Capture of Savannah
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Savannah, or sometimes the First Battle of Savannah due to a siege
later in the campaign, was an American Revolutionary War
battle fought on December 29, 1778 between local American Patriot
militia
and Continental Army
units holding the city and a British
invasion force under the command of Lieutenant Colonel
Archibald Campbell
. It was the opening move in the British southern strategy
to regain control of the rebellious southern provinces by appealing to the strong Loyalist
sentiment believed to be there.
General Sir Henry Clinton
, the new commander-in-chief of the British forces based in New York City, dispatched Campbell and a 3,500-strong force from New York to capture Savannah and regain British control of Georgia. He was to be assisted by 2,000 troops under the command of General Augustine Prevost
that marched up from Saint Augustine in East Florida
. After landing near Savannah on December 23, Campbell assessed the American defenses, which were comparatively weak, and decided to attack without waiting for Prevost. Taking advantage of local assistance he successfully flanked the American position outside the town, captured a large portion of General
Robert Howe
's army, and drove the remnants to retreat into South Carolina
.
of a British army at Saratoga
and the consequent entry of France
into the American Revolutionary War
as an American ally
, Lord George Germain, the British secretary responsible for the war, wrote to General Sir Henry Clinton that capturing the southern states was "considered by the King
as an object of great importance in the scale of the war". He gave Clinton wide latitude to achieve this objective.
Clinton thereafter ordered the evacuation of British troops from Philadelphia back to New York, and organized an expedition to gain control of Georgia. From New York, he ordered Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell
to sail with 3,500 troops to the coast of Georgia, where he was to take Savannah, where he would be met by 2,000 troops under Brigadier General Augustine Prevost
that would march up from Saint Augustine in East Florida
. This combined force was then to gain control of the interior of the lightly populated colony.
. Other than Savannah, the major settlements were at Sunbury, about 40 miles (64.4 km) south on the coast, and Augusta
, about 120 miles (193.1 km) up the Savannah River.
The state was defended by two separate forces. Units of the Continental Army
were under the command of General Robert Howe
who was responsible for the defense of the entire South, and militia companies were under the overall command of Georgia Governor John Houstoun
. Howe and Georgia authorities had previously squabbled over control of military expeditions against Prevost in East Florida, and those expeditions had failed. These failures led the Continental Congress
to order the replacement of Howe with Major General Benjamin Lincoln
in September 1778, who had successfully negotiated militia participation in events surrounding the British defeat at Saratoga. Lincoln had not yet arrived when word reached Howe that Clinton was sending troops to Georgia.
Despite the urgency of the situation, Governor Houstoun refused to allow Howe to direct the movements of the Georgia militia. On November 18, Howe marched south from Charleston, South Carolina
with 550 Continental Army troops. Arriving at the Savannah River later that month, he first moved to chase away British raiders under the command of Prevost's younger brother Mark before heading for Savannah to prepare its defenses. He learned that Campbell had sailed from New York on December 6; on December 23 sails were spotted off Tybee Island. The next day, Governor Houstoun assigned 100 Georgia militia to Howe.
A war council decided that, in spite of the fact that they were likely to be significantly outnumbered, a vigorous defense should be attempted, with some hope attached to the arrival of General Lincoln at Charleston in early December. Due the large number of potential landing points, Howe was forced to hold most of his army in reserve until the British had actually landed.
Howe held a council that morning, and ground was chosen at which to make a stand. About one-half mile (0.7 km) south of the city, he established a line of defense. He formed a line in the shape of an open V, with the ends anchored by swampy woods. On the left Howe placed Georgia Continentals and militia under Samuel Elbert
, while on the right he put South Carolina Continentals under Isaac Huger
and William Thompson. The line was supported by four pieces of field artillery
, and light infantry companies guarded the flanks. Most of Howe's troops, including the Continentals, had seen little or no action in the war.
Campbell's forces consisted of two battalions of the 71st Highland Regiment, two regiments of German soldiers, von Wissenbach and von Wöllwarth, and four companies of Loyalist
s, mostly recruited in New York. When his advance companies spotted Howe's line drawing a volley of fire, the main body stopped short of the field and Campbell went to see what he was up against. He viewed Howe's defenses as essentially sound, but a local slave told him that there was a path through the swamp on Howe's right. He ordered James Baird to take 350 light infantry and about 250 New York Loyalists and follow the slave through the swamp, while he arrayed his troops just out of view in a way that would give the impression he would attempt a flanking maneuver
on Howe's left. One of his officers climbed a tree to observe Baird's progress. True to the slave's word, the trail came out near the Continental barracks, which were left unguarded; the Continentals were unaware they had been flanked. When they reached position, the man in the tree signaled by waving his hat, and Campbell ordered the regulars to charge.
The first sounds of battle Howe heard were musket fire from the barracks, but these were rapidly followed by cannonfire and the appearance of charging British and German troops. He ordered an immediate retreat, but it rapidly turned into a rout. His untried troops hardly bothered to return fire, some throwing down their weapons before attempting to run away through the swampy terrain. Campbell reported that "It was scarcely possible to come up with them, their retreat was rapid beyond Conception." The light infantry in the Continental rear cut off the road to Augusta, the only significant escape route, forcing a mad scramble of retreating troops into the city itself. Soldiers who did not immediately surrender were sometimes bayoneted. Colonel Huger managed to form a rear-guard to cover the escape of a number of the Continentals. Some of Howe's men managed to escape to the north before the British closed off the city, but others were forced to attempt swimming across Yamacraw Creek; an unknown number drowned in the attempt.
he had 342 men left, less than half his original army. Howe would receive much of the blame for the disaster, with William Moultrie
arguing that he should have either disputed the landing site in force or retreated without battle to keep his army intact. However, he was exonerated in a court martial that inquired into the event.
Campbell wrote that he would be "the first British officer to [rend] a star and stripe from the flag of Congress". The British held Savannah until July 11, 1782, when its troops were withdrawn. Savannah was used as a base to conduct coastal raids from Charleston, South Carolina
to the Florida
coast. In the fall of 1779, a combined French and American attempt
to recapture Savannah failed with significant casualties.
Siege of Savannah
The Siege of Savannah or the Second Battle of Savannah was an encounter of the American Revolutionary War in 1779. The year before, the city of Savannah, Georgia, had been captured by a British expeditionary corps under Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Campbell. The siege itself consisted of a joint...
later in the campaign, was an American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
battle fought on December 29, 1778 between local American Patriot
Patriot (American Revolution)
Patriots is a name often used to describe the colonists of the British Thirteen United Colonies who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution. It was their leading figures who, in July 1776, declared the United States of America an independent nation...
militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
and Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
units holding the city and a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
invasion force under the command of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Archibald Campbell
Archibald Campbell (British Army officer)
General Sir Archibald Campbell KB served as Governor of Jamaica and Madras. He was a major Scottish landowner, Heritable Usher of the White Rod for Scotland and a Member of Parliament for the Stirling Burghs.-Birth:...
. It was the opening move in the British southern strategy
Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War
The Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War was the central area of operations in North America in the second half of the American Revolutionary War. During the first three years of the conflict, the primary military encounters had been in the north, focused on campaigns around the...
to regain control of the rebellious southern provinces by appealing to the strong Loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
sentiment believed to be there.
General Sir Henry Clinton
Henry Clinton (American War of Independence)
General Sir Henry Clinton KB was a British army officer and politician, best known for his service as a general during the American War of Independence. First arriving in Boston in May 1775, from 1778 to 1782 he was the British Commander-in-Chief in North America...
, the new commander-in-chief of the British forces based in New York City, dispatched Campbell and a 3,500-strong force from New York to capture Savannah and regain British control of Georgia. He was to be assisted by 2,000 troops under the command of General Augustine Prevost
Augustine Prevost
Major General Augustine Prévost was a Swiss-born British soldier who served in the Seven Years' War and the American War of Independence.-Seven Years War:...
that marched up from Saint Augustine in East Florida
East Florida
East Florida was a colony of Great Britain from 1763–1783 and of Spain from 1783–1822. East Florida was established by the British colonial government in 1763; as its name implies it consisted of the eastern part of the region of Florida, with West Florida comprising the western parts. Its capital...
. After landing near Savannah on December 23, Campbell assessed the American defenses, which were comparatively weak, and decided to attack without waiting for Prevost. Taking advantage of local assistance he successfully flanked the American position outside the town, captured a large portion of General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Robert Howe
Robert Howe
Robert Howe may refer to:* Robert Howe , Scottish international football player* Robert Howe , Major-General in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
's army, and drove the remnants to retreat into South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
.
Background
In March 1778, following the defeatSaratoga campaign
The Saratoga Campaign was an attempt by Great Britain to gain military control of the strategically important Hudson River valley in 1777 during the American Revolutionary War...
of a British army at Saratoga
Battle of Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga conclusively decided the fate of British General John Burgoyne's army in the American War of Independence and are generally regarded as a turning point in the war. The battles were fought eighteen days apart on the same ground, south of Saratoga, New York...
and the consequent entry of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
into the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
as an American ally
Franco-American alliance
The Franco-American alliance refers to the 1778 alliance between Louis XVI's France and the United States, during the American Revolutionary War. Formalized in the 1778 Treaty of Alliance, it was a military pact in which France provided arms and money, and engaged in full-scale war with Britain. ...
, Lord George Germain, the British secretary responsible for the war, wrote to General Sir Henry Clinton that capturing the southern states was "considered by the King
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
as an object of great importance in the scale of the war". He gave Clinton wide latitude to achieve this objective.
Clinton thereafter ordered the evacuation of British troops from Philadelphia back to New York, and organized an expedition to gain control of Georgia. From New York, he ordered Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell
Archibald Campbell (British Army officer)
General Sir Archibald Campbell KB served as Governor of Jamaica and Madras. He was a major Scottish landowner, Heritable Usher of the White Rod for Scotland and a Member of Parliament for the Stirling Burghs.-Birth:...
to sail with 3,500 troops to the coast of Georgia, where he was to take Savannah, where he would be met by 2,000 troops under Brigadier General Augustine Prevost
Augustine Prevost
Major General Augustine Prévost was a Swiss-born British soldier who served in the Seven Years' War and the American War of Independence.-Seven Years War:...
that would march up from Saint Augustine in East Florida
East Florida
East Florida was a colony of Great Britain from 1763–1783 and of Spain from 1783–1822. East Florida was established by the British colonial government in 1763; as its name implies it consisted of the eastern part of the region of Florida, with West Florida comprising the western parts. Its capital...
. This combined force was then to gain control of the interior of the lightly populated colony.
American defenses
Georgia in 1778 had a population of about 40,000, about one half of which were slaves, that was concentrated along the Atlantic coast and along the Savannah RiverSavannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the northernmost part of the border...
. Other than Savannah, the major settlements were at Sunbury, about 40 miles (64.4 km) south on the coast, and Augusta
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
, about 120 miles (193.1 km) up the Savannah River.
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
were under the command of General Robert Howe
Robert Howe
Robert Howe may refer to:* Robert Howe , Scottish international football player* Robert Howe , Major-General in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
who was responsible for the defense of the entire South, and militia companies were under the overall command of Georgia Governor John Houstoun
John Houstoun
John Houstoun was an American lawyer and statesman from Savannah, Georgia. He was a delegate for Georgia in the Continental Congress in 1775. He was the 6th Governor of Georgia, in 1778, and again in 1784-1785.-Personal life:...
. Howe and Georgia authorities had previously squabbled over control of military expeditions against Prevost in East Florida, and those expeditions had failed. These failures led the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
to order the replacement of Howe with Major General Benjamin Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln was an American army officer. He served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
in September 1778, who had successfully negotiated militia participation in events surrounding the British defeat at Saratoga. Lincoln had not yet arrived when word reached Howe that Clinton was sending troops to Georgia.
Despite the urgency of the situation, Governor Houstoun refused to allow Howe to direct the movements of the Georgia militia. On November 18, Howe marched south from Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
with 550 Continental Army troops. Arriving at the Savannah River later that month, he first moved to chase away British raiders under the command of Prevost's younger brother Mark before heading for Savannah to prepare its defenses. He learned that Campbell had sailed from New York on December 6; on December 23 sails were spotted off Tybee Island. The next day, Governor Houstoun assigned 100 Georgia militia to Howe.
A war council decided that, in spite of the fact that they were likely to be significantly outnumbered, a vigorous defense should be attempted, with some hope attached to the arrival of General Lincoln at Charleston in early December. Due the large number of potential landing points, Howe was forced to hold most of his army in reserve until the British had actually landed.
Battle
The place Campbell selected for landing was Girardeau's Plantation, located about 2 miles (3.2 km) below the city. When word reached Howe that the landing had started on December 29, he sent a company of Continentals to occupy the bluffs above the landing site. Campbell realized that the bluffs would need to be controlled before the majority of his forces could be landed, sent two companies of the 71st Regiment to take control of them. The Continentals opened fire at about 100 yards (91.4 m); the British, rather than returning fire, advanced rapidly with bayonets fixed, denying the Continentals a second shot. The Continentals retreated, having killed four and wounded five at no cost to themselves. By noon, Campbell had landed his army and began to proceed carefully toward the city.Samuel Elbert
Samuel Elbert was an American merchant, soldier, and politician from Savannah, Georgia.Elbert fought in the Revolutionary War, commanding the victorious American colonial forces in a naval battle near St. Simons Island, Georgia on April 19, 1778...
, while on the right he put South Carolina Continentals under Isaac Huger
Isaac Huger
Isaac Huger was a planter and Continental Army general during the American Revolutionary War.-Life and work:...
and William Thompson. The line was supported by four pieces of field artillery
Field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, long range, short range and extremely long range target engagement....
, and light infantry companies guarded the flanks. Most of Howe's troops, including the Continentals, had seen little or no action in the war.
Campbell's forces consisted of two battalions of the 71st Highland Regiment, two regiments of German soldiers, von Wissenbach and von Wöllwarth, and four companies of Loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
s, mostly recruited in New York. When his advance companies spotted Howe's line drawing a volley of fire, the main body stopped short of the field and Campbell went to see what he was up against. He viewed Howe's defenses as essentially sound, but a local slave told him that there was a path through the swamp on Howe's right. He ordered James Baird to take 350 light infantry and about 250 New York Loyalists and follow the slave through the swamp, while he arrayed his troops just out of view in a way that would give the impression he would attempt a flanking maneuver
Flanking maneuver
In military tactics, a flanking maneuver, also called a flank attack, is an attack on the sides of an opposing force. If a flanking maneuver succeeds, the opposing force would be surrounded from two or more directions, which significantly reduces the maneuverability of the outflanked force and its...
on Howe's left. One of his officers climbed a tree to observe Baird's progress. True to the slave's word, the trail came out near the Continental barracks, which were left unguarded; the Continentals were unaware they had been flanked. When they reached position, the man in the tree signaled by waving his hat, and Campbell ordered the regulars to charge.
The first sounds of battle Howe heard were musket fire from the barracks, but these were rapidly followed by cannonfire and the appearance of charging British and German troops. He ordered an immediate retreat, but it rapidly turned into a rout. His untried troops hardly bothered to return fire, some throwing down their weapons before attempting to run away through the swampy terrain. Campbell reported that "It was scarcely possible to come up with them, their retreat was rapid beyond Conception." The light infantry in the Continental rear cut off the road to Augusta, the only significant escape route, forcing a mad scramble of retreating troops into the city itself. Soldiers who did not immediately surrender were sometimes bayoneted. Colonel Huger managed to form a rear-guard to cover the escape of a number of the Continentals. Some of Howe's men managed to escape to the north before the British closed off the city, but others were forced to attempt swimming across Yamacraw Creek; an unknown number drowned in the attempt.
Aftermath
Campbell gained control of the city at the cost to his forces of seven killed and seventeen wounded, not including the four men killed and five wounded during the opening of hostilities. Campbell took 453 prisoners, and there were at least 83 dead and 11 wounded from Howe's forces. When Howe's retreat ended at Purrysburg, South CarolinaPurrysburg, South Carolina
Purrysburg was a colonial town in Jasper County, South Carolina. While the town itself was abandoned, the settlers were successful. The town was located on the South Carolina bank of the Savannah River....
he had 342 men left, less than half his original army. Howe would receive much of the blame for the disaster, with William Moultrie
William Moultrie
William Moultrie was a general from South Carolina in the American Revolutionary War.He was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He fought in the Anglo-Cherokee War and served in the colonial assembly before the advent of the American Revolution....
arguing that he should have either disputed the landing site in force or retreated without battle to keep his army intact. However, he was exonerated in a court martial that inquired into the event.
Campbell wrote that he would be "the first British officer to [rend] a star and stripe from the flag of Congress". The British held Savannah until July 11, 1782, when its troops were withdrawn. Savannah was used as a base to conduct coastal raids from Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
to the Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
coast. In the fall of 1779, a combined French and American attempt
Siege of Savannah
The Siege of Savannah or the Second Battle of Savannah was an encounter of the American Revolutionary War in 1779. The year before, the city of Savannah, Georgia, had been captured by a British expeditionary corps under Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Campbell. The siege itself consisted of a joint...
to recapture Savannah failed with significant casualties.