Georgia & the American Revolution Important People, Groups, and Events of the Revolution In Georgia

Patriots in Georgia were those people who were willing to break ties with England in order to form a new and independent nation People in the group: Elijah Clarke, Nancy Hart, Austin Dabney, Walton, Gwinnett, Hall Nicknames: Whigs, Sons of Liberty, Liberty Boys, Daughters of Liberty Patriots

People in Georgia who DID NOT want to break from England, remaining loyal to the King and the “mother country” Nicknames: Tories, Lobsterbacks, King’s Friends Loyalists

Colonel Elijah Clarke He was a Colonel (pronounced “kernel”) He led the Georgia militia to an important victory at the Battle of Kettle Creek Colonel Elijah Clarke

He was a freeborn man of mixed parentage and was called a “mullato” He was wounded in the battle, and was nursed to health by the white family of a man he fought with. He went to the war in place of his travel companion (a white man named Richard Aycock). He was awarded land as were all of the soldiers The new country could not afford to pay the soldiers so they were granted land. This was controversial because blacks were not supposed to be land owners, however Austin was given the land and a pension due to his bravery. Austin Dabney

Nancy was a housewife who acted as a spy against the Loyalist Army It is also alleged that she fought in the Battle of Kettle Creek She allegedly held off 6 soldiers who came into her home, and bragged about killing her neighbor as they ate her food Hart County is named for her It is the only county of Georgia’s 159 named for a woman “Aunt” Nancy Hart

Button Gwinnett Button signed the Declaration of Independence Facts: He was shot and killed in a duel shortly after signing the D of I A member of Georgia’s House of Assembly A farmer Button Gwinnett

Lyman Hall He also signed the Declaration of Independence Facts He was the first Representative that was sent to the 2nd Continental Congress in Philadelphia He graduated from Yale University and moved to GA in 1760 Lyman Hall

He was Georgia’s third signer of the Declaration of Independence Facts He was the youngest signer of the D of I at age 26 He returned from the 2nd Continental Congress & joined the GA Militia and was captured by the British George Walton

The Loyalists believed that they would find many supporters in the south, but they were mistaken There were some loyalist in Savannah and Augusta, but the majority of the people in Georgia were Patriots The GA Militia won the battle at Kettle Creek This win was important because the Militia was able to get much needed supplies and horses Battle of Kettle Creek

A siege occurs when forces try to capture a fortified fort or town by surrounding it and preventing supplies from reaching it. Royal Governor James Wright returned to Georgia in 1779 4,000 French troops under the command of Charles Henri Comte d’Estaing joined about 15,000 Americans under the command of Gen. Benjamin Lincoln. Soldiers from Haiti also fought with the Patriots The British were victorious The British controlled Savannah for 3 years after the battle ended The battle lasted for 45 minutes The siege lasted over 2 months The Patriots suffered around 1,000 casualties The Loyalists/British lost only 18 people Siege of Savannah