USA > Georgia > The history of Georgia from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 8
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131
THE AMERICANS RETREAT.
manded the left flank, pressed the enemy with such vigour that they gave way, but they were soon reinforced and returned to the contest.
As Colonel Provost was crossing the road, a shot from one of the field-pieces passed through the neck of his horse and he fell. On seeing him fall, Major Roman advanced quickly with the field-pieces to take advantage of the confusion which ensued; and Major James Jackson called out " Victory," supposing the enemy was retreat- ing. But Provost was soon remounted, and ad- vanced in force.
Finding himself opposed by far superior num- bers, Colonel White ordered a retreat to the meeting-house, which he effected in good order by throwing out small parties to annoy the front and flanks of the enemy, and by breaking down the bridges as he retired.
When he had regained his position, he learned that the force opposed to him consisted of five hundred men. This great superiority of numbers compelled him to retreat to the Ogechee River, but fearful of being pressed too closely by the enemy, he endeavoured by a stratagem to check the ardour of their pursuit.
He prepared a letter as though it had been written to himself by Colonel Elbert, directing him to retreat, in order to draw the British as far as possible ; and informing him that a large body of cavalry had crossed over Ogechee River,
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
with orders to gain the rear of the enemy, by which their whole force would be captured.
This letter was dropped in such a way as to insure its getting to Colonel Provost's hand, and to attach to it the strongest evidence of its genu- ineness. It was found, handed to Provost, and was supposed to have been so far effectual as to deter the enemy from advancing more than six or seven miles. When White reached the Oge- chee, he found Colonel Elbert already there with a reinforcement of two hundred men.
The latter now assumed the command. He despatched by Major John Habersham a flag to Colonel Provost, requesting permission to furnish General Scriven with medical aid. The messen- ger was also to propose some general arrange- ments to secure the country against pillage and conflagration. The attendance of surgeons was allowed, but Colonel Provost refused to make any stipulations for the security of the country.
Learning from Major Habersham-whom he put upon his honour to answer truly-that no British reinforcements had arrived off the coast of Georgia, he retreated early next morning , toward St. Augustine, burning and plundering as he went.
The British detachment under Colonel Fuser, being delayed by contrary winds, did not reach Sunbury before the 1st of December. On that day, Fuser anchored off Colonel's Island. After
133
HEROIC REPLY.
making the necessary preparations to attack the fort by land and water, he demanded a surrender ; threatening, in case of refusal, to put the whole garrison to the sword. The force under Fuser amounted to five hundred men, well supplied with
battering cannon, artillery, and mortars. The garrison at the fort did not exceed one hundred and twenty-seven men. Against a well-conducted attack the works would not have been tenable for an hour ; but expecting immediate relief from Savannah, Colonel McIntosh determined on oppo- sition to the last extremity. When, therefore, Fuser summoned the garrison to surrender the fort, McIntosh, undeterred by the bloody threat of extermination, answered in four bold defiant words, " Come and take it." This heroic reply deterred Fuser from making an attack, until he should be joined by the forces under Provost. Learning soon afterward that the latter had re- treated, Fuser, alarmed by the tidings of troops advancing from Savannah, and hearing nothing of the expected reinforcements from the north, supposed that Provost had fallen back before a superior force. He therefore raised the siege and returned to St. John's River, where he met Pro- vost, and where each attributed the failure of the expedition to the misconduct of the other.
When Fuser retreated from Sunbury, he left the regular troops of his command at Frederica, on St. Simon's Island, where the old military
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
works of General Oglethorpe were temporarily repaired for defence. The loyalists proceeded with Fuser to St. John's, and thence to St. Augus- tine, where the booty was deposited in safety, and preparations made to return to Georgia with a more formidable force.
General Provost, having been disappointed in this expedition, determined to suspend further operations until he should receive certain informa- tion of the arrival of the transports from New York. In the mean time, he held himself in readiness for that event.
CHAPTER XIII.
Defensive operations of General Howe-Approach of the Bri- tish fleet-Exposed condition of Savannah-British army land at Brewton's Hill-Capture of Savannah-Provost takes Sunbury-The Rev. Moses Allen drowned-Lincoln assumes command of the southern army-Provost unites with Camp- bell-Proclamations of the enemy-Unsuccessful conference for the exchange of prisoners.
DURING the interval that elapsed between the retreat of Provost and Fuser into Florida, and the arrival of British reinforcements from New York, General Howe endeavoured to place the province of Georgia in the best state of defence that circumstances would admit.
From his letters to Congress, the attempt ap- pears to have been both difficult and unsatisfac-
135
BRITISH INVASION.
tory. He complained that all the military works were in ruins ; that there were no tools, nor any apparent disposition to make' the necessary re- pairs ; that the militia came and went as they pleased; and that he had more trouble with the officers than with the men.
On the other hand, the people of Georgia charged Howe with military incapacity ; and the influence of the state was exerted to remove him from the chief command ; but as Congress had, as yet, seen nothing to justify this exercise of its power, the request, from motives of delicacy, was not complied with.
It was during this untoward state of affairs in the province that tidings reached Savannah of the approach of the enemy.
On the 27th of December, the transports, escorted by a squadron of the fleet, under the command of Commodore Sir Hyde Parker, crossed the bar and came up to Cockspur Island.
The British land forces consisted of the seventy- first regiment of Royal Scots, two battalions of Hessians, four battalions of provincials, and a detachment of artillery. They were commanded by Lieutenant-colonel Archibald Campbell, an officer of acknowledged skill and bravery.
Having made arrangements for landing, the Vigilant man-of-war, Keppel brig, Greenwich sloop-of-war, and the Comet galley, came up the river with a strong tide and favourable breeze,
-
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
followed by the transports in three divisions. About five o'clock in the afternoon of the 28th, the Vigilant opened the reach at Four-mile Point, and was cannonaded by the American galleys Congress and Dee, but without much effect. Night coming on, some of the transports grounded on a mud flat, but got off at high-water, and pro- ceeded up, in the morning, above Five-fathom Hole, opposite to Brewton's Hill, where the first division of light infantry debarked, and marched up to take possession of the high ground, so as to cover the landing of the troops from the other transports.
Savannah, at this time, was in the most defence- less condition imaginable. With the exception of a few guns mounted upon a battery at the eastern end of the city, and only calculated to defend the approach by water, every other part of the town was exposed, and the ground offered no advantage against an equal force.
General Howe had formed his encampment southeast of the town of Savannah, anxiously waiting the arrival of reinforcements of miltia and the continental troops from South Carolina, under the command of Major-general Benjamin Lincoln. Howe's army had not yet recovered from the fatal effects of the Florida campaign, the pre- ceding summer : about one-fourth were confined by disease, and many of his convalescents yet too feeble to encounter the fatigues of a battle. The
137
APPROACHES TO SAVANNAH.
dread of a climate, where disease had produced more terrors, and proved not less fatal than the sword, retarded the progress of militia, and pre- vented many from returning who were absent on furlough. On the day of battle, Howe's army, exclusive of militia, amounted to six hundred and seventy-two, rank and file. The force of the enemy was two thousand one hundred, including land troops, seamen, and marines ; but it was thought by Howe that the enemy exhibited the appearance of greater numbers than what was really possessed, and that the opposing armies were nearly equal. 1
The town of Savannah is situated on high, level, sandy ground, forty feet above the surface of the water, on the south bank of the river, and approachable by land at three points ;- from the high ground of Brewton's Hill and Thunderbolt, on the east by a road and causeway over a morass, with rice-fields on the north side of the causeway to the river, and the morass with wooded swamps from the causeway southward several miles ; from the south, by the roads from White Bluff and Ogechee Ferry, which unite near the town; and from the westward, by a road and causeway over the deep swamps of Musgrove's Creek, with rice-fields from the causeway to the river on the north, and by Musgrove's Swamp leading in from the southward. From the eastern
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
causeway to that on the west is about three quarters of a mile.
On the morning of the 29th, Colonel Elbert suggested to Howe the advantage of occupying Brewton's Hill, and offered to defend it with his regiment ; but his proposition was rejected. About the same time, Colonel Walton informed the general of a private way through the swamp, by which the enemy could march from the high grounds of Brewton's Hill and gain the rear of the American right; but though it admitted of easy defence, General Howe did not avail himself of the advantage which would have resulted from its occupation. By this pass, so blindly neg- lected, Colonel Campbell approached.
Howe formed for battle on the southeast side of the town. His centre was opposed to the head of the causeway by which he believed the enemy must advance; his left with the rice-fields in front, and flanked by the river; his right with the morass in front, and flanked obliquely by the wooded swamp, and one hundred of the Georgia militia.
Having made his disposition, Howe detached Captain John C. Smith, of South Carolina, with his company of forty infantry, to occupy Brew- ton's Hill and the head of the causeway. The force was altogether inadequate to its object. Smith defended his post with gallantry, but was compelled to retreat, which he accomplished with-
139
HOWE'S INDISCRETION.
out loss of men. The enemy lost in this affair one captain and two privates killed, and five pri- vates wounded.
Ignorant as yet of the force of the enemy, but now believing it to be greatly superior to his own, Howe called a council of his field officers to advise him whether to retreat or defend Savannah. Very rashly they resolved to defend the town to the last extremity. General Howe certainly ought not to have risked an action with superior num- bers, when he had certain information that Gene- ral Lincoln was advancing with a body of troops to reinforce him, and with whom he could have formed a junction in two days.
The consequences were disastrous in the ex- treme. After Colonel Campbell had formed his army on Brewton's Hill, he moved forward and took a position within eight hundred yards of the American front, where he manœuvred to excite a belief that he intended an attack on their centre and left. At the same time a body of infantry and New York volunteers, under the command. of Major Sir James Baird, filed off, unperceived, from the rear, and, under the guidance of an old 1
negro, penetrated the swamp by the pass which Howe had so carelessly neglected, and fell sud- denly upon the American rear. At this moment Campbell moved forward and attacked the front. Hemmed in between two fires, the American line was almost immediately broken, and the men
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
retreated in great disorder towards the only prac- ticable outlet across Musgrove's Swamp, west of the town. Before they gained the head of the causeway, they found, to their dismay, that the enemy already occupied a position which enabled them to dispute the passage.
At length, however, by the extraordinary ex- ertions of Colonel Roberts, the American centre gained the causeway and accomplished their re- treat. The right flank suffered severely. The left, under Colonel Elbert, continued the conflict until a retreat was impracticable. He attempted to escape with a part of his troops, under a gal- ling fire from the high grounds of Ewensburg, through the rice-fields between the causeway and the river; but as it was high-tide when they reached the creek, only those who could swim were enabled to cross it; the others were made prisoners or drowned.
About one hundred Georgia militia, under Colonel Walton, posted on the south common of the town, made a gallant defence until their colonel was wounded and taken prisoner. The way of retreat being cut off, most of the men were killed, wounded, or taken. Some of them, who were citizens of Savannah, were bayoneted in the streets by their victorious pursuers. Gene- ral Howe retreated with the remains of his army to Cherokee Hill, about eight miles from the field of battle, where he halted till the rear came up.
141
BRITISH INHUMANITY.
He then marched up the Savannah River to the Sister's and Zubley's ferries, and crossed over into South Carolina.
Few conquests have ever been made with so little loss to the victor. The enemy had only seven killed, and nineteen wounded.
The American army lost eighty-three men killed, and thirty-eight officers ; and four hun- dred and fifteen non-commissioned officers and privates, including the sick, wounded, and the aged inhabitants of the town and country, were made prisoners. The fort, with forty-eight pieces of cannon, and twenty-three mortars and howitzers, with all the ammunition and stores belonging to them, a large quantity of provisions, the ship- ping in the river, and the capital of Georgia, all fell into the possession of the British army, in the course of a few hours. The private soldiers who were made prisoners on this occasion were alternately persuaded and threatened to induce them to enlist into the British army : those who resolutely refused were crowded on board of prison-ships, and during the succeeding summer, four or five of them died every day : the staff- officers, particularly those of the quarter-master's and commissary's departments, were treated in a similar way. Many gentlemen who had been ac- customed to ease and affluence were consigned to these abominable prison-ships : among the number was the venerable Jonathan Bryan, bend-
142
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
ing under the weight of years and infirmities, whose daughter, when she was entreating with Commodore Sir Hyde Parker to soften the suf- ferings of her father, was treated by him with vulgar rudeness and contempt.
When General Howe halted at Cherokee Hill, he despatched Lieutenant Tennill with orders to Lieutenant Aaron Smith of the third regiment of South Carolina, who commanded at Ogechee Ferry, and to Major Joseph Lane, who com- manded at Sunbury, to evacuate their posts, re- treat across the country, and join the army at the Sister's Ferry. Lieutenant Smith immediately complied ; but Major Lane, influenced by Captain Dollar, who commanded a corps of artillery, and many others of the inhabitants whose pecuniary ruin was at stake, resolved to defend his post. On the 6th of January, 1779, he was attacked by General Provost, with an army of two thou- sand men from Florida, and after a short conflict compelled to surrender at discretion. By this rash and unwarrantable conduct, the Americans lost twenty-four pieces of artillery, ammunition, and provisions, and the garrison, consisting of seventeen commissioned officers and one hundred and ninety-five non-commissioned officers and privates. During this assault one captain and three privates were killed and seven wounded. The British loss in killed and wounded was only four men.
143
REV. MOSES ALLEN.
The Washington and Bulloch galleys were stranded and burned by their crews, who took passage for Charleston on board of Captain Sal- ter's sloop, but were captured by a British tender and taken to Savannah.
For this disobedience of orders, Lane was sub- sequently tried by a court-martial, and dismissed the service.
After Sunbury fell into the possession of the British troops, the continental officers who were made prisoners at Savannah were sent to that place on their parole, except the Rev. Moses Allen, who had accepted a commission as chaplain in the Georgia brigade.
This gentleman was refused the privileges al- lowed to the other officers, and confined on board a prison-ship. His animated exertions on the field of battle, and his patriotic exhortations from the pulpit, had exposed him to the particular resentment of the enemy. Wearied by long con- finement, and hopeless of speedy release, he de- termined to regain his liberty, or lose his life in the attempt. In pursuance of this hazardous resolution, he leaped overboard with the hope of being able to swim to one of the islands, assisted by the flood-tide, but was unfortunately drowned. The death of Mr. Allen was greatly lamented by the friends of independence, and particularly by his brethren in arms, who justly admired him for his bravery, exemplary life, and many virtues.
144
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Major-general Benjamin Lincoln, who had been previously appointed by Congress to take the command of the southern army, reached Purys- burg, a few miles above Savannah, on the 3d of January. His troops, consisting of levies from North and South Carolina, amounted to twelve hundred men.
On the 4th, he was joined by the remnant of Howe's army, which had been placed under the orders of Colonel Huger.
Finding himself in no condition to advance against the enemy, Lincoln established his head- quarters at Purysburg, and waited for the ex- pected reinforcement.
When General Provost had united his troops with those under Campbell, his force consisted of nearly four thousand men. He determined to complete the subjugation of Georgia, and establish military posts as far as the populous settlements in the back country extended. He confided the garrison of Savannah and the police of the neighbouring country to Lieutenant-colonel Innes ; he established a fort at Ebenezer, twenty- five miles above Savannah, and advanced Lieu- tenant-colonel Campbell at the head of eight hundred infantry to capture Augusta, and take advantage of circumstances in completing the conquest of the province. With the main body he watched the movements of the American general. The inhabitants of Savannah and the
145
BRITISH PROCLAMATION.
- surrounding country were ordered by proclama- tion to bring in their arms and accoutrements of every description, and to discover where arms, accoutrements, stores, and effects were buried or otherwise concealed.
Regulations were established; places desig- nated for the landing of boats ; and, to prevent property from being carried away, no departure 1 was allowed without a permit from the superin- tendent of the port.
A joint proclamation was also issued by the commanders of the royal army and navy, offer- ing peace, freedom, and protection to the king's subjects in America, desiring them to repair without loss of time and unite their forces un- der the royal standard ; reprobating the idea of forming a league with the French; promising freedom from the imposition of taxes by the Bri- tish Parliament, and securing them in the enjoy- ment of every privilege consistent with the mutual interests of the colonies and the mother country. Ample protection was offered to the persons and effects of all who would immediately come in and acknowledge their allegiance to the British crown and support it with their arms. Deserters of every description were invited to return within three months, and such inhabitants as were in- clined to enjoy the benefits of the proclamation were desired to repair to head-quarters at Savan- nah, and take the oath of allegiance.
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146
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
On the 11th of January, another proclamation was issued, offering a reward of two guineas for every citizen who adhered to the American cause, and ten guineas for every committee or assembly- man, who should be taken and delivered to the commanding officer of any of the king's garrisons.
The families of those who adhered to the cause of their country, whether in the camp or on board of prison-ships, were stripped by the British of every article of property, even to the common necessaries of life. From this cause many of them were reduced to the most deplorable ex- tremities.
Upon a representation of the suffering of the Americans in captivity being made to General Lincoln at Purysburg, the general wrote to Lieu- tenant-colonel Campbell, then on his march to Augusta, and proposed a conference with him at Zubley's Ferry, for an exchange of prisoners, and the parole of the officers until exchanged. A negotiation was consented to, and Lieutenant- colonel James M. Provost was nominated to con- fer with Major Thomas Pinckney on the subject. They had an interview on the 31st of January, and terms were proposed; but being such as Major Pinckney could not in honour allow, the negotiation terminated in a disagreement.
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POSITION OF LINCOLN
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CHAPTER XIV.
Position of Lincoln-His force-Moultrie defeats Gardiner- Skirmishes in Burke county-Campbell occupies Augusta- Pickens and Dooley besiege Hamilton at Carr's Fort-Pur- suit of Boyd-Battle of Kettle Creek-Death of Boyd- British outpost surprised and captured.
THE position chosen by General Lincoln at Purysburg was an excellent one. It enabled him to watch the movements of General Provost, and wait for reinforcements.
The freshets in Savannah River at that season of the year overflowed the swamps from two to four miles in breadth, and upwards of one hundred miles in length from the sea, so that neither general could assail the other with any prospect of advantage.
By a field return, on the 1st of February, General Lincoln had three thousand six hundred and thirty-nine men, composed of about six hun- dred continental troops, five hundred new levies, and one thousand three hundred effective militia. The residue were invalids, and without arms. If the American troops had been all effective and veteran, General Lincoln would have been about equal to his antagonist ; but his numbers were principally made up by militia, on which no de-
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
pendance could be placed, when opposed to a veteran army. From the equality of the militia with their officers, and independence at home, they were unwilling to submit to the requisite discipline of a camp : they must know where they were to go, what they were going to do, and how long they were to be absent, before they would move ; and if not satisfied on these points, and permitted to do very much as they pleased, they would be off, knowing that their punishment for desertion would be light.
Early in February, a party of the enemy, commanded by Major Gardiner, embarked at Savannah, and proceeded by the inland passage to Beaufort, in South Carolina ; they effected a landing, but were soon after attacked and defeated by General Moultrie, with an equal force, nearly all militia of Charleston. In this engagement forty of the enemy were killed and wounded : they fled to their boats, and returned to Savannah.
While Lieutenant-colonel Campbell was ad- vancing to take possession of Augusta, he de- tached Colonels Brown and McGirth, with four hundred mounted militia, to make a forced march to the jail in Burke county, and form a junction with Colonel Thomas and a party of loyalists. On his way thither, Brown fell in with a party of two hundred and fifty militia under Colonels Few and Twiggs, and in the attack which ensued, he was defeated with the loss of several men. Ex-
149
SKIRMISHES.
pecting that Brown would be reinforced by Camp- bell, Twiggs and Few retreated the ensuing day.
Brown rallied his troops during the night, and having been strengthened in the mean time by some refugees from South Carolina, and a de- tachment under Major Gardiner, he determined to renew the attack. He was defeated with greater loss than before, himself being among the wounded. In this skirmish Captain Joshua Inman killed three of the enemy with his own hand.
Shortly after this, Twiggs and Few being joined by a detachment of troops under General Elbert, the united commands crossed the Savan- nah River, and skirmished with Campbell; but not receiving the reinforcements they expected, were compelled to retire, and Campbell took pos- session of Augusta about the last of January, - where he established a post, and placed it under the orders of Colonel Brown.
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