Stirring Up a Hornet's Nest: - UGA Laboratory of Archaeology ...

proceed up the River and when they got certain intelligence of the Enemy one to return and in meantime I would proceed up
the river as far as possible. About the middle of the day one returned. I had then gone 14 miles up the river.
He informed me that Boyd with upward of 700 men had crossed the river above the settlement on rafts - Capts. Anderson,
Baskins and Miller and my brother, a captain had crossed Savannah River at the Cherokee ford with about 80 men expecting
to prevent Boyd from Crossing but as his men had gotten mostly over before they were got up they attacked him, not
knowing what numbers he crossed and were defeated. He had seen Anderson who had informed him of his defeat.
We then halted, Capt. Baskin and Miller were made prisoners with some men. When Captains Anderson and Pickens came in
and gave us a full account of this business, numbers who had not turned out at first had joined us, we amounted to about 400
men - officers and men willingly agreed to pursue them, we re-crossed the river that evening and sent out spies to discover
the rout they had taken who returned in the night but could give us satisfactory intelligence -
As soon as light sent out again and directed them to proceed up Broad River the Western bank of Savannah River till they
found the trail, in the mean time I would proceed up the river until I head from them, knowing that they might cross that river
to get to the British at Augusta and as it was then above the (hostilities) could get us information of them until we could find
their rout (Pickens 1811, in Draper mss; Lee 1969 [1811]).
General Pickens went on to describe the Kettle Creek battle:
…In the evening (my spies returned) and had seen them re-crossing Broad River (for 10 miles higher up) and had taken a
stragler prisoner who could give satisfactory information respecting them. - I then immediately crossed the river to the South
side (desiring) to get between them and Augusta and still keep a few active men ahead to reconnoiter and give intelligence -
In the dark of the evening their (spies) came in sight of ours and exchanged a few shots, but without hurt to either party - we
left - down that night as soon as light next morning proceeded and (about sunrise came again) on their tracks we proceeded
but a short distance when we came to where they had encamped -
We traveled on as far and with as much caution until about (10) o’clock we heard this drum or hoisted their colors since they
had crossed Savannah River - I then haulted, examined and had our guns fresh fitted and primed and told my men that if any
of them had anything to eat to divide [it] with their comrades. I then made arrangements for the attack expecting to come up
upon their flank, Col. Dooley had the right division (line) and Col. Clark the left with orders when we come up with their
escorts press forward on their flank while I would press forward upon their rear - We then move on out with my divisions
and I went on with the center on their trail with a small advance with orders when they discovered any of the enemy not to
fire first but immediately let me know - The enemy had not gone more than two miles from where they had (beat their drums)
[broke camp] when they haulted at Kettle Creek to kill some cattle wich they found there and cook their breakfast-
On their front was the Creek, both (margins) of which were grown thick with (cover) in their rear was a cleared field 1/2 of a
mile in thier (sic) rear was a beef killed and a few men butchering it. My advance - pretty near before they discovered them
being too eager and not attending to their orders they imprudently fired on them which gave the alarm -
Boyd being (of British Practices) advanced immediatley with a party of men through the field to the edge of the woods and
concealing them behind old trees which had fallen down and an old fence - The main body was drawn up along the edge of
the (cane) creek which came in circular from round on the right.
I advanced with the center to the top of the hill where Boyd was concealed with his party - As I had the men formed in a line
advancing on their line, we received a fire from his party, which killed and wounded a few men. We were within thirty yards
before they fired or we discovered them as they lay flat on the ground. They immediately fled down through the cleared
ground to their main body - Fortunately for us, when Boyd had run about 100 yards, three balls passed through him. - The
action then became general and (warm) confused for about twenty minutes, they called for us much out of the cover. The
divisions on the flank did not press as I wished them to cross the creek above and below.
This was not for want of courage but for want of experience and knowledge of the necessity of obeying orders - They
retreated across the creek and formed on a rising ground. We pressed though the cane, the action was renewed mor[e]
obstinately and continued near half an hour - As they had the advantage of the grounds they contended obstinately but at
length gave way -
Then when about 70 of the enemy killed on the ground and many wounded We took a number of prisoners, nearly all their
horses and bridles with a number of good rifles which they had collected in their progress (our losses were inconsiderable)
though some brave men fell and some died of their wounds and the prisoners which they had were recovered -
I left a few of the prisoners to bury their dead with a promise that they might return to their families if they would return to
me which they did - It was dark before we got from the ground. I brought off all my own wounded and re-crossed the
Savannah River the next morning at Fort Charlotte….The defeat of Col. Boyd with the dispersion of the Indians with Tate
completely disappointed the designs of the British at that time – Col. Campbell soon retreated from Augusta and went below
(Brier) Creek - There was not a gun fired between him and Williamson all this time opposite each other at Augusta - there I
believe Williamson was corrected and nothing of consequence happened in separate command further till after the fall of
Charleston (and his) almost constantly on duty -
I have been very particular in my account of the affair of Kettle Creek because the circumstances which led to it were not
generally known and because I believe it was the severest check and chastisement the tories ever received in South Carolina
or Georgia (Pickens 1811, in Draper mss; Lee 1969 [1811]).
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