Irish at the 1779 Siege of Savannah
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Thursday, March 20, 2014 AROUND THE DIOCESE Southern Cross, Page 7 Irish at the 1779 Siege of Savannah ne of the most interesting nized and commanded an Irish army of Berwick’s cavalry and small detach- British losses were minimal: 40 killed, “Oitems of Georgia history from led by Sarsfield, O’Brien, Dillon and ments of French infantry rounded out 63 wounded, four missing and 48 the viewpoint of the Catholic reader Berwick, that fought for three years. the allied force. deserting (British commander General is the Siege of Savannah in 1779 dur- At one point, O’Brien’s corps was When the bombardment of Savannah Augustine Prevost’s estimate). ing the Revolutionary War,” wrote swapped with an equal number of began on October 3, 1779, the British “Irish Brigade Officers of the French Stephens Mitchell, brother of author French troops because it was easier to had held the city for a year. Cannons Army of the American Revolution” Margaret Mitchell, in the November transfer uniformed and armed troops from French ships damaged many (Irish Roots Magazine, Mar. 3, 1998, 25, 1923 issue of the Bulletin of the than to send clothes and weapons. of Savannah’s 430 houses and killed by Chevalier William F, Marmion, Catholic Laymen’s Association of After the Treaty of Limerick was some civilians. Earlier, on September M.A.) notes one-fifth of all French and Georgia. Later President of the Atlanta signed, the corps of Sarsfield, Berwick 12, the French fleet had rendezvoused American troops involved in the Siege Bar Association and editor of the and Dillon went to France to fight for at Beaulieu on Ossabaw Sound and of Savannah as “killed or wounded”. Atlanta Historical Society Bulletin, James II as well as for the French who landed 1200 men, including grenadiers In his 1923 story, Stephens Mitchell Mitchell usually knew what he was employed them. These troops distin- from Colonel (later General) Arthur wrote: “It is pleasing to note that the talking about. In his 1923 Bulletin guished themselves at Fontenoy where Dillon’s unit. On October 9, when the conduct of these troops (the Irish story, the young attorney expressed his Irish soldiers, standing firm after siege began, American forces included Regiments) in America so stirred up the surprise that involvement of Catholics French forces retreated, captured the colonials, militia, 500 slave volunteers British that the penal laws were very in this “second bloodiest battle of enemy’s standard. The British loss that from Haiti, and Dillon’s Regiment of much moderated in Ireland. Irish were the Revolutionary War” had been day was so severe they abandoned that 900. Despite its lopsided advantage allowed to serve in the army of Great overlooked. Many Georgians were campaign. in numbers, this invading army was Britain and were encouraged to do so. aware of the heroics of Catholic Count In 1778, France entered the foiled by its unfamiliarity with the The laws against the holding of prop- Casimir Pulaski and exploits of Sgt. Revolutionary War on the side of the swampy terrain, Admiral d’Estaing’s erty by Catholics were moderated, and William Jasper during the Siege, but Colonies and prepared to send troops misguided leadership and the delaying enforcement of all penal laws was much few knew anything about France’s to their aid. Dillon’s Corps, primed tactics of the British. They became relaxed. Reasons given in the British Irish Brigades. to take on the British after their suc- “sitting ducks” for the entrenched parliament for this change were that These brigades began in the 17th cess in the West Indies, were dis- defenders. soldiers such as this should be encour- century following Oliver Cromwell’s patched to Georgia in 1779 to join in Heavy casualties ensued. The Sligo aged to fight for England and not against invasion of Ireland when many the upcoming siege of Savannah. A Heritage site lists 637 French - includ- her.” Mitchell concluded: “These men Irishmen left their country to serve French armada under Count (Admiral) ing 63 men of Dillon’s Regiment - and thus struck a blow for Irish freedom at in armies elsewhere in Europe. A d’Estaing, eventually brought 4,000 457 Americans, as killed or wounded. the same time that they struck one for large body of Irish went with Lord men to Georgia to merge with 1,000 In his History of Georgia, Volume II, American independence.” Mountcashel to fight for France under Continental regulars, and about Charles C. Jones, Jr., quotes numbers the title of Mountcashel’s Brigade. 2,000 Georgia militia commanded by from the “Parish Gazette” that put the RITA H. DELORME IS A VOLUNTEER IN THE When James II, a Catholic, fled General Benjamin Lincoln. Pulaski’s total dead or wounded at 700 French, DIOCESAN ARCHIVES. SHE CAN BE REACHED AT England for Ireland in 1689, he orga- cavalry (about 500 horsemen), some 61 French officers and 312 Americans. [email protected]. .