USA > Georgia > The history of Georgia, Volume II > Part 39
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Reaching the vicinity of Savannah in advance of the forces under General Lincoln, General McIntosh occupied a position between the town and Great Ogeechee ferry,2 and there awaited the concentration of the allied armies.
During the 12th and the 13th General Lincoln was engaged 1 A Reply to Judge Johnson's Remarks,
etc., p. 33. Baltimore, 1836.
2 At Millen's plantation.
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SUMMONS OF COUNT D'ESTAING.
in crossing his command over the Savannah at Zubly's ferry. Considerable delay was experienced in consequence of the fact that the enemy had either secured or destroyed most of the boats on the river. On the afternoon of the 13th General McIntosh formed a junction with the advance guard of Lincoln's army ; and on the night of the 15th the two commands, now wholly united, encamped at Cherokee Hill.
On the 16th of September and prior to the arrival of the American forces under General Lincoln, Count d'Estaing, ac- companied by the grenadiers of Auxerrois and the chasseurs of Champagne and of Guadeloupe, sent to Major-General Augustine Prevost, commanding the British army, this summons requiring a surrender of Savannah to the king of France : -
" Count d'Estaing summons his Excellency General Prevost to surrender himself to the arms of his Majesty the King of France. He admonishes him that he will be personally answer- able for every event and misfortune attending a defence demon- strated to be absolutely impossible and useless from the supe- riority of the force which attacks him by land and sea. He also warns him that he will be nominally and personally answerable henceforward for the burning, previous to or at the hour of attack, of any ships or vessels of war or merchant ships in the Savannah River, as well as of magazines in the town.
"The situation of the Morne de l'Hopital in Grenada, the strength of the three redoubts which defended it, the dispropor- tion betwixt the number of the French troops now before Savan- nah and the inconsiderable detachment which took Grenada by assault, should be a lesson for the future. Humanity requires that Count d'Estaing should remind you of it. After this he can have nothing with which to reproach himself.
"Lord Macartney had the good fortune to escape in person on the first onset of troops forcing a town sword in hand, but having shut up his valuable effects in a fort deemed impregna- ble by all his officers and engineers, it was impossible for Count d'Estaing to be happy enough to prevent the whole from being pillaged."
To this threatening and pompous demand Major-General Pre- vost thus responded : -
" SAVANNAII, September 16th, 1779.
"SIR, - I am just now honored with your Excellency's letter of this date, containing a summons for me to surrender this town to the arms of his Majesty the King of France, which I had just
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delayed to answer till I had shown it to the King's Civil Gov- ernor.1
" I hope your Excellency will have a better opinion of me and of British troops than to think either will surrender on general summons without any specific terms.
" If you, Sir, have any to propose that may with honor be accepted of by me, you can mention them both with regard to civil and military, and I will then give my answer. In the meantime I will promise upon my honor that nothing with my consent or knowledge shall be destroyed in either this town or river."
The following is Count d'Estaing's reply : -
" CAMP BEFORE SAVANNAH, September 16th, 1779.
"SIR, - I have just received your Excellency's answer to the letter I had the honor of writing to you this morning. You are sensible that it is the part of the Besieged to propose such terms as they may desire, and you cannot doubt of the satisfaction I shall have in consenting to those which I can accept consistently with my duty.
"I am informed that you continue intrenching yourself. It is a matter of very little importance to me. However, for form's sake, I must desire that you will desist during our confer- ences.
"The different columns, which I had ordered to stop, will continue their march, but without approaching your posts or reconnoitering your situation.
" P. S. I apprize your Excellency that I have not been able to refuse the Army of the United States uniting itself with that of the King. The junction will probably be effected this day. If I have not an answer therefore immediately, you must confer in future with General Lincoln and me."
To this General Prevost promptly responded : -
"SAVANNAII, September 16th, 1779.
"SIR, - I am honored with your Excellency's letter in reply to mine of this day. The business we have in hand being of im- portance, there being various interests to discuss, a just time is absolutely necessary to deliberate. I am therefore to propose that a cessation of hostilities shall take place for twenty-four hours from this date : and to request that your Excellency will order your columns to fall back to a greater distance and out of sight of our works or I shall think myself under the necessity to direct
1 Governor Sir James Wright, who counseled resistance to tho last extremity.
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COUNT D'ESTAING GRANTS A TRUCE.
their being fired upon. If they did not reconnoitre anything this afternoon, they were sure within the distance."
Without waiting to advise with General Lincoln in regard to the propriety of granting General Prevost's request, Count d'Estaing imprudently replied as follows : -
" CAMP BEFORE SAVANNAHI, September 16, 1779.
" SIR, - I consent to the truce you ask. It shall continue till the signal for retreat tomorrow night, the 17th, which will serve also to announce the recommencement of hostilities. It is un- necessary to observe to your Excellency that this suspension of arms is entirely in your favor, since I cannot be certain that you will not make use of it to fortify yourself, at the same time that the propositions you shall make may be inadmissible.
" I must observe to you also how important it is that you should be fully aware of your own situation as well as that of the troops under your command. Be assured that I am thor- oughly acquainted with it. Your knowledge in military affairs will not suffer you to be ignorant that a due examination of that circumstance always precedes the march of the columns, and that this preliminary is not carried into execution by the mere show of troops.
" I have ordered them to withdraw before night comes on to prevent any cause of complaint on your part. I understand that my civility in this respect has been the occasion that the Cheva- lier de Chambis, a lieutenant in the Navy, has been made a pris- oner of war.
" I propose sending out some small advanced posts tomorrow morning. They will place themselves in such a situation as to have in view the four entrances into the wood in order to pre- vent a similar mistake in future. I do not know whether two columns commanded by the Viscount de Noailles and the Count de Dillon have shown too much ardor, or whether your can- noniers have not paid a proper respect to the truce subsisting between us : but this I know, that what has happened this night is a proof that matters will soon come to a decision between us one way or another."
The junction of General Lincoln's forces with those of Count d'Estaing was effected before the lines of Savannah on the 16th of September, 1779. The Americans were in high spirits. With the cooperation of the French it was confidently believed that the discomfiture of the English garrison and the capture of Sa- vannalı would prove a certain and easy task. No fears of possi-
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THE HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
ble misadventure were entertained. The French camp, which at first was pitched southeast of the town, was quickly changed and located almost directly south of Savannah. Its front was well- nigh parallel with the streets running east and west. General de Dillon commanded the right, Count d'Estaing the centre, and the Count de Noailles the left. General Lincoln's command was posted to the southwest ; the front of his line looking nearly east, and his rear protected by the Springfield plantation swamp. About midway between these armies, and looking directly north, was the cavalry camp of Count Pulaski.
Fatal was the error committed by the French admiral in con- senting to this suspension of hostilities for the space of twenty- four hours.
When the French fleet first appeared off the Georgia coast the English had but twenty-three pieces of cannon mounted upon their works around Savannah. On the morning of the assault one hundred more were in position. It would seem that for some months after the capture of Savannah in December, 1778, the English did not materially alter or strengthen the works which the Americans had constructed for the protection of the southern, eastern, and western exposures of the town. So soon, however, as this crisis was upon them the utmost activity was displayed. Lieutenant-Colonel Cruger, with his detachment, was withdrawn from Sunbury. Troops were recalled from outlying posts, and Colonel Maitland was ordered to move promptly for the relief of Savannah. In addition to the garrison, between four and five hundred negroes were put to work upon the lines. The war vessels in the river were stripped of their batteries that they might arm the earthworks. So rapidly did the labor pro- gress that before the French and Americans opened fire from their trenches the British had raised around the town thirteen substantial redoubts and fifteen gun-batteries mounting eighty pieces of cannon. These batteries were manned by sailors from the Fowey, the Rose, and the Keppel, and by mariners and vol- unteers from other ships and transports in the river. Besides these guns in fixed position field-pieces were distributed at in- tervals. Ships were sunk both above and below the town to occlude the channel and prevent the near approach of the Amer- ican and French vessels of war. Captain Moncrieff, the engineer officer in charge, displayed a degree of pluck, energy, and skill worthy of all commendation.
When summoned to the relief of Savannah Colonel Maitland
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ARRIVAL OF COLONEL MAITLAND.
was at Beaufort with a detachment of eight hundred men. Ar- riving at Dawfuskie on the evening of the 16th, he found the Savannah River in the possession of the French, and his further progress by the customary water route checked. While thus embarrassed chance threw in his way some negro fishermen fa- miliar with the creeks permeating the marshes, who informed him of a passage known as Wall's Cut, through Scull Creek, navigable by small boats at high water. A favoring tide and a dense fog enabled him, unperceived by the French, to conduct his command successfully through this unaccustomed avenue. On the afternoon of the 17th he reached Savannah. " The ac- quisition of this formidable reinforcement," says Captain Mc- Call, " headed by an experienced and brave officer, effected a complete change in the dispirited garrison. A signal was made and three cheers were given, which rung from one end of the town to the other." 1
So soon as Colonel Maitland was fairly within the town General Prevost, who had temporized that this most desirable acquisition to his forces might be secured, responded thus : -
" SAVANNAH, September 17th, 1779.
"SIR, - In answer to the letter of your Excellency which I had the honor to receive about twelve last night, I am to ac- quaint you that having laid the whole correspondence before the King's civil Governor and the military officers of rank, assembled in Council of War, the unanimous determination has been that though we cannot look upon our post as absolutely impregna- ble, yet that it may and ought to be defended : 2 therefore the evening gun to be fired this evening at an hour before sundown shall be the signal for recommencing hostilities agreeable to your Excellency's proposal."
Grave was the mistake committed by Count d'Estaing in not insisting upon an immediate reply to his summons for surren- der. So confident was he of success that he would not await the arrival of General Lincoln. Ambitious for the triumph of
1 It is a noteworthy fact that during the late war between the States this Wall's Cut afforded the United States gun-boats the means of entering the Sa- vannah River in rear of Fort Pulaski, withont encountering the fire of its guns, thereby completely isolating that fortifi- cation, and covering Federal working parties engaged in the erection of invest-
ing batteries at Venus' Point and on the north end of Bird's Island.
2 This resolution to defend Savannah, it is claimed by the friends of Governor Wright, would not have been formed ex- cept for his vote and determined persua- sion in the council of war then held. Subine's Loyalists of the American Revolu- tion, vol. ii. p. 458. Boston. 1864.
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French arms without the cooperation of the American forces, he sought to monopolize the prize he reckoned within his grasp. So thoroughly did he regard the British garrison as within the range of facile capture that he acceded to the request for delay, little appreciating the disastrous consequences which would ensue from thus toying with his enemy. Intelligent British officers who were present at the siege admitted, when it was over, that the French army alone could have carried Savannah in ten minutes, without the aid of artillery, had an assault been made at the earliest moment.
The energy and skill displayed by the English in strength- ening the old works, in erecting new ones, in dismantling the vessels of war in the river and placing their guns in battery to the south, east, and west of Savannah, and, above all, the intro- duction of Colonel Maitland's forces into the town at a most opportune moment, reflect great credit upon those charged with the defense.
If, instead of parleying, D'Estaing had insisted upon a prompt response to his summons for surrender, the probability is that Prevost would have acceded to his demand. Had he refused there is little doubt but that the investing army, if immediately put in motion, would have swept over the incomplete intrench- ments and restored the capital of Georgia to the possession of the Revolutionists. He was outwitted by the English com- mander. The accorded delay proved fatal to the enterprise.
Disappointed in his expectation of an immediate surrender of Savannah, advised of the arrival of the reinforcement under Colonel Maitland, and doubting the propriety of an assault, D'Estaing resolved to resort to the slower process of a reduction by regular siege and gradual approaches. To this end, and that the town might be absolutely invested on the south, the French commander moved his forces up to within twelve hundred yards of the English lines. The encampment, thus formed, exhibited a front of thirty-two hundred yards. The American troops un- der Lincoln formed the left of the line, resting upon the swamp which bordered the town on the west. Then came the division of M. de Noailles composed of nine hundred men of the regi- ments of Champagne, Auxerrois, Foix, Guadeloupe, and Marti- nique. D'Estaing's division, comprising one thousand men of the regiments of Cambresis, Hainault, the volunteers of Berges, Age- nois, Gatinois, the Cape, and Port au Prince, with the artillery, was on the right of Noailles and formed the centre of the French
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DISPOSITIONS OF THE ALLIED ARMY.
army. Dillon's division, composed of nine hundred men of the regiments of Dillon, Armagnac, and the Volunteer Grenadiers, was posted on the right of D'Estaing. To the right of Dillon's division were the powder magazine, the cattle depot, and a small field hospital. On the right and a little in advance of the depot were the quarters of the dragoons of Conde and of Belzunce, numbering fifty men and commanded by M. Dejean. Upon the same alignment and to the right of the dragoons was M. de Rouvrai, with his Volunteer Chasseurs numbering seven hun- dred and fifty men. Still to the right, and two hundred yards in advance of M. de Rouvrai, was M. des Framais commanding the Grenadier Volunteers and two hundred men of different reg- iments. He effectually closed the right of the army and rested upon the swamp which bounded the city on the east.
It will be perceived by these dispositions, which were concluded on the 22d of September, that Savannah was completely isolated on the land side.
The frigate La Truite and two galleys lay in the river within cannon shot of the town. That all communication with the islands, formed by the numerous river mouths, might be effec- tually cut off, the frigate La Chimere and the armed store-ship La Bricole were judiciously posted.
A large and beautiful house at Thunderbolt was occupied and used as a hospital. From this time forward Thunderbolt was substituted in the stead of Beaulieu as a more convenient point for holding converse with the fleet.
The ships Rose and Savannah and four transports, sunk by the English in a narrow part of the river channel a few miles below the town, prevented the French from bringing up their heavy-armed vessels to cooperate in the siege. Small craft sunk above Savannah and a boom stretched across the river did not allow the near approach of the galleys which, passing up the North River round Hutchinson's Island, purposed an attack from that direction. Guns mounted upon the bold bluff served also to protect the northern exposure of Savannah from a close and effectual fire.
The American forces concentrated under the command of General Lincoln numbered about twenty-one hundred men of all arms.
After the arrival of Colonel Maitland and his command the British force within the lines of Savannah may be safely esti- mated at twenty-five hundred mon.
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The siege had now fairly begun, and the French were ear- nestly employed in landing additional troops from the fleet, and in transporting cannon, mortars, and ammunition for the bom- bardment of the town.
Guarded by deep and impracticable swamps on the east and west, and with a river in front which the enemy had occluded above and below so as to prevent the near approach of the French war vessels, the attention of General Prevost was directed to fortifying the southern exposure of Savannah. Upon the deploy- ment of the French army before the town the British had thrown up an intrenchment and several batteries the front of which was obstructed by abattis. These works were strengthened by three redoubts located triangularly at the western extremity of the line, two mortar batteries, each mounting three or four pieces, and two redoubts erected on the left of the intrenchments. Dur- ing the progress of the siege these fortifications, extending en- tirely across the high ground south of the town from the low grounds on the east to the swamp on the west and bending back on either hand to the river, were vastly improved. In the river, at the northwestern extremity of the town, were stationed a frig- ate with a battery of nine-pounder guns and two galleys armed with eighteen-pounders.
General Prevost's first disposition of troops was made in ac- cordance with the following orders, issued on the 9th of Septem- ber : -
" The regiment of Wissenbach to take their ground of encamp- ment ; 1 likewise the 2nd battalion of General Delancey's.2 In case of an alarm, which will be known by the beating to arms iboth at the Barracks and main guard, the troops are to repair to their several posts without confusion or tumult.
" Captain Stuart of the British Legion will take post with his men in the work on the right near the river. The main guard to be relieved by convalescents from the Hessians.
" Major Wright's corps to send their convalescents in the old fort.ª Twenty four men in the small redoubt, and seventy men in the left flank redoubt upon the road to Tattnall's.
" The militia to assemble in rear of the Barracks.
" The Light Infantry, the Dragoons, and Carolina Light Horse as a reserve, two hundred yards behind the Barracks.
" The King's Rangers, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel
1 In the centro.
" On the left of the contre.
8 On the extremo left.
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GENERAL PREVOST'S DISPOSITIONS.
Brown, in the small redoubt on the right, with fifty men : the remainder extending towards the larger redoubt on the right.
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" The Carolinians divided equally in the two large redoubts.
" The Battalion men of the 60th Regiment in the right re- doubt. The Grenadiers on the left, extending along the abatis towards the Barracks : the Hessians on their left, so as to fill up the space to the Barracks.
"On the left of the Barracks, the 3rd battalion of Skinner's, General Delancey's, and the New York Volunteers ; and on their left the 71st Regiment lining the abatis to the left flank redoubt on the road to Tattnall's.
" If all orders are silently and punctually obeyed, the General makes no doubt that, if the enemy should attempt to make an .attack, they will be repulsed and the troops maintain their for- mer well-acquired reputation ; nor will it be the first time that British and Hessian troops have beat a greater superiority of both French and Americans than it is probable they will have to encounter on this occasion. The General repeats his firm reli- ance on the spirit and steady coolness of the troops he has the honor to command." 1
Upon the safe entry in Savannah of the reinforcements under the command of Colonel Maitland, and when hostilities were about to be commenced in earnest, General Prevost published this general order : -
" CAMP BEFORE SAVANNAH, 17th September, 1779.
" Parole, Maitland. Countersign, St. George. Field officers for to-morrow, Lieutenant-Colonel Cruger and Major Graham.
" The troops to be under arms this afternoon at four o'clock. As the enemy is now very near, an attack may be hourly ex- pected. The General therefore desires that the whole may be in instant readiness. By the known steadiness and spirit of the troops he has the most unlimited dependence, doubting nothing of a glorious victory should the enemy try their strength. What is it that may not, by the blessing of God, be expected from the united efforts of British sailors and soldiers and valiant Hessians against an enemy that they have often beat before ?
" In case of a night attack, the General earnestly requests the utmost silence to be observed, and attention to the officers, who will be careful that the men do not throw away their fire at ran- dom, and warn them earnestly not to fire until ordered." 2
1 Seo original order book of General Prevost.
2 Order book of General Provost.
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Both armies now prepared for the final struggle. Guns from the French fleet were landed at Thunderbolt, whence they were transported to the lines before Savannah and placed in position as rapidly as batteries and platforms could be made ready for their reception. The English were delighted at the turn which affairs had taken, and Prevost's chief engineer declared that if the allied army would only resort to the spade and the tedious operations incident to regular approaches and a protracted bom- bardment he would pledge himself to accomplish a successful defense of the town.
On Wednesday, the 22d, M. de Guillaume, of Noailles' divis- ion, attempted, with fifty picked men, to capture an advanced post of the enemy. He was repulsed by a lively fire of artillery and musketry.
At three o'clock in the afternoon of the following day a trench was opened by the besiegers at a distance of three hundred yards from the enemy's works, and a detail of six companies made for the protection of the working parties. When a thick fog, which prevailed the next morning, had lifted, the British, perceiving the newly-constructed approach, made a sortie for its capture. Three companies of light infantry under Major Graham consti- tuted the attacking force. The English historians claim that this was simply a demonstration for the purpose of enticing the French out of their lines so that something like an accurate esti- mate might be formed of their strength. Major Graham re- treated with a loss of twenty-one killed and wounded. He was closely pursued by a heavy column of French soldiers who, in their zeal, were drawn within range of the English batteries, which delivered a galling fire.
At seven o'clock on the morning of the 25th, fire upon the city was opened from a battery just erected under the supervision of M. de Sauce, an artillery officer, mounting two 18-pounder guns. Upon an inspection of the work, Count d'Estaing ordered this battery to be remodeled and armed with twelve 18 and 12- pounder guns. Ile further directed that another battery, to contain thirteen 18-pounder guns, should be constructed on the right of the trench. He also located the position for a bomb battery, of nine mortars, two hundred yards to the left and a little in rear of the trench. By the side of this he decided to erect a battery of six 16-pounder guns to be manned by the Americans. Until these works should be completed the count ordered that no firing should occur.
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