USA > Georgia > The history of Georgia from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 9
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About the 1st of February, Campbell spread his military posts over the most populous parts of Georgia, and all opposition ceased, though for a few days only. The oath of allegiance was administered to the inhabitants who remained, and the torch applied to the habitations of those who had fled into Carolina.
When the families of the latter were placed in security, the men assembled under their leader, Colonel John Dooley, and took a position on the Carolina shore of the Savannah River, about thirty
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
miles above Augusta. McGirth, with three hun- dred loyalists, occupied a position on the Georgia shore, five miles below. Dooley returned into Georgia with a part of his men, but being closely pressed by one of McGirth's detachments under Major Hamilton, was compelled to recross the Savannah River.
Hamilton then encamped at Waters's planta- tion, three miles below Petersburg, and Dooley opposite to him in Carolina, where he was joined by Colonel Andrew Pickens, with two hundred and fifty men of his regiment.
With this united force it was determined to as- sault Hamilton's detachment. But the latter had already marched across the country, and was in possession of Carr's Fort before the main body of the Americans came up with them. The baggage and horses of the enemy fell into the hands of their pursuers.
Hamilton was summoned to surrender, but re- fused. Knowing that the garrison were without food or water, a siege was determined upon, under the confident belief that they could not hold out twenty-four hours. But disappointment awaited the besiegers. An express arrived from Captain Pickens, with the information that Colonel Boyd, at the head of eight hundred loyalists, was pass- ing through Ninety-six district, on his way into Georgia, ravaging and burning all before him.
The Americans instantly raised the siege, and
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MILITARY OPERATIONS.
started in pursuit of Boyd. In the mean time, Captain Anderson, with eighty men of Pickens's regiment, having learned that the enemy were advancing, took post about five miles above Cherokee Ford, and disputed Boyd's passage into Georgia.
In the skirmish which ensued the American loss was sixteen killed and wounded, and the same number taken prisoners. Boyd acknowledged a loss of one hundred in killed, wounded, and miss- ing; many of this number deserted him, and returned to their homes. After the skirmish, Anderson retreated, and joined Pickens and Dooley in pursuit of the enemy.
On the 12th of February, the Americans passed 1 over Savannah River into Georgia, and advanced to Fishdam Ford on Broad River. Captain Neal, with a party of observation, was ordered to gain the enemy's rear, and occasionally send a man back with the result of his discoveries, so as to keep the main body well informed of the enemy's movements. To avoid danger, Boyd at first shaped his course to the westward, and on the morning of the 13th, crossed Broad River near the fork, at a place now called Webb's Ferry, and thence turned toward Augusta, expecting to form a junction with McGirth at a place appointed on Little River. The corps of observation under Captain Neal hung close upon the enemy's rear, and made frequent communications to Pickens
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
and Dooley. The Americans crossed Broad River, and encamped for the night on Clark's Creek, within four miles of the enemy.
Early on the morning of the 14th, the Ameri- cans resumed their march with a quickened pace, and soon approached the enemy's rear, but with such caution as to' remain undiscovered. The line of march was the order of battle, wherever the face of the country admitted of it. Colonel Dooley commanded the right wing, and Lieute- nant-colonel Clarke the left, each consisting of one hundred men. The centre, commanded by Colonel Pickens, consisted of two hundred, and an advance guard one hundred and fifty yards in front. Under three leaders whose courage and military talents had been often tested, this inferior number, of four against seven, looked forward to a victory with great confidence. Early in the morning they passed the ground where the enemy encamped the preceding night.
Colonel Boyd, unapprehensive of danger, had halted at a farm on the north side of Kettle Creek. His horses were turned out to forage among the reeds in the swamp; some bullocks were killed, and corn parched to refresh his troops, who had been on short allowance for three days. The encampment was formed on the edge of the farm next to the creek, on an open piece of ground, flanked on two sides by the cane- swamp. The second officer in command was
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THE BRITISH SURPRISED.
Lieutenant-colonel Moore, of North Carolina, who, it is said, possessed neither courage nor military skill: the third in command, Major Spurgen, is said to have acted with bravery, and gave some evidence of military talents.
After the Americans had marched three or four miles, the enemy's drums were heard to beat. They halted for a few minutes, examined their guns, and primed them afresh. Captain McCall had been ordered in front to examine the enemy's situation and condition. He reported the situation of the encampment and the nature of the adjacent ground. The enemy were, apparently, unsuspi- cious of danger, he having passed their flank within musket-shot, and in full view. Satisfied upon these points, the Americans advanced to the attack. As the camp was approached, the enemy's pickets fired and retreated. Boyd or- dered the line to be formed in the rear of his camp, and advanced at the head of one hundred men, who were sheltered by a fence and some fallen timber. The American centre filed off a little to the right, to gain the advantage of higher ground. Boyd contended for the fence with bravery, but was overpowered and compelled to order a retreat to the main body. On his retreat he fell under two wounds through the body, and one through the thigh, which proved mortal. The other two divisions were embarrassed in passing through the cane, but by this time had reached
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
their points of destination, and the battle became warm, close, and general, and some of the enemy who had not formed fled into the cane and passed over the creek, leaving behind them their horses, baggage, and some of their arms. Colonel Clarke observed a rising ground on the opposite side of the creek, in the rear of the enemy's right, on which he believed they would attempt to form. After a warm contest, which lasted an hour, the chemy retreated through the swamp over the creek.
Clarke ordered his division to follow him across the creek ; at the same moment his horse was shot, and fell under him ; he was quickly re- mounted, and fortunately fell into a path which led to a fording-place on the creek, and gained the side of the hill. His division had not heard, or had not understood the order, in consequence of which not more than one-fourth of it followed him. While Major Spurgen was forming the enemy upon one side of the hill, Colonel Clarke attacked him upon the other side, which gave intimation to the remainder of his division, by which he was soon joined. Colonels Pickens and Dooley pressed through the swamp with the main body in pursuit, and when they emerged from the cane, the battle was again renewed with great vigour. For a considerable time the contest was obstinate and bloody, and the issue doubtful. The Americans finally gained the summit of the hill,
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BRILLIANT VICTORY.
when the enemy began to retreat in some confu- sion, and fled from the field of battle.
This engagement lasted one hour and forty-five minutes, and for the last half hour was close and general. Great credit is given to Colonel Clarke for his foresight in speedily occupying the rising ground on the west side of the creek. Consider- ing the inequality of the troops in point of military experience and equipment, and that the numbers in the ranks of the enemy were seven to four, the result of this engagement reflects great honour and credit on the American officers and soldiers who were engaged in it, and it was justly considered a brilliant victory.
About seventy of the enemy were killed and died of their wounds, and seventy-five were taken prisoners, including the wounded who could be carried off the ground. The American loss was nine killed, and twenty-three wounded-two mor- tally. The prisoners that Boyd had taken at the skirmish on Savannah River were in charge of a guard in advance, which consisted of thirty- three men, including officers, with orders, in case of disaster, to move towards Augusta. When the guard heard the result of the engagement, they voluntarily surrendered themselves prisoners to those whom they had in captivity, upon a promise of their influence for pardon and permis- sion to return home. This promise was complied with, upon condition that they would take the
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
oath of allegiance to the American govern- ment.
After the action was ended, Colonel Pickens went to Colonel Boyd and tendered him any ser- vices which his present situation would authorize, and observed, that as his wounds appeared to be mortal, he would recommend those preparations which approaching death required. Boyd thanked him for his civilities, and inquired what had been
the result of the battle. Upon being informed that victory was with the Americans, he ob- served that it would have been otherwise if he had not fallen. He said that he had marched from his rendezvous with eight hundred men ; that one hundred of that number were killed and wounded, or had deserted at Savannah River; and that on the morning of the action, he had seven hundred men under his command. He had the promise of Colonel Campbell, that McGirth, with five hundred more, should join him on Little River, about six miles from the field of battle, on that evening or the ensuing morning. He con- cluded by saying that he had but a few hours to live, and desired that Colonel Pickens would leave two men with him to furnish him with water, and bury his body after he died. He also asked Colonel Pickens to write to Mrs. Boyd, in- forming her of his fate, and to send her a few articles which he had about his person. He ex-
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FATE OF THE INSURGENTS.
pired early in the night, and his requests were faithfully complied with.
The insurgents taken at Kettle Creek were con- veyed to South Carolina and tried by the laws of the state ; found guilty of treason, and sentenced to death. Five of the most atrocious offenders suffered accordingly ; the others were pardoned ..
Of those who fled from the scene of action, some took refuge in Florida ; some in the Creek and Cherokee nations; and a remnant, under command of Colonel Moore, retreated to Augusta, where they met with nothing but humiliation, scorn, and neglect.
In the engagements at Carr's Fort and Kettle Creek, the Americans took as booty about six hundred horses and their equipments, with a quantity of arms, accoutrements, and clothing. Shortly after this action, Colonel Twiggs, and Lieutenant-colonel John McIntosh, with some militia from Richmond county, surprised one of the British outposts at Herbert's, consisting of seventy men; killed and wounded several, and compelled the remainder to surrender.
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
CHAPTER XV.
Campbell evacuates Augusta-Lincoln proposes the recovery of Georgia-Ash defeated at Brier Creek-Force of the Bri- tish in Georgia-Campbell leaves for England-Censure of Ash by a court of inquiry-Embarrassed condition of Lincoln -Shameful treatment of the American prisoners-Lincoln marches into Georgia-Provost advances towards Charleston -Battle at Stono River-Cooper defeats a British detach- ment-Spencer captures a British cutter-Sir James Wright resumes the government of Georgia.
UPON the approach of General John Ash with a body of North Carolina militia to reinforce General Elbert, Colonel Campbell precipitately abandoned Augusta, and fell back to a fortified camp at Hudson's, Ferry, about fifty miles from Savannah.
Ash passed the river at Augusta on the 28th of February, and pursued Campbell as far as Brier Creek, where he halted and encamped. His force was seventeen hundred men. General Lin- coln was encamped at Purysburg with three thou- sand men ; General Rutherford at Black Swamp with seven hundred; and General Williamson at Augusta with twelve hundred. By concentrat- ing these scattered forces, General Lincoln be- lieved he would be sufficiently strong to commence active operations against the enemy. A council was therefore summoned to meet at General Ru
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ASH'S DANGEROUS POSITION.
therford's quarters on the 1st of March. At this council, it was inquired of Ash if his position was secure, and such that his troops could act with the best advantage ? General Ash ex- pressed himself confidently, as to the safety of his command, against any force it was in the power of the enemy to bring against it.
He observed that the enemy appeared to be afraid of him, believing his numbers to be greater than they were ; he only asked for a detachment of artillery with two field-pieces, which General Lincoln ordered to his assistance.
Strange as it may appear, while Ash was thus boasting of the complete security of his troops, they were encamped in a position the best cal- culated for their defeat of any he could possibly have chosen. On the left of his army was a deep creek, on the right a lagune, and on the rear the Savannah River ; while the front offered an open and uninterrupted entrance to the enemy.
Always prompt to take any advantage of any unskilful conduct on the part of his adversaries, Lieutenant-colonel Campbell determined to strike at Ash before Williamson-who was already on the march to join him-should be able to come to his assistance. Masking his real design by advancing a battalion of the seventy-first regi- ment and a party of South Carolina loyalists to Buck Creek, three. miles south of Brier Creek bridge, he ordered, Lieutenant-colonel Provost,
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
with a force of regulars and provincials amount- ing to some seventeen hundred men, to march by a circuitous route of about forty miles, gain the rear of General Ash, and surprise and attack him in his camp.
In the mean time, Ash, having learned that Campbell was manœuvring on his front, sent out various detachments to reconnoitre, until he had reduced his force in camp to eight hundred men.
From Williamson's advanced parties Ash ob- tained the first intelligence that Provost was approaching his rear. These startling tidings being soon afterward confirmed by Colonel Smith, who was in command of the baggage-guard some eight miles up the river, General Ash ordered the beat to arms. Strange as it may appear, at that late hour cartridges were to be distributed to the militia, some of whom had rifles, some shot- guns, a few had muskets, while some were with- out arms.
Thus equipped, without any preconcerted plan, General Ash ordered his troops into the line of battle in three divisions; the right, under the command of Colonel Young, and the centre under the command of General Bryant. The left was committed to the care of General Elbert and Lieutenant-colonel John McIntosh, and consisted of about sixty continental troops and one hun- dred and fifty Georgia militia, to which a light field-piece was attached.
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BATTLE OF BRIER CREEK.
At three o'clock p. M. the enemy's advance- guard attacked and drove back the American pickets, and took some prisoners, who gave in- formation that the Americans were unadvised of an enemy in force being near. Provost made his disposition for action : the light infantry with two field-pieces was formed on the right, with „ orders to penetrate by a road leading toward the American camp : the centre was composed of the second battalion of the seventy-first regiment, with some rangers and Carolina loyalists on its left, and with a howitzer and two field-pieces in front ; the left consisted of one hundred and fifty dragoons, with orders to turn the American right ; the reserve was formed four hundred yards in the rear, composed of three companies of grena- diers and a troop of dragoons ; and fifty rifle- men were placed in ambuscade at a pass, by which it was supposed the Americans might turn their' left and attack their rear. At four P. M. the British moved forward and commenced the attack.
When General Ash had formed his line, he advanced about a quarter of a mile in front of his encampment, with his left at the creek, and his right extending within half a mile of the river swamp. The British, advancing in three columns of six in front, opened their fire at the distance of one hundred and fifty yards from their cannon. The American centre, which was in advance, be-
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
gan to retreat in about five minutes, and the right broke and ran the instant they were attacked. Colonel Young, who commanded the right, said that it was not his intention to retreat ; but, per- ceiving that the enemy intended to turn his right, he wished to file off to the right to prevent it ; but his troops construed his intentions into an order to retreat. The centre and right fled in the utmost confusion. General Elbert, with the 1 left, maintained his ground with so much gal- lantry, that the British reserve was ordered to support their right; and, notwithstanding the great superiority of the enemy, Elbert supported the conflict until every avenue of a retreat was cut off. Finding that further resistance would be temerity, he ordered his gallant little band to ground their arms and surrender. Nearly the whole of his command was killed, wounded, or made prisoners.
. The Americans who fled entered the river swamp, which was two or three miles in extent, to escape from the enemy ; such of them as could swim crossed the river, but many who made the attempt were drowned.
The American loss was estimated at one hun- dred and fifty killed and drowned; twenty-seven officers, and one hundred and sixty-two non-com- missioned officers and privates, were taken prison- ers ; seven pieces of field artillery, a quantity of ammunition, provisions, and baggage, and five
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LINCOLN'S PLANS DISCONCERTED.
hundred stand of arms, were lost or fell into the possession of the victors. The British loss was one commissioned officer and fifteen privates killed and wounded. Generals Ash and Bryant, with two or three hundred of the fugitives, were stopped at Bee's Creek bridge, twenty miles from the scene of action, in the evening of the same day, by Captain Peter Horry, who was marching with a detachment to join the camp; some with and some without arms.
The loss of General Elbert and his command, of Neal's dragoons, and many of Pirkins's regi- ment of North Carolina, was seriously calami- tous to Georgia, which had more than one thou- sand men, including nearly all the regular troops of the state, in captivity with the British.
The defeat of Ash disconcerted the plans of General Lincoln. If the army had been concen- trated, as was intended, the American forces, in- cluding the reinforcements about to join them, would have amounted to seven thousand men; an army sufficient, as it was believed, to have , driven the British troops out of Georgia. The wavering and disaffected would have joined the American standard, and South Carolina would not have been invaded. The parties of militia, who were on their march to join the army, heard of the disaster and returned home; while many who were previously undecided in their politics now joined the enemy.
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
The different corps composing the British army in Georgia amounted to upward of four thou- sand men. Five thousand additional troops were daily expected from New York, under General Vaughan. After these arrived, the capital of South Carolina was intended as the object of future operations. The command of the southern British army was offered to Lieutenant-colonel Campbell, but he declined it. He appears to have been dissatisfied with General Provost's hav- ing taken the chief command and government of Georgia, after he had made the conquest.
Colonel Campbell was an officer at all points ; circumspect, quick, brave, and profound in mili- tary knowledge. He was beloved for his courtesy and humanity, and admired for the elegance of his manners. The departure of such an officer from the southern states excited joyful sensa- tion among the friends of freedom and independ- ence. He sailed soon after for England.
In addition to the British force already stated, five hundred Indians were assembled on the Ala- tamaha River, and there was a proffer of all the aid of the Creek and Cherokee Indians, under the influence of Stuart and Cameron, to engage in any enterprise which might be required of them.
Hudson's Ferry and Paris Mill were well for- tified, cannon mounted at each, and strongly garrisoned. Ebenezer and Sister's ferries were
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GENERAL ASH CENSURED.
put in a state of defence, and all the passes of Savannah River secured by the British. The light troops were held prepared to move to any point, on short notice.
After the defeat of Ash at Brier Creek, that general, finding he was viewed by all grades of the army with contempt and disrespect, de- manded a court of inquiry, which was granted.
The court was convened on the 9th day of March. The conclusions they came to, after having maturely considered the matter before them, were,-" That General 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."
While Lincoln was thus, most unfortunately, thwarted in his project to attempt the recovery of Georgia, the British army received the ex- pected reinforcements from New York. Shortly after this, the forces of the American general were rendered still less effective; the term of service for which the North Carolina militia had been drafted having expired, without any imme- diate prospect of others arriving to replace them. In this condition of things several of the inhabit- ants of Georgia, who had left their families, re- presented to General Lincoln that all their pro- perty had been plundered and destroyed by the enemy, and desired him to point out to them any
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HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
possible means by which their families could be secured against want. They expressed their will- ingness to yield to the loss of property and every other privation, if their wives and families could be guarantied the necessaries of life ; but that they should be left to suffer from the want of food, and under the continued insolence of their enemy, was rather more than their feelings could be expected to endure. The general con- sented that such men as had families should return to their homes, and remain quiet until a change should take place.
Some of the Georgia prisoners, who were ex- changed for a like number sent from Charleston, 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 bitterly of the ill-treatment which they had experienced on board these filthy floating dungeons, of which their countenances and emaciated bodies ex- hibited condemning testimony. They asserted that they had been fed on condemned pork, which nauseated the stomach, and oatmeal so rotten that swine would not have fed on it; that the staff officers and the members of council from Savannah shared in common with the soldiery ; even the venerable Bryan was obliged to partake such repasts, or die of hunger.
The Jews of Savannah were generally favour-
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SUFFERINGS OF PRISONERS.
able to the American cause, and among this persuasion was Mordecai Sheftall, commissary- general, and his son, who was his deputy ; they were confined in common with the other prison- ers, and by way of contempt 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-treat- ment, five or six died daily. Their bodies were conveyed from the prison-ships to the nearest marsh and buried in the mud, whence they were soon exhumed by the washing of the tides ; and at low water, the prisoners beheld the car- rion crows picking the bones of their departed companions.
General Lincoln, having removed his quarters from Purysburg to Black Swamp, was soon after- ward reinforced by seven hundred militia from North Carolina. His army being thus increased to five thousand men, he determined once more to attempt the recovery of Georgia. He left General Moultrie, with one thousand men, to defend Purysburg and the passes of the Savan- nah River, with orders to maintain his post as long as possible, and if the enemy should force their way toward Charleston to retreat before them, skirmishing with their front and destroying the boats and bridges on the way.
On the 20th of April, Lincoln, with two thou- sand men, marched for Augusta. Five days
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