Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-03-16
A!isturw of $. Garolina.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
Early Settlement of South Carolina.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
THE WAR IN GEORGIA.

s.t. BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
THE WAR IN GEORGIA.
The fall of Savannah was followed by the
surrender of Sunbury. In order to join COL
onel Campbell, General Provost left St. Au-
gustine about the time that Campbell sailed
from Sandy Hook. His army consisted of
about two thousand men, together with a
small artillery force. 1t was mixed multi
tude of British regulars, savage Indians and
tories, who had fed from South Carolina and
Georgia On the sixth of January, Provost
reached Sunbury. Major Lane was in COM
mand of the American forces at that point.
His force was not one.tenth Of that Of the
enemy. Still, when Provost demanded an
unconditional surrender, Lane, without hest
fancy, refused to comply. Provost placed his
forces in order and commenced to open upon
the fort with his cannon. Lane saw at once
that it was utterly impossible, with two hum
dred men, most of whom we're militia, to
withstand the force of the enemy. After he
had lost in killed, one Captain and three pri-
Yates, and seven wounded, Lane agreed to
-3Es-srrth;ng-Es&l Y
the enemy. Two American galleys lay in the
river. These the crews took to Assabaw Is
land and there burned them, and attempted
to escape in sloop to Charleston, but were
captured and brought back to Savannah.
To all human appearances Georgia was
ruined. The whole territory of the State was
completely in the power ofthe British. Flush.
ed with victory, and no doubt confident Of
final success, the officers Of the royal army
proceeded, without delay, to establish civil
government in Georgia. Cruelty was mingled
with lenity. The prisoners held by the enc
my were crowded in the ships where they
died; some of disease, but more of neglect
and hunger. Commodore Hyde Parker act
ed the part of vile monster. Wives and
daughters, whilst pleading for mercy in be-
half of their husbands and fathers, were vile.
ly insulted, and the dead were thrown into
the swamps to be devoured by dogs and buz-
yards. Colonel Campbell was more lenient,
and his policy was more injurious to the cause
of the Americans and more favorable to that
of his royal master. Loyalsts Aocked by
the hundreds to the British standard, and tho
ardor of some, who before had been regarded
as staunch Wings, began to cool. This was,
in fact, "the time that tried mems souls"
Many of those brave men who had fought
under Moultrie at Sullvan's Island, had left
their bones in Florida others were prisoners,
and the remnant of that noble little band
were hotly pursued by a foe exulting on &C
count of their misfortunes.
Campbell was commanded, by Provost, to
march in the direction of Augusta, that he
might be joined by the tories Of South Carroll
ma. Military posts were established in the in
terror, and agents we're sent into the Ninety
Six region to urge the loyalists to arm them
selves and assist in crushing out the rebellion.
This was joyful news to the loyalists They
had been quiet for long time only from ne
cessity and policy.
General Robert Howe was ruined. He
was unable to do any thing to impede the
progress of the enemy, or to awe and keep the
tories in subjection. General Elbert, together
with Colonels Twiggs and Few, attempted to
thwart the plans of Colonel Campbell, but in
spite of all their efforts Campbell reached
Augusta on the twenty-ninth of January.
Here he found the noted loyalists, Brown
and Lieutenant Colonel McGrith of the Brit
ish army. Brown was placed in charge of
the garrison stationed at Augusta. The to-
ries, both from North and South Carolina, had
been collecting in great numbers under Colo
mel Boyd. A body of eight hundred tories,
under Boyd, collected in the western part of
South Carolina, marched along the frontier of
the State, plundering and destroying every
thing within their reach and barbarously MUIR
dering every one who dared to object to their
depredstions.
Georgia, and in fact the western section of
the up-country of South Carolina, was beneath
the heel of the invading foe. Many of the
Wings of Georgia crossed over the Savannah
and found temporary reliefin South Carolina.
The British and Tories burned their houses
and destroyed their property. Many, unable
to get away, took the oath of allegiance to the
King.
We are not to conclude that the cause of
liberty was abandoned by all the people of
Georgia and the adjacent region Of South
Carolina. There we're several partisan leaders
who watched the movements of the enemy,
and were only waiting for favorable oppor.
tunity to pounce down upon him. Colonels
Elbert, Dooly, Clark and Pickeus, we're in the
field. They we're determined to dispute every
step of the enemy's progress and make his re-