Battle of Kettle Creek

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Battle of Kettle Creek Part of the American Revolutionary War Date February 14, 1779 Location near Washington, Georgia Little River 33°41′27″N 82°53′04″W / 33.690796°N 82.884563°W / 33.690796; -82.884563Coordinates: 33°41′27″N 82°53′04″W / 33.690796°N 82.884563°W / 33.690796; -82.884563 Result Patriot victory Belligerents Great Britain United States Commanders James Boyd  † William Spurgen Andrew Pickens John Dooly Elijah Clarke Strength 600–800 Loyalist militia[1] 300–350 Patriot militia[1] Casualties and losses 70 killed 75 captured[1] 32 killed or died of wounds[1]

v • d • e Southern theater, 1775–79 Gunpowder Incident – Kemp's Landing – Great Bridge – Moore's Creek Bridge – Rice Boats – Sullivan's Island – Thomas Creek – Frederica  – Alligator Bridge – Savannah – Beaufort – Kettle Creek – Brier Creek – Stono Ferry – Savannah

The Battle of Kettle Creek was one of the most important battles of the American Revolutionary War to be fought in Georgia. The battle was fought on February 14, 1779, in Wilkes County about eight miles (13 km) from present-day Washington, Georgia. The victory by the American Patriots clearly demonstrated the inability of Great Britain to hold the interior of the state, or to protect Loyalist militia companies.

Background

The British began their "southern strategy" by sending expeditions from New York City and Saint Augustine, East Florida to capture Savannah, Georgia late in 1778. The New York expedition, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell, arrived first, and successfully captured the town on December 29, 1778.

British recruiting around Augusta

When Brigadier General Augustine Prevost arrived from Saint Augustine in mid-January, he assumed command of the garrison there, and sent Campbell on an expedition to take control of Augusta and raise Loyalist militia companies.

Leaving Savannah on January 24, Campbell and more than 1,000 men arrived near Augusta a week later, with only minimal harassment from Georgia Patriot militia on the way. Augusta had been defended by South Carolina General Andrew Williamson leading about 1,000 militia from Georgia and South Carolina, but he withdrew most of his men when Campbell approached. This rear guard skirmished with Campbell's men before withdrawing across the Savannah River into South Carolina.^[2]

Campbell then began recruiting Loyalists. About 1,100 men signed up, but relatively few actually formed militia companies. Campbell then began requiring oaths of loyalty, on pain of forfeiture of property; many took this oath insincerely, quickly letting Williamson know their true feelings. An expedition by James Boyd all the way into North Carolina, where he met with success, and recruited several hundred men. As he traveled south back toward Augusta, more Loyalists joined his company, until it numbered over 600 men in central South Carolina. As this column moved on, the men plundered and pillaged along the way, predictably drawing angered Patriot supporters to take up arms.

Patriot response

South Carolina militia colonel Andrew Pickens raised 350 men and headed toward Augusta to join Williamson. When he learned of Boyd's passage through Ninety Six, he moved to intercept before Boyd could reach the Savannah. Boyd reached Cherokee Ford, where eight Patriots with small swivel guns in an entrenched position repulsed Boyd's approach. Boyd moved north about 5 miles (8.0 km) and crossed the river there. Pickens crossed into Georgia after Boyd, and began following him toward Augusta. On February 14, he caught up with Boyd when he was encamped near Kettle Creek.

Battle

Boyd was apparently unaware that he was being followed so closely, and his camp, while guards were posted, was not particularly alert. Pickens advanced, leading the center, while his left flank was under the command of Elijah Clarke and the right was under John Dooly. Gunfire between Patriot scouts and the camp guards alerted Boyd to the situation, who managed to form a defensive position atop a hill, and surprise Pickens. Flanking maneuvers by Clarke and Dooly were slowed by the swampy conditions, so they did not immediately arrive on the battlefield.

Things at first went badly for Pickens, but then a lucky musket shot hit Boyd, mortally wounding him, and the Patriot flanks began to emerge from the swamps. The Loyalists, led by Boyd's second in command, William Spurgen, fell back, but the disorganized retreat rapidly became a rout.

Aftermath

Pickens took 75 prisoners, and about 70 Loyalists were killed, while he lost 32 men. Five of the captured Loyalists were hanged when it was established that they had violated a Patriot oath taken earlier in the war.

Quite coincidentally, Campbell decided on February 14 to abandon Augusta. Campbell did not learn of this battle until after he had already left Augusta; he probably left due to the arrival of more militia companies in Williamson's camp.^[3]

The battle clearly demonstrated the limits of British power, and its ability to protect Loyalists outside their immediate protection. The success of Kettle Creek was undone by the later British victory at the Battle of Brier Creek, which took place nearby in present-day Screven County.

Legacy

The battlefield memorial can be reached via War Hill Road, itself reached via Court Ground Road / Tyrone Road (CR-22). That latter CR-22 is approached via Stoney Ridge Road (CR-68). And that latter CR-68 is reached via GA Route 44 near the community of Tyrone.

See also

• Samuel Campbell Clegg

References

• Buchanan, John. The Road to Guilford Courthouse: The American Revolution in the Carolinas. John Wiley and Sons, 1997
• Battle of Kettle Creek
• Sullivan, Buddy. Georgia: A State History. Arcadia Publishing, 2003
• Wilson, David. The southern strategy: Britain's conquest of South Carolina and Georgia, 1775-1780. Univ of South Carolina press, 2005. ISBN 9781570035739

External links

• Georgia Department Of Transportation Wilkes County Road Map in PDF file format [1]
• Battle of Kettle Creek, Georgia. By Robert Scott Davis Jr. [2]
• Kettle Creek Battlefield: Revolutionary War Historic Site [3]
• Battle of Kettle Creek: Text of Georgia State Historical Marker [4]
• Kettle Creek Battlefield in Wilkes County Georgia [5]