The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-02-08

| HS .AWc'ASau SSuClut "uo poo'SN aN'N"S
the main land within half u mile Of the
tuwn-hi, right covered. Us he supposed,
Ly thick swamp. But Sir James
Baird, afterwards 50 distinguished under
Wellington, led u column Of light lu-
fau,ry and New York Qtory) volunteers
BY Il private path thr"uSh the swamp,
guided BY negro, und liowe's attention
being ut the same time cullcd away TO
his left. he was completely ouiilanked
10y Baird's party. Co!oucI Campbell AZ
this moment attacked in front, the Mill.
Tia on llowes riyh, gave way, aud Sa.
vaunuh was won hy the English. They
took ,hirty.eighs officers and four huu.
dred and fifteen men prisoners, and lost
only seven men killed and nineteen
wounded. They also took seventy one
pieces Of artillery, and eight hundred
and seventeen stand Of small urms.-
Within ten days, great minority Of the
inhabitants OF Georgia had come in and
taken the oath OF allegiance to King
George.
The second attack on Savannah par:
took moro Of the character Of siege
1t was one Of the first fruits Of the alli
ance between the French and Americans,
and was not attended with the success
that afterwards waited on that alliance.
The arrival Of tho French fleet under
Count d'Estaing first threatcned the
English in the town. The fleet appear.
I'd ON the 9th Of September, aud the
heavy vessels being unable to cross the
bar, they landed their men aud heavy
guns in transports in Ossabaw Sound.
Thus lighteucd, they crossed the bar and
drove the British fleet up to the city.
where these ships landed their marines
and most Of the guns to join the garrison
in the defense. TEc English sunk six
ships in the channel, where they lie to
this day, fact worthy the attention. Of
tn. nation, which regards this cxpe'licnt
iuadmissabIe ia civilized war. Their
object was to bar the channel against
the fleet Of their enemy.
D'Estaiug landed $500 men, invested
the city hastily, aud summoned it TO
surrender. General Provost, who was
in command. asked twcuty.four hours
time TO consider the terms, expecting
tho arrival Of Maitland, with the British
garrison from Beaufort, aud he WAS not
disappointed. Before the time had c1
pired, Maitland, with 500 men, escaping
the French fee, in foS, had reinforced
him. aud put him in position to main,
tain the siege. D'Estaing WAS now
joined by General Benjamin Lincoln
uf the Continental army, with 4 small
American force. The French brought
up siege guns from their fleet, but the
English could more readily land theirs.
aud, by the time D'E.,ain. and Lincoln
opened FIRE, on the nth Of October, from
tiiry.,hrcc cannon aud fourteen murtars
General Provost had more than 100
=uns mounted to reply. We have al
ready said that. whru Camphrll took the
city. he owed its capture to Il negro. In
describing its defence. at this period, the
English officer, S,edman, cxtols the
work done for the defense by "the
humble African, whose inccssant and
cheerful Iabors in rearing those numcr'
Gus detcnses, which we're constructed
with SD much promptnesS as t" a>t"n'sh
the bescgers, ought never DC t"rsot'en
in the history Of this memorial siege.
We certainly are willing to remember
them.
D'Estaiug could not afford, however,
the regular reduction Of works so for
midable. He determined to storm lhem
and, against all demur, threatened to
withdraw his feet, Us the only alterna.
tive. The assault WAS, therefore deter
mined on, to take effect on the morning
of the 9th. a column of militia, under
Gen. Huger, was to make ieigned at
tack in front, while D'Estaing and Lin
coin led heavy column aguinst the
Spring Hill redoubt, which occupied the
ground where is now the station Of the
Augusta Railroad. Under cover Of these
attacks, 4 third column. under Dillon:
was to move silently along the edge. OF
the swamp, pass the rcdnubts aud butter.
les, aud take the British in the rear, at
their weak point, on the east, toward
the river. Unfortunately this last column
los, itself in the swump. The whole
brunt Of the action fell on the stormins
column, which, with hgreat gallantry, took
tho rcdoubt, planted the French aud
American flags there, but was then driven
back By Maitland, with corps OF grena:
diers. The French left in the ditch and
on the purapet six hundred aud thirty
seven men killed and wounded; the Ame'
ricans, two hundred and sixty.four-
larger loss, if We recollect rightly
than was sustained in that war, by
any one part, in one action, excepting
D..-l,o. n;il With tbiS f,ilurp