Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-05-31
Misturp uf $. Carulina,
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
Early Settlement of South Carolina.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.

SIEGE AND CAPTURE OF AUGUSTA.
The siege and capture of Augusta properly
belongs to the history of the battles of Geor-
gia, but like Guilford Courthouse, it cannot
be discovered from the history Of South Car.
olina. 1t is a link in that chain of events
which led to American independence, and is
part and parcel of the history Of both South
Carolina and Georgia.
Augusta is one of the oldest towns in the
State of Georgia. 1t was founded in 1875,
under the direction of that great and good
man, General James Edward Oglethorpe.
1t was fortified at an early period, and had
attained a position of great Importance, on
account of its Indian trade, long before the
Wings of America attempted to throw off the
yoke of the mother country. In no section
of the United States did the Wings and to-
ries bear toward each other such bitter ha-
tired, and in no section did they inhict upon
each other such deeds of horrid cruelty. Au-
gusta was alternately in the possession of the
Americans and British. Each retained it so
long as they could, and each gave it up only
after death struggle. Many and desperate
were the conflicts which took place in and
around Augusta Men fought as men rarely
fight, and endured as men seldom endure.
Passion and patriotism were arrayed against
passion and loyalty, and bitter and unyield-
ing hatred was confronted by spirit of
revenge.
After the surrender of Fort Galphin, on
the 21st of May, 1881, Lieutenant-C Colonel
Lee, with that promptness for which he was
noted, began to make preparation to carry
out the instructions of General Greene. Aft
er only a few hours rest, a detachment under
Major Egglestou, Captains Armstrong and
O'Neale, was ordered to cross the Savannah
below Augusta and join General Pickens and
Colonel Clarke on the west of the town.
Eggleston was directed to summon Colonel
Brown, the commander of Fort CORVALLIS,
to surrender, so soon as he joined Pickens
and Clarke. Everything was done with
dispatch. Brown was waited upon by an Of
ficer bearing white flag. and summoned to
surrender; but that officer thinking that the
summons came from Colonel Clarke, whom
he bitterly hated and dreadfully feared, re.
fused to surrender, and even treated the
American flag with contempt.
On the same evening, Lieutenant Colonel
Lee, with all his forces, crossed the Savannah
and Joined Pickens, Clarke and Eggeston.
The American officers were rendered frantic
with rage on account of the contemptuous
manner in which their flag had been treated
They decided to have no more friendly com,
munications with the British Colonel. A plan
by which Augusta might be forced, was, in a
moment suggested by Lee, and readily assent.
ed to by all the other officers. The plan was
this: Fort Grierson was first to be reduced
and then out of all danger of being molested
by this place, the whole force Of the Ameri.
cans was to be brought to bear upon Fort
CORVALLIS.
At Augusta, the course of the Savannah
river is nearly east Fort CORVALLIS was To-
Gated near the centre of the town. The plain
on which the town is situated, is intersected
by small rivulet which empties into the
river short distance north of the town. The
margin of this rivulet was a swamp On the
north. western, border of this swamp, was erect
ell Fort iGrierson. 1t was, perhaps, mile
from Fort CORVALLIS. In comparison with
Cornwalis, Griersoh was a weak place. The