Savannah in the American Revolution

Savannah in the American Revolution. . When political dissent evolved into armed revolution in America, Oglethorpe's colony had only been in existence for four decades. Georgians confronted the same political and economic issues associated with British taxation as the more established colonies. A general deterioration of Royal authority intensified when news of armed resistance at Lexington and Concord (Massachusetts) reached Savannah in May 1775. On July 4, 1775, Georgia's second provincial congress convened to determine the colony's future. Delegates decided that Georgia would join the other 12 colonies to unite against the British Crown., HMS Rose was a 6th rate frigate stationed in Savannah during the British Occupation. The Rose was in the river below Savannah to obstruct navigation when the French fleet arrived in September 1779., Battle of the Rice Boats , In January 1776, Royal navy vessels entered the Savannah River. Captain Andrew Barkley only proposed to purchase supplies, but Savannah Whigs flatly refused. Barkley sailed upriver and through Back River capturing 26 merchantmen at the northwest end of Hutchinson Island. Georgia militia frustrated the raid, but the rice boats were captured. Americans torched several in hopes that the burning craft would drift into the British anchorage. Despite their valiant efforts, Barkley made his way downstream through the Back River with the prize vessels in tow. , British Attack on Savannah December 28, 1778 , By 1778, the British altered their strategy to subdue the American rebellion. An army of over 3,000 British regulars, German mercenaries and American Loyalists sailed from New York to capture Savannah. Under the command of Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell, the expedition would use the city as a base of operations against Patriot forces in the South. The British advance into Savannah was virtually uncontested by the surprised Georgia Continentals. For the duration of the war in America, Savannah was an occupied city. , American Attempt to Liberate Savannah , On September 11, 1779, American forces under command of Gen. Benjamin Lincoln and Count Casimir Pulaski rendezvoused northwest of Savannah. The following day, Count Charles-Henri d' Estaing's French fleet debarked 3,200 French, Irish and Haitian soldiers who marched on Savannah to support the American attack. Allied forces chose to lay siege to the city and and unleashed a five- day bombardment. Unfortunately, there was little damage to the British defenses. Savannah remained under British control for more than six months after Gen. Cornwallis surrendered to Gen. George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia in October 1781.