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168

SIEGE OF SAVANNAH.

set sail for Savannah, where on September 1, 1779, he arrived with twenty-two ships of the line and a number of smaller vessels. Upon his arrival, the Experiment, a 50 gun ship, and several other British ships were captured.* Upon learning of the arrival of d'Estaing, General Lincoln, with about 1,000 men, marched to Zubly's Ferry on the Savannah, but had great difficulty in crossing the river and its marshes. On the evening of September 13, however, he reached the southern bank and encamped on the heights of Ebenezer, about twenty-three miles from Savannah. At this place Colonel McIntosh with his detachment reinforced him, and shortly afterward Pulaski's legion arrived. On the same day that Lincoln passed Zubly's ferry, d'Estaing landed 3,000 men at Beaulieu, and on September 16 the two armies united before Savannah.† At Savannah was General Prevost in command of the British troops in the Southern provinces, and, apprehending no danger from the Americans, he had detached a considerable portion of his troops to establish outposts in Georgia; a strong detachment was left also under Colonel Maitland at Beaufort, on the island of Port Royal, South Carolina. On the appearance

*Stedman, American War, vol. ii., pp. 121-123; Fisher, Struggle for American Independence, vol. ii., p. 257.

† Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. ii., pp. 528-529,

*

of the French fleet, however, Prevost called in his outposts. So slow were the movements of the French and Americans that, before the former had landed or the latter had crossed the river, all the British detachments in Georgia had assembled at Savannah, thus bringing the number of the British troops up to nearly 2,500.†

Upon his arrival before the city, d'Estaing summoned Prevost to surrender, but being anxious to gain time, the British general, under some pretext, persuaded the French commander to suspend hostilities for twenty-four hours. During this time he pushed forward the work of strengthening his defences with all possible speed, and before the twentyfour hours had elapsed, Colonel Maitland with his detachment had arrived from Beaufort. Thereupon the British general announced his intention to defend the city to the last extremity.‡ The French and American generals determined to lay siege to the town and began their preparations with that end in view. Several days were consumed in bringing up heavy artillery and stores from the fleet and ground was broken before the town on September 23, 1773. By October

*Stedman, American War, vol. ii., p. 123. † Lee, Memoirs of the War, p. 137; Stedman, vol. ii., p. 127; Moultrie's Memoirs, vol. ii., p.

41.

Carrington, Battles of the Revolution, pp. 478479; McCrady, South Carolina in the Revolution, pp. 403-407; Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. ii., pp. 529–530.

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170 DEFEAT OF FRENCH AND AMERICANS; DEATH OF PULASKI.

consequently it became necessary it became necessary either to abandon the siege or to storm the works. The besiegers determined upon the latter alternative. On the morning of October 9 a heavy bombardment was begun against the town, and 3,500 French and 950 Americans, led by d'Estaing and Lincoln, advanced in three columns to the assault.* Meanwhile the garrison had not been idle, but had considerably strengthened the fortifications. and had skillfully placed their batteries. As a result, when the French and Americans advanced to the assault, they met with a warm reception. The batteries opened upon them with a well directed and destructive fire, but they resolutely advanced and finally succeeded in mounting the parapet. Both the French and Americans planted a standard on a redoubt, but when they attempted to force their way inside the works the slaughter was terrible. In addition, while the opposition in front was great, their flanks were galled by the fire of the batteries. At the head of 200 troops Pulaski galloped between the batteries toward the town so as to take the garrison in the rear, but he was killed and his squadron dispersed. For nearly an hour the French and Americans stood the terrific fire from the British, but were

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finally compelled to retreat.
French lost in killed and wounded
about 640 men and the Americans
450, while the British loss was com-
paratively small.*

No hope of taking the town now
remained, and on October 18 after
d'Estaing had removed the heavy
artillery, both armies abandoned the
siege. d'Estaing marched away
slowly, so as to protect General Lin-

coln's retreat and to secure him from
pursuit from the garrison. The
Americans recrossed the Savannah at
Zubly's Ferry and took a position in
South Carolina. The French imme-

diately embarked, but hardly were
they aboard when a violent storm
dispersed the fleet. While the results
of this expedition were exceedingly
discouraging, yet the French fleet

rendered material aid to the Ameri-
can cause by disconcerting the plans
of the British. Even this under the
present conditions was of great serv-

Georgia Historical Society Collections, vol. v., pt. i.; Alfred T. Mahan, The Influence of Sea Power upon History, pp. 374-375; Fisher, Struggle for American Independence, vol. ii., pp. 257260; Stevens, Facsimiles, no. 2010; Bancroft, vol. v., pp. 372-374; Carrington, Battles of the Revolution, pp. 481-482; Horry and Weems, Life of Marion, chap. viii. Estimates of the losses vary greatly. The above figures are from Moultrie's Memoirs, vol. ii., p. 41; Lossing (Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. ii., p. 522) gives practically the same figures-637 and 457. Lee (Memoirs of the War, p. 142) states the American loss to have been 240; Stedman (American War, vol. ii., p. 131) says 264; Ramsay (Revolution in South Carolina, vol. ii., p. 45) says 257; and McCrady (South Carolina in the Revolution, p. 417) says 250 Americans and 337 French.

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EXPLOIT OF COLONEL WHITE.

ice to the American army. Nevertheless the Americans had anticipated such brilliant results from the coöperation of the French fleet that the failure of the expedition threw a deep gloom over the Southern provinces and it seemed as if the cause of independence were more desperate at the present time than at any former period of the war. General Lincoln asked for help and Congress took every step in its power to give the succor so imperatively needed, but the paper money had now become so depreciated that only the most ardent patriots would take it, and consequently it was almost impossible to furnish supplies and munitions of war to the army. On the other hand, the successes of the British had raised high the hopes of the Tories.

While the siege of Savannah was in progress, Colonel John White of the Georgia line executed an in

171

genious enterprise of partisan warfare. Before the French fleet arrived, a British captain with 111 men had taken post near the Ogeeche River, about twenty-five miles from Savannah. At this place were also five British vessels, four of which were armed the largest with 14 guns and the smallest with 4. Late on the night of September 30, White with six followers, including a servant, kindled a number of fires in different places, so as to give the appearance of a large encampment. He then went forward to the British encampment, with a supposed summons from the American commander to the British to surrender. Believing that a superior force was in the neighborhood, the British officer deemed it wise to submit without making any defence. By this ruse all were taken prisoners and conducted to the American post at Sunbury, twenty-five miles distant.*

CHAPTER XXVI.

1779-1780.

BRITISH DEPREDATIONS: STONY POINT: PAUL JONES.

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Condition of American army - Clinton captures Stony Point and Fort Lafayette - Tryon's expedition into Connecticut Wayne captures Stony Point - Stony Point abandoned by Americans - British attack on Penobscot - Major Henry Lee at Paulus Hook-Army goes into winter quarters - Life in camp Stirling's attempt on Staten Island Discontent among soldiers - Knyphausen's raid in Jersey - Lafayette arrives in Boston Washington's letter to Congress regarding embarrassments - French fleet arrives at Newport - Washington confers with French at Hartford Major Tallmadge's exploit on Long Island Irruption of Major Carleton in northern New York Battle between the Bonhomme Richard and the Serapis. At this time the American army was in sore straits, for both clothing and food were deficient. During 1779 and 1780, crops had been poor; the labors of the farmers had been in

terrupted by calls to military duties and the depredations of various detachments of the army. Further

Thacher, Military Journal, pp. 179–180.

172

THE SITUATION CONFRONTING WASHINGTON.

more, those farmers who had succeeded in raising good crops were loathe to part with them for the continental paper money then in circulation, because of its great depreciation in value as compared with coin. Finally, however, the necessities of the army became so urgent that Washington called upon the magistrates of the adjacent counties for specified quantities of provisions, to be delivered to the army within a certain time. He also was compelled to send out detachments of troops to take provisions from the farmers and citizens by force, but at length this expedient failed, for there were no more supplies in the country adjacent to the quarters of the army. Beside this, the morals and discipline of the army were endangered and the affections of the people were much alienated by these impressments. Prior to this time the inhabitants had leaned toward the American cause, chiefly because of the fact that they had experienced much better treatment from the Americans than from the British. They had looked up to Washington as their protector, and to a great extent had willingly supplied him with the provisions he needed. But when Continental money began to depreciate so rapidly, the inhabitants lost their ardor for the cause and would not send supplies, unless reimbursed in coin. Washington was now confronted with the alternatives either of disbanding his troops or of supporting them by

force; he was between the two problems of supplying the army and at the same time protecting the property of the inhabitants; and to supply the one without offending the other seemed almost an impossibility. On the other hand, Washington experienced much difficulty in maintaining discipline among the soldiers and in restraining them when dispatched for provisions from plundering the houses of the inhabitants. To preserve order and subordination in an army like that under Washington, even if well fed, promptly paid, and properly clothed, would have been a task of no little difficulty; but when they were destitute not only of the comforts, but also of the necessities of life, the task became doubly difficult, and required capabilities which are rarely found in any one man. Nevertheless, Washington displayed the firmness and ability necessary in this crisis and not only retained the services of the greater part of the army, but also kept the good will of the major portion of the inhabitants.

In June, 1779, the army was cheered by the news that after much hesitation Spain had joined France in the war against Great Britain. In its attempt to settle the various questions arising in connection with this new alliance, Congress found great difficulty, for both France and Spain seemed bent upon obtaining concessions which the Americans were unwilling to give. Because of her assistance, the French minister at

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