Battle of Brier Creek
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Brier Creek was an American Revolutionary War
battle fought on March 3, 1779 near the confluence of Brier Creek
with the Savannah River
in eastern Georgia
. It occurred only a few weeks after a resounding American
Patriot
victory over the British
at Kettle Creek
, north of Augusta
, it reversed the morale effects of the earlier battle.
into the American Revolutionary War in 1778, the British focused their attention on the American South, which they had not paid great attention to in the early years of the war. They began their southern strategy
by sending expeditions from New York City
and Saint Augustine, East Florida
to capture Savannah, Georgia
late in 1778. The New York
expedition, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel
Archibald Campbell
, arrived first, and successfully captured
the town on December 29, 1778.
When Brigadier General
Augustine Prevost
arrived from Saint Augustine in mid-January, he assumed command of the garrison there, and sent Campbell on an expedition to take control of Augusta
and raise Loyalist
militia
companies.
Leaving Savannah on January 24, Campbell and more than 1,000 men arrived near Augusta a week later, with only minimal harassment from Georgia Patriot militia on the way. Augusta had been defended by South Carolina
General
Andrew Williamson leading about 1,000 militia from Georgia and South Carolina, but he withdrew most of his men when Campbell approached. This rear guard skirmished with Campbell's men before withdrawing across the Savannah River
into South Carolina.
Campbell then began recruiting Loyalists. About 1,100 men signed up, but relatively few actually formed militia companies. Campbell then began requiring oaths of loyalty, on pain of forfeiture of property; many took this oath insincerely, quickly letting Williamson know their true feelings. An expedition by James Boyd all the way into North Carolina
, where he met with success, and recruited several hundred men. As he traveled south back toward Augusta, more Loyalists joined his company, until it numbered over 600 men in central South Carolina. As this column moved on, the men plundered and pillaged along the way, predictably drawing angered Patriot supporters to take up arms. In a resounding Patriot victory, South Carolina militia Colonel
Andrew Pickens
defeated Boyd's army at Kettle Creek
on February 14, 1779 with a numerically smaller militia company, killing Boyd and scattering most of his men.
and the Savannah River
. It arises between Warrenton
in Warren County
and Thomson
in McDuffie County
in the lower portion of the Piedmont
. The upper portion of the creek is surrounded by open pit kaolin mines as it passes through the fall line
. From there it enters the upper coastal plain and courses down past towns like Wrens
and Waynesboro
before joining the Savannah River at Mouth of the Creek near old Haga Slaga, a place which existed at the time of the Revolutionary War in eastern Screven County
near Sylvania
. This waterway has a length of approximately 80 miles (130 kilometers). In many places along the length of its course it is 30 to 50 feet (9 to 16 meters) in width. Near its mouth it is sometimes as broad as 80 feet (25 meters). In many ways it is more a river than a creek. Much of the lowest portion of the creek is bordered by the Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area, which contains some portion of or the greatest part of the battle site.
The joining of Brier Creek with the Savannah River
forms a significant geographic constraint upon movement in that area between the forks formed by the creek and river. The land surrounding the creek and river is often swampy, and movement across both waterways is greatly constrained. This lay of the land contributed to the location and consequences of the battle.
. Campbell did not find out about the Kettle Creek battle until after he had already left Augusta. Believing Williamson's forces to number nearly 4,000 but really only about 2,400 and disappointed in the low recruitment numbers, he abandoned Augusta and headed back towards Savannah. To Campbell's credit, he had suffered only a single casualty, but the means of that loss was cause for anger among his regulars
. One the 71st Regiment men had been assigned as a "safeguard" in a private residence, a position normally out of bounds to attack in European warfare. This man had been killed by Patriot partisans, and neither Williamson or Lincoln wanted to prosecute them for the violation.
Campbell led the troops south until they reached Ebenezer
. There he turned command of the column over to General Prevost's younger brother, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Prevost, and headed down the river to return to England. General Ashe trailed after Campbell. When Campbell reached Ebenezer, Ashe camped near the confluence of Brier Creek and the Savannah River, about 15 miles (24.1 km) to the north. The bridge across Brier Creek was burned out, and Ashe set men to repairing it. While encamped there, he was joined by about 200 light cavalry and some additional light infantry units, swelling his force to about 1,300 men.
Colonel Prevost decided to execute an attack plan devised by Campbell before he left. This plan involved making a large loop, crossing over Brier Creek at a bridge further north and west, and then moving south and trapping Ashe's men on the triangle of land where the creek and the river met. On March 1, the decoy force, about 500 men including regulars and militia, openly marched north until they were with three miles (4.8 km) of the burned-out bridge, and made camp there. That night, about 900 experienced troops drawn primarily from the 71st Regiment and James Baird's light infantry companies and also including five field pieces and a number of experienced militia units, including members of the Florida Rangers. They made a rapid march north to the Paris Mill bridge.
Arriving around 10:00 am the next morning, they found the bridge destroyed, and set about building a temporary bridge to get their equipment across. Concerned that they might be discovered, Prevost sent Baird's light infantry and a company of light dragoons to ford the river the night of March 2. They acted as a screen against discovery of the ongoing work, and cut off Ashe's escape route. Prevost's full party had crossed the river by dawn on March 3. While participants later disagreed on whether or not patrols from Ashe's camp were aware of the British movement, he took no particular action to guard against the possibility.
units under Samuel Elbert
, and the right was held primarily by the North Carolina Edenton regiment.
Prevost's troops approached in three columns. Baird's light infantry were on the left, the 1st battalion of the 71st was in the center, and Carolina provincials and "rangers" formed the right. Prevost held in reserve the light dragoons and grenadiers. Both sides opened fire at long range, and then Elbert's men moved forward to close the range. Two things then occurred to create a gap in the American line. Elbert's men drifted left as they advanced, partially screening the fire from the New Bern men, and British cavalry threatened the right, drawing the Edenton men away from the center. Seeing this opening, Prevost ordered his men to fix bayonets and charge.
Most of the North Carolina militia did not have bayonets. Seeing the British charging at them, many broke and ran without even firing a shot. The Edenton men fired a few rounds, and then abandoned the fight. Elbert's Continentals held formation in the center while the militia around them fled for the swamps, and were eventually surrounded, forcing Elbert to surrender. The 200 men at the bridge came up to the battlefield late in the fighting, but quickly withdrew before getting drawn into the rout.
Anthony Lytle, the commander of the American light infantry, dispersed his men to avoid capture. General Ashe was seen riding after the militia companies, and was widely blamed for the disaster, often amid claims that he led the retreat. A court martial acquitted him of charges of cowardice, but did convict him of failure to secure his camp.
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 March 3, 1779 near the confluence of Brier Creek
Brier Creek
Brier Creek is a tributary of the Savannah River in the U.S. state of Georgia. It rises in Warren County east of Camak and flows southeast to the Savannah River in Screven County, east of Sylvania.- References :...
with the Savannah River
Savannah 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...
in eastern Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. It occurred only a few weeks after a resounding American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
victory over the 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...
at Kettle Creek
Battle of Kettle Creek
The Battle of Kettle Creek was one of the most important battles of the American Revolutionary War to be fought in Georgia. The battle was fought on February 14, 1779, in Wilkes County about eight miles from present-day Washington, Georgia...
, north of 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...
, it reversed the morale effects of the earlier battle.
Background
Following the entry of FranceFrance
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 in 1778, the British focused their attention on the American South, which they had not paid great attention to in the early years of the war. They began their 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...
by sending expeditions from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Saint Augustine, 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...
to capture Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
late in 1778. The New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
expedition, 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:...
, arrived first, and successfully captured
Capture of Savannah
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...
the town on December 29, 1778.
When Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
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:...
arrived from Saint Augustine in mid-January, he assumed command of the garrison there, and sent Campbell on an expedition to take control of 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...
and raise 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...
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...
companies.
Leaving Savannah on January 24, Campbell and more than 1,000 men arrived near Augusta a week later, with only minimal harassment from Georgia Patriot militia on the way. Augusta had been defended by 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...
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....
Andrew Williamson leading about 1,000 militia from Georgia and South Carolina, but he withdrew most of his men when Campbell approached. This rear guard skirmished with Campbell's men before withdrawing across the Savannah River
Savannah 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...
into South Carolina.
Campbell then began recruiting Loyalists. About 1,100 men signed up, but relatively few actually formed militia companies. Campbell then began requiring oaths of loyalty, on pain of forfeiture of property; many took this oath insincerely, quickly letting Williamson know their true feelings. An expedition by James Boyd all the way into North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, where he met with success, and recruited several hundred men. As he traveled south back toward Augusta, more Loyalists joined his company, until it numbered over 600 men in central South Carolina. As this column moved on, the men plundered and pillaged along the way, predictably drawing angered Patriot supporters to take up arms. In a resounding Patriot victory, South Carolina militia Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Andrew Pickens
Andrew Pickens (congressman)
Andrew Pickens was a militia leader in the American Revolution and a member of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina.-Early life:...
defeated Boyd's army at Kettle Creek
Battle of Kettle Creek
The Battle of Kettle Creek was one of the most important battles of the American Revolutionary War to be fought in Georgia. The battle was fought on February 14, 1779, in Wilkes County about eight miles from present-day Washington, Georgia...
on February 14, 1779 with a numerically smaller militia company, killing Boyd and scattering most of his men.
Geography
Brier Creek itself is a riverine watercourse traversing much of eastern Georgia between the Ogeechee RiverOgeechee River
Ogeechee River is a river in the U.S. state of Georgia. It heads at the confluence of its North and South Forks, about south-southwest of Crawfordville and flowing generally southeast to Ossabaw Sound about south of Savannah. Its largest tributary is the Canoochee River...
and the Savannah River
Savannah 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...
. It arises between Warrenton
Warrenton, Georgia
Warrenton is a city in Warren County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,013 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Warren County.-Geography:Warrenton is located at ....
in Warren County
Warren County, Georgia
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 19, 1793. As of 2000, the population was 6,336. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 5,908...
and Thomson
Thomson, Georgia
Thomson, incorporated February 15, 1854, is a city in McDuffie County, Georgia, United States. The population was 6,828 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of McDuffie County. Thomson's nickname is "The Camellia City of the South", in honor of the thousands of camellia plants...
in McDuffie County
McDuffie County, Georgia
McDuffie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on October 18, 1870. As of 2000, the population was 21,231. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 21,551. The county seat is Thomson....
in the lower portion of the Piedmont
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
. The upper portion of the creek is surrounded by open pit kaolin mines as it passes through the fall line
Fall line
A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...
. From there it enters the upper coastal plain and courses down past towns like Wrens
Wrens, Georgia
Wrens is a city in Jefferson County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,187 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Wrens is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 0.33% is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
and Waynesboro
Waynesboro, Georgia
Waynesboro is a city in Burke County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,813 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Burke County...
before joining the Savannah River at Mouth of the Creek near old Haga Slaga, a place which existed at the time of the Revolutionary War in eastern Screven County
Screven County, Georgia
Screven County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 15,374. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 15,037...
near Sylvania
Sylvania, Georgia
Sylvania is a city in Screven County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,675 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Screven County.-Geography:Sylvania is located at ....
. This waterway has a length of approximately 80 miles (130 kilometers). In many places along the length of its course it is 30 to 50 feet (9 to 16 meters) in width. Near its mouth it is sometimes as broad as 80 feet (25 meters). In many ways it is more a river than a creek. Much of the lowest portion of the creek is bordered by the Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area, which contains some portion of or the greatest part of the battle site.
Savannah 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...
forms a significant geographic constraint upon movement in that area between the forks formed by the creek and river. The land surrounding the creek and river is often swampy, and movement across both waterways is greatly constrained. This lay of the land contributed to the location and consequences of the battle.
Campbell leaves Augusta
On February 14, the same day as the battle at Kettle Creek, Campbell decided to withdraw from Augusta, most likely due to the arrival in Williamson's camp of another 1,000 North Carolina men under John AsheJohn Ashe
John Ashe may refer to:*John Ashe *John Ashe , American Revolutionary War figure*John Baptista Ashe , North Carolina delegate to the Continental Congress...
. Campbell did not find out about the Kettle Creek battle until after he had already left Augusta. Believing Williamson's forces to number nearly 4,000 but really only about 2,400 and disappointed in the low recruitment numbers, he abandoned Augusta and headed back towards Savannah. To Campbell's credit, he had suffered only a single casualty, but the means of that loss was cause for anger among his regulars
Regular army
A regular army consists of the permanent force of a country's army that is maintained under arms during peacetime.Countries that use the term include:*Australian Army*British Army*Canadian Forces, specifically "Regular Force"*Egyptian army*Indian Army...
. One the 71st Regiment men had been assigned as a "safeguard" in a private residence, a position normally out of bounds to attack in European warfare. This man had been killed by Patriot partisans, and neither Williamson or Lincoln wanted to prosecute them for the violation.
Campbell led the troops south until they reached Ebenezer
Ebenezer, Georgia
Ebenezer, also known as New Ebenezer, is a ghost town in Effingham County, Georgia, United States, along the banks of Ebenezer Creek. It was listed on the U.S...
. There he turned command of the column over to General Prevost's younger brother, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Prevost, and headed down the river to return to England. General Ashe trailed after Campbell. When Campbell reached Ebenezer, Ashe camped near the confluence of Brier Creek and the Savannah River, about 15 miles (24.1 km) to the north. The bridge across Brier Creek was burned out, and Ashe set men to repairing it. While encamped there, he was joined by about 200 light cavalry and some additional light infantry units, swelling his force to about 1,300 men.
Turning the American flank
Arriving around 10:00 am the next morning, they found the bridge destroyed, and set about building a temporary bridge to get their equipment across. Concerned that they might be discovered, Prevost sent Baird's light infantry and a company of light dragoons to ford the river the night of March 2. They acted as a screen against discovery of the ongoing work, and cut off Ashe's escape route. Prevost's full party had crossed the river by dawn on March 3. While participants later disagreed on whether or not patrols from Ashe's camp were aware of the British movement, he took no particular action to guard against the possibility.
Battle
On the afternoon of March 3, a rider galloped into the American camp, warning of the British approach. While the exact amount of time they had to deploy is uncertain, the relatively hurried nature of their deployment was clear. The number of troops that actually formed up was about 900, as a number of troops had been dispatched to the south for scouting, and others were on duty at the burned-out bridge. Distribution of ammunition to the men was complicated by the shortage of cartouche boxes and varying musket calibers. When the American lines were finally formed, the left side was flanked by Brier Creek, but there as a large gap on the right side, between the end of the line and the river. The left was held by the North Carolina New Bern regiment, the center by a combination of Georgia militia and Continental ArmyContinental 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 under Samuel Elbert
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...
, and the right was held primarily by the North Carolina Edenton regiment.
Most of the North Carolina militia did not have bayonets. Seeing the British charging at them, many broke and ran without even firing a shot. The Edenton men fired a few rounds, and then abandoned the fight. Elbert's Continentals held formation in the center while the militia around them fled for the swamps, and were eventually surrounded, forcing Elbert to surrender. The 200 men at the bridge came up to the battlefield late in the fighting, but quickly withdrew before getting drawn into the rout.
Aftermath
The British counted five killed and eleven wounded. The carnage on the American side was never fully tallied, as many militiamen retreated all the way back to North Carolina, and an unknown number drowned in the swamps. Prevost claimed that 150 American bodies were found on the battlefield, and that 227 captives were taken, mostly from Elbert's Continentals.External links
- Revolutionary War in Georgia: 1779
- Battle of Brier Creek State Historical Marker
- Battle of Briar (BRIER) Creek
- Pages 353 & 354 - An Historical Account of the Settlements of Scotch Highlanders in America Prior to the Peace of 1783
- Pages 343 to 345 - The History of South Carolina in the Revolution, 1775-1780
- Pages 363 & 364 - History of South Carolina
- Pages 295 & 296 - The Pictorial History of the American Revolution; with a sketch of the early history of the Country
- Bridge over Brier Creek at Millhaven - site of skirmish at Paris' Mill, March 2, 1779 - is at coordinates 32.933397°N 81.650646°W