The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-02-23
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"A BLOODY BATTLE
with the Scene at Brier Creek, Screven
County-Enteresting War Relics

with the Scene at Brier Creek. Screve
: County-Entercsting War Relies.
, SYLvANIA. Ga. February 20. Especial. !
The finding of several old English coins IN III
lower part of our county recently, with TIN
image Of George III stamped upon them, re
wives the memory of the revolutionary BATH
which was fought on Screven's soil in March
1779 1t was not q battle which Americans
can recall with any degree of pride, for ouI
forces wore ingloriously defeated. But then,
If We can build monument at Bunker ELL
and patriotlca!ly celebrate that great defeat &c
our arms, surely it will not be treason to recall
for short space the battle of Brier creek
TIE Sylvania Telephone says of it:
A great many OF the citizens Of this section,
| perhaps. do not know of this fight in The Sa-
vannah RIVER swamp between their forefathers
and the British red coats and yet it was very
important and bloody battle. 1t was down at
the extreme end OF what is known as '"rhe
| Fork the section Of land that lies batW cen
! Brler creek and the Savannah river and ex-
| tend!ng from BrannOns bridge to where the
| creek empIes into the ryer-and where the
| only sound that now breaks the stiffness is the
| oaying, at times, Of few hounds, and the occas.
| iona! shot OF the hunter, it was there that, one
| hundred and twelve years ago. the ,;rd of last
| March. the roar Of cannon, the rattle OF mus
| kerry and the forco shouts of conflict re-
sounded, and made the swamp a scene of earn
age and death.
Although the forces engaged or each side
We're not very large, yet the battle Of Hrer
creek was an important one, and disastrous in
It's consequences, Tor while st least, to the
cause OF freedom in Georgia. At this time
(March, lI79, Savannah was in the hands of
TIC british, but they had recently evacuated
as1 ana Inelr most northern camp was al
General Ashe at Brier creek, when consistes
$50 Stevens in his history Of Georgia says az
though some historians Alahe 'ho ii'
| s.nallcr), Of 2, 500 men,
| Gauoral Lincoln, who had force Of over
,hrre thousand men at Purysburg, s. G., had
| determined to cross the river up az Diach
| swamp, and marching down, JOLT ioioo'
| with General AShe. s:
| TLe british commander, however, fearing
| tbat there would be coalition o. the Amer
! cans, determined, If possible 20 Scae'et wy
trnoos ot Brier creek. Accordingly. Lieutenant
| Colonel Provost left Hudson's ferry WITH l'0o0
nov. and five pieces of artillery, and making
= c.rcujtors route through the center OF
| EcyaysD. crossed the Crcol; UP above Nrop&DlS
near where Iryan's bridge now stands ana
| bore down upon the unconscious 1imcfl:ahS'
vino lttt!e dreamed that there was d BRUSH
soldier nearer them than HudsonS Terry.
General Ashe, who seems tohaye been either
y tr9itor or totally unfit TO be % conmahdtr'
deemed his position perfectly secure "n9ll L
fact it was nothing more than q S!t-"Ht -
! Stevens thus describes his position; behGl al
| Asbe was not prepared for such an encoul't'i
cucanpod rs he was III pace totaIiA ''i'ii' ~
defense. On his right was deep lake, mace
| Inv the OVERLOOKING Of the surrounding STREAMS
iii the low and matted swamp. On ms 1o 1
was Rrier creek, swollen, rapid and in!p2sS
ob}n bv recent rains, and bis rear was pouhde,
hv the Savannah, VITA not boat to cross ~
while his only means OF exit from TINS VraP
into which, with entire lack OF military hh'i -
he Lad led bis troops, was oy aL ooi1 1U
front, and even this he had Jailed TO adequate
/ secure" a,
AT O'Clock in the afternoon, on MaIch ga
the British advance column drove III tl
r;ckets who were stationed ABOUT q hl'o IN ,i
| lie main body and so complele'y "o 1r,' W
( Americans surprised that when the uiuIn
| eonndnd TO arms "not u soldier or piece OF al
: tiIIery had been served with cartrldgeS' an
| not a p,an OF any kind had been formed lo
i action" Il great many OF the AneIiG'i
were fishing and hunting "heh ''c can ~ p sI
= tie came, and the con aston was great A9Il
: atte,n1ted to form his troops INTO thfe
G divisions bat in vain Many OF them sia VIZ
e fully fed. the general, at full speed, ieadfl'
! tho way General Ebert, however, VINO COZ
d handed the left wing OF the little army, nao
T. q brave and stubborn resistance. LIS 'fooi
{ouaLt long and valiantiy, and
n was only when all hope was goh
s. and his men We're being Aetc'!e'o
70 nnved down, that Ebert ordered then4 e
s, oronpd the:r arms and surrender as praone
is Tie American less in tho battle was 81
t. r,auy of whom were drowned III the river al
re creek Tie English loss was triiiin@, Den
te only sixteen killed and wounded.
II A great many relies have been @athoieu
ID different times from this Cd battlefield
at Hrier creek. but the most valuable of All q
d, sill either buried in the swamp or ne Uc'
III down beneath the waters OF the little u"
ey adjacent to the creek. These are some ira
ID ,iccos of artillery which the ifaaiti
~ Of the elders rs handed GOV
ed TO tie oldest citizens OF orr county 81
were thyovn of an enb1nlrmeht mo
cs water by tie Americans in the heat OF Tie u
be tie 70 prevent thcr falling into the i!%ECS
Of fEe Tritish. Several older men who NE
10 tn2t nor;oa Of the county say tneY ii'Nc ne.
its their fathers tell how, years age. "ii i.,
Nv creek wa, lower than it had ever Jeeil M
if before the muzzlos OF the cannon co''1 =
Vi seon ira iectiug above the wa:cr, ana t!iaV ~
on were in tho little lake when SUI '''''
Die from the main stream OF the cfe@h'
al No efforts was made TO reclaim t!:oSo
10 Guns from their hiding place "nt'i io3l, W
nd The SylNania Rifles, a military c4hp.:iiS " !"
-rG has since become extinct, V eAt uQ"E -"
it, tLe Instruments and utensils tllat 'hey 'hou:
K? were necessary and after much iaool =
re- cnaded in grasping, Nt!i huge iron h4st:9 '
NJ Ii,ey had made Cor the purpose, "ii'tS ~. 9
Sc. snvgled lust ike revolutionary t".lh
ret When the pre2ions weight was oIouS'' ~
nd ! SuriaCe however, it proved 10 W o'i,A i
yer LARGE and aHcient-icoA!nE rom d
II ,,..,lo co disousted that they abandoheo
,sa.. ~, the snot and returned home.
ia. ftTharn has been no further attempt 10
10 tI, Ems since shat lime, but there arc m
,i. nhn st assert their belief that they az III
~, I,Lc tt found they would he valuable t =!
49,, ,niaeJ and there may DO alio,aet eApo"
os.. after them before very .o!S.