Siege of Augusta
Encyclopedia
The Siege of Augusta began on May 22, 1781 and was conducted by General Andrew Pickens
and Colonel Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee
against British troops occupying the town of Augusta, Georgia
. Fort Cornwallis, the primary defenses, were successfully exposed to cannon fire by the construction of a tower 30 feet (9.1 m) high on which the Americans mounted a small cannon. The garrison surrendered on June 6.
militia companies under the command of Micajah Williamson arrived on the outskirts of Augusta, Georgia
and established a fortified camp. The garrison of the town's primary fortification, Fort Cornwallis, was commanded by a hated Loyalist
, Thomas Brown
, and did not immediately confront Williamson due to exaggerated reports of his troop strength.
General Andrew Pickens
maneuvered a force of 400 men between Augusta and Ninety Six, South Carolina
to prevent the British outpost there from reinforcing Brown. On May 15, Williamson was joined by his commander, Elijah Clarke
and another 100 men, and the British supply lines were effectively cut.
General Nathanael Greene
had sent Major Henry Lee
to attempt the capture of Ninety Six, but when Lee neared he learned that the town had been fortified in anticipation of Greene's arrival. Greene then ordered Lee to assist Pickens at Augusta. Pressing on, Lee reached Augusta after traveling 75 miles (120.7 km) in three days.
, surrendered. The prize (and the reason for the Patriot attack) was much-needed supplies and military equipment which had been intended for distribution to the local Indians.
Grierson, desperate to escape the trap, attempted to flee along the riverbank but his entire company was captured. Clarke's men then took their revenge on similar actions perpetrated by Brown, and refused quarter, killing Grierson and all of his men.
. Under cover of a nearby house, they constructed a wooden tower about 30 feet (9.1 m) high. During its construction Brown made several further sortie
s, but Lee's men fought them off each time.
The tower was high enough to top the fort's walls on June 1 and the Patriots began firing into the fort. That night Brown led most of the garrison out and a pitched battle
ensued in which Brown was once again forced to retreat behind his defenses. He then sent out one of his men, pretending to be a deserter, to gain access to the tower with a view to setting it on fire. He suggested to Lee that he could direct the cannon at the fort's magazine
, and had very nearly succeeded in his quest when Lee somehow became suspicious and had him placed under guard.
The cannon atop the tower continued to rake the interior of the fort, knocking guns off their mounts and destroying the barracks. The Patriot leaders then began planning an attack on the fort, exploring places to position sharpshooters in the few remaining houses near the fort. On the night of June 3 the last remaining house exploded. Brown had sent sapper
s to undermine the house, expecting it to be used for such purposes, and the explosive charge had gone off before the building was occupied.
Patriot forces lined up for assault on the morning of June 4, and Pickens and Lee sent in a surrender demand, which Brown turned down. In deference to the fact that it was the King
's birthday, the attack was delayed one day.
troops from North Carolina
, as a number of the local militia were interested in seeing him dead over his previous acts of brutality.
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:...
and Colonel Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee
Henry Lee
Henry Lee III was an early American patriot who served as the ninth Governor of Virginia and as the Virginia Representative to the United States Congress. During the American Revolution, Lee served as a cavalry officer in the Continental Army and earned the nickname "Light-Horse Harry". Lee was...
against British troops occupying the town of Augusta, Georgia
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...
. Fort Cornwallis, the primary defenses, were successfully exposed to cannon fire by the construction of a tower 30 feet (9.1 m) high on which the Americans mounted a small cannon. The garrison surrendered on June 6.
Siege begins
On April 16, PatriotPatriot (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 companies under the command of Micajah Williamson arrived on the outskirts of Augusta, Georgia
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 established a fortified camp. The garrison of the town's primary fortification, Fort Cornwallis, was commanded by a hated 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...
, Thomas Brown
Thomas Brown (loyalist)
Thomas 'Burnfoot' Brown was an English Loyalist during the American Revolution.Intending to become a quiet colonial landowner, he lived instead a turbulent and combative career...
, and did not immediately confront Williamson due to exaggerated reports of his troop strength.
General 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:...
maneuvered a force of 400 men between Augusta and Ninety Six, South Carolina
Ninety Six, South Carolina
Ninety Six is a town in Greenwood County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,936 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ninety Six is located at ....
to prevent the British outpost there from reinforcing Brown. On May 15, Williamson was joined by his commander, Elijah Clarke
Elijah Clarke
Elijah Clarke , born in Anson County, North Carolina, was a soldier and officer with the Continentals and considered a hero of the American Revolutionary War. Afterward he was elected to the Georgia legislature. In 1794 he organized the Trans-Oconee Republic, several settlements in counties of...
and another 100 men, and the British supply lines were effectively cut.
General Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible; he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washington's most gifted and dependable officer. Many places in the United...
had sent Major Henry Lee
Henry Lee
Henry Lee III was an early American patriot who served as the ninth Governor of Virginia and as the Virginia Representative to the United States Congress. During the American Revolution, Lee served as a cavalry officer in the Continental Army and earned the nickname "Light-Horse Harry". Lee was...
to attempt the capture of Ninety Six, but when Lee neared he learned that the town had been fortified in anticipation of Greene's arrival. Greene then ordered Lee to assist Pickens at Augusta. Pressing on, Lee reached Augusta after traveling 75 miles (120.7 km) in three days.
Galphin's prize
On May 21, the stockaded house of George Galphin, a British Indian agent, located 12 miles (19.3 km) south of Augusta, was attacked by forces under Clarke and Lee. After a brief exchange, in which one Patriot died of the heat and eight to ten were wounded, the British garrison there surrendered after three or four men were killed. A total of 126 men, mostly regularsRegular 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...
, surrendered. The prize (and the reason for the Patriot attack) was much-needed supplies and military equipment which had been intended for distribution to the local Indians.
Fort Grierson
Fort Grierson was a secondary fortified outpost located about half a mile (0.8 km) from Fort Cornwallis. This fort was defended by about 80 men under Colonel Grierson. On May 23 the Patriot forces began to encircle the fort in a manner intended to draw Grierson out in an attempt to reach Fort Cornwallis. Brown, aware of the danger to Grierson, sallied forth from Cornwallis, but when faced with Lee's strength, limited his support attempt to an ineffective cannonade.Grierson, desperate to escape the trap, attempted to flee along the riverbank but his entire company was captured. Clarke's men then took their revenge on similar actions perpetrated by Brown, and refused quarter, killing Grierson and all of his men.
Fort Cornwallis
The forces defending Cornwallis numbered about 300 Loyalist militia, who were assisted in defensive works by about 200 African-Americans. The fort was well-constructed and the Patriots could not find a ready means of attack, since they only had a single cannon. At Lee's suggestion they decided to use a stratagem that had met with success at the Siege of Fort WatsonSiege of Fort Watson
The Siege of Fort Watson was an American Revolutionary War confrontation in South Carolina that began on April 15, 1781 and lasted until April 23, 1781...
. Under cover of a nearby house, they constructed a wooden tower about 30 feet (9.1 m) high. During its construction Brown made several further sortie
Sortie
Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
s, but Lee's men fought them off each time.
The tower was high enough to top the fort's walls on June 1 and the Patriots began firing into the fort. That night Brown led most of the garrison out and a pitched battle
Pitched battle
A pitched battle is a battle where both sides choose to fight at a chosen location and time and where either side has the option to disengage either before the battle starts, or shortly after the first armed exchanges....
ensued in which Brown was once again forced to retreat behind his defenses. He then sent out one of his men, pretending to be a deserter, to gain access to the tower with a view to setting it on fire. He suggested to Lee that he could direct the cannon at the fort's magazine
Magazine (artillery)
Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
, and had very nearly succeeded in his quest when Lee somehow became suspicious and had him placed under guard.
The cannon atop the tower continued to rake the interior of the fort, knocking guns off their mounts and destroying the barracks. The Patriot leaders then began planning an attack on the fort, exploring places to position sharpshooters in the few remaining houses near the fort. On the night of June 3 the last remaining house exploded. Brown had sent sapper
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
s to undermine the house, expecting it to be used for such purposes, and the explosive charge had gone off before the building was occupied.
Patriot forces lined up for assault on the morning of June 4, and Pickens and Lee sent in a surrender demand, which Brown turned down. In deference to the fact that it was 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...
's birthday, the attack was delayed one day.
Surrender
On June 5, Brown offered to negotiate terms of surrender. To avoid a repeat of Grierson's fate, he was specifically surrendered to a detachment of 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...
troops from 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...
, as a number of the local militia were interested in seeing him dead over his previous acts of brutality.