Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-10-30
SOVFa CAROLINA M
FHE Rkq0h UFt0N
How the Spirit of Liberty Was Kept Alive BY an
UncOnQuerable People
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM. ID. ID.
From the YorBville Enquirer Of 1875
INSTALLMENT XLVI.
Siege and Capture of Augusta.

The siege and capture Of Augusta
properly belongs to the history OF the
battles Of Georgia, but like Guilford
court house, it cannot be discovered
from the history of South Carolina
It is link in that chain Of events
which led to American independence
and is a 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
position of great importance on &C
count Of its Indian trade, long before
the Wings OF America attempted TO
throw off the yoke of the mother coun-
try. In no section of the United States
did the Wings and Tories bear toward
each other such bitter hatred, and In
no section did they infiict upon each
other such deeds OF horrid cruelty.
Augusta was alternately in the pos
session 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 sell
dom endure Passion and patriotism
were arrayed against passion and 10y
atty, and bitter and unyielding hatred
was confronted by a spirit of revenge.
After the surrender Of Fort Galphin
on the 21st Of May, 1871, Lieutenant
Colonel Lee with that promptness for
which he was noted began to make
preparations to carry out the instruc-
tions Of General Greene. After only a
few hours rest, a detachment under
Major Eggleston, 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
Cornwallis to surrender, so soon as he
Joined Pickens and Clarke. Every
thing was done with dispatch. Brown
was waited upon by an officer bearing
a white flag and summoned to surren-
der: but that officer thinking that the
summons came from Colonel Clarke
whom he bitterly hated and dreadfully
feared, refused to surrender end even
treated the American flag with con-
tempt. --.ss---.-
On the same evening Lieutenant
Colonel Lee with all his forces, cross
ed the Savannah and Joined Pickens,
Clarke and EgglestOn. 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 communications with the Brit
ish colonel. A plan by which Augusta
suggested by Lee and readily assented
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 Americans was to be
brought to bear upon Fort Cornwallis.
At Augusta the course of the Sa-
vannah river is nearly east. Fort
Cornwallis was located near the centre
Of The town. The plain on which the
town is situated is intersected by a
small rivulet which empties into the
river a short distance north Of the
town. The margin Of this rivulet was
a swamp On the northwestern bor-
der of this swamp. was erected Fort
Grierson. 1t was perhaps mile from
Fort Cornwallis. In comparison with
CORVALLIS. Grierson was a weak place
The garrison consisted mainly Of To-
ries and Toyalists from the surrounding
country.
1t was planned by Lieutenant Colo
mel Lee that Fort Grierson should be
assaulted on both sides and in front al
the same time. The troops under
Clarke and Pickens were to attack the
northwest: Eaton's command togeth-
er with some Georgia militia, under
Major Jackson were to march round
and to attack the northeast side
whist Lieutenant Colonel Lee with the
infantry attached to his legion, took
position south of Fort Grierson and be-
tween the two forts-Grierson and
CORVALLIS. The cavalry under Eg-
gleston were stationed in skirt OF
woods south of Lieutenant Colone
Lee. Such was the position occupied
by the American forces, that the garrl-
son of Fort Grierson could not escape
to Fort CORVALLIS nor could Colone
Brown, the commander of Fort Corn
wallis, render aid to Grierson, the COM
mander Of the fort which bore his
name.
When Colonel William Brown dis
covered the movements of the Ameri'
can forces, he advanced with two tielc
pieces, with the determination, appar-
however. he discovered that he wa:
about 70 be attacked in the front by
the infantry under Lee, and in the real
by the cavalry under Eggleston. II
view Of this fact he wisely concluded
to leave Fort Grierson to its fate anC
Immediately took shelter behind the
wall Of Fort CORVALLIS.
The resistance made by the garrison
in Fort Grierson was short and feeble
The Americans had a few men wound
ed and Major Eaton killed. A few O
the garrison escaped to the river anC
by creeping along the side of the bank
succeeded in reaching Fort Cornwall
lis. With the exception Of these thu
garrison officers and men fell into tn
hands Of the Americans. Colonel Grier
son was taken prisoner but was sho
Immediately afterward. This act wa
not approved of by the American OF
ficers. So incensed was General Pick
ems at the act, that he offered larg
reward for the discovery Of the maj
who killed GriersOn: but no one wa
willing to give the desired Information
1t was made public afterwards tina
Colonel Grierson was shot by Captain
Samuel (some authorities say James
Alexander Both GriersOn and Brow