Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

288 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS
wounded. Colonel Clarke's. gallantry and military sagacity, on this
occasion, were worthy of all praise.
The defeat of General Ash, with his eight hundred troops, on Briar
Greek, in the spring of 1779, is cursorily referred to. It was a most
mortifying affair. Colonel Campbell resolved on his dislodgment, and
for the effectuation of this, he utilized the services of 1,700 trained men—
more than twice Ash's command. The battle was soon changed into
an inglorious rout; the gallant conduct of General Elbert, and his con
tingent, standing firm in the face of flying soldiers, redeeming the day.
He fought until the means for prolonging the struggle had ceased to be
available. The American loss in that engagement was 150, killed and
drowned; and about 200 were wounded or captured: many of General
Ash's force succeeding, by swimming, in escaping to South Carolina.
The British casualties were only six killed and ten wounded.
With the ratification of the treaties of May 1, 1779, with the French
sovereign, it was thought by many that the situation would be materially
relieved. On the 1st of September of the same year, Count D'Estaing
made his welcome appearance on the Georgia Coast. So unexpected was
his coming, that several English vessels were surprised and captured
near the mouth of the Savannah River. Ten days later, his first debark
ation was effected; 1,200 of his best troops being successfully landed
.at Beaulieu. So eager was the Count to commence active operations
that he decided to take the initiative, without awaiting the arrival of
General Lincoln and his Americans. And so, on the 16th of September,
he made formal demand on Gen. Augustine Prevost, commanding the
British army, for the surrender of Savannah to the King of France.
As a result of their correspondence, it was agreed that a truce of twenty-
four hours' duration should be accorded.
WAR HILL: WHERE THE FAMOUS REVOLUTIONARY BATTLE OF KETTLE GREEK WAS
FOUGHT.—Eight miles west of Washington is War Hill, the scene of the famous battle
of Kettlo Creek. Here, on St. Valentine's Day, February 14, 1779, a decisive victory
by the Americans sounded the death-knell of Toryism in Upper Georgia. The ground
on which this crucial engagement was fought has been acquired for memorial pur
poses by Kettle Creek Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, which
patriotic organization, with the help of the United States Government, will furnish
it with appropriate markers and preserve it for posterity as a monument to American
valor. We quote the following description of the battle-ground from the pen of
Miss Eliza Bowen, the accredited historian of Wilkes: "I have myself seen the
battle-ground of Kettle Creek, which is on a plantation now belonging to Henry
Slaton. There is a steep bluff on the south side of the creek, which is to this day
called War Hill, by people living in the neighborhood. On the north side is a low
meadow, beyond which, near the creek, is a swamp, part of which was then covered
by a cane-brake. Boyd's men were killing bullocks and parching corn when they
unexpectedly heard the firing of pickets.'' According to Miss Bowen, the Americans,
in this engagement, were only 500 strong, while there were not less than 700 men
under Colonel Boyd. On the eve of the battle, Elijah Clarke camped in the neigh
borhood of what is- now the Jordan burial-ground near Clarke's Station, where
several of the members of his family were afterwards buried. The old soldier
eventually acquired large bodies of land on Kettle Creek, and today all the original
deeds and titles run back to him. It is said that for years it was not unusual for
parties who were on the tramp through this section to pick up musket balls, old
bayonets, old gun-barrels and other odd and curious-relics, which recent hard rains
had brought to the surface of the ground. As late as 1876 an old silver coin was
found on the battlefield of Kettle Creek, which, according to last accounts, was owned
by Henry Slaton.