops to market. All expenses having been paid, the net proceeds of the crops produced were to be applied, under the direction of the royal governor and council, to the use of the king's troops and the discharge of obligations connected with the prosecution of the war. Deluded by this scheme, which soon proved chimer- ical and incapable of remunerative results, the inhabitants who had eagerly submitted themselves to the dominion of the Crown vainly hoped for freedom from taxation.1
Encouraged by the signal defeat of Boyd at Kettle Creek, and the subsequent abandonment of Augusta by the king's forces, the Georgians who had fled to South Carolina for security soon returned with their families and property to Wilkes County. Scarcely had they reoccupied their forts and plantations when they were alarmed by the approach of a body of Creek Indians under the command of Tate and McGillivray, - Indian agents in the employ of the British. Colonel Pickens, with two hun- dred men of his regiment, quickly came to the assistance of the Georgians. Colonel Dooly was already in the field with one hundred mounted men. Colonel Elijah Clarke, with his com- mand, guarded the frontier. Every male inhabitant of sixteen years and upwards appeared with arms in his hands. At Wrights- borough Colonels Pickens and Dooly were reinforced by detacli- ments from the regiments of Colonels Few and Leroy Ham- mond, and by two troops of horse under the command of Major Ross. The Indians were encamped near Fulsom's Fort. Ap- proaching under cover of the night, Lieutenants Alexander and Williamson, who had been detailed for the purpose, made a re- connoissance which led them to estimate the force of the enemy at eight hundred. Upon receiving their report Colonel Pickens,
1 See McCall's History of Georgia, vol. ii. p. 219. Savannah. 1816.
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CAPTURE OF THE GALLEYS CONGRESS AND LEE. 355
to whom the command of the united American troops was con- fided, marched his column rapidly forward in the hope of reach- ing the Indian camp and surprising it before daylight. Some treacherous rascal advised the enemy of his approach. Unwilling to breast the attack the Indians, breaking up into small parties, fled in every direction. In the pursuit which ensued some of the savages were overtaken and slain. Major Ross, Captain New- som, and Lieutenant Bentley were killed. Quiet was restored, and the enemy was utterly expelled from the territory.1
General Lincoln, after Ash's defeat, retained his headquarters at Purrysburg and maintained a close watch upon the enemy who was in force on the right bank of the Savannah River. Two British galleys, the Comet and the Hornet, commanded by Lieutenants Stone and Mckenzie, were lying near Yemassee Bluff, below Purrysburg. On the night of the 20th of March the American galleys Congress and Lee, in charge of Captains Campbell and Milligan, were ordered to attempt their surprise and capture. Forty militia were detailed to proceed by land and take possession of a house just opposite the point where the enemy's galleys were at anchor, that they might assist in the at- tack which was to be opened at daylight the next morning. They occupied the house in due season, but the American galleys in descending the river got aground. It was nine o'clock before they reached a position whence they could bring their guns to bear upon the enemy. The British galley Thunderer, com- manded by Lieutenant Terrill, promptly advanced from below to the assistance of the Comet and the Hornet galled by the fire from shore as well as by the cannon of the American gal- leys. The militia were quickly dislodged by the Thunderer's battery. After an engagement, which lasted an hour, the Brit- ish manned their boats with the intention of boarding the Congress and Lee. Knowing that they could not successfully contend against this demonstration, the crews of the American galleys took to their boats and made their escape, leaving their vessels and some of their companions to the mercy of the enemy. On the part of the Americans Captain Campbell and three men were killed, six were wounded, and ten captured. The British loss was represented by one slain and one wounded. The cap- ture of these American galleys left the Savannah River entirely open to the navigation of the enemy's armed vessels.
While Lincoln's army was daily decreasing in consequence of
1 Sco McCull's llistory of Georgia, vol. ii. pp. 217-219. Savannah. 1816.
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the desertion of the militia, General Prevost was so materially reinforced by accessions from New York and Florida that he found himself in command of more than five thousand men. In consequence of the loss of provisions and cattle sustained at the hands of the enemy, the families of not a few of the militiamen in camp were almost in a starving condition. Under these dis- tressing circumstances, as there was no general movement of the army in immediate contemplation, they applied to General Lin- coln for leave to return to their homes and endeavor to repair their fortunes until such time as he might be able to cross the Savannah River in force and redeem the country from the dominion of the enemy. Permission was granted, and many de- parted. It was also understood that, if pressed by the enemy, they might, to insure a peaceful residence on their own farms, take the oath of allegiance to the Crown. Displeased at the inactivity of the army, Governor Rutledge on the 5th of April issued orders to General Williamson to make an incursion into Georgia, harass the enemy, and destroy all cattle, horses, provis- ions, and carriages which should be found in his line of march. These instructions were displeasing to General Lincoln for two substantial reasons. In the first place, they were not addressed to him as the commanding officer of the army of which General Williamson's force formed a component part ; and, in the second place, the execution of them would seriously impair the under- standing existing between himself and the militiamen whom he had permitted to return to their homes. An unpleasant com- plication was imminent when General Moultrie, with his well- known sagacity and in the exercise of his sound judgment, took the matter in hand and, by a proper representation of facts, se- cured from Governor Rutledge a prompt recision of his order.1
In March occurred an exchange of prisoners. Those returned to Georgia were in a wretched plight. Says Captain McCall,2 they "were so much emaciated when they arrived in camp that they were obliged to be carried from the boats in which they were brought from the prison-ships. They complained highly of the ill treatment which they had experienced on board these filthy, floating dungeons, of which their countenances and emaci- ated bodies exhibited condemning testimony. They asserted that they had been subsisted on condemned pork which nauseated the
1 Sce Letter of General Moultrie to
2 History of Georgia, vol. ii. p. 227. Governor Rutledge, dated Head Quarters Savannah. 1816. Black Swamp, April 16, 1779.
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INHUMAN TREATMENT OF PRISONERS.
stomach, and oat meal so rotten that swine would not have fed on it: that the staff-officers and the members of Council from Sa- vannah shared in common with the soldiery. Even the venerable Bryan was obliged to partake of such repasts or die of hunger. The Jews of Savannah were generally favourable to the American . cause, and among this persuasion was Mordecai Sheftall, commis- sary general, and his son, who was his deputy. They were con- fined in common with the other prisoners, and, by way of con- tempt to their offices and religion, condemned pork was given them for the animal part of their subsistence. In consequence of such food, and other new devices of mal-treatment, five or six died daily, whose bodies were conveyed from the prison ships to the nearest marsh and trodden in the mud from whence they were soon exposed by the washing of the tides, and at low water the prisoners beheld the carrion crows picking the bones of their departed companions." 1 Well might General Moultrie exclaim at sight of such misery : "Does not this demand retaliation and a prison ship ?" Earnestly did General Lincoln protest against these inhumanities, but both General Prevost and Sir Hyde Par- ker were deaf to the voice of justice and mercy. Savage in the main was the temper of the king's servants toward the Revolu- tionists.
On the 19th of April, 1779, Captain Morgan having arrived from St. Eustasia with a fresh supply of arms and ammunition, General Lincoln called a council of general officers at his head- quarters at Black Swamp. Besides, Major-General Benjamin Lincoln, Brigadier-Generals William Moultrie, Isaac Huger, and Jethro Sumner, were present. Having informed the council that the number of men in camp, including those under General Williamson, five hundred promised from Orangeburg, and seven hundred from North Carolina who were already within the State of South Carolina, amounted to five thousand, the com- manding general desired the opinion of the officers present upon the question whether, after leaving one thousand troops at Black Swamp and at Purrysburg, it would not be advisable with the remainder to cross the Savannah River near Augusta and occupy some strong position in Georgia to prevent the enemy from receiving supplies from the back country, circumscribe his limits, and forbid a junction with the Indians. All present regarded the measure as " rational " and advised that it be carried into effect. In conformity with this conclusion General
1 Compare Moultrie's Memoirs, etc., vol. i. p. 369. New York. 1802.
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Moultrie, with twelve hundred men, was left at Purrysburg and Black Swamp to guard the passes over the Savannah River and check any demonstration the enemy might seek to make against Carolina.
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