The siege and attempted reduction of Savannah by the combined French andAmerican forces is one of the events of our revolutionary war, uponwhich our historians care little to dwell. Because it reflects butlittle glory upon the American arms, and resulted so disastrously to theAmerican cause, its important historic character and connections havebeen allowed to fade from general sight; and it stands in the ordinaryschool text-books, much as an affair of shame. The following, quotedfrom Barnes’ History, is a fair sample of the way in which it istreated:
“French-American Attack on Savannah.—In September, D’Estaing joinedLincoln in besieging that city. After a severe bombardment, anunsuccessful assault was made, in which a thousand lives were lost.Count Pulaski was mortally wounded. The simple-hearted Sergeant Jasperdied grasping the banner[1] presented to his regiment at Fort Moultrie.D’Estaing refused to give further aid; thus again deserting theAmericans when help was most needed.”
From this brief sketch the reader is at liberty to infer that the attackwas unwise if not fool-hardy; that the battle was unimportant; and thatthe conduct of Count D’Estaing immediately after the battle was unkindif not unjust, to the Americans. While the paragraph does not pretend totell the whole truth, what it does tell ought to be the truth; and thisought to be told in such a way as to give[Pg 4] correct impressions. Theattack upon Savannah was well-planned and thoroughly well considered;and it failed only because the works were so ably defended, chiefly byBritish regulars, under brave and skillful officers. In a remote way,which it is the purpose of this paper to trace, that sanguinary strugglehad a wider bearing upon the progress of liberty in the Western Worldthan any other one battle fought during the Revolution.
But first let us listen to the story of the battle itself. ColonelCampbell with a force of three thousand men, captured Savannah inDecember 1778; and in the January following, General Prevost arrived,and by March had established a sort of civil government in Georgia,Savannah being the capital. In April, the American general, Lincoln,feeble in more senses than one, perhaps, began a movement againstSavannah by way of Augusta; but Prevost, aware of his purpose, crossedinto South Carolina and attempted an attack upon Charleston. Finding thecity too well defended, he contented himself with ravaging theplantations over a wide extent of adjacent country, and returned toSavannah laden with rich spoils, among which were included threethousand slaves, of whose labor he made good use later.
The patriots of the South now awaited in hope the coming of the Frenchfleet; and on the first of September, Count D’Estaing appeared suddenlyon the coast of Georgia with thirty-three sail, surprised and capturedfour British war-ships, and, announced to the government of SouthCarolina his readiness to assist in the recapture of Savannah. He urgedas a condition, however, that his ships should not be detained long offso dangerous a coast, as it was now the hurricane season, and there w