USA > Georgia > The history of Georgia: containing brief sketches of the most remarkable events, up to the present day, Vol. II > Part 24
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might be spared, induced him to change his deter- mination, and the whole party were paroled upon the beach, who pledged themselves not to take up arms until they were regularly exchanged. How- ell retired to his privateer unmolested, and with- out sustaining any loss. When Kelsall returned to the fort, he observed, that he expected nothing short of death, when he found himself in captain Howell's power; and that he had no right to look for such mild treatment as he had received.
On the 14th of July, captain M'Cleur took the sloop Brier, captain William Roberts master, laden with West-India produce, within full view of the British armed ships, lying in Charleston harbour, and carried her into North-Carolina. The next day after this capture, the crew of the Brier were paroled, and landed on Evans' island.
On the 12th of July, captain Antony manned his boats with twenty men, from his privateer, and proceeded up the Ogechee river, with the inten- tion of bringing off a schooner, laden with rice ; and succeeded in gaining possession of her, but the tide was too far spent before he could get her out, and his retreat was cut off by captain Scallan, in a British galley. Antony landed in his boats, and was obliged to take to. the woods, with the loss of one man killed and one wounded. The next night he reached his privateer in a boat with. the remainder of his party.
On the 18th of September, the brigantine Dunmore, captain Caldeleugh, mounting twelve
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guns, sailed from Sunbury for Jamacia : so soon as she crossed the bar, she was pursued and at- tacked by two American gallies, one of which was commanded by captain Braddock : a close fire was kept up from ten o'clock until two : se- , veral attempts were made to board the brigantine, but the enemy was favoured by the roughness of the sea. In one of these attempts, one of the gal- lies, which had sustained some injury in her rig- ging, had like to have been run down. At two , o'clock, the rigging of the other galley sustained some injury, which enabled the brigantine to es- cape. It was imagined that the hull was much injured, and that she would be obliged to put back to Savannah for repairs. Braddock repaired damages and shaped his course for that port, where he again fell in with and attacked her ; but she had the advantage of wind, and escaped into port with six feet water in her hold.
On the 20th of October, the American galley Tyger, captain M'Cumber, was lost off Hilton- head, in a gale of wind : two of her crew were drowned, and the remainder, thirty in number, were saved in the boat. The next day they join- ed captain Howell, and took two schooners laden with rice, in which were thirty negroes, bound to the West-Indies ;. but before they could be carried off, they were attacked by an enemy's galley and two boats, with sixty men, commanded by cap- tain Scallan. Howell set fire to the schooners and escaped with the negroes in his boats, but the
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enemy gained possession of the schooners, in time to save them from being burned. The exertions on the part of the enemy, to save the vessels, gave Howell time to escape.
About the 20th of October, general Twiggs' command became so formidable, as to authorise an advance toward the enemy. Colonels Jones, Irwin, Lewis, Carr, and many others, had been . successfully employed in awakening the Ameri- can spirit. Twiggs put his command in motion for the lower country, where general Greene had authorised the belief, that general Wayne would be ordered, at the head of a continental force, so soon as he should be joined by general St. Clair, who was then on his march from the northi. Co- lonel James Jackson was ordered in the advance, with part of his legion and captain M'Kay's rifle- men. He had several skirmishes with the enemy, before he reached Ebenezer. The bridges were destroyed in his front, and his flanks were annoy- ed by small parties under cover of thick woods.
For the purpose of keeping open the com- munication between Savannah and the southern counties, the post had been held at Sunbury by the enemy, and an intermediate one at Ogechee ferry. On the 2nd of November, Colonel Jack- son considered the surpise of the post at the ferry practicable ; and determined to make the effort. In its vicinity, he fell in with a reconnoitring par- ty and took them prisoners without giving alarm. Captain Johnson commanded the post at Qgechee,
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and imagined himself secure against surprise, supposing that he would be informed of any ap- proaching danger, by the party which had fallen into Jackson's hands. Colonel Jackson's approach was made so suddenly upon the house, which was relied on as the place for defence, that the discov- ery and the demand for a surrender were simul- taneous. Captain Johnson agreed to surrender, and was in the act of handing colonel Jackson his sword, when captain Goldsmith was killed by cap- tain Patrick Carr. Johnson imagining, from this un-authorised act, that no quarter was to be given, sprung to the house, ordered his men to resume their arms and sell their lives as dear as possible. The house was defended with so much vigour, that Jackson was not only compelled to relinquish what he deemed a certain conquest, but to retreat with the loss of captain Grant and several of his men. The house was considered unassailable, and while Jackson was contemplating further ope- rations, M'Kay's riflemen deserted him in search of plunder. He proceeded with his remaining force against Butler's house, about a mile from the ferry, where there were fifteen loyalists, com- manded by captain Howell, who was sick in bed. The house was defended for a short time, but the bold attempt of one of the Americans succeeded in setting it on fire. Howell and his party at- tempted to escape, but very few succeeded : six were killed and five taken prisoners ; among the former was their commander.
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Lieutenant-colonel Campbell, of the British cavalry, was quartered about a mile from the fer. ry with a detachment of his regiment; here he was joined by Johnson, and a detachment of Florida rangers, under captain Wylie, amounting in all to eighty-five. Colonel Jackson's command was re- duced to fifty-seven; and supposing the numbers in the enemy's ranks, to be more than they really were, he was unwilling to come to action, without the advantage of choosing his ground. Camp- bell's men being all mounted, he advanced and the attack was made about four o'clock. Jackson presented his infantry, under captain Greene, and 'covered his cavalry behind a hammock. The enemy charged upon the infantry, and broke through the centre. Jackson's dr roons pressed through the enemy in return, and separated them ; but they rallied at a high fence, and Jackson was obliged to retreat to a swamp, to secure himself against such a superiority of numbers, from which several unsuccessful attempts were made to dis: lodge him. Under cover of the night, Jackson retired toward Ebenezer. His loss in these seve- ral skirmishes, was six killed, five wounded, and five taken prisoners. Among the former was captain Grant, and among the latter was captain Bugg. "The enemy's loss was two captains, one cornet, and nine privates killed, and thirty wound- ed and taken prisoners.
General Twiggs had advanced to Burke coun- ty, where he received intelligence of large bodies
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of Indians and loyalists collecting on the western frontier of Carolina and Georgia. The general returned to Augusta, and ordered colonel Jackson to retreat to Burke county, where he was to be re- enforced, and advance against Ebenezer. Colonel Jackson's force being augmented to one hundred and fifty men, he was enabled to attack the forag- ing parties of the enemy, with considerable effect. A number of negroes, and other property, belong- ing to the American refugees, fell into his hands and were restored to their former owners. The country was so completely swept of every kind of provision, that Jackson's command often suffered for want of subsistence; their rations were limited to boiled rice, and even that was sometimes ob- tained at great hazard, and in small quantities.
In the western division of Georgia, the condi- tion of the people was no better than in the eastern. Safety was no where to be found, except within the walls of a fortress. The inhabitants were driv- en to the last extremity for want of subsistence. There was scarcely a bushel of corn, or any other . kind of grain, to be found in any part of the coun- try. Applications were made at the distance of fifty miles for small quantities of seed to put into the ground, and while the ploughman was en- gaged in cultivation, he was necessarily guarded by a party of soldiers. The forest furnished fine grass and cane, by which means horned cattle were kept in eatable condition, at all seasons of the year.
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CHAPTER XIII.
THE loyalists and Indians, who had with- drawn the attention of general Twiggs from Sa- vannah, were fallen in with by him near the Oco- nee and dispersed. As he returned through Burke county on the 13th of December, Messrs. Davis, Lewis, and. Emanuel, all members of the executive council, had carelessly fallen in the rear and were overtaken by a party of loyalists, com- manded by captain Brantley. Lewis and Emanuel escaped by the speed of their horses, but Davis was taken prisoner, and afterward murdered.
William Cunningham, who held the rank of major in the royal service, had fled with his ban- ditti to the Cherokee nation. In the month of November they entered the frontiers of Georgia, united with parties of Indians. In his train was one John Crawford, who captured John Pickens, brother of the general, who was delivered up to the Indians and expired by torture.
The change of events once more put it in the .power of the frontier militia to make a stroke at the Cherokee nation. The command of the Geor- gia troops for this purpose, was confided to major John Cunningham. He joined a part of general Pickens' brigade about the Ist of January. Pick- ens' command, including the Georgians, amount -. ed to four hundred men, With this body, he-
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made a rapid and cautious march into the eastern part of the nation, and laid every town, village, and settlement in ashes, on the east of the moun- tains. Not a vestige of stock or provisions of any kind was left for the deluded savages to subsist on, except some small supplies which had been hastily carried into the mountains and concealed. When this part of the general's plans had been accom- plished, he attempted to pass over the mountains, but unfortunately a deep snow fell which compell- ed him to return. The general took in his route some towns on a western fork of the Hightower river, twenty miles distant from the place of en- campment, during the snow storm. He marched early in the morning, and reached the towns on both sides of the river the same afternoon. He threw out flanking parties to prevent the enemy from escaping ; but there was only one house on which the snow was melted, consequently there was no other inhabited. In this house were a white man, a half breed, and an Indian. The white man was killed after he had swam the river ; the other two were taken prisoners. After some in- quiries the general ascertained that a body of In- dians were collected in the mountains, and intend- ed to give him battle. He replied that that was what he wished, and requested them to pilot him to the encampment for the purpose. This they declined, but conducted a party of his men to a place where some Indian corn was concealed ; from whence a supply was obtained for the use of the army.
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Some time before general Pickens embarked on this expedition, he communicated his inten- tions to general Rutherford, of North-Carolina, and to general Sevier, of Kentucky, and requested their co-operation. These officers had agreed to the plan of assailing the country at different points; but for some reasons unknown, they did not com- ply. As the general received no intelligence of the co-operation, he retired to the settlement.
The destruction of the Indian towns and pro- perty in this expedition, was only temporary in its effects. The retrograde motion of general Pick- . ens' army, was construed into the fear of a gene- ral engagement. Colonel Robert Anderson, of general Pickens' brigade, obtained intelligence that an attack was to be made by a body of loyal- ists, Cherokees, and Creeks. Anderson commu- nicated this information to colonel Clarke, and ap- pointed Freeman's fort as the place of rendezvous on the Ist of April. Clarke repaired to the place of rendezvous with one hundred Georgians, where he was joined by Anderson with three hundred Carolinians. They marched early the next morn- ing to the Oconee river, passed over it a short dis- tance, where they halted to obtain further intelli- gence of the enemy. Parties of discovery were · sent out in different directions, with orders to avoid by every possible mean, being discovered by the enemy. Captain Black, who commanded one of these parties, had not proceeded more than a mile, before he fell in with the main body, but
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the discovery of each other was made at the same time. Black ordered a retreat toward the camp, and was pursued and fired on by the Indians, who : appear to have had no information of a formidable force being so near them.
Colonel Clarke paraded immediately ; advanc- ed to the scene of action, and met Black on the re- treat. When the enemy discovered the American force, they fled in the utmost confusion, and scat- tered in various directions so as to avoid a gene- ral engagement. Several of the Indians were kill- ed, and two of the loyalists were taken prisoners and hanged for former offences. Captain Holli- way, of Anderson's regiment, was killed in the pursuit, by a wounded Indian. This defeat and dis- persion, had a temporary effect, and left the inhabi- tants for a few months, in the enjoyment of peace.
During the session of the legislature, in Janua- ry, an act was passed for the confiscation of pro- perty, real and personal, belonging to such citi- zens of Georgia as had joined the enemy in the war against their native country ; and the act ex. tended to the banishment of their persons forever. This property was to be sold, and the proceeds passed to the credit of the state. Upon the credit of this fund, certificates were issued to the amount of twenty-two thousand one hundred pounds ster- ling, to meet the disbursements of the govern- ment ; redeemable after the confiscated property was sold, at par, with gold and silver coin, upon which there was a fixed value in pounds, shillings,
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and pence. A Spanish milled dollar to be rated at four shillings and eight pence, and the value of gold estimated accordingly. Executive and ju- dicial officers were appointed in conformity with the system established by the constitution, and salaries annexed to the several offices, to be paid in these certificates. A further sum of fifteen thousand pounds, was issued in certificates to pay off the arrears due to the militia.
The success of the American army, under the command of major-general Greene, in South- Carolina, enabled him to give the promised aid to Georgia. Early in February, general Anthony Wayne was ordered to Ebenezer, with one hun- dred of colonel Moylan's dragoons, commanded by colonel Anthony Walton White, to form a junction with colonel James Jackson; and was soon after joined by colonel Posey, with three hundred continental troops. The whole force was. far inferior to the British garrison in Savannah ; therefore general Wayne was obliged to limit his operations, to the annoyance of foraging and plun- dering parties of the enemy, which were generally composed of the royal militia. A select party of this description, formed the design of murdering captain M'Kay at his own plantation. The house was surrounded in the night, and the enemy fired through the logs into the bed, in which it was understood M'Kay usually slept. M'Kay was . not at home, but his wife was in the bed and sup- posed to have been in sound sleep: the ball passed
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through her body, and she was found dead in the morning. She had an infant in her arms, but it was not injured.
Though general Wayne was instructed to act only on the defensive, he was to watch any ad- vantage which might offer of carrying the town by a nocturnal assault. Brigadier-general Clarke lost no time in calling in his re-enforcements, to defend his extensive works in Savannah. With this view, so soon as he heard that Wayne was re-enforced at Ebenezer, he ordered in his detach- ments from the out-posts, and gave instructions to bring with them all the provisions and forage for which they could find conveyance; to burn the remainder and lay waste the country. Con- flagration was accordingly applied, and for many miles from the sea-coast, between Sunbury and Savannah, the rich rice farms presented nothing but ruins. So complete was the destruction, that Wayne's army was in part subsisted from South- Carolina. The inhabitants westward of Augusta, were more distressed for want of subsistence than those adjacent to the sea-coast. So pressing were their necessities, that Mr. John Werreat employ- ed his negroes and boats for a considerable time, in carrying rice up the river to relieve them from absolute want.
Soon after general Wayne entered Georgia, governor Martin removed with his executive council from Augusta to Ebenezer, for the pur- pose of extending the limits of the civil authority,
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and giving confidence to the people in the suc. cess of the American cause.
On the 13th of February, colonel Jackson en- camped at Cuthbert's Saw-mills. About eleven o'clock in the forenoon he was attacked by fifty loyalists and Indians, from Savannah, commanded by colonel Hezekiah Williams. The enemy had the first fire, and wounded two or three of Jack- son's men. The bridges had been destroyed and the creek was not fordable. The parties were on opposite sides of the creek, and continued firing at long shot until near sun down, but without much effect. Jackson detached a party of infan- try, with instructions to pass up the creek some distance, cross over and fall upon the enemy's rear ; but they did not reach their destination un- til after Williams had retreated toward Savannah, Though provisions of every description were very scarce in the country, policy dictated to general Wayne the necessity of destroying such as could not be withdrawn from the control of the ene- my. A considerable quantity of rice, not yet thrashed out, remained on Hutchinson's island opposite to Savannah, and so near the town as to be under cover of the enemy's guns. Governor Wright had cultivated an extensive rice farm, about half a mile south-east of the town, which also remained in the stack. Wayne finding that he could not gain possession of it for the use of his army, adopted a plan for its destruction. With this view he detached major Barnwell, of
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South-Carolina, with fifty men, in boats, who were ordered to pass down the north river which sepa- rates the island from Carolina, to burn all the rice upon the island, as well as on the main. Colo- nel Jackson was ordered at the same time, with thirty dragoons, to pass through the swamps and destroy the rice upon Wright's plantation. The night of the 26th of February was fixed on for the execution of these plans. Jackson succeeded in dislodging the British piquets, burned the rice- barn, and retreated without any loss. He passed through an encampment as he was retiring, which was occupied by some refugees and their fami- lies ; but finding a number of them sick and in great distress, he did not molest them. Major Barnwell was not so successful : a discovery was made of his plan, by the enemy, while he was col- lecting his boats, and his object being suspected, a considerable detachment was thrown over upon the island, by whom an ambuscade was formed ; and as he passed down the river, he was fired up- on; two of his men, Dobbins and Smith, were killed, and four wounded ; one of his boats got aground, and three of the crew, who could not swim, were taken prisoners. Barnwell was com- pelled to retreat without accomplishing his object.
A party of Indians, passing from Savannah to. ward the Creek nation, had stolen some horses on the frontier of Liberty county. They were pur- sued by major Francis Moore, with fifteen men, by whom they were overtaken at Reid's bluff, in
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a log-house. Moore was close to the house before he discovered the Indians, and in open ground, where he could not commence an attack, except under great disadvantages ; therefore he advanced under the pretence that his command consisted of royal militia. He gave his hand to some of the Indians who came to the door, but soon found he was suspected. He ordered his men to prepare for action : the Indians closed the door, and on the first fire Moore was killed and Smith wound- ed. Finding that the Indians had a superiority of numbers, and were too well fortified to be dis- lodged; captain Nephew, who then commanded, was compelled to retreat. Smith could not be carried off, consequently he was murdered sa soon as he fell into the hands of the savages.
When the British general found that his bounds were likely to be contracted to narrow lim- its, he sent expresses to the Creek and Cherokee nations, requesting the assistance of the Indian al- lies. This assistance was promised by some of the leading warriors of both nations, but the de- feats which they had received from Pickens, Clarke, and Anderson, had in some measure dis- couraged them. They had a general meeting in the spring, and there was a diversity of opinion among the chiefs whether they would adhere to the British or remain neuter. In consequence of this disunion, the Indians did not arrive at the time which they had appointed to join the British in Savannah. General Clarke's force did not ex-
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ceed one thousand men, consequently was not deemed sufficient to defend the extensive works.
The 15th of May was named by the Indians as the time that they would be on the southern frontier of Georgia to join the British; but the disagreement in their councils had retarded their movements and considerably lessened their force. Keeping open a communication to the southward of Savannah, to prevent general Wayne from cut- ting off the promised assistance by the Indians, was an object of considerable importance to the British general. With this view, connected with the hope of collecting an additional supply of for- age and provisions, general Clarke sent out one hundred men, on the 19th of May, consisting of volunteer militia and a few regulars, under the command of captains Ingram and Corker. They crossed great Ogechee the next morning, and small detachments were employed collecting cat- tle. Having received no intelligence from the Indians, they re-crossed Ogechee with the booty, on their return to Savannah.
Colonel Jackson had been watching the move- ments of the enemy, and communicated them to general Wayne, stating that he would take advan- tage of thick low woods through which they must pass, and annoy them in front and flank with his dragoons. Soon after the enemy had crossed the Ogechee ferry, Jackson attacked the front guard, and drove it in upon the main body : he then re- treated about three miles to Struthers' plantation,
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where he posted his men on each side of the road, in a swamp; they gave captain Atwood's dra- goons, who composed the front guard, another fire and retreated. Colonel Brown (who had been exchanged soon after he returned from Augusta,) was ordered out by general Clarke, with two hun- dred and sixty infantry, and eighty dragoons, to re-enforce the other detachment, which they join- ed at little Ogechee, eight miles from Savannah.
General Wayne had been regularly informed of these movements, and had put his whole force in motion to intercept the enemy's retreat. His van consisted of sixty infantry, under the com- mand of captain Parker, and thirty dragoons un- der lieutenant Bowyer. Parker was directed to hasten his march, and take possession of Baillou's causeway. The difficulties which were presented in marching across a swampy country, retarded Wayne's movements so much, that he did not reach his destination until ten o'clock at night. When Parker reached the end of the causeway, he discovered a small patrole of cavalry in his front. Each party advanced until they met, and Parker demanded the countersign. The British officer, either from confusion or mistake, advanced in the attitude of friendship, until it was too late to cor- rect his error. The officer and eighteen dragoons were taken prisoners, and only one escaped, and he gave colonel Brown the alarm, who was mov- ing in column with his cavalry in front upon the causeway. Bowyer charged upon the dragoons,
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