1. Button Gwinnett
GA representative, who signed the Declaration of Independence
2nd governor of GA
Gwinnett county named for him
Wrote the original version of GA’s first constitution
Served in GA’s colonial legislature (Second Continental Congress)
Failed as a merchant and became a planter on St. Catherine’s Island
Briefly commander of Georgia’s Continental battalion (replaced by Lachlan McIntosh)

2. Button Gwinnett’s Plantation on St. Catherine’s Island

3. Lyman Hall
GA representative, who signed the Declaration of Independence
12th governor of GA
Ordained Congregational Minister
Abandoned Ministry for Medicine
Elected to represent St. John’s Parish in Second Continental Congress
Hall County is named after him
His efforts led to the charter for UGA (1785)

4. George Walton
GA representative, who signed the Declaration of Independence
6th & 18th governor of GA
One of the most successful lawyers in Georgia
Walton county was named for him
Foe of Gwinnett (duel with GW’s friend, McIntosh, led to Gwinnett’s death)

6. Battle of Kettle Creek
One of the most important battles fought in GA-Wilkes County
February 1779
Patriots won
Led to end of being loyal to Great Britain
Patriot leader-Elijah Clarke (Clarke County)

7. Austin Dabney
Slave, who became a private in the Georgia militia (served for master)
Fought against the British during A.R. (under Elijah Clarke)
The only African American to be granted land by the state of Georgia
One of the few to receive a federal military pension (money from the government)

8. Nancy Hart Heroine of the A.R.
Many stories about her (Tory soldiers looking for food)
Acted as a spy for the American cause
Elberton, GA (near Augusta)
Only female with a county named after her
Possibly present at Kettle Creek

9. Siege of Savannah
,000 Americans and 4,000 French soldiers tried to capture the capital city of Savannah
In 45 minutes, 1,000 American casualties and 40 British casualties
Savannah stayed in British hands for the next 3.5 years

10. Elijah Clarke
Colonel in the Continental Army who defeated more than 800 British troops at the Battle of Kettle Creek
Clarke County is named after him
Participated in Yazoo Land Fraud
Grew impatient with failures of national and state government and tried to from an independent republic (Trans-Oconee Republic) by seizing lands on Oconee frontier

11. Austin Dabney Did not sign Declaration
Was a slave who served in the Georgia militia
Only African American to receive land by state of Georgia for his service
Joined the militia because his master wanted to avoid military service and sent Dabney in his place
Only black soldier in Battle of Kettle Creek
Cared for by Giles Harris (white soldier) when wounded and work for Giles Harris for the rest of his life.
Paid for Giles Harris’ son to attend Franklin College (UGA)

12. Battle of Kettle Creek (extra content)
Kettle Creek found in Wilkes County
February 14, 1779
600 Loyalists or Tories (supporters of British Cause) were in route to Augusta led by James Boyd
340 South Carolina and Georgia militiamen under control of Andrew Pickens, John Dooly, and Elijah Clarke were preparing to attack Boyd’s camp.
Pickens men disobeyed orders and fired upon Boyd’s troops who pursued while Dooly and Clarke’s men were entangled in the swamp
Boyd was mortally wounded during the skirmish and Loyalist panicked with their leader down.
150 of Boyd’s men were taken prisoner and 270 escaped to British Army
Provided the rebel cause with a victory amidst a string of larger defeats
British leaders should have realized that Loyalist support in the south had disappeared.

13. Siege of Savannah
Governor James Wright returned to GA July 1779 and announced restoration of GA to the crown with the privilege of exemption from taxation
Georgia was the only one of the 13 states to be restored to royal allegiance
French fleet of twenty five ships led by Charles Henri d’Estaing came to Savannah to recapture for George Washington. Sept
4000 to 5000 men proceeded to recapture Savannah along with Benjamin Lincoln from South Carolina with his army.
Sept 16 D’Estaing demanded surrender of Savannah but General Augustine Prevost asked for 24 hours to make a decision allowing for British reinforcement from Beaufort SC to arrive. The surrender was declined.
Oct , allies launched grand assault upon British lines suffering 752 casualties while British lost 18.
Battered French Army withdrew to its ships and Benjamin Lincoln returned to SC with troops

14. Revolutionary War in GA
Initially Georgians hesitated to join war effort even though they opposed British regulations.
Colony prospered under royal rule and feared they needed British support from Native American attack
Georgia did not send delegates to first continental congress.
Battles of Lexington and Concord stirred up Georgians to join the cause

15. Revolutionary War in Georgia
Sons of Liberty broke into a gun powder magazine in Savannah and distributed the powder to South Carolina revolutionaries
July , Georgia’s second Provincial Congress named delegates to Second Continental Congress and adopted the ban on trade with Britain.
1778 the war reached a stalemate in the North and moved to the South.

16. Revolutionary War in Georgia
James Wright assured that hundreds of loyalists were waiting in the backcountry for British troops to arrive
Archibald Campbell (Britain) invaded GA with 3000 troops from Savannah
Southern GA from Savannah to Augusta was under British Control
Kettle Creek ensured continued independence in upper GA.

17. Revolutionary War in Georgia
Nathanael Greene (Continental Commander in the south) and Elijah Clarke were able to capture Augusta from British June
American peace negotiators in France now had reason to demand for Georgia’s Independence
July : British evacuated Savannah