The Revolution in Georgia

Revolutionary Era Georgia

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The Revolution in Georgia The colonists who rebelled against British rule were called patriots. They were made up of a wide variety of social groups. Some were college students. Others were farmers. Loyalists were colonists who stayed loyal to Britain. They were also called Tories. They wanted Britain to continue ruling the colonies.

Most people in Georgia thought British taxes were unfair. However, Georgia had done well under British rule. Many colonists feared that without British troops, they would be attacked by Native Americans.

People in Georgia slowly changed their minds about joining the Revolution. They sent 3 representatives to the 2nd Continental Congress to sign the Declaration of Independence. These men were Lyman Hall, Button Gwinnett, and George Walton.

Gwinnett was a planter who was elected to Georgia’s Commons House of Assembly in 1769. When the war began, Gwinnett led opponents of the Whig Party from all parts of Georgia. He was elected by these people to command Georgia’s Continental battalion in early 1776, but gave up the office to join the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. He helped ensure the passage of Georgia’s first Constitution in 1777. That same year, he was appointed Georgia’s president and commander-in-chief.

One of the first battles he fought was in Florida. Gwinnett led a group of soldiers into the battle, but they had to retreat. The military campaign caused a fight between Gwinnett and another military leader (Lachlan McIntosh). The two men fought a duel to settle the dispute. Gwinnett was shot and died on May 19, 1777. Gwinnett County was named for him.

Walton was a patriot, active in the Revolutionary government. After signing the Declaration of Independence, Walton returned to Savannah. He was captured there by the British in 1778. By 1779, he had been released and was elected governor of the colony. Shortly afterward, he was re-elected to Congress. In the early years of the republic, he continued to serve in government as chief justice of Georgia, as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, as a part of the Electoral College, then as governor, U.S. Senator, and justice of the state superior court.

The Battle of Kettle Creek Loyalists thought they could recruit many supporters in the South. They believed there were loyalist groups secretly waiting to be rescued by British troops. The Battle of Kettle Creek proved them wrong.

The battle took place on February 14, 1779. Loyalist James Boyd and his troop of 600 were camping at Kettle Creek, on their way to Augusta. A group of patriots half the size of loyalist forces snuck up and attacked Boyd’s troop. One of the patriot leaders in the charge was Elijah Clarke of Georgia. The patriots killed Boyd and 19 of his troop members. Loyalist forces fled after hearing the news of Boyd’s death. Twenty two Loyalists were captured, and the remaining either returned to the British Army or were later captured by patriot forces. Other fighters at Kettle Creek included Austin Dabney, an African American who served under Clarke. He was the only African American soldier to fight in the battle. In recognition of his bravery, the State of Georgia gave Dabney land. He was the only African American to receive such an honor in Georgia. Nancy Hart, the wife of a lieutenant who served under Elijah Clarke, also played a role at Kettle Creek. She spied on the loyalists and told the patriot soldiers what she learned. According to some accounts, she shot at least two loyalists at the Battle of Kettle Creek. Kettle Creek gave the patriots a small victory. More importantly, it proved that the loyalists had little support in the southern colonies. Revolutionary Era Georgia

The Siege of Savannah In the summer of 1779, Georgia’s Royal Governor James Wright returned to Georgia to restore the colony to the British crown. Not long after Wright’s return, a French fleet surprised Georgia loyalists in the hopes of recapturing Savannah for the patriots. Soldiers from France and Haiti fought with the patriots to try and secure Savannah. The Battle of Savannah did not go well for the patriots. The patriots suffered over 1,000 casualties, while the British lost only 18 people. The French retreated and Georgia’s patriots followed. The siege had failed. The British controlled Savannah until the end of the war.

Across 1. Patriot killed in a duel. 4. African American war hero at the Battle of Kettle Creek. 7. Last name of the man who shot Gwinnett. 8. Besides Gwinnett and Walton, a signer of the Declaration from Georgia. 9. Soldiers from this Caribbean nation fought in the Siege of Savannah. 10. Female heroine of the Revolution from Georgia.

Down 2. Served as Chief Justice of Georgia's State Superior Court. 3. Georgian who led Loyalist forces at the Battle of Kettle Creek. 5. Royal governor of Georgia during the Revolution. 6. Colonel in charge of the patriot militia at Kettle Creek. Revolutionary Era Georgia