Augusta in the American Revolution in October 1780
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Georgia’s Georgia’s 17 17 American Revolution Places 5 5 8 8 RevolutionaryRevolutionary War 7 7 3 3 7 7 to Discover in Augusta 1 1 ugusta and St. Paul’s Parish (Richmond County Abeginning in 1777) was a focal point of military 1 and political activity in Georgia during the American 2 3 Revolution. The small, backcountry town of approxi- 4 “Discovering Our Heritage mately one hundred families was the site of two ma- jor battles for its possession, was where Georgia’s and History” first constitution was drafted, and was Georgia’s 5 Revolutionary capital after the capture of Savannah. Augusta was also home to one of Georgia’s signers Augusta of the Declaration of Independence, George Walton, 6 and one of the signers of the U. S. Constitution, Wil- liam Few. It was here in January 1788, that Georgia in the 7 MAP OF was the fourth State to ratify the U.S. Constitution. GEORGIA, • St. Paul’s Churchyard Located at 605 Reynolds 8 1778 Street. A monument marking Col. William Few’s American grave is where annually on Constitution Day in Sep- tember, the Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution hold a com- American Revolution in Georgia Revolution memorative ceremony. Revolutionary War Patriots 1 ( ) Oliver Bowen, John Forsyth, George Mathews, Elbert County – Fight at Vann ’s Creek GPS: N34.162 W82.744 John Wilson and William Young are also buried in “A war of extermination became the Churchyard. GPS: N33.476 W81.960 2 Wilkes County – Battle of KettleCreek the order of the day.” • Fort Augusta - Fort Cornwallis Historical Marker GPS: N33.691 W82.886 – Lt. Colonel Henry “Light-horse Harry” Lee located behind St. Paul’s Episcopal Church which 3 describes these structures and related actions from Lincoln County – Elijah Clarke & John Dooly: Heroes of the Hornet’s Nest Colonial times through the American Revolution. GPS: N33.856 W82.410 GPS: N33.476 W81.961 • Mayham Tower Historical Marker located at 4 Augusta – Sieges of Augusta and Revolutionary Eighth & Reynolds Street which describes the struc- Capital of Georgia GPS: N33.476 W81.964 ture erected by Patriot forces during Second Siege 5 Screven County -- Battle of Brier Creek of Augusta. GPS: N33.477 W81.964 GPS: N32.811 W81.466 • Fort Grierson Historical Marker located at Elev- enth & Reynolds Street which identifies the area 6 Savannah -- Battles of Savannah, where action took place during the Second Siege of Royal & Revolutionary Capital of Georgia Augusta. GPS N33.479 W81.970 GPS: N32.076 W81.100 • Signer’s Monument Erected on Greene Street in 7 Liberty County – Sunbury, Fort Morris & Midway 1848, the granite obelisk recognizes Georgia’s three GPS: N31.764 W81.279 signers of the Declaration of Independence, Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall and George Walton. 8 St. Simons Island –Frederica Naval Action GPS: N33.472 W81.962 GPS: N31.224 W81.393 • Meadow Garden George Walton’s circa 1790 www.grwt.gassar.org home which is maintained by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Located at 1320 Indepen- Georgia Society Sons dence Drive. GPS: N33.475 W 81.980 of the American Revolution Siege of Fort Cornwallis, Second Battle of Augusta 1781 Design – Ed Fluker, GASSAR (Mayham Tower in left background) rick Ferguson and his troops to their defeat at Kings Mountain Augusta in the American Revolution in October 1780. By the spring of 1781, Pa- n 1774, Augusta’s inhabitants were opposed to re- troops marched into Augusta without any opposition on triot fortunes had improved Ibellion against England, but news of the fighting January 31, 1779. With them was Lt. Col Thomas Brown in the Carolinas and the new at Lexington and Concord in Mas- with a regiment of Florida Rangers. When threatened commander of the South- sachusetts on April 19, 1775, by Patriot Militia, British Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell ern Department, Continental swayed many to support an withdrew from Augusta after only two weeks. This with- Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene Association of the Colonies drawal, welcomed news to backcountry Patriots, was ordered another attack on Au- seeking redress of griev- followed by the Patriot victory at Kettle Creek in Febru- gusta. Elijah Clarke and Gen. An- Lee ances. When the Provincial ary. But only two weeks later, the rout of the Patriots at drew Pickens of South Carolina led their respective Congress met in Savannah Brier Creek allowed the re-establishment of Georgia as Patriot militias. Lt. Col. Henry “Light-horse Harry” in July 1775, Augusta sent a Royal Colony. Lee brought his Continental Legion to join the militia delegates, including George The Whig government collapsed in May 1780, when with a battalion of North Carolina troops under Maj. Walton who was elected Sec- Gen. Andrew Williamson evacuated Augusta and with- Pinketham Eaton. retary. From this date forward, drew to South Carolina. The British returned to Augusta Following the British defeat at Kings Mountain, Walton Georgia had two competing gov- in June, this time with Thomas Brown as commander of Thomas Brown built Fort Cornwallis, near St. Paul’s ernments- one, Tory or Loyalists with the Loyalist-Indian garrison, determined to bring all the Church, to house his garrison, and James Grierson allegiance to the King and the other, Whig or Patri- backcountry under Royal control. fortified a house about a half-mile west of Cornwal- ots focused on Independence. In December 1775, In September 1780, Lt. Col. Elijah lis. Lee first captured nearby Fort Galphin in South George Walton was elected President of the Coun- Clarke led his Georgia and South Carolina on May 21; and Fort Grierson was captured cil of Safety which supervised the affairs of the Whig Carolina militia in an attack on in an assault on May 24, an event in which Major government. Brown’s garrison. Approaching Eaton lost his life. Brown in Fort Cornwallis held out One prominent local resident, Thomas Brown, Augusta from the west, Clarke until June 5. He was finally induced to surrender announced his loyalty to the King and refused to surprised an Indian camp on Sep- when Lee’s men mounted a cannon on a “Mayham sign the Association. In August 1775, he was tarred tember 14, and drove the war- Tower” that fired over the high wall into the fort. and feathered, the soles of his feet were burned, riors into a trading post known The liberation of Augusta freed the Georgia and he was driven out of town. Sometimes referred as the “White House.” The Indians backcountry from British control. In August 1781, to thereafter as “Burnt foot” Brown, he would return were joined there by Brown, Col. the Georgia Assembly re-established the state gov- to Augusta with a vengeance. James Grierson, commander of the ernment in Augusta. The city remained the state Clarke The arrival of British warships in Savannah in Jan- Richmond County Loyalist Militia, and a capital, on and off, until 1796, where the new U.S. uary 1776, drove the Provincial Congress to convene company of Rangers. Constitution was ratified by Georgia in Augusta where they created Georgia’s first con- Clarke besieged Brown for four days and cut off the in January 1788. stitution, called “Rules and Regulations.” This pro- water supply, but he was not able to take the position by William Few, a Richmond vided for an elected executive but still recognized assault. On September 18, a British relief force appeared County resident, served as a the King of England as head of state. Later in 1776, on the Carolina side of the Savannah River. Clarke had Colonel in the Georgia Mili- George Walton was one of Georgia’s three signers to break off the siege and was forced to leave behind tia, and was a delegate to the of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. many wounded of whom thirteen were hanged by the Continental Congress begin- Georgia became a State in February 1777, with Loyalists. In addition, the British held twenty-one Patri- ning in 1780. He was one of the adoption of a Constitution, election of a Gover- ots in irons in Augusta for several months. Georgia’s two signers of the nor and establishment of eight Counties, including Then Elijah Clarke led seven hundred men, women U.S. Constitution. After it was Richmond where Augusta was located. and children with limited rations more than 200 hun- signed in 1787, Few returned to A British expedition from New York took posses- dred miles to the Carolina mountains for refuge. His Few Georgia to aid in the Constitution’s sion of Savannah in December 1778, and red-coated withdrawal was instrumental in luring British Maj. Pat- ratification in 1788. Prepared by Dr. Russell K. Brown, William Few Chapter; “Siege of Fort Cornwallis” Courtesy of Augusta Museum of History; George Walton and Elijah Clarke, Courtesy of Hargrett Edited by Bill Ramsaur, Marshes of Glynn Chapter, Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Univ. of Georgia Libraries; Henry Lee and William Few, Courtesy of Independence Hall NHP Georgia Society Sons of the American Revolution.