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CHAPTER III
UNDER A TEMPORARY CONSTITUTION, ARCHIBALD BULLOCH Is ELECTED
PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF GEORGIA—FIRST REVOLU
TIONARY PASSAGE AT ARMS—THE CONSTITUTION OF 1777—THE FIRST
COUNTIES—A DICTATOR AUTHORIZED—BUTTON GWINNETT—FORT
MORRIS—COLONEL MC!NTOSH'S BRAVE LETTER—THE CAPTURE OF
SAVANNAH—THE CAPTURE OF AUGUSTA—THE VICTORY AT KETTLE
CREEK—THE DEFEAT OF GENERAL ASH—THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH.
NOTES: WAR HILL—ELIJAH CLARKE—THE TORIES—NANCY HART.—
FORT MORRIS—MEADOW GARDEN—THE CONSTITUTION OF 1777—
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY DURING THE REVOLUTION.
(This chapter prepared by Charles Edgeworth Jones, Esq.)
In the spring of 1776 a temporary constitution was devised for the
province as the '' ground-work of a more stable and formal government;''
and by the terms of its provisions, Archibald Bulloch was unanimously
elected president and commander-in-chief of Georgia. Some weeks prior
to this event occurred the first revolutionary passage at arms within the
borders of the nascent commonwealth. Quite a number of disabled rice-
laden merchant vessels were lying at the Savannah wharves. When,
upon the eve of leaving port, their departure had been effectually pre
vented, through the unshipping of their rudders and the removal of their
sails; and while in this incapacitated condition, the capture of these
vessels was boldly planned by the British land and naval contingent,
riding off Tybee inlet. The ascent of the Savannah River was, accord
ingly, commenced, with, the result that one of the enemy's ships (the
Hinchinbrooke, of eight guns) speedily grounded. Through the vigor
of the concentrated fire of Major Habersham's riflemen, the crew of
this armed schooner was quickly driven from the deck; and, but for the
absence of boats, it would, undoubtedly, have fallen a prize to the
patriots.
Meanwhile, the British land forces had not been idle. On the night
of March 2d, disembarking a contingent comprising some 200 or 300
men, under the command of Majors Maitland and Grant, from a ship
in Back River, and silently marching across Hutchinson's Island, early
on the next morning, they took possession of the rice-laden vessels at
anchor opposite the town.
With such quietness had this movement been executed, however, that
it was some hours before the municipal authorities became aware of what
had transpired. So soon as the true state of affairs was known, Col.
Lachlan Mclntosh, with 300 troops, hastily throwing up a breastwork
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