Battle of Briar Creek
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| Southern theater, 1775–1783 |
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| Williamsburg – Great Bridge – Moore's Creek Bridge – Rice Boats – Alligator Bridge – Beaufort – Kettle Creek – Briar Creek – Stono Ferry – Savannah – Charleston – Camden – Kings Mountain – Cowpens – Guilford Court House – Hobkirk's Hill – Eutaw Springs – Yorktown |
The Battle of Briar Creek was a Revolutionary War battle that took place on March 3 1779. After a victory at the Battle of Kettle Creek against Loyalist commander Colonal James Boyd, North Carolina patriot troops under the command of General John Ashe were hot on the trail of British Colonel Archibald Campbell and his troops who withdrew from Augusta, GA after seeing the North Carolina Troops. A planned rendezvous at Wrightsville, GA leads to the capture of some of Boyd's men when Campbell fails to show up and doesn't tell Boyd. While Ashe’s troops are on the trail, however, Campbell is re-enforced with men from Savannah, GA under the command of Augustine Provost. Together the British forces total 2,300 men.
While camping near Briar Creek, GA and the Savannah River, Ashe's patriots are caught unaware by soldiers and loyalist militia. The men from North Carolina, along with Ashe, flee the scene of the battle. Only Colonel Samuel Elbert and his Georgia militia remained. Outnumbered and overpowered, the men defended the camp until almost all were dead. The late afternoon action ended around sunset, with the rebel forces suffering a humiliating defeat. Almost 400 patriot militia were killed or captured, whilst the loyalist militia only lost 5 men.
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