The British invasion of Georgia in the final days of 1778 was part of the southern theater of the revolution, but with the expulsion of the king’s troops from Augusta in June 1781, factional disputes threatened to spoil the victory. At this critical moment Brownson, then acting as deputy purveyor of hospitals in the South, was dispatched to Georgia with a brigadier’s commission from Congress. He initially served as Speaker of the House of Representatives, before a compromise was worked out whereby Brownson became governor and John Twiggs was promoted to brigadier general. Brownson congratulated General Nathanael Greene for his efforts to restore civil government in Georgia.