Battle of Kettle Creek

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Southern theater, 1775–1783
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

Southern theater, 1775–1783
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 Kettle Creek is one of the most important battles of the American Revolution to be fought in Georgia. The battle was fought on February 14, 1779 in Wilkes County about eight miles from present day Washington, Georgia.

Contents

1 Background
2 The Battle
3 Aftermath
4 Notes
5 Sources

Background

In 1778, a British expeditionary force under Major General Henry Clinton captured the city of Savannah. The capture of Savannah marked the beginning of a shift in the British strategy during the American Revolution. From now on the major battles of the American Revolution would occur south of the Potomac River.Wikipedia Article:Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War

The British motivation for taking the war South is the belief that a large population of this area was Loyalist or Tory. One of the men sent to recruit a Loyalist army was James Boyd of Raeburn Creek, South Carolina.Robert Scott Davis Jr., “Battle of Kettle Creek,” 8 December 2003, [The New Georgia Encyclopedia] (7 May 2006). Boyd arrived in Savannah with the initial British invasion force with a commission of colonel to recruit Loyalist in the colony of Georgia. On January 20, 1779, Boyd left British-held Savannah and reached Wrightsborough, Georgia four days later. Wrightsborough was deep in the Georgian backcountry and established a base of operations near present-day Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Boyd was able to recruit about 350 Georgian Loyalist in Augusta, Georgia. Boyd led his Loyalist force towards Savannah. Sometime during the march, Boyd’s men were joined by 250 Loyalists from North Carolina under Colonel John Moore. James Boyd took command of the entire Loyalist force with a Major Spurgen as second in command.Golden Ink, “Battle of Kettle Creek,” [About North Georgia] (7 May 2006).

Unbeknownst to the Loyalists, a Patriot force made up of 340 militiamen from Georgia and South Carolina. The Patriot force was command jointly by Colonel Andrew Pickensof South Carolina and Colonel John Dooly and Lieutenant Colonel Elijah Clarke of Georgia.

The Battle

On February 14, 1779, the Loyalists under Boyd were camped near Kettle Creek in Georgia. Boyd sent about 150 men to forage for food while the remainder of his force camped on a hill. The hill was a fairly defensible position with swamps on either side. The Patriot plan was simple enough: Pickens would lead an assault directly up the hill while Dooly and Clarke would lead separate, but simultaneous assaults on the right and left flanks.

The Patriot commanders hoped for a surprise attack, but Pickens’ advance guard surprised Loyalist sentries. Both side exchanged fire and the surprise attack was blown. Pickens was now committed to the attack and continued to advance. Boyd rallied his men and took positions behind rocks and fallen trees. From these positions Boyd’s men were able to slow down the Patriot’s attack. Dooly’s and Clarke’s men got bogged down in the swamps and were delayed in reaching attack position.

The battle raged for about three hours.L. J. Butler, “Battle of Kettle Creek,” [Butler and Related Lines] (7 May 2006). Colonel Boyd’s Loyalist withdrew towards their camp when a party of Georgia militiamen met them. Shots were fired. Boyd fell mortally wounded and Major Spurgen assumed command of the Loyalists. Spurgen manage to get 450 men over Kettle Creek and led them away from the field.

Aftermath

The Loyalists casualties were 19 to 70 killed including Colonel Boyd with 22 to 70 captured. Patriots lost between 7 and 9 men with 14 to 23 wounded.No exact figures could be found. Golden Ink, “Battle of Kettle Creek,” (7 May 2006) lists Loyalist dead as between 40 and 70 with seventy captured. This article also lists Patriot dead at 9 with 23 wounded. Robert Scott Davis Jr., “Battle of Kettle Creek,” 8 December 2003, (7 May 2006) claims there were 20 men counting Boyd with 22 captured. This article lists Patriot casualties as 7 dead 15 wounded. Golden Ink, “Battle of Kettle Creek,” (7 May 2006) marks 20 Loyalist dead and Colonel Boyd with 22 captured. Patriot dead are counted as 7 to 14 or 15 wounded. As a result of the Battle of Kettle Creek then Loyalist movement in Georgia was virtually over. The men who made it back Savannah with Major Spurgen were formed into two Loyalist units: the North Carolina Royal Regiment and the South Carolina Royal Regiment. The South Carolina Regiment would later change its name to the South Carolina Royalists Regiment.

Notes

Sources

Butler, L. J. “Battle of Kettle Creek.” (7 May 2006).
Cobb, Hubbard. American Battlefields. New York: Simon & Schuster Macmillian Company, 1995.
Davis, Robert Scott Jr. “Battle of Kettle Creek.” 8 December 2003. (7 May 2006).
Golden Ink. “Battle of Kettle Creek.” (7 May 2006).

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