Kettle Creek: The Battle of the Cane Brakes, Wilkes County, Georgia [Aug. 30, 1974]

COMMISSIONER DIVISION DIRECTOR

:!flepa:rlment nf ~a:tura:l ~esnurres
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND RESEARCH 270 WASHINGTON ST.. S.W. ATLANTA, GEORGIA30334 (404) 6!16-!1160

Enclosed is your (or your organization's) copy of our report dealing with the Battle of Kettle Creek, Georgia (14 February 1779), and the British inva..;. sion of Georgia (1778-1779). Also included are short biographies of persons involved in the battle. This report is to be copyrighted; however, the authors only request that when the material here is used, this report be property cited.
Researchers who have additiortal information concerning this subject are encouraged to write the authors, who are planning an addendum to the report. Any information used will be credited.
Kenneth H. Thomas, Jr.
Robert S. Davis, Jr. Historic Preservation Section

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KETTLE CREEK: THE BATTLE OF THE CANE BRAKES Wilkes County, Georgia
by Robert S. Davis, Jr.
and Kenneth H. Thomas, Jr.
August 30, 1974 State of Georgia Department of Natural Resources Office of Planning and Research Historic Preservation Section With Additions and Corrections April 30, 1975

"I have been this particular in my account of the affair at Kettle Creek beca~se the circumstances that led to it are not generally known and because I believe it was the severest check and chastisement the Tories ever received in Georgia or South Carolina "
-- General Andrew Pickens, from a letter to Colonel Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee in 1811. [This letter was written for Colonel Lee to use in writing his Memoirs of the War in the Southern Department of the United States and is preserved in the Draper Collection of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.]

DEDICATED
TO
JANET HARVILL STANDARD
. whose writings and interest on the Revolution and especially Kettle Creek were an inspiration to the authors. Her death at the beginning of the Bicentennial era was certainly a loss for those of us who knew her.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction

Page

A. Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i B. Definitions of Terms Used in This Report .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . ii C. Names Used in This Report ................................ i i i D. Military Rank Designations and Their Meanings .. _.. v

II. The Site
A. Loca.tion of the Site _.................... ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 B. Confirming War Hill as the Kettle Creek Battlefield Site . . 4

III. The History
A. Prologue to the Battle of Kettle Creek (1) .The British Invasion of Georgia . .. . . . . . . . .. . 17 (2) Frontier Wilkes County and the British Invasion . . . . . . 23
B. The Kettle Creek Campaign (1) The Recruitment of Boyd's Loyalists . 30 (2) Boyd's Loyalists Enter Georgia . . . . . .. 34 (3) The Loyalists' Defeat at Kettle Creek . . . . . . 37
C. The History of War Hill (1) . Prologue: The Early History of Kettle Creek and the First Reports of the Battle . . . . . . . . 45 (2) War Hill, from Its First Known Mention to the Present .. 51

Iy. The People
A. The Loyalists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 B. The Wlligs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 C. The Soldiers of Kettle Creek
(1) Rosters of Kettle Creek Soldiers . . . . . . . . . 81 (2) The Mrs. T.M. Green List . . . . . . . . . 83 (3) Supplemental Information to Mrs. T.M. Green's List . 89
v. Notes on Sources ... -.................... - ......................... . 90

VI . Footnotes .................... -.............. ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Page
VII. Appendices
A. Campbell's Loyalty Oath and Proclamation ......... 129 B. Frontier Forts of Wilkes County .. 133
c. The Land Grant Plat Map of Upper Kettle Creek ...... 136
D. Land Transactions of the War Hill Site 142 E. Fami.lies . .-.........-...._......... ...... .. . -. 151
F. Significance of the Kettle Creek Battlefield Site to the State of Georg-ia .... .- .......-........... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
G. Deposition of William Millen ..... , 156 H. Correspondence Relating to the Site . . . . . 15 7 I. Mil-itia Ro-lls ......... ..... -..................... -........... 1-70 J. Transcript of Names of Wilkes County
Petitioners Against General Lachlan Mcintosh, 1777 . . . . . . 174 K. Sources for Further Research . . . . . . . . 176

LIST OF MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

General Highway "Map of Wilkes County, Georgia .

2

Geological Survey Map of Philomath Quadrangle, Georgia .

3

Excerpt of the William Bonner Map of Georgia (184 7) ...

5

Plat of 200 Acres of William Hammett (1784) .... ........

7

Plat of 200 Acres of John Hatmnett (1784) ................

8

Plat of .450 Acres of James Hammett (1783) ...............

9

Diagram of Captain Hugh McCall's Account of the Battle . 11-12

Diagram of Andrew Pickens' Account of the Battle .. 13-14

Map Indicating Various Sites Given for the Battle .. 16

Major General Archibald Campbell .......... 18

Original Wilkes County, or the Ceded Lands of Georgia 24

Map of Areas Related to Colonel Boyd's Recruitment of Loyalists . 31

Routes of Pickens' and Boyd's Movements Prior to the Battle 35

Statistical Comparisons of Various Accounts of the Battle . 40

Composite Diagram of Kettle Creek Based Upon All Accounts

of the Battle ............... -................. _. ................... . 41-42

Map of the Creek Indian Cession (Treaty of 1770) ............. 46

Map of the Cherokee Indian Cession (177 ~) !

47

Excerpt of the Daniel Sturges Map of Georgia (c. 1818) .... . ........ .. 48

Nineteenth-century Print Commemorating the Battle ..... 50

The Rechannelization of Kettle Creek in the Spring of 1920 ........... 52

Marker and Monument Commetoorating the Battle (1960) ......... 55

Aerial Photograph of theWar Hill Monument Site 56

Elijah Cl-arke- .......................................... _................ . 70

Nartcy Har_t. ...... _ - . ~ .-...

n

.Art.dr.~w Pickens .................................-....... -.............. .

79

Captain Hugh McCall .......... -...... -..._..... -....-..

91

Lylnan _.Copeland Drape~ . -.-........................................... ..

92

Tile Land Grant Plat Ma.p . . 137

FOREWORD

This report is organized into three parts, according to the priorities set by the Historic Preservation Section, Georgia Department of Natural Resources in June, 1974. These priorities are:
(1) To confirm the location of the Kettle Creek battlefield as a prerequisite to the Georgia Heritage Trust consideration of the War Hill site for acquisition,
(2) To write an accurate and complete history of the Battle of Kettle Creek and the events leading to it, and,
(3) To write biographies of the important men and women involved in the battle.
The research for this project has filled many gaps in Capt. Hugh McCall's well~known and extensive account of the battle, written in 1816 in his History of Georgia, as well as later accounts. Yet there are gaps that remain and the authors hope that others will continue what has been started here until all are filled.
The frontispiece of this report is a copy of a painting designed by Louis Rickman and painted by George Parrish, Jr., for the Georgia Commission for the National Bicentennial Celebration. Based upon information from the authors of this report, it is reprinted here through the courtesy of Mr. Rickman and the Commission.
The title of this report is from a newspaper story that appeared in the Carolina Spartan on May 23, 1894, entitled "The Battle of the Cane Brakes", which was an account of the Battle of Kettle Creek, based on Hugh McCall's The History of Georgia (1811-1816), Vol. II.

Atlanta, Georgia August 30, 1974

Robert S. Davis, Jr. Kenneth H. Thomas, Jr.

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DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT

Continentals Indians Loyalists
Militia Scotch Highlanders
Tories Whigs

- Members of the Army of the Congress of the United States.
- Members of the Cherokee or Creek tribes.
- Kmericans who supported British rule during the American Revolution.
- Soldiers belonging to civilian military units.
-Members of the 7lstScottish Highlander Regiment, who accompanied Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell.
- Another term for Loyalists.
- Americans who opposed the British and Loyalists during the American Revolution.

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NAMES USED IN THIS REPORT
Thomas Brown: Loyalist leader who fought against Elijah Clarke .at Alligator Bridge, Florida, and the First and Second Sieges of Augusta, Georgia. He was defeated at the Battle of Burke County Jail. (For further information, see Footnote 19, Part III.)
Dr~ Turner Bryson: Apracticing veternarian and citizen of Wilkes County, Georgia, who headed the Kettle Creek Conunission in the 1960's. He is involved p1:1esently in the Kettle Creek Memorial Cemetery Project and the Callaway Plantation Restoration.
Elijah Clarke: Georgia Whig leader during the American Revolution. His name is spelled in this report the same way he signed it, although his son, Governor John Clark, spelled the name without the ''e". (Further information may be found in Part IV: The People.)
Andrew Hamilton: Whig captain (later major), who fought at the Battle ,of Carr's Fort and Kt tle Creek, Georgia'.
.John Hamilton: Conunander of the Royal North Carolina Regiment which captured Carr's Fort and held it against Pickens' attacks. He is not to be confused with Andrew Hamilton, who was a Whig officer. (Further informa-
tion may be found in Footnote 26, Part III.)
Capt. Hugh McCall: Historian who wrote a very detailed (but not always accurate) secondary account of the Battle of Kettle Creek in the second volume of his The History of Georgia (1811-1816) and niay have been an aide to Gen. Elijah Clarke in the 1790's. He is not to be confused with Capt. James McCall, who was sent to spy on Col. Boyd's men at Kettle Creek in 1779; though these two men may have been related. (For ,further information see "Notes on Sources"
- iii ...

section of the bibliography.) Daniel McGirth: Loyalist leader from Florida who was apparently a subordinate
of Gen. Augustine Prevost, since Lt. Col. Campbell made no mention of his having been one of his own officers. McGirth prevented Dooly's Whigs from crossing the Savannah River into Georgia and was to rendezvous with Boyd's Loyalists at a later time. Mrs. John (Lucy Ann) Singleton: Secretary of the Kettle Creek Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, who is presently working with the Memorial Cemetery Project. She nominated the Kettle Creek Battlefield site for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. Henry Thomas Slaton: Owner of the War Hill site and adjacent property from the death of his father, William Slaton, in the 1860's, until he sold it to A.L. Richardson in 1899. He probably inherited the site from his father. War Hill: A 12. 5-acre tract along Kettle Creek in l-lilkes County, Georgia, which is now owned by Wilkes County and represents the Kettle Creek Battlefield. This site has been nominated for State acquisition under the Georgia Heritage Trust program. Alexander Wright: A retired Army officer who lives in the Gilbert-Alexander House in Washington, Georgia, and is interested in seeing War Hill developed as a historic site. As a boy in 1930, he witnessed the dedication of the War Hill monument.
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MILITARY RANK DESIGNATIONS AND THEIR MEANINGS

There are two types of military rank used in this work: Militia and Regular Army. Militia rank is always subordinate to Regular Army rank. Under this system, for example, Regular Army Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell was superior in rank to Militia Col. Boyd.
All Loyalists and Whigs mentioned in this work held Militia ranks, except where noted. The following, with the exception of those noted, are the priorities of army ranks of 18th-century officers, in decreasing order.

Rank Lieutenant General (Gen.) Major General (Gen.) Brigadier General (Gen.) Colonel (Col.)
Lieutenant Colonel (Lt. Col.)
Major (Maj . )
Captain (Capt.) First Lieutenant (Lt.)
Second Lieutenant (Lt.)

Verbal Title General General General Colonel
Colonel
.Major
. Captain Lieutenant
Lieutenant

Command
Varied
Army Commander
Brigade Commander
Regiment or Battalion Commander
Regimental Second in Command
Third in Command of a Regiment
Company Commander
Second in Command of a Company
Third in command of a Company

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LOCATION OF THE SITE War Hill, the traditional site of the Battle of Kettle Creek, is a-12.5 acre tract of land located eight miles from Washington, Georgia, in Wilkes County. To reach the site, one follows Georgia State Highway 44 from Washington to the Georgia Historical marker at Tyrone Community in Wilkes County, then turns onto the road at the marker, .following it for approximately 2.5 miles. Taking a left turn onto the first road that is arrived at (indicated by a sign), one continues on this road for one-half mile to reach War Hill. At present, there are a monument; a historical marker and several marked graves at the site.
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CONFIRMING WAR HILL AS THE KETTLE CREEK BATTLEFIELD SITE

The primary objective of this report is to locate the site of the Battle of Kettle Creek, Georgia, fought on February 14, 1779; and to determine if the War Hill site on Kettle Creek was a portion of that battlefield.

The authors feel that War Hill was part of the Kettle Creek Battlefield

site. The reasons for this,although not conclusive, point in this direction.

In order of importance these are:

(1) The WilliaJii Bonner Map of Georgia (1847) (See next page) showed Kettle

Creek Battlefield to be in the vicinity of present-day War Hill. Probably there were

earlier maps upon which he based his information, but apparently no records exist

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that would.indicate his sources.

(2) In 1879, journalist Eliza Bowen referred to the present War Hill site as
2
the location of the Battle of Kettle Creek in a newspaper article. Also, in a

collection of her other articles written between 1886-1897, which were compiled in

The Story of Wilkes County (1950), she described the location of War Hill, explaining

that she visited the site in 1865, and that it was recognized by local residents

during the Civil War as the site of the Battle of Kettle Creek. She also wrote that

a silver coin, bayonets, muskets arid various other relics of the battle had been found 3
there.

(3) According to the descriptions of the battle found in Capt. Hugh McCall's

The History of Georgia (1811-1816) (secondary account) and Andrew Pickens' letter to 4
Col. Henry Lee (1811), (primary account) it appears that the battle occurred six or

seven miles from Clark's Creek in Wilkes County, Georgia, or approximately at the

bend in the creek, where War Hill is located.

(4) By piecing together the land grant surveys (i. e. plats) of Kettle

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Excerpt of the William Bonner Map of Georgia (1847), with arrow indicating site of "Kettle Creek Battlefield" in Wilkes County, Georgia. (Courtesyof Georgia Surveyor General Department.)

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Creek (see Appendix C Land Grant Survey Map) the bend in the creek where War Hill is located appears to be on land granted to James Hammett in 1784, near where his land borders that of his relatives, John and William Hammett. The aerial photograph (MF 4 HH2236) and the Philomath Map (U. S. Department of the Interior, Geological Survey), when compared to the land survey map support this conclusion. The survey
6 . of the 450 acres granted to James Hammett shows two roads entering his land on the north side, the roads merging before crossing the creek at abridge or ford. (See pages 7, 8 and 9.)

Capt. McCall's account of the Battle of Kettle Creek makes special note of

Elijah Clarke's discovering a ford to cross the creek and defeat the Tories;

therefore, it seems logical to assume that the creek, though nomore than three

feet deep now, must have been too deep to cross except at a ford at the time of the

battle. Mrs. Frank Bradley, .who lives on land opposite the War Hill site, says that

Kettle Creek floods badly, particularly in late January and February. The creek

at .these times rises above its 10-to-15-foot banks to the extent that cattle grazing

7

8

there must be moved to safety. According to J. L. Vickery of Florida, the creek,

prior to being rechanneled in 1920-21, flooded much worse than it does now.

It appears that Boyd and his Loyalists, passing through Wilkes County en route 9
to Kettle Creek on the morning of February 14, 1779, were so unaware of an enemy's 10
presence as to stop in an open field to forage for food. In all likelihood they
would have stayed on roads to reach fords or bridges that crossed the flooded creeks
and rivers (such as Kettle Creek). The road through what was later James Hammett's
land could very easily have been t:he crossing Boyd would use.

(5) The nill mentioned in Gen. Andrew. Pickens' account of the battle 11
could be the present-day War Hill. Kettle Creek may once have had a branch

7

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Plat of 200 acres of William Hammett, 15 January 1784 (Loose Plats, Georgia Surveyor General Department)

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Plat of 200 acres of John Hanunett, 19 January 1784 (Loose Plats, Georgia Surveyor General Department)

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Plat of 450 acres of James Hammett, December 1783 (Loose Plqts, Georgia Surveyor General Department) NOTE: The War Hill site is on this plat to the right of the junction of the two roads~

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12 that crossed on the north side of War Hill. If so, the hill that the retreating
Loyalists rallied upon across the creek, mentioned in McCall's account, could well 13
be the present War Hill site.
(6) Due to the fact that the Battle of Kettle Creek was fought on both
sides of the creek, apparently far above its junction with Little Kettle Creek,
14
and because over 1,100 men were participating in the battle, it is logical to
assume that the land along the creek in this area would have been the site of
some portion of the battle.
(7) There is a Slaton family tradition (the Slatons having owned War 15
Hill during most of the 19th century ) that the cattle butchered by the Loyalists 16
at the Kettle Creek Battlefield belonged to Archibald Simpson. Simpson, a distant 17
relative of the Slatons by marriage, apparently did not come to Wilkes County
until after the Revolu. tion; h.oweve. r, his wife, Kit1t8y (Nelson) Simpson, and her children were living in the county during that time. Seeking protection at a
period . when war was raging in the Northern .colonies, they resided with Mrs. Simpson's 19
brother, John Nelson, who had land near War Hill surveyed in 1777 and was granted 20
this land following the war. It is possible that the cattle belonging to Kitty
Simpson either wandered off or were taken to nearby Kettle Creek, where the Loyalists
butchered them.
The only known primary account which challenges the opinion that the battle
was fought at the War Hill site is the pension of Revolutionary War soldier Micajah 21
Brooks. Brooks said in 1850, at the age of 89, that the battle was fought where
Kettle Creek joins Little River (land which was subsequently granted to Joel
Phillips), but his description of the location is doubtful for the following
reasons:
(1) Had the battle occurred near Little River (which was far better

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Diagram of the Battle of Kettle Creek based upon the description given by Andrew Pickens in a letter to Col. Henry Lee on Aug. 28, 1811 (Draper Collection, lVV 107-1077). [Diagram by the authors and Liz Carmichael Jones ]

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ftfiUN' f;~OII.P OF
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~tJY~J.I.S7..S ITTTGMPT TO ~liJ.J..Y O# ~I.S!Nli (iR()tJAJJ:> IJN OPPOSITE ~!PE OP. IJIE CREeK BtJT ANt:
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22 known than Kettle Creek ), there would have been more than one account
giving its location on a river that must have been well known. This is
especially true since Joel Phillips' Fort on Little River was probably close 23
to the mouth of Kettle Creek, if not situated directly on it.
(2) Brooks' description of the battle is filled with errors, and the
only details he seems to have recited correctly were the number of Loyalists
present, Elijah Clarke's presence at it, and the fact that it occurred some-
where near Kettle Creek. He stated that the battle was fought at night (when,
24
in actuality, it took place between 10 AM and noon ); he "thought" Capt. 25
Robert Anderson was killed (Anderson survived the war ), and thought that
three Loyalists were killed (the lowest accounts given by any other sources 26
were 20 Loyalists killed ).
(3) Brooks' descriptionof the battle, which occurred, according
to him, at the junction of Kettle Creek and Little River, differs with the
accounts of Capt. McCall, Andrew Pickens and Eliza Bowen as to the location
of the site (previously explained in this section).
It seems that Micajah Brooks was extremely confused about the details of the
battle (including the location of it), was not actually at the battle, or was
talking of another battle in the same area and confused it with the Battle of Kettle
Creek by mixing the details of the two.

""

I
~L/}RK...5 C.iUU;;J0 7 Tt:J B /11/L-ES
SITe AttO!lD/N(j TO !30tvE'N ( /8{, 5") ( PNESEA/7'..SITE)
I( E"TIJ..E C~6",(. ./J,t)TT/..EF/&1-P
~C~OI2.D!Aitf -ro BOA/11/E/<Z/h~P ( /8..,.7)

__/

Maps indicating various sites given for the Battle of Kettle Creek.

ARER WHEfi!.E"
IY) ICA .JAH ..8~DOK.5 ..5~ I 0 TJ.IE B~TTLE
OCCq~R0
(18s-o)

I}PP!(OX/M'ITE SCAJ.E ~F

rfii.S /J1AP IN /YIIi.5 :

0

1

t

.3

PROLOGUE TO THE BATTLE OF KETTLE CREEK

The British Invasion of Georgia

Lord George Germain, King George III's Secretary of State for the Colonies, sent a letter dated March 8, 1778 to Sir Henry Clinton, commander of all British troops in North America, detailing the revised British strategy for winning the American Revolution. Germain explained in the letter that a British invasion of the Southern colonies, in cooperation with the many Loyalists believed to be in the South, would eventually cause the. capitulation of the colonies "south of the Susquehannah [Maryland]" by capturing Southern exports which were badly needed by the Americans to buy supplies in Europe. Without these supplies and the support of these colonies, the remaining rebellious colonies, Germain felt, could be "left
1 from their own feelings and distress" to return to British control.

Clinton had to wait until Charles Henri, Count D'Estaing's French fleet,

allied with the Americans, had gone to the Carribean and ceased harrassing him before

2

he could carry out Germain's orders. He then organized 3,041 men and a fleet of

3a

3b

ships under Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell and Admiral Hyde Parker in November of 1778,

having orders to capture Savarinah,Georgia, and any neighboring provinces that 4
opportunity allowed.

Campbell and his army of Scotch Highlanders, Hessians and New York Loyalists
were on Tybee Island, Georgia, on December 23, 1778. They had no trouble breaking
through the minor American resistance encountered at Gerridoe's Rice Plantation
on the road toward Savannah. Gen. Robert Howe's American army of 1,100 men seemed to
block this route by forming at the plantation of Sir James Wright (Georgia's former 5
Royal Governor), which had been confiscated by the colonists.

- 17 ..;

18
Major General Archibald Campbell. From J. P. McClean's An Historical Account of the Settlement of Scottish Highlanders of America Prior to the ~of 1783 (Cleveland, 1900).

19
6 Utilizing information bought f .rom Quamino Dolly (a slave), Campbell launched a diversionary attack in front of Howe's army, while. another wing of his force, under Sir James Baird, used anungarded trail through the swamps to attack Howe's men from behind. Howe lost over 500 men who were killed or captured (chiefly the latter) in the battle at Wright's plantation, while Campbell, who had suffered
7
only minor casualties, was able to take Savannah without a fight.
Gen. Howe, who had escaped capture with his men despite his own horse having 8
been caught in the swamp mud, ordered Maj. Joseph Lane, who commanded the Continentals at Sunbury, Georgia, to evacuate Fort Morris and join him in South Carolina. Lane
9 refused, however, claiming he had no guide.
Before Lane could locate a guide for the retreat, British Gen. Augustine Prevost and the Florida wing of the British invasion force arrived at Sunbury. Occupying the town, the British seized. a ditch "100 toises" [approximately 213 yards) from Fort Morris and began a '1lodse" fire of musketry that lasted for four days. The British, now occupying two angles of the fort that wen~ "unflanked covered by a ditch in one and a flesh [sic]' battery in the other," prepared for a bombardment.
The Americans in the fort under Lane's command fired all of their ordinance at the enemy from the fort's parapet, but to no avail. On January 9, 1779, they were summoned to surrender by Gen. Prevost. Lane refused, and the British began their barrage with two cannons fromhehind their ditch, this action being taken to prevent Lane from noticing an eight-inch British howitzer being fired from behind the 'ifleche" battery.
Although the two cannons only .threatened the fort 1 s powder magazine, the howitzer killed one man and wounded three more. The force of the howitzer's bombs caused Lane to request for new surrender terms in order to gain time while he tried

20
to get his galleys [oar-powered ships] to safety. This plan did not work,
however, the galleys being burned or captured and he was forced to surrender the 10
fort soon afterward with its 159 Continentals and 45 Militiamen.
Thus Campbell, who had prepared 900 men to take Fort Morris at Sunbury, 11
was now free to move toward Augusta. At this time, he had hopes that more than 12
6,000 Loyalists would eventually join his army.
Everywhere he went, he reported pillaging and looting by the Whigs he was 13
hunting and by the Florida Rangers (Loyalists) who were matching with his army 14
under Col. Brown. His feelings about the looting were expressed in a memorandum
to his own men, which stated that if they were caughtstealing, the penalty would 15 .
be "extermination without mercy."
Campbell rapidly moved northward toward Augusta, where he hoped to meet a
force of 1,000 Loyalists who were being organized by a Col. Boyd. Boyd had arrived
with him from New York and was "felt" to have great influence with the backwoods 16
men. Campbell's men fortified and garrisoned Abercorne, Cherokee Hill, Zubly's
Ferry and Two Sisters Ferry along their route, thus preventing any large American 17
force crossing into Georgia from South Carolina without Campbell's knowledge.
The American attempts to slow Campbell's army were easily brushed aside
at such places as Briar Creek Bridge on January 25 [Not to be confused with the
Battle of Briar Creek, fought in March of 1779]; McBean's Creek on January 29;
Fort Henderson on Spirit Creek on January 30; and Cupboard Swamp and the hidden 18
batt:ery on the Augusta road on January 31. Only at Burke County Jail, Georgia,
in late January, where Col. Brown's Florida Rangers were defeated in a two-day 19
skirmish, were the Whigs successful . .

21

Campbell had been ordered by Gen. Augustine Prevost to send ~1ilitia Col. 20
Thomas Brown and his Florida Rangers to Burke County Jail to wrest that county
from the Whigs. Although this order went against Campbell's better judgment, as
he felt the Whigs in the area were too numerous to allow British occupation, 21
he complied with Prevost's connnand. Col. Brown and Daniel McGirth, with a force
of 400 Loyalists, were reinforced by 200 men under Georgia Loyalist Col. John
Thomas, and together they reached Burke County Jail. At the jail, they attacked
the 250 Whigs there under Col. John Twiggs, Colonels Benjamin and William Few,
but were repulsed, suffering a loss of five killed, nine captured and several
wounded in Col. Brown's force. The Whigs, expecting Brown to be reinforced, then
withdrew but met his men in battle the next day after he had been joined by three
Loyalist detachments, one led by Maj. Harry Sharp. When the Whigs again repulsed
Brown's attack, Loyalist casualties were heavier than before, including Brown him22
self who was wounded.

By early February, Campbell's army had taken the City of Augusta without a

fight, and he later reported that over 1,100 Georgians had taken an oath to the King

and were. organized into 20 Militia companies. Campbell stated that he was in a

position to be the first British officer to "rend a star and a stripe from the flag 23
of Congress." While Campbell waited for Col. Boyd to join him with 600 Loyalists

from the back country of South Carolina and for the Indians being recruited for his 24
army by British agents, he received a letter "by the hand of a Mr. Freeman" from

the people of Wilkes County. They offered to surrender the forts in their county,

25

26

which were being used for protection from the Indians. Capt. John Hamilton

27

and Capt. [ Dugald? ] Campbell (both Loyalists), along with 80 Loyalist horse-

men and another 20 to protect their passage back, were sent to Wilkes County.

They were ordered to administer the loyalty oath to the inhabitants there, ren-

dezvous with Boyd and deliver a reply to Freeman's letter. The reply, addressed

22

"To the Inhabitants of Wilkes County" and dated "Augusta 3d Feby 1779," read as follows:

Gentlemen,

I have perused your Address, and I am ready to give you every Satisfaction on the Subject of its Contents. The enclosed Proclamation will show you the benevolent Offers of the King, which are still in your Power to accept. Offers which norie but designing Men can have the Folly and Madness to refuse.
To Mr. Freeman I communicated my Sentiments on every Matter concerning you; and he will, I hope, explain them at large. Your Families are in too precarious a State for me to wish or desire to call any one of you from the Frontiers: I do not want your Aid nor your Money. Keep your usual Look-out against the Indians; Be faithful Subjects to the King; Cultivate your Lands, and enjoy the inestimable Blessings of Peace, Freedom and Happiness.
It affords me much Concern to hear that the Indians have lately harrassed your Settlement; I hope in future it will be otherways; and you may rest assured, that nothing shall be wanting on the Part of the King's Officers, to remove their Attempts of disturbing your Quiet. From the Assurances of your friendly Disposition communicated by Mr. Freeman, I have countermanded the Progress of a very powerful Military Force, which was ordered against you; and at his Request, send Two Officers, Captains Hamilton and Campbell, to grant you Protection. But should there be any amongst you, who do not wish to embrace the Benefits of this Protection, or refuse Allegiance to the King; I have empowered these Officers to give them a free Passport with their Families and Effects beyond the British Lines, and they must remove in Twenty-four Hours thereafter.

I am, Gentlemen,

Your very Humble Servant

(Signed) Archd. Campbell

28

Commanding the Royal Army.

Capts. Hamilton and Campbell then traveled from one Wilkes County fort to
another, administering the loyalty oath, but at the last fort on their trip, they
were besieged by "three hundred rebel horse." Refusing to surrender, the 80
Loyalists were rescued by the approach of Lt. Col. Campbell's Light Infantry
and 100 Florida Rangers. The Rebels, waiting for "two small guns" to reduce 29
the fort, retreated when they learned of Campbell's reinforcements.

Campbell, in considering his position in Augusta, not only felt that it was too exposed to enemy attack from South Carolina and offered too small an amount

23
of supplies, but further believed the 1,100 Georgians who had taken the loyalty oath to be of doubtful reliability and loyalty. For all of these reasons, he decided not to wait for Boyd in Augusta put withdrew to a safer position toward
30 Savannah on the morning of February 14, 1779. He had no way of knowing that the frontiersmen of Wilkes County and the Upper Ninety Six Regiment of South Carolina were, on that very morning, providing a different kind of rendezvous for Boyd and his Loyalists at an ol>scure place called Kettle Creek.
Frontier Wilkes County and the British Invasion
When the land in Georgia north of the Little River and south of the Broad River was open to settlement in the early 1770's, many families moved there from Virginia and North Carolina. These families, notably the Clarkes, Doolys, Murrays and Waltons, were farmers seeking land in what was then called the Cherokee Ceded Lands and later known as Old Wilkes County.
These farmers planted small patches of corn and tobacco in gardens cleared from the wilderness forest. These gardens and the oppossums and rabbits they killed were their only means of food. Their cattle were too few to be used for anything but milk and they had few hogs for meat or for use in killing snakes. Gov. George Gilmer described the lives of these poor settlers in their simple log cabins as "all work, little play, no fruit, poor eating, thin [cotton and wool] clothing, open houses, hard beds, and few blankets."
Besides the "natural" dangers of death by exposure, starvation, "venomous serpents" and "panthers", the settlers were in constant danger of attack
31 from the nearby Indians. Attacks against wagon trains, scouting parties and frontier forts frequently sent the settlers fleeing to their stockade forts and
32 blockhouses for protection particularly in 1774, 1778 and 1781. There was plenty of fighting and bloodshed between the Indians and settlers long before the

24

....
'4
~
ltl

0q,V
t-t

~<J

......
~
GEORGIA

c~l~l~:,::\;J;~b~

s .I tJ ~Y\ fMc(f 0 ~\II ,v l.

.J~"'

l 1:\L OC 1<. 1-\0USEj

~~

CHAR.LO/TG

~~
~~
'~'(.~ ~

SOUTH C/1/eOLINA
Original Wilkes County, or the Ceded Lands of Georgia, based upon Otis Ashmore's "Tile Battles of Kettle Creek and Briar Creek, 11 The Georgia Historical Quarterly, Vol. X, 1926. [Drawn by Liz Carmichael Jones.]

25

Revolutionary War gave the settlers additional enemies to fight.

The people of Wilkes County were not Loyalist or Whig, but would have
opposed any group which might have supported the Indians or threatened the
protection of their families from the Indians. In 1774, many of them signed petitions protesting actions against the British government. These petitions,
signed by such future Whig leaders as John Dooly, Elijah Clarke and John Lindsay,
cited the threat of Indian attack without British protection and unfair representation at. the "public" meetings such as the one held at. Tondee 's Tavern as reasons
33 to protest Anti-British activities.

The recruitment of Indians for British forces by agents operating from 34
Florida apparently changed the minds of the people of Wilkes County, however.
ln order to prevent further British activity of this nature, some ~ilkes County
men joined the unsuccessful American invasions of Florida. Elijah Clarke, one of
a these, was wounded at skirmish at Alligator Bridge against Loyalist Brown and his
35 men in 1778.

Jesse Gordon, a veteran of the Battle of Kettle Creek, described frontier

Wilkes County years later as "[having] the Indians on two sides and the British

and Tories on the other two so that the militia were almost constantly engaged in

such expeditions and occasionally at leave a few days at a time being subject to 36
sudden calls .. " It was under these conditions that some of the people of Wilkes

County fled to South Carolina when the British came within 50 miles of their homes

37

'

by capturing Augusta in early February, 1779.

Margaret Strozier, a resident of Wilkes County at that time, stated years later that many of the people of the county joined the Loyalists or were neutral, accepting the British proclamation of safety, including some of her relatives. But her husband, Peter, like many others, "wished no other protection but his rifle 11

Lt>

38 and joined the Whig forces.

Those who fled to South Carolina with their cattle and families in 1779

found the people of that state willing to share their "bread .. and comforts" with

39

them. One hundred of the men of this group of refugees organized under Col.

40

41

John Dooly, their leader, and Lt. Col. Elijah Clarke, his second-in-command,

and prepared to recross the Savannah River into Georgia and attack what British

or Loyalist forces were in Wilkes County. They gathered on the South Carolina

side of the Savannah River, 30 miles above Augusta, and watched the boats and fords

for a chance to cross the river. Five miles south of Dooly on Kiokee Creek (Georgia 42
side of the river), Daniel McGirth, with 300 men, was doing the same in order to
43
prevent Dooly from crossing.

Dooly and at least part of his force did eventually cross the river. Capt.
Hamilton, one of McGirth's subordinates [?], drove Dooly back across the river,
and Hamilton and his men fired on the last of Dooly's force as it recrossed the
Savannah below the Broad River. Having chased Dooly back into South Carolina,
Hamilton and his men then camped at Waters' Plantation, three miles below where 44
Petersburg, Georgia, later stood.

Meanwhile, Col. Andrew Pickens and 250 men of his Upper Ninety Six Militia Regiment of South Carolina, informed of the situation by the refugees of Wilkes County, decided to attack the Loyalis.ts and Joined forces with Dooly on the Savannah River. Combined, the. two groups had 350 men.

Hamilton and his 100 Loyalist horsemen then attempted to cross the river
into South Carolina. Pickens was able to guard the fords and ferries with what
few men he had, but this left him with none for any offensive action. For two
days, Hamilton and Pickens played a game of "cat and mouse," but then, on February 45
10, Hamilton's horsemen disappeared.

27
Col. Pickens, who had commanded his and Dooly's forces while they were in
South Carolina, then ordered the Whigs across the river to find Hamilton. After
crossing the river at Cowen's Ferry, Pickens demanded that he retain command of
all the forces. Dooly, possibly because Pickens' regiment formed two-thirds of
the men present, readily agreed. Afterwards, the men were "paraded," and Pickens
explained that he planned to pursue and attack the enemy and that he meant to be 46
obeyed. The men swore to do so.
Now united under one command, Pickens' men moved ten miles beyond the ferry
to a fort where Pickens' spies (or scouts) had told him Hamilton and his men
were. Arriving at the fort, the Whigs learned that the Loyalists had spent the
night there and had then moved on to Carr's Fort (on Beaverdam Creek) to administer 47
the loyalty oath to the inhabitants. Apparently, Hamilton was unaware of the
presence of Pickens' force so close behind him.
Pickens attempted a plan whereby he would trap Hamilton's men between the
48
Whigs and the defenders of Carr's Fort. He sent one of his men and a guide to 49
warn the defenders and lock the gates. According to the plan, a signal gun would 50
be fired,when the Loyalists reached the fort, and Pickens would then attack the
enemy from behind, totally by surprise, while the men inside held the Loyalists'
attention. Trapped between Pickens' men and the fort, the Loyalists should have been
defeated.
That was not to happen, however, because the two men Pickens sent there 51
"were so neglectful or stupid" that they forgot to mention why they had come.
Pickens and his men, waiting for the signal gun, were mortified as they watched the 52
Loyalists dismount and walk in through the open gates. Capt. Hugh McCall, in his
The History of Georgia, attempted to redeem the two men by saying that the gates
were left open because the eight or nine "aged or infirmed" men who were inside 53
refused to defend it. Firing on the last of the Loyalists as they entered, Pickens'

28

men captured their enemy's horses and baggage and then besieged the fort by cutting off all means of escape.

Near the fort was a new log building which commanded both the fort's

54

55

water supply from a nearby spring and the interior of the fort. Forced to

56

57

pass through enemy fire to reach the building, Capt. William Freeman and 40

58

of his men seized it, "causing much distress" to the men inside the fort.

59

With no water supply, a surrender was expected within 24 hours, although Pickens

planned to induce its capitulation sooner.

Wood was gathered and loaded into a wagon that could be set on fire and

rolled down a nearby incline to the fort. Being composed of old, dry wood, the 60
fort would hopefully ignite. Pickens then had Capt. Andrew Hamilton advance 61
to the fort with a flag of truce, demanding the Loyalists surrender which was 62
refused, as was Pickens' offer to let the women and children in the fort leave.

Having his answer, Pickens waited until dark to try his plan with the wagon, but

before he had the chance, he received a distressing message from his brother in 63
South Carolina, Capt. Joseph Pickens.

64

65

From the letter, delivered by Capt. John Ottery, Pickens learned that 700

to 800 Loyalists under a Col. Boyd were passing through the Ninety-Six District

of South Carolina (the home of Pickens' regiment). Immediately, Pickens decided

to abandon the siege of Carr's Fort and march against Boyd. That night, fires

were lit along a ridge which was visible from the fort so that the rebels' retreat 66
might go undetected by Hamilton.

Hamilton and his Loyalists, now minus horses and baggage, withdrew from 67
the fort with their prisoners to Wrightsboro, Georgia. There, they stayed at a
small stockade for a few days before returning to Lt. Col. Campbell's army near 68
Savannah.

29

Pickens' and Dooly's command then crossed the Savannah River at Fort

69

70

Charlotte with 297 horses (including those taken at Carr's Fort) into South

Carolina. They moved 12 miles toward Long Cane Settlement, South Carolina, 71
having found no sign of Boyd's men, while encamped there they received a

message from Capt. Robert Anderson, one of Pickens' subordinates, that Boyd and

his Loyalists had reached Cherokee ford on the Savannah River and were soon to 72
enter Georgia.

THE KETTLE CREEK CAMPAIGN

The Recruitment of Boyd's Loyalists

Lt. Col. Campbell had been introduced to a man named Boyd by Sir Henry
1
Clinton in New York prior to the invasion of Georgia. Moving from Savannah
to the South Carolina back country, Boyd was to recruit Loyalists to join
Campbell's British army in Georgia, while British agents recruited the Indians. 2
Boyd was felt to have "great influence'; among the people of the back country.

William Millen of Richmond County, Georgia, appeared before Justice of
the Peace Stephen Herd [Heard?] on January 28, 1779, in Wilkes County and gave
a deposition, stating that he had been sent a request to attend a meeting at the
home of John Moore in Richmond County on January 24. The request was sent by a 3
James Boyd.

Arriving at Moore's house, Millen found John Moore, James Boyd and James
Bryan talking among themselves. Boyd told Millen that he had come from the British
army at Savannah with "the King's proclamation" and written orders to proceed to
the back country of South Carolina and recruit a force of Loyalists. After showing
Millen the documents, Boyd asked him to be his guide through the settlements. Bryan
4
informed Boyd that he should see a Mr. Mattock, a strong Loyalist. The meeting
then was adjourned, and everyone departed.

Millen told others of the meeting, su~h as Peter Buffington, and another

such gathering was held at Moore's house soon '.afterwards. James Coates, Joshua

5

6

Ryal , Thomas Ansley and David Baldwin were all newcomers at this meeting which

was held by Moore, Boyd and Millen. After examining Boyd's documents and hearing

his plans, Ansley got into a dispute with Boyd concerning "faults'' with the "terms."

Nonetheless, Boyd told them to contact their friends and move toward Augusta to

- 30 -

. ,.,
.ZA~J./1Ul/A5 t91J3/3E. #t?a.5t!
ctJL. IIFf'FJR.ci.
IR.ON 4/"~KS
~oL rl!tJ;ry:,s '
/'IOl{Se'

FLJ~D

31 Nd..erfl ,~J/ICOL!NA
~

Fdll.T Cfii1/2LO IT

f{!LII"Y)o#.D CtJ.
ODo~'.:;
BU.A?I< (!t:J '
f;EtJieG/1)

.:5oarll e.11 Ro L 1 N,.c}

Map of areas related to Colonel Boyd's recruitment of Loyalists, Jan. 28-Feb. 14, 1779. Based upon Draper's King's Mountain and Its Heroes, pp. 16, 223; The Official Atlas of the Civil War, Plate CXLII; Draper Collection, 16 VV 240; and ~rces cited in the text. [Drawn by Liz Carmichael Jones.]

32
join the British army, for he said that within four dayshe would "raise" a group 7
of his friends in the South and capture the city.
Although Boyd's predictions for Augusta did not occur, he did move to the 8
back country of North and South Carolina and began recruiting Loyalists. With the help of his officers, Lt. Col. John Moore (second in command), Maj. William Spurgin (third in command) and Zachariah Gibbes, Boyd was quickly successful,
9 recruiting as many as "600 men in two days."
On February 6, 1779, Whig leader Charles McLean sent an urgent letter to the government of North Carolina, stating that, days before, a large body of upwards of 100 Loyalists under John Moore were stealing horses and guns from the Tryon County, North Carolina, area. He further warned that Moore had boasted the Loyalist force would soon reach 2,000 men, but he did not know if the Loyalists
10 planned to attack independently or join the British. Another group of Loyalists
gathered at Poor's Ford in Tryon County and joined Moore near the South Carolina border. Moore, taking command or both groups, dispatched part of his men to capture Col. William Woffard, a noted Whig leader, and another group of 150 men to capture Whig Col. John Thomas, Sr., and the gun powder believed to be stored at his house
lla at Fair Forest, South Carolina. The Loyalists were successful in their attempt
llb to capture Col. Woffard (or Wafford) (who may have been released at Kettle Creek), but their attempts to take Thomas and his house proved more difficult.
Col. John Thomas, Sr., learned of Moore's plans and sent his daughter Letiha to get reinforcements from Matthew Patton's house. She traveled four miles in the dark to reach Patton and his men. The reinforcements reached the Thomas house just as the Loyalists advanced on February 6, 1779. The Loyalists did not answer when called upon by the defenders of the house, but opened fire, killing one of Col. Thomas' slaves. Most of Patton's men fled, as did Col. Thomas, finally Patton and Samuel Clowney, who had been bringing bullets to Josiah Culbertson, who was

33
firing at the Loyalists from the second floor. Culbertson, left behind, refused
to evacuate the house despite urgings by his mother-in-law; Jane (Black) Thomas.
l"inding that Culbertson would not leave, Mrs. Thomas, her 12-year-old son
William and Culbertson's mother and wife decided to help him defend the house.
They loaded all available guns and fired them through doors and windows in such
a way as to give the impression that Patton's company was still present. Moore
and his Loyalists, believing that the strong log home was well defended, decided
that the gun powder was not worth the expected casualties of capturing it. He
ordered a retreat andleft the extra horses with which he had planned to carry the
powder. To add insult to injury, Mrs. Thomas' obituary in 1811 stated that she
stood in front of her house, waving her husband's sword, shouting for the Loyalists
to "come on". The gun powder saved from capture by Culbertson and his family was 12
instrumental in the Whig victories at Hanging Rock and Rocky Mount a year later.
13 Moore and his Loyalists (chiefly from Tryon, Rutledge, Burke and Surry Counties
in North Carolina) then joined, on the Reedy River in South Carolina, the more than 14
600 Loyalists that Col. Boyd and Zachariah Gibbes had recruited in that . state. 15
United, this force of 700 to 800 Loyalists moved southward across the Saluda River 16
at Rutledge Ford and on toward the Rocky River.
A Whig unit of Col. Thomas' regiment under Col. Brandon pursued the Loyalists
as far as the Saluda River, where the Whigs heard the Loyalists' drums and fifes
playing "so merrily." Finding themselves outnumbered and believing the Loyalists 17
were about to attack them, the Whigs retreated and returned home.
18 After crossing the Rocky River, the Loyalists passed through Long Cane
19 Creek Settlement and Ninety Six District in South Carolina. Boyd planned to
cross the Savannah River at Cherokee Ford and enter Georgia, where he hoped to 20
join the British Army at Augusta.

34
Boyd's Loyalists Enter Georgia

Cherokee Ford was long a pioneer crossing of the Savannah River. On the

South Carolina side of the ford was a blockhouse or fort on a hill that connnanded

2la

2lb

the ford. This was known as McGowin's Blockhouse. Capt. Robert Anderson of

22

23

Andrew Pickens' South Carolina regiment stationed eight men under Lt. Thomas

24

25

Shanklin at this fort, along with two "swivels" [artillery]. Shanklin's men

were ordered to block the ford from use by Boyd and his Loyalists if they got past

Pickens' and Dooly's men; who were in pursuit of Boyd in South Carolina.

Anderson had correctly guessed that Pickens might miss Boyd, and Shanklin 26
found himself facing 700 to 800 Loyalists, outnumbered almost 100 to one. The
Loyalists advanced with a flag and promised not to attack the blockhouse if they 27
were allowed to cross unhindered. Shanklin, called "Horatius, Captain of the
28
gate," refused the request and stated that he felt quite capable of defending the 29
ford and the fort. Whig Capt. James Little of Georgia, however, arrived with 40 30
men and saved Shanklin from having to find out whether he could defend the fort.
Little, stepping out of the fort, also turned down the Loyalists' demands and managed 31
tb get a messenger to Capt. Anderson, despite attempts by the Loyalists to stop him.

The Loyalists then gathered around their flag to discuss their course of action.

One of the Whigs in the blockhouse asked Little for permission to fire one of the 32
fort's cannons at the Loyalists and thus disrupt them, but Little refused. The 33
Loyalists then withdrew, having decided that the fort was too costly to take.

Col. Boyd led the Loyalists five miles further up the South Carolina side of the

34

35

Savannah River, opposite the mouth of Vann's Branch [Creek]. There, he and his

36

men crossed the river with their baggage on rafts and swimming their horses.

Capt. Anderson joined his 80 men with those of Capt. Little and Lt. Shanklin, and this combined force crossed Cherokee Ford into Georgia and then marched to attack

a a
t;EtJR.4-111

35

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Whig (Patriot) forces under Col. Andrew Pickens of South Carolina, and Col. John

Dooly and Lt. Col. Elijah Clarke of Geor-

gia (400 men).

,._ Loyalist regiment of Col. James Boyd of South Carolina (800 men).

36

37 Boyd's men at Vann's Creek. The majority of the Loyalists were on the Georgia
38 side of the river when Anderson attacked. The cane brakes and low ground along

the river prevented Anderson's men from seeing the Loyalists as they landed at

other places, thus allowing the other Loyalists to counter-attack Anderson from

39

behind. Fighting a superior force on two sides, Anderson retreated, having lost

40

41

42

one killed, 15 wounded and 18 captured (including Capt. William Baskin and John

43

Miller ) The Loyalists were said to have lost 100 killed, wounded and missing

44

(i.e., deserted). Anderson's men regrouped at Cherokee Ford and then rejoined

45

Pickens.

Pickens' command, after returning from Ninety-Six, recrossed the Savannah

46

47

into Georgia at Cedar Shoal and learned of Anderson's defeat at mid-day.

Pickens, now planning to keep his force between Boyd's Loyalists and their supposed

objective of Augusta, was given help by many people who had "not come forward"

previously and who did so at this time. With Anderson and Little's men, the number
48 under Pickens' counnand was brought to 400 Georgians and South Carolinians.

Pickens and Dooly reached the Broad River at Fish Dam Ford on February 12,

49

50 51

1779. A reconnaissance force led by Capt. Joseph Neal of Georgia was sent to

follow Boyd and sent back information that Boyd's Loyalists had been seen crossing

52

53

the Broad River on February 13 at Webb's Ferry near the fork of the river. One

of Boyd's stragglers who was captured and sent to Pickens, relayed information

concerning Boyd's route. This was the first important information of Boyd's move-

ments that Pickens had learned since he came to Georgia, as local residents seemed

to know nothing of the Loyalists' activities. Pickens' scouts skirmished with those 54
of Boyd at dusk, but with no effect.

55 That night, Pickens' and Dooly's men slept on their "arms" at Clarke's
56 Creek, only four miles from Boyd's Loyalists and only eight miles .from Kettle

Creek.

37 The Loyalists' Defeat at Kettle Creek

57

58

The morning of Sunday February 14,[St. Valentine's Day], 1779 Col.

59

Boyd and his 600 to 700 Loyalists broke camp and continued toward their rende-

zvous with Daniel McGirth's 500 Loyalists, believed to be waiting at Little River, 60
not far distant. Boyd apparently was unaware that the men he was to rendezvous 61
with had already retreated to the British Army.

At 10 AM, the Loyalists hoisted their flags and beat their drums for the first

time since they had entered Georgia. Hearing their drums, Col. Pickens ordered his

pursuing 400 Whigs to "pick and prime" their weapons, which he checked, and then

62

63

ordered those who had food to share it. Capt. James McCall was sent forward

64

to reconnoiter Boyd's movements.

65 Boyd and his Loyalists marched two miles further and halted on the north

side of Kettle Creek, where some cattle had been found. Not suspecting any danger, 66
the Loyalists left their horses to graze and began butchering the cattle.

Pickens, learning of the Loyalists' actions from McCall who had come within 67
view of the Loyalists without being detected, ordered an attack. His order of
battle, planned that morning, would see Lt. Col. Elijah Clarke, commander of one
wing of about 100 men, crossing the creek to attack the Loyalists on the left, 68
while Col. Dooly would do the same on the right with another 100 men. Pickens, 69
who would make the main attack from the center with the remaining men, was preceded 70
by an advance guard 150 yards in front of him, which had orders not to fire on the 71
enemy. The order of battle was also to be the order of march whenever possible.

Pickens' plan, had it been executed, would have surrounded the Loyalists
and caught them by surprise from three sides. However, the plan failed, "not from 72
want of courage, from want of experience." Pickens' advance guard had closed upon
Boyd's sentries before their impatience got the best of them and they began firing

38

73 at the sentries, alerting the Loyalists.

74

75

Boyd, "a man of courage and action," advanced with 100 of his men.

Climbing a hill that was directly in Pickens' path and lying down behind an old 76
fence and some fallen trees, Boyd ambushed Pickens and his men when they were

within 30 yards of his position. Some of Pickens' men were killed and others were
77
wounded as the battle seemed to turn in the Loyalists' favor.

J. A. Campbell wrote to Lyman C. Draper iri 1871 that he had been told that

his grandfather, Micajah Williamson, and two other men were separated from Clarke's

force and found themselves near Boyd's Loyalists. Williamson and the two men fired

on Boyd and all were successfuL As Boyd fell, mortally wounded [apparently 100

78

79

yards from the fence ], the Loyalists panicked and fled. Pickens and his men

80

pursued the fleeing Loyalists to their main force and captured the now dying Boyd.

Dooly and Clarke, meanwhile, did not cross the creek as ordered, but were 81
caught in the cane swamps on each side of the Loyalists. When the three wings of
. Pickens' attack finally reached the main body of the Loyalists, many of them had
82
already crossed the creek and were reforming on a hill or high ground to their right.
Lt. Col. Clarke ordered a charge across the creek to attack the Loyalist forces, but 83
as he did so, his horse was shot from under him. [This happened several times during
84
the battle ]. He quickly remounted and crossed the creek at a ford that he found
when he had fallen from his horse. However, no more than one-fourth of his men 85
followed.

Now on the opposite side of the creek, many more Qf the Loyalists were reforming
on one side of the hill under Loyalist Maj. William Spurgin when Clarke attacked 86
from the other side.

The battle might have been lost for the Americans, had Spurgin succeeded 87
in rallying his men, but Clarke, reinforced by Pickens' and Dooly's men, who had

39 88 crossed the creek through the swamp, finally forced the Loyalists to retreat
in confusion after a half-hour struggle. The battle was over in less than two 89
hours.

Although accounts of the Loyalist casualties vary, what is significant is 90
that only 270 of these 700 men reached the British forces between Augusta and
Savannah. In addition, 600 horses and a great deal of baggage were captured at 91
Kettle Creek and Carr's Fort.

Over thirty of Boyd's officers and men were g:uarding the more than twenty
92
Whigs Boyd had captured along his route. This "advanced guard" was approximately

one mile from Kettle Creek and had orders to advance with their prisoners to Augusta,

93

.

where the British Army was supposedly waiting.

This advanced guard learned of Boyd's defeat when they captured a straggler
from Pickens' Regiment. The Loyalists pr:oceeded towards Augusta for a day and a 94
night before agreeing to a suggestion from one of their prisoners, Whig Captain
William Baskin, to surrender to their prisoners in exchange for a promise "of influ-
ence" with Col. Pickens concerning their being allowed to go home on parole. They
were taken to Fort Charlotte, S. C., now captives of their former prisoners, and 95
released on parole as promised.

After the battle, Pickens met with Col. Boyd, who was still conscious, but
dying from his wounds. One account of the battle states that Boyd questioned Pickens
concerning the outcome of the battle, and upon learning that he had lost, replied
that had he not fallen, it would have ended 'otherwise. According to this account,
he gave Pickens a letter and some small items to send to his wife and described his
troop movements up to Kettle Creek. Pickens supposedly complied with the request,
and also agreed to leave two men to get water for Boyd and to bury him when he died, 96
which occurred early that evening.

STATISTICAL COMPARISONS OF VARIOUS ACCOUNTS OF THE BATTLE OF KETTLE CREEKA

W = Wounded

K = Killed

MW = Mortally Wounded C = Captured

SOURCE
Archibald Campbell (Secondary Source)
Gen. Andrew WilliamsonA (Secondary
Source)
Zachariah Gibbes (Primary
Source)
Dr. David Ramsey (Secondary Source)
C. Stedman (Secondary Source)
Andrew Pickens (Primary
Source)
Capt. Hugh McCall (Secondary
Source)

YEAR WRITTEN OR PUBLISHED February 15, 1779
(BRITISH) February 25 , 1779
(WHIG) 1783
(LOYALIST) 1785

NUMBER OF LOYALISTS PRESENT
600
600-800
600+

NUMBER OF WHIGS

PRESENT

LOYALIST

DOOLY PICKENS TOTAL CASUALTIES

WHIG CASUALTIES

LOYALISTS . WHO JOINED THE BRITISH
270 (Primary Source)

400 20 Pvts. K
22 c

4K 3MW

15W

20 K

20 K

350 (Secondary
Source)

300

40 K

9K

(WHIG)

1794

300

(BRITISH)

August 28, 1811

700

100

400

70 K

(WHIG) 1816
(WHIG)

800 entered Georgia

250

400 70 K or MW

9 K

200

21 w

2MW

AAll sources cited elsewhere in this report.

41

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Composite diagram of Kettle Creek based upon all accounts of the battle.

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43

Francis Pickens (grandson of Andrew Pickens), related a different account
of Boyd's conversation with Pickens in 1848, however, stating that Pickens, an
acquaintance of Boyd, told him: "Boyd I am pained to see you in such suffering and in
such a cause." Boyd, supposedly interrupting Pickens, and raising himself on one
elbow, was said to have exclaimed: "Sir, I glory in the cause; I die for my King
and Country." Boyd then was said to have asked Pickens to write to his wife (app'lrently 97
in Newberry District, South Carolina ) and deliver a brooch he had for her. When
Pickens delivered the brooch, Boyd's wife [according to Francis Pickens, "a large,
masculine woman"] turned on her heel and shouted, "!t's a lie! No damned rebel 98
ever killed my husband!"

Pickens allowed his prisoners to bury the dead in exchange for paroles, 99
after which they reported to him and were allowed to go home. Although the men of

Pickens' command did not leave the battlefield until that night, they were across 100
the ford at Fort Charlotte and back in South Carolina by the following morning. 101
One hundred and fifty Loyalists were taken to Augusta, which had been evacuated

by the British, and later to Ninety Six; (Upper 96 District) South Carolina, for

102

103

trial. Twenty were sentenced to be hanged, but only five were actually executed.

Pickens later described the battle as "the severest conflict I ever had with

the disaffected or Tories," and said he believed it was "the severest check and



104a

chastisement the Tories ever received in Georgia or South Carolina."

THE AFTERMATH: TRIAL OF THE TORIES
What became of the Loyalists captured at Kettle Creek would make an interesting story in itself. Although only twenty Loyalists were captured at the battle, eventually the final total reached over 100. Marched in chains to Whig-held Augusta, the Loyalists were confined in the Bullpen at Fort Augusta for questioning. From Augusta the Loyalists were marched to Cherokee Pond, South Carolina and from there to the bullpen

44
at Gen. Andrew Williamson's plantation before arriving at the jail at Ninety Six, S.C. South Carolina's Governor Rutledge ordered that they be tried on March 9, 1779 but it appears that the trials did not actually begin until March 22. 104b
Gen. Augustine Prevost, the British Commander of Georgia, made every effort to have the Loyalists taken at Kettle Creek released. These efforts, and the emotional appeal by Prevost's aide, Alexander Shaw, had no effect on the Whig authorities who claimed that the Loyalists had been turned over to civilian courts and thus were not prisoners of war to be exchanged. Prevost wanted to make reprisals against his Whig captives but he feared harm might be done to Gen. Burgoyne's army,still captives of the Whigs. 104c
Many of the Loyalists were released because "it appeared, upon their Trials, that most of them had been seduced and terrified into the fatal step, by Boyd, and a number of people who frequently came amongst them from North Carolina under a variety of pretenses; and for want of proper Information of the Nature of our Contest with Great Britain". Of the twenty two that remained, all but five were eventually released. The remainder were marched to Orangeburg, S.C. to be executed. They were housed in a blockhouse, for the jail was being used as a powder magazine. On April 24, the five condemned were returned to Ninety Six. One of their guards remembered some forty five years later that four of the five executed were Aquilla Hall, James Lindley, John Clagg, and John Anderson. 104d
Aquilla Hall deserves special note. During Boyd's march to Georgia, Hall "gave out many threats that those who did not go would forfeit their lives and livings; and that those who left that company would be punished with great severity" according to testimony by Joseph Cartwright who was also on the march with Boyd. He was sentenced to death for having turned a fort over to the Cherokee Indians on the South Carolina frontier and the subsequent massacre of the fort's garrison and their families.l04e
Similar trials appear to have been held in North Carolina for Loyalists who deserted Boyd and returned horne. Although death sentences were again granted, petitions by the jurors and their neighbors earned reprieves for almost all of them. 104f

THE HISTORY OF WAR HILL
Prologue: The Early Histocy of Kettle Creek and the First Reports of the Battle

Although Little River and nearby Beaverdam Creek are ,mention_ed on the

105

Ceded Lands maps of the 1770's, Kettle Creek is not.

It is drawn on the

map, without being labeled, however, as is Little Kettle Creek. Kettle Creek

does not appear to have been n.amed on maps until D:imiel Sturges' Map of Georg:f;a

106

.

.

(18i8).

The name "Kettle" or Kittle" Creek appears on a few of the pre-Revolutionary

War land surveys, and the name was als.o used to described land on Little Kettle
107

Creek in some of the pre-Revolutionary War and later land grants.

Kettle Creek

108

seems to have been a rendezvous point for Capt. McFarlin's militia company in 1777,

109

and there were also Indiari incursions into the nearbY areas in 1776, 1778 and 1782.

Following the Revolution, the people of the area built a small -wooden church, 110
riaming it Liberty Presbyterian Church . James Daniel and his wife, as well as

ArchibaldSitllpson and his first wife, Kitty Nelson, and his second wife, Mary Sankie"

111

. 112 .

were buried behind the chur.ch. Built near the Kettle Creek Battlefield, it no

lon.ger e:dsts, but its unmarked graves are still visible, according t .o Mrs. John

Singleton, Secretary of the Kettle Creek Chapter of the Daughters of the American

.

113

Revolution.

When the State of Georgi~ reopened the land office in 1783, land on

114

. Kettle Creek was surveyed and granted to persons 'living in the area.

An article in the South Carolina and American General Gazette, which was published February 25, 1779, .first described what was later called the Battle of Kettle Creek. The article, which stated that the battle occurred in Georgia betweeri

- 45 -

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Map of th'e Chero_kee Indian cession (1773). Kettle Creek is indicated

by an arrow inserted by the authors of this report. [Courtesy Georgia

48
Excerpt from the "Map of the State of Georgia prepared from actual Surveys and other Documents for Eleazer Early," c. 1818. The Daniel Sturges Map of Georgia. [Courtesy of the Georgia Surveyor General Department.]
Arrow indicates Kettle Creek Battlefield area.

49

115

Phillips' Fort [On Little River J and Carr's Fort [On the fork of Beaverdam

116

117

Creek in Wilkes County J, was reprinted by many colonial newspapers of the period.

"The Battle of Kettle Creek" was mentioned in a dispatch sent by Col. Andrew Pickens, 118
dated March 12, 1779, and, is the oldest reference in existence which employs

that name in referring to the battle. At least two 18th-century histories of the

American Revolution refer to this battle. They are Dr. David Ramsay's History of 119
the Revolution in South Carolina (1785) and C. Stedman's The History of the Origin, 120
Progress and Termination of the American War (1794).

In 1811, Gen. Andrew Pickens wrote his personal account of the Battle of
Kettle Creek in a letter to Col. Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, which has been 121
preserved in the Draper Collection of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin.
Also in 1811, Capt. Hugh McCall was writing the second volume of his two-volume book,
The History of Georgia. When published five years later, this book gave the most 122
detailed published account of the battle to date.

A Gazetteer of the State of Georgia, published in 1827 by Rev. Adiel Sherwood,
mentioned a Kettle Creek in Wilkes County, Georgia, as flowing into Little River, 123
where the Battle of Kettle Creek had occurred. The oldest-known map showing
Kettle Creek "Battlefield" is William Bonner's Map of Georgia in 1847, which indicates
that the battle occurred roughly in the vicinity of present-day War Hill, but, as in
an earlier map upon which Bonner's map appears to be based, it does not show Little
Kettle Creek. There are no known records of where either Bonner or the earlier 124
map-maker got their information.

Nineteenth-century print showing the "Engagement Betwe;m the Whiqs and Tories Near Kettle Creek 1779" in lower riqht corner. (Courtesy of !-Is. Carroll Hart, Director of the Georgia Department of Archives and History.)

51
War Hill, from Its First Known Mention to the Present
125 Eliza A. Bowen, a Latin teacher and student of astronomy, wrote in 1879
that "War Hill" was the site of the Battle of Kettle Creek and that it was located 126
on the property of Henry T. Slaton. In her book, The Story of Wilkes County
(1886-1897}, she wrote that bayonets, pieces of muskets and musket balls had been
picked up at the site, and H. T. Slaton seems to have found a silver coin there
during the time of the Centennial of the American Independence. Bowen also wrote
that she had visited War Hill in 1865 and that some of the local citizens had
hidden some of their cattle there in 1864 (dlte to the obscurity of the area), out
of reach of Gen. Sherman's army (which, however, passed Wilkes County by on its
March to the Sea). She felt this was a "curious connection" of two different in127
vasions of up-country Georgia, almost 100 years apart.
128 Henry Thomas Slaton (1834-'1918), facing severe financial troubles after
129 the Civil War, sold the last of his land (which included War Hill) to A. L.
130 Richardson of New Orleans (later of New York) in 1899. The Wilkes County Chapter
of the Daughters of the American Revolution then bought the 12.5-acre tract around 131
War Hill from.Richardson in 1900 for $75, the money having been donated by T. M. 132
Green, a local banker. Green's wife, the former Miss Met Andrews, and her sister,
Eliza Frances Andrews, had compiled a list of over 300 men believed to have fought 133
at the Battle of Kettle Creek.
Kettle Creek was rechanneled in 1920 or 1921 and straightened to reduce its 134
flooding, which damaged crops, and a public health problem. The rechannelization
appears to have. been a local project, with each farmer paying for the work done on the 135
section of the creek passing through his land. At War Hill, the original creek
136
bed dried up when the new channel was dug 150 yards to the south.
Through a 30~year effort by the Kettle Creek Chapter of the Daughters of

.\ -

\..

1

:.,i
1ne recnanne1.1.zat1.on ot K.ett.le creel< in the spr:1.ng ot lYLU. Note the cane brake to the left of the man on the far right. [Photograph courtesy of Dr. James Turner Bryson of Washington, Georgia.]

53

the American Revolution, the United States War Department erected a monument in 137
1930 on the War Hill site to commemorate the battle. Several man-made features
were added to the War Hill area for the<< monument's dedication, including a road
from the south side of Kettle Creek (now used by a lumber company) , a bridge, a
covered rostrum and several wooden signs showing various troop movements during the
battle. The signs were erected by William Slaton [nephew of H. T. Slaton], who,
it has been said "would not let the truth interfere with a good story." None of
these features still exist, with the exception of the road and the monument, which 138
is a granite obelisk on .a mound of rocks.

At the dedication ceremony held at the monument site on June 6, 1930, several important dignitaries were present, including Maj. Gen. Frank McCoy, commander of the Fourth Army Corps at Fort McPherson; Georgia Secretary of State George Carswell; Gen. Charles Summerall, Chief of Staff, U. S. Army; Mrs. Ben Wiley, State Regent for the Daughters of the American Revolution; and members of the 22nd U. S. Infantry Band from Fort McPherson, Georgia.

Mrs. Boyce Ficklen, Jr., immediate past national president of the American
Legion Auxilary, delivered the address and the Rev. Marshall Nelms of Hartwell
gave the dedication prayer. Wreaths were laid at the monument by descendants of
\Vhig officers who fought there (with the exception of Col. Dooly's, who could not 139
be located), and a dinner was served at the site afterwards.

William Lake, a newspaperman in Union, South Carolina, wrote to the Georgia

Historical Society in 1942, requesting information about the Battle of Kettle Creek,

saying that he had a cannonball from War Hill and wanted to learn of its history,

140

as it was being donated to the World War II scrap-metal drive.

Unfortunately~

he and his wife have been deceased for some time now, and his children have no 141
knowledge of the cannonball nor what became of it.

54
In 1958, The Georgia Historical Commission (now under theGeorgia Department of Natural Resources as the Histor.ic P..reservatio.. n Section) erected two markers at 142 War Hill and the highway, which relate the history of the Battle of Kettle Creek.
Dr. James Turner Bryson, a civic-minded citizen and veterinarian in Wilkes County, assisted with having the ownership of the site transferred from the thendefunct Kettle Creek Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to the
143 Commissioners of Roads and Revenues of Wilkes County in 1960. The few members of the chapter still living at that time agreed to this action, as the site would
144 have otherwise passed to their numerous descendants upon their deaths. Chapter members had signed a graves easement in 1928 with the U. S. Army Graves Registration
145 Division, and mistakenly believed this gave title to the property to the Army, according to Dr. Bryson.
Dr. Bryson was also active in organizing the Kettle Creek Battlefield Conmdssion in the early 1960's with the purpose of developing "a first rate park at the site." A news article in the Washington [Georgia) News Reporter, dated August 30, 1962, reported that he and the other Commission members were interested in knowing if Starrs' Hill (South of the Battle ground) had ever been called War Hill and if anyone knew if there had been a church or cemetery nearby. Others members included
146
John A. Callaway and Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Griffin.
One of the projects accomplished by Dr. Bryson and the Commission was the erecting of a granite marker at War Hill in 1962 in memory of John Shank, a soldier who served under George Rodgers Clark during the Revolution in present-day Missouri. Shank moved to Georgia after the Revolution and subsequently died in Lincoln County. The marker was erected on behalf of Henry Mercer Shank of Colorado, a descendant,
147 when Shank's grave could not be located.
A "reinactment" of the Battle of Kettle Creek was staged in nearby Washington,

I

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Georgia Historical Marker and ~ar Department Monument (1960) [Courtesy of the ~ational Park Service, Department of the Interior.]

.~ ,...

PRORERTY OF M a A FARMS

LOCATED IN 16 9 th G. M.D. WILKES COUNTY, GEORGIA

Aerial photograph showing War Hill Monument site. (White lines in photograph are property lines.)

57

Georgia, in 1967 by the Colonial and British Armies of America, Inc., an
organization from South Carolina. Although it was in no way realistic, the
reinactment did attract attention to the importance of the site. Among those
present were Governor Lester Maddox, Georgia Secretary of State Ben Fortson,
Representative Robert G. Stephens, Jr. and Lieutenant Governor George T. Smith, as 148
well as members of the Georgia Historical Commission and the Georgia Department 149
of Archives and History. Many of the guests, s.uch as Governor Maddox, Representative
Stephens and Secretary of State Ben Fortson, wore Revolutionary War uniforms for 150
the occasion.

The reactivated Kettle Creek Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
nominated the battlefield for acquisition by the National Park Service in 1972.
This department, basing its decision on an inaccurate report of the site made in 151
the 1960's as part of a much larger report by Frank B. Sarles and Charles E. Shedd,
declined to accept the site. In a letter to Mrs. Charles Wickersham, the National
Park Service said that Kettle Creek lacked the national significance required of a 152
National Park Service Historical Site. Its decision, based upon the report, may
have been correct; however, the report it was based upon was not.

The remains of Maj. John Lindsay, a Revolutionary War soldier from Wilkes

County who was granted a disability pension in 1794, were reinterred at War Hill

in 1973 as a project of the Kettle Creek Chapter of the Daughters of the American 153
Revolution, the Lindsay family and Dr. Bryson. The grave was moved from obscurity

at an old farm to the War Hill site in order to save it from being lost as was

John'Shank's grave. Ceremonies at his new grave site were held October 7, 1973,

with members of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Lindsay family and

154

Dr. Bryson in attendance.

Dr. Bryson and Mrs. Singleton have also arranged

155

for the reburial of three other Revolutionary War soldiers on October 27, 1974.

156

They are James Cartledge, a member of Elijah Clarke's regiment; Sgt. Lewis Flemister,

58 157 one of Gen. George Washington's bodyguards; and Richard Peteet, who served 158 in Virginia during the Revolution. Dr. Bryson hopes this effort will be the
start of a memorial cemetery at War Hill for Revolutionary War soldiers whose graves 159
are lost or endangered.
In 1973, Janet Harvill Standard edited The Battle of Kettle Creek: ~Turning
Point of the American Revolution in the South, a book of secondary accounts of the
Battle of Kettle Creek. The book was published to obtain recognition for the
battlefield, and, according to the late Mrs. Standard, the sales were quite success160
fu1. Illustrations for the book were done by Kim Tucker and Helen Armour Willingham.
A traveler over much of Georgia, David M. Sherman of Albany, Georgia, was
so impressed with the War Hill site when he visited it that he nominated it for 161
State acquisition under the Georgia Heritage Trust program in 1973. It is due
to this nomination that this report has been written.
A 40-acre tract centered on the War Hill Monument was nominated to the
National Register of Historic Places in May, 1975.

THE LOYALISTS
Col. Boyd
There seems to be some historical mystery surrounding each of the Loyalists who fought at Kettle Creek, perhaps the most controversial of these being that concerned with the first name of the Col. Boyd who led the Loyalist force at the battle.
Capt. Hugh McCall unknowingly initiated the mystery concerning Boyd in his 1
second volume of The History of Georgia (1811-1816). Boyd's first name was not given by McCall, who did say, however, that Boyd was an Irishman who had lived for several years in South Carolina.
A James Boyd was at the house of John Moore in Richmond County, Georgia, in January of 1779 in an att.empt to gain support from Georgia Loyalists in his efforts to recruit men for "the King's Army" at Savannah . This information comes from a deposition by William Millen, who actually met Boyd and further stated that Boyd
2
arrived at Savannah with the British invasion. This James Boyd is probably the Boyd at Kettle Creek, for Millen's deposition agrees with Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell's
3 description of "Col. Boyd."
Campbell knew Boyd personally, having met him in New York at a meeting with Sir Henry Clinton. Boyd was killed, according to Campbell, while fighting the Whigs
4 [at Kettle Creek] in February of 1779. His death, first recorded by Campbell in his journal, is one of the few facts upon which all of the secondary and primary accounts
5 of the battle agree.
Testimony given at the Memorial [pension claim] of Loyalist John Hamilton after the Revolution indicates that Lt. Col. Campbell gave Loyalist Officers in

60

Georgia warrants [contracts] for their commiSsions according to the number of
Loyalists they recruited for the British [Major's rank for recruiting 200 to 250
men, Lt. Col. for 350 men recruited, and Colonel for 500 men recruited]. Boyd, 6
having recruited well over 500 men, may have held his rank on such a warrant.

E. Alfred Jones, in the notes following this article, "The Journal of Alexander Chesney" (1921), stated that Boyd's first name was "John." Jones'source was the 1783
Memorialist Claim of Zacharias Gibbs, one of Boyd 1s men, [see Zacharias Gibbs J. 7

"Thomas" was Boyd's first name, according to Robert McCluer Calhoon in

.

8

The Loyalists in Revolutionary America, 1760-1781. . His source apparently was 9
Gary Olson's "Thom.;ts Browrt, Loyalist Partisan ... " in The Georgia Historical Quarterly.

Probably the strangest first name was given Boyd by William E. Cox in
10
''Brigadier-General John Ashe 1 s Defeat ... Brier Creek." Cox, who said Boyd's

first name was "Floyd," obtained his information from the pension statement of a

Revolutionary War veteran who had pursued a Col. Floyd (the name "Boyd" was written

above "Floyd" in brackets, apparently by some "editor" or clerk). This "Col. Floyd

.

.

11

Boyd" appears to have actually beeh Loyalist Col. Matthew Floyd, who was recruiting

Loyalists in 1780 and probably had nothing to do with Kettle Creek or Col. Boyd.

Additional biographical information on Boyd is almost as elusive as his first 12
name. Robert DeMond, in The Loyalists in North Carolina During the Revolution,
seemed to imply that Boyd had lived in the Lower Yadkin Valley of Anson County, 13
North Carolina, near the South Carolina border. There was a Loyalist, Robert Boyd, 14
whose land was confiscated in the Yadkin Valley in Anson County, but it is more
probable that Boyd was from South Carolina, as McCall wrote, although he may have
beert in Anson County to recruit Loyalists.

Francis Pickens (grandson of the Andrew Pickens who fought at the Battle of Kettle Creek) wrote in 1848 that Boyd was from Newberry District, South Carolina,

61
and that Andrew Pickens knew Boyd prior to Kettle Creek. Francis Pickens also wrote that Boyd's dying words were: "Sir, I glory in the cause; I die for my King and Country!" Boyd was supposed to have given Andrew Pickens a brooch
15 and asked him to write a letter to Boyd's wife.
It is interesting to note that, despite the various accounts [all of which are secondary sources] of Boyd's dying words to Andrew Pickens, Pickens himself, in his own "very particular" account of the Battle of Kettle Creek, made no mention
16 of meeting Boyd at all after the battle.
Zacharias Gibbs
The mystery surrounding Zacharias Gibbs is that until the publication of Jones' "The Journal of Alexander Chesney", no modern-day historian seems to have ever heard of him. Gibbs, despite his obscurity, appears to have been an important Loyalist at Kettle Creek.
A deposition made in England for payment of Gibbs services during the Revolution states that he was active in the Loyalist forces throughout the War. He seems to have begun his service for the King by leading a Loyalist company in successfully capturing a fort at Ninety Six, in 1775, and was later taken prisoner by the Whigs several times but was free in 1779 to help raise 600 men "in two days" to join the King's Army in Savannah.
Enroute to join the British, Gibbs said two battles occurred. The first [Vann's Creek?] was a Loyalist victory, resulting in their capturing 13 prisoners. Three days later, the Loyalists were defeated in their second battle [Kettle Creek] and Gibbs was captured. He stated that 20 men were killed on each side during that confrontation.

62
Gibbs was one of 22 Loyalists who were tried at Augusta, Georgia, and later at Ninety Six, South Carolina, and were condemned to death. Although he was one of those condemned, he was not one of the five who actually were hanged, however. His brother-in-law was not so fortunate.
Zacharias Gibbs was eventually released and began recruiting Loyalists for the British again, including Major Patrick Ferguson [British Commander at the Battle of King's Mountain]. At his memorial, Lord Cornwallis was among British officers who offered testimony on his behalf to this effect.
Originally from Virginia, Gibbs lived for 20 years in South Carolina prior 17
to the Revolution.
John Moore
There is also a mystery surrounding John Moore, the second-in-command of the Loyalists at Kettle Creek, who may have been confused with other Loya1is~s with the same name by historians trying to compile his biography . . Boyd held meetings at the house of a John Moore in Richmond County, Georgia, in January of 1779, and
18 this is possibly the same John Moore who was with him at Kettle Creek.
The newspaper account of. the Battle of Kettle Creek states that there was 19
a "Major Moore" killed there, btit historians do not believe that this was the John Moore who was Boyd's second-in-command. Capt. McCall wrote that he not only understood that Moore was a coward and lacked military ability, but that he had also survived the battle and later led the other surviving Loyalists of the battle
20 to the British army at Savannah.
Lyman C. Draper, in his King's Mountain .s.nQ Its Heroes. said of John Moore:

63
Moses Moore, the father of Colonel John Moore, was a native of Carlisle, England, whence he migrated to Virginia in 1745, marrying a Miss Winston, near Jamestown, in that Province; and in 1753, settling in what is now Gaston County, North Carolina, eight miles west of Lincolnton. Here John Moore was born; and being a frontier country, when old enough was sent to Granville County, in that Province, for his education. When the Revolution broke out, he became a zealous Loyalist; and led a party of Tories from Tryon County, in February, 1779, to Georgia, and uniting with Colonel Boyd on the way, they were defeated by Colonel Pickens at Kettle Creek ... Moore escaped to the British army in that quarter; and is said to have participated in the defen~e of Savannah. In December following, he was in the service near Moseley's Ferry, on the Ogechee [a river in Georgia].
He subsequently returned to North Carolina, a Lieutenant-Colonel in Hamilton's corps of Loyalists, and prematurely embodied a Tory force, near Camp Branch, about half a mile west of his father's residence; thence marched about six miles north to Tory Branch, and thence to Ramsour's Mill, on the South Fork, where he was disastrously defeated, June 20th, 1780, escaping with thirty others to Camden. His regiment, the Royal North Carolinians, participated in Gates' defeat, losing three killed and fourteen wounded - among the latter, Colonel Hamilton. It is doubtful if Moore participated in the action, as he was about that time under suspension, threatened with a court martial for disobedience of orders in raising the Loyalists at Ramsour's before the time appointed by Lord Cornwallis;2lbut it was at length deemed impolitic to bring him to trial . Escaping from [the Battle of] King's Mountain, we next find him with Captain Waters, and a body of Tories, defeated by Colonel Washington at Hammond's Store, South Carolina, December 28th, 1780. Though a family tradition coming down from a sister to her grandson, John H. Roberts of Gaston County [N.C.] represents that Moore went to Carlisle, England and was lost track of; yet the better opinion is founded on a statement by a North Carolina Loyalist, published in the Political Magazine, London; April, 1783, that he was taken prisoner by Colonel Wade Hampton near the Wateree, and hanged. He left no family.22
Robert Knox, in his pension statement, said that he served under Col. McLean
in pursuit of some Loyalists commanded by Col. John Moore in 1780. He further
said:"They marched to Moses Moore's, father of the Colonel, and started to destroy 23
his oats by turning their horses into it, but the officers came up and prevented it."
Revolutionary War pensioners were often confused concerning the years in which
actions took place, so this incident could have occurred in 1779, in pursuit of
Moore's men enroute to join Boyd.
Moore was also reported to have led a large body of Loyalists in stealing
horses and guns in February, 1779, and to have launched an attack on February 6, 24
1779, on Col. John Thomas' house [See "Boyd's Recruiting of the Loyalists."]

64
It is possible that there were two or more Loyalist officers named John Moore and their exploits have been treated as if they were those of one man. There was also a Whig soldier named John Moore living in the same area [Tryon
25 County, N. C.] as Loyalist John Moore.
William Spurgin
The mystery concerning William Spurgin has been a question of the correct spelling of his last name. There have been many confusing spellings, including Spuageon, Spurgen, Spirgen, Spurgeon and Spargan, as well as Spurgin, which the
26 North Carolina Archives has proven to be the correct one, but all of these names do refer to the same person. Spurgin, Boyd's third-in-command at the Battle of Kettle Creek, was said to be a man of courage and military skill, and he might have
27
won the battle for the Loyalists had he been able to rally his men.
2S
Majors Spurgin and Harry Sharp led 200 Loyalists in an attack on the camp of Whig Col. John Twiggs and Lt. Col. Ely Kershaw at Beach Island, South Carolina, at 8 PM on March 31, 1179, but the 200 Whigs at Twiggs' Camp repulsed the Loyalists,
29 with Spurgin being killed and Sharp, who later died from his wounds, being captured.
Some information concerning Spurgin's life prior to Kettle Creek also exists. He served as a justice of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Rowan County, North Carolina, from August 11, 1764, until February 11, 1775, but following the Battle of Lexington, he no longer sat with the court. He was denounced by the Rowan County Committee of Safety on November 2, 1775, and an order for his arrest as an "incorrigible enemy to America" was issued by the Committee on November 8 of the
30 same year.

65

Although Spurgin attempted to .recruit the North Carolina .Moravians to the
Loyalist forces, the Moravians appear to have had Whig sympathies, and in either 32
case did not bear arms.

According to a descendant of WilliamSpurgin, he was not killed at Beach

Island, but survived to eventually reach Canada. Records of a William Spurgin

who did live to reach Canada and file a will do exist, so the "Maj. Spargan"

killed at Beach Island possibly refers to another Spurgin (probably a relative)

or is not accurate. However, Maj. William Cunningham testified in 1786 that Henry

Ferguson [a Loyalist who made claim to the British government for "services

rendered" during the Revolution] had "Major Spurgeon's grave" dug in 1779 by a

.

33

slave named Lut in Savannah.

THE WHIGS
Robert Anderson
Born in Augusta County, Virginia, in 1741, Robert Anderson was the son of John and Jean Anderson, Irish immigrants who had fi r st settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When 20 years old, Anderson moved to Ninety Six District, South Carolina, where he became a surveyor and a member of the local Militia. He married Ann Thompson of Augusta County, Virginia, in 1765. Appointed captain of Company 12 of the Upper Ninety Six Regiment prior to November 12, 1775, one of Anderson's fellow officers was Capt. Andrew Pickens of Company 2, with whom Anderson would share most of his military career.
After attacking Col. Boyd's Loyalists as they crossed the Savannah River at Vann's Creek, Georgia, Anderson and his men rejoined the Upper Ninety Six Regiment, then under Andrew Pickens (who had been promoted to the rank of colonel). Anderson probably served under Pickens at the Battle of Kettle Creek, which occurred soon afterward.
After the Revolution, Anderson, by then promoted to colonel, served in both houses of the South Carolina Legislature at various times and was also promoted to brigadier general of the South Carolina Militia. He died in 1813 and was buried in the Old Stone Church Cemetery, near what was later Andrew Pickens' burial place. His descendents often married descendents of Pickens, and the two families are thus
34 closely related.
Elijah Clarke
Although it is known that Elijah Clarke was born in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, his ancestry has apparently never been clearly traced or identified.

67
He married Hannah Arrington in North Carolina and, in 1774, brought his family 35
to the Ceded Lands of Georgia (what later became Wilkes County, Georgia).
Later that same year, he signed petitions with his new neighbors protesting
the "public" meetings at Tondee's Tavern in Savannah which opposed British rule.
The settlers of the Ceded Lands felt the meetings were not fair representations
of all Georgians and that protest against the British might end their protection 36
of the Georgia frontier from Indian incursions.
Clarke apparently had changed his mind by 1776, for at that time he was a
captain protecting a Whig wagon train of supplies moving toward t:he mouth of the
Broad River in Georgia. Enroute, the wagon train was attacked by Indians and,
although the attackers were repulsed, Clarke was severely wounded, three of his 37
men were killed and three others wounded.
Two years later, he joined the Georgia invasion of Florida, led by the 38
Regular Army under Gen. Robert Howe. Clarke himself led a group of mounted Militia
that helped pursue a group of Loyalists under Thomas Brown from Fort Tonyn, Florida,
which Brown had evacuated, to nearby Alligator Bridge, Florida. Here, he was
wounded while launching an unsuccessful attack against the Loyalists and was carried
by his retreating men to the St. Mary's River and back to Georgia. This was not 39
the last time Clarke and Brown would meet.
When Col. John Coleman died of illness and was replaced by John Dooly as
commander of the Wilkes -County Militia, Clarke, then a major, was promoted to 40
lieutenant colonel and the position of Dooly's second-in-command. He held this
position when he guaranteed a Whig victory at the Battle of Kettle Creek on February
14, 1779, and in the following April, commanded Wilkes County forts while Dooly and 41
Pickens' men pursued and defeated David Tait and his Indians.

68

When Chnrleston was capturcd by the British in 1780, many Whig Militia 42
regiments in Georgia and ' South Carolina surrendered and received paroles.
Although Dooly surrendered the Wilkes County Militia, Clarke refused to submit
and took over 30 volunteers with him "over the mountains" to the Catawba River 43
in North Carolina to escape the British.

Ninety Six, South Carolina, and Augusta, Georgia~ were then under British 44
control, and Loyalist forces under Maj. Dunlop and Col. Tarleton pursued Clarke's
men, who had been joined by the forces of Col. John Jones and Col. Issac Shelby.
Having exhausted their avenues of escape, Clarke's men then turned on their pursuers
and defeated them at Wofford's Iron Works, S. C. and Cedar Springs. Although the
Loyalists were forced to halt their pursuit, Elijah Clarke was wounded from saber
cuts, as were many of his men, including his son, John. Maj. Burwell Smith, who 45
had been with Clarke at Kettle Creek, was among those counted dead after the battle.

When Clarke and his men returned to Georgia in late summer of 1780 and
issued a call for volunteers, hundreds of men jumped their paroles from the British
and responded to his request. Others were forced to join by threats on their lives 46
if they did not comply, and with his force of 400 men, Clarke stormed Loyalist-
47
held Augusta on September 14, 1780.

Thomas Brown, who commanded the Loyalists and Indians at Augusta, was taken

by surprise by the September attack, in which Clarke and his men quickly seized

48

Fort Grierson, the city's main defense. Brown's men then withdrew to a large

49

50

stone or white house on the Savannah River to wait for reinforcements. Clarke

ordered the house beseiged, and cannons were brought from Fort Grierson to be used

to reduce the house, but these had little effect on the structure, due in part to 51
Clarke's only artillerist having been killed on the first day of the seige.

After three days of unsuccessful attempts to dislodge the Loyalists from

69

the house and the Indians from the river bank, Clarke still called for Brown's

52

surrender, but Brown, wounded in both thighs and having long since exhausted his

53

54

water supply, stubbornly refused. At 10 o'clock on the morning of September 18,

1780, reinforcements under Lt. Col. J. H. Cruger arrived to save Brown and his men. 55
Cruger's Loyalist forces so outnumbered Clarke's men that Clarke ordered a retreat.

Brown, once again in command in Augusta, planned a terrible revenge against
the more than 20 men he had taken prisoner during Clarke's siege of Augusta. At
least eleven of the prisoners were hanged, and others, less fortunate, were left 56
with the Indians to be dealt with. Brown apparently did this in retaliation for
his men being captured and murdered by the Whig attacks on his supplies as they
came from British-occupied Savannah and in compliance with British Gen. Cornwallis' 57
orders concerning Whigs who jumped parole.

Elijah Clarke, once again fleeing to the mountains, had several hundred

men,women and children with him this time who preferred hunger and cold to Brown's 58
retaliation. While bringing their families to safety in North Carolina, some

of Clarke's men joined Colonel Shelby and participated in the Whig victory at King's 59
Mountain, South Carolina. Clarke was so badly wounded one month later at the 60
Battle of Long Cane, South Carolina, that he almost died.

6la Recovering from his wounds and a case of smallpox , Clarke then returned

with his men to Georgia in time to join Col. Pickens' and Col Henry Lee's men as 6lb
Augusta was besieged for the second time in 1781. This time, with Ninety Six,

South Carolina, also being besieged and Savannah's garrison too weak to send re-

.62

63

inforcements, Brown could hope for no rescue. After 16 days, he and his men

surrendered and were escorted to Savannah by Col. Lee's men in order to protect them 64
from vengeful Georgians and South Carolinians.

Clarke and his men then moved to Savannah, where they joined other Whig forces

70
Elijah Clarke. From Howard Meriwether Lovett's "Hannah Clarke, Heroine of the Hornets' Nest" in Grandmother Stories From the_ Land of Used-ta-B~-' (Atlanta, 1913). This por1:7rait may be a reproduction of the painting as men-
tioned as owned by Hr. Henry Thompson in a letter to Mr. Draper in 1872. Mr.
Thompson's "very good likeness" of Clarke was described as having blue eyes
and "chestnut" colored hair. (See the Lyman c. Draper Collection, V, Georgia,
South C'.arolina, and Alabama Pap-ers, Vol. I, State Historical Society 0f Wisconsin).

71
65 and besieged the city until the British withdrew in July of 1781. Among Clarke's
other Revolutionary War battles were Musgrove's Hill (August 1780) where he was
again wounded, and Blackstocks (October 1780), where he was credited with 66
guaranteeing the Whig victory by turning the Loyalists' flank.
After the Revolution, Clarke worked towards securing Georgia's frontier
from Indian attack, defeating the last large Indian incursion into Georgia at Jack's 67
Creek. He was involved later in the famous Genet Affair and the Trans-Oconee
Republic, unsuccessful attempts to bypass the Federal Government in order todeal 68
directly with the Indians. He died in 1799.
69 Elijah Clarke's children were John Clark, governor of Georgia (1819-1823)
Gibson Clark, one of the first graduates of the University of Georgia; Elijah Clark, Jr., 70
lawyer and candidate for Congress ; Mrs. Josiah Walton, Mrs. Benijah Smith, Mrs.
Charles (Polly or Mary) Williams (later Mrs. William Hobby), Mrs. Edwin (Fannie) 71
Mounger, Mrs. Jessie (Nancy) Thompson and Susan Clarke, who died in childhood.
Residents of the Georgia county named for Elijah Clarke, as well as the 72
authors of this report, accept Elijah Clarke's own spelling of his last name, 73
although Governor John Clark spelled his last name without the "e".
Austin Dabney
74 "A man of color" was Austin Dabney, who served in Elijah Clarke's regiment
75 during the Revolutionary War. After the war, Dabney received a federal pension
76 as an invalid, the original application for which burned in 1800 and 1814. His
annual statements, or requests, do exist for 1815-1830.
Dabney, a mulatto slave, was freed from his former master, Richard Aycock,
77
by a special act of the Georgia Legislature in 1786 and allowed a land lot by

72
78 another act in 1821. . Elijah Clarke, his former commander, was one of the men
appointed to guarantee that the act of 1786 was carried out.

The main source of further information on Dabney and the story of his

participation at the Battle of Kett1e Creek is former Governor George R. Gilmer's

.

79

(1790-1859 ) Sketches of Some of the First Settlers of Upper Georgia, of the 80

Cherokees, and the Author (1855). How much one may believe of Dabney's

legendary exploits is to be determinedby the degree of credibility one attri-

81

.

butes to Governor Gilmer.

Gilmer wrote that Richard Aycock, being a coward, insisted that his "mulatto
boy", Austin Dabney; take his place when the Militia was called up, explaining 82
that Dabney was not actually a slave and, therefore, could legally bear arms.

At the Battle of Kettle Creek, Dabney was severely wounded and rescued by 83 Giles Harris and carried to the Harris home, where he recovered, although he
remained a cripple for life, having sustained a broken thigh. [Note: Dabney's
pension indicated he was wounded in the thigh at Augusta in May 1782(?)].

Gilmer further .wrote that Dabney later became somewhat wealthy and sent Harris' son, William, (b. 1790-1792) to Franklin College (now the University of Georgia), and to the law firm of Dabney's friend, Stephen Upson. Harris' son passed the Georgia Bar examination in 1817 in Lexington, Geo~gia and Dabney, who was waiting outside, listening, supposedly cried with joy.

There is another anecdote mentioned by Gilmer, which is concerned with Dabney's
spending the night at the home of Governor James Jackson (1757-1806), who was a
84
soldier with Dabney during the Revolution. This story is the only known legend 85
even suggesting that Jackson could have been at Kettle Creek. Dabney lived with
the Harris family in Madison, Newton and Pike Counties, Georgia.

73

The Daughters of the American Revolution have "located" Dabney's and William Harris' graves, supposedly buried side-by-side, although no one knows which is Dabney's. The marker erected at the site in Pike County, reads:
Sleep, Soldier, still in honored rest, Your Love and Valor Bearing, The Bravest are the Tenderest, The Loving are the Daring.
86 Harris named a son Austin Dabney Harris for his friend.
Dabney's last pension request was for March, 1830 and this was received in Savannah by his power of attorney. He does not appear in the Census of 1830 with the Harris family, nor does he appear on the September, 1830 pension roll, leading one to suspect he died in 1830 in Pike County, Georgia, his last official residence.
John Dooly

The Wilkes County court records possess considerable information concern-

ing John Dooly and his family, who apparently came to Wilkes County, Georgia,

from South Carolina in 1773. Dooly and his wife, Dianna, had with them their

87

88

89

three sons (John Mitchell, Thomas and[?] ), ages one through four, and

their three orphan nephews, ages 10 through 19. A daughter, named Susannah, 90
apparently was born to them after 1773.

Dooly was granted 500 acres of land on the Savannah River, half of which 91
was referred to as the former "Lee Place."

His arrival in Georgia agrees with the Georgia Roll of Oaths of Allegiance
and Supremacy taken by pre-Revolutionary War government officials in the state,
which lists John Dooly as "D. S." [Deputy Surveyor or Deputy Sheriff] for St. 92
Paul's Parish, Georgia on March 7, 1773.

74
In 1774, Dooly was one of many sett,lers of what was later Wilkes County who signed petitions protesting unfair representation at the "public" meetings held
93 at Tondee's Tavern in Savannah that were in protest of "royal. authority." The petitioners also warned of the danger of Irtdian attacks on their homes if British protection of the frontier ceased.
In July of 1777, John Dooly's brother, Capt. Thomas Dooly (not be confused with Johrt Dooly 1s son), led an attack on a force of Indians camped at the dry fork of Long Creek in Wilkes County. Badly wounded irt the leg during the battle, in which Dooly's men were outnumbered by approximately four to one, it was reported that Dooly (the brother) was last seenbegging his retreating men not to leave him to
94 the "mercys" of the Indians when Lt. Cunningham ordered Dooly's men to retreat.
In an attempt to avertge his brother's assumed death, John Dooly planned to attack a group of Indians going to a peace conference. Samuel Elbert arrested Dooly and was later ordered to court martial him, but he accepted Dooly's resignation
95 as a captain in the Regular Army instead.
Dooly had become a Militia colonel in Wilkes County by 1779, upon the 96
death of Col. John Coleman with Lt. Col. Elijah Clarke serving as second-in-command. In command of the Militia of Wilkes County, Dooly took those who would go with him to South Carolina when the British captured Augusta. He and his men, under the. command of Militia Col. Andrew Pickens of South Carolina, then marched back to Georgia and successfully drove the British from Wilkes County. The Loyalist horsemert urtder Capt. John Hamilton were the first to leave the area, with the 700 Loyalists under Col. Boyd following a few days later after their defeat at Kettle Creek.
In late March of 1779, Colonels Dooly, Pickens and LeRoy Hammond combined their numbers and defeated a force of Indians under Loyalist David Tait, who

75

97
was trying to join the British army at Savannah. Tait, who had burned Well's 98
and Fulsom's forts on the Ogeechee River in Georgia, lost several men, including 99
two Indian chiefs, and then retreated to Indian country.

The Georgia Executive Council made special note of Dooly's defeat of Boyd
in a letter to South Carolina's state government on August 18, 1779, and accepted him 100
as a member by the Council on that same day. Dooly was prosecuting attorney at
the trial of several Loyalists in Wilkes County, held August 26, 1779, some of whom
were sentenced to be hanged for "treason". At the trials, accusations were apparently
made against Pickens' and Dooly's characters and actions, for John Crutchfield had 101
to testify in their behalf.

The Wilkes Courl.ty Militia, under Col. John Dooly, joined with other Militia
units, the Continentia! Army and the French army in the unsuccessful attempt 102
to regain Savannah from the British in late 1779.

Dooly's "fame" was apparently not lost on the British. Royal Governor
Sir James Wright of Georgia described him in the "Disqualifying Act" of July
6, 1780, as a "Rebel ColoneL" This act banned men such as Dooly from holding 103
any public office or other position "of honor".

When Charleston, South Carolina, was captured in late 1780 and British

forces reoccupied Augusta, Georgia, and Ninety Six, South Carolina, many Whig

104

Militia colonels surrendered to the British, as the war now seemed lost. Dooly,

105

one of these officers, surrendered his men to Col. Manson on a ridge outside

106

107

of present-day Washington, Georgia, and then returned to his home [Dooly's Fort ]

108

109

on the Savannah River. Soon afterward, a party of Loyalists under Capt. Wilder

110

visited Dooly and killed him in his home in front of his family. It has been

said that John Dooly's brother, Capt. George Dodly, executed several Loyalists in

111

112

retaliation and then assumed command of his brother's regiment.

76
Among John Dooly's descendants was his son, John Mitchell Dooly, [Jr.], (1772?-1.827), who later became a famous Georgia judge, Thomas Dooly, d. 1794 and
Susanna who married Edward Bond. The latter's descendant are in touch with the 113
authors.
Dooly County, natned after CoL John Dooly ~ as well as the authors of this report, accept the "Dooly" spelling of the last name due to the fact that he signed
114
his name in this manner. The Dooly Homeplace is marked by two historical markers.
Anne "Nancy" Morgan Hart
Although legends have abounded in Georgia history concerning Nancy Hart, there
did actually exist a person by that name in Wilkes County, Georgia, during the Revolution. The legends associated with her at Kettle Creek are included here
115 only to show the effect of the battle on Georgia folklore.
One account states that Nancy Hart crossed the Savannah River on a raft 116
to secure information concerning the Loyalists for Col. Dooly and Col. Pickens. The legend that she pretended to be insane in the enemy camp and thus gained vital
117 information might be related to this incident. Perhaps one of the most interesting
legends of her exploits at the Battle of Kettle Creek has her dressed in men's clothes and fighting alongside the Whigs. Tradition says she did this so that her
118 husband and sons would not "show her up" at fighting.
After the Revolution, she and her family moved to Brunswick, Georgia, where her husband, John, died in 1802. Soon after this, the family moved again and
119 eventually settled in Kentucky. Nancy Hart never remarried, and she died in
Henderson County; Kentucky, before 1830, where she was buried next to her son, John Hart [Jr.]. Their graves were marked by the Daughters of the American
120 Revolution.

77
NA.NC.Y HA.RT.
,.,
;_f.
Nancy Hart. Fictional representation from the Rev. George White's Historical Collections of Georgia (New York: 1854).

18
James Little

Anative of Virginia, James Little moved to Long Cane Creek Settlement, Abbeville District, South Carolina, just after his marriage to Isabel Hamilton in 1765. Prior to the Revolution, he moved to Vann's Creek in what later became Elbert County, Georgia.

While participating in campaigns against the Indians during the early part of the Revolution, he was nearly captured at Ward's Creek in what later became Habersham County, Georgia, and only escaped by fighting his way through an Indian war party with his knife and his rifle, using the latter as a club. Besides the
battles of Kettle Creek (where he was wounded) and Vann's Creek, he was in 20 other conflicts during the Revolution, and near the end of the War, he was promoted to the rank of colonel.

Little moved to Franklin County, Georgiaf in 1791 or 1792, where he died

121

.

.

in 1807.

Andrew Pickens

The "stern" Presbyterian elder who led the Whigs at the Battle of Kettle
Creek was born in Paxton, Pennsylvania, on September 19, 1739. His family
moved soon afterwards to South Carolina, and before Andrew Pickens was much older,
his father died. Several times, as he was growing up, he participated in campaigns
against the Indians. On some of these campaigns, he and the men he was with were
surrounded and almost wiped out, making it no small accomplishment that he lived 122
long enough to reach adulthood.

Pickens was promoted to Militia colonel of the Upper Ninety Six Regiment in

.

123

1777, when Col. Williamson was. promoted to brigade commander. In this position,

79
. Andrew Pickens. , From Benson J. Lossing's The Pictorial Fieldbook of the
Revolution, (New York ,1850) and reprinted in Janet Harvill Standard's The Battle of Kettle Creek ~ Turning Point of The American Revolution in the South, _(Washington, Georgia ,1973).

80
he served in such battles as Stono, Etowah Springs, Cowpens andthe second siege 124
of Augusta.
When Williamson surrendered his brigade to the British in 1780, Pickens and 125
Maj. Andrew Hamilton refused. They attempted to join the Whigs in Georgia who were still fighting, but they were given wrong directions by an old woman and rode into a Loyalist camp by mistake. They were captured at this time and paroled one month later.
Pickens abided with the terms of his parole, despite urgings by his friends
to rejoin the Whig cause, until one day when he was not at home and his plantation was burned to the ground by Loyalists who threw verbal insults at his family. Pickens then rode to Capt. Kerr's Loyalist camp, told him what had happened and announced that he considered himself no longer obligated to maintain his parole. He then rode away from the _camp, unhindered, and rejoined the Whig _ army.
After the . War, Pickens became a member of the South Carolina Legislature and the United States Congress (1793-1795). Many times called upon to be an
126 Indian commissioner, he also ran for the office of governor of South Carolina. Among the many honors accorded him were the sword granted to him by Congress for his service at the Battle of Cowpens and promotion to major general in the Militia
127 in 1795. He was buried in 1817 at the Old Stone Church near Pendleton, South Carolina.
One of his sons, Andrew Pickens (Jr.J, was governor of South Carolina, as was his grandson, Francis Pickens (1805.-1869), who served from 1860 to 1862
128a and is famous for demanding the surrender of Fort Sumter in 1860.
Liz Carmichael Jones, artist for this report, is a descendant of General Andrew Pickens.

THE SOLDIERS OF KETTLE CREEK Rosters of Kettle Creek Soldiers

(1) Loyalists (See Loyalist biographies.]:

Col. James (?] Boyd (mortally wounded) Lt. Col. John Moore (killed?) Maj. William Spurgin
Zachariah Gibbs (captured) Brother-in-law of Gibbs (captured and executed)
600 to 700 othei~Bb William Battle Joseph Cartwright128b Aquilla Halll28b

(2) Whigs who held the blockhouse at Cherokee Ford (probably also at Kettle

Creek) : (McGowin's Blockhouse)



. Capt. James Little129
Lt. Thomas S~~8klin Patrick Caiy John Harris lla
40 to 50 others

13lb

.

.

(3) Whigs at Battle of Vann's Creek (probably were at Kettle Creek, also):

Capt. Robert Anderson Capt. William Baskins (captured) Capt. James Little Capt. John Miller (captured) Capt. Joseph Pickens Lt. Thomas Shanklin Patrick Cain John Harris 120 others
NOTE: S. C. Revolutionary RecordsAccounts Audited give payment to persons wounded or who lost property while pursuing Col. Boyd and The Tories across the Savannah River.

(4) Whigs who were at the Battle of Kettle Creek, according to their pension statements or the pension statements of others who were at Kettle Creek (the list incomplete). (Those names with question marks were given on pension statements of questionable reliability.):
Col. Andrew Pickens (also at Carr's Fort) 132 Col. John Dooly (also at Carr's Fort) 133 Lt. Col. Elijah Clarke (also at Carr's For5) 134 Maj. Burwell Smith (also at Carr's Fort) 13 Capt. Robert Anderson (?)136

82

Capt. George Barber (?)137

Capt. Capt.

Daniel Gunnells 138 (Acting Major) Andrew

Hamilton13 9

Capt. Adam c. Jones 140

Capt. Joseph Neal (also at Carr's Fort)l41 (Nail, Sr.) and Ensign Joseph~ Jr.l41

Lt. Samuel Roseman (Rosamond) Lt. William Black (al~o at Carr's Fort) l43

Micajah Brooks (?) 14

William Buchanon (prisoner cif Boyd)l45

Isham Burke 146

Charles Gent 14 7 Jessee Gordon (also

at

Carr's

Fort) 148

William Hammett (wounded at Kettle Creek)

Two Hammett brothers (killed at Kettle Creek)l49

John Harris (wounded) 150a

James Hays l50b

Jesse Hoopei !SOc

John Loard 51

John McAdam(s) 152 Alexander Patterson

(also

at

Carr's

Fort) 153

PDTheaovtm.eidrasHS.R.traTom.hzsueiryemr.o(1n?d~5115456

.

157

Benjamin Thompson (also at Carr's Fort)

John Webb 158a

Additional names from other (chiefly secondary) sources of men who were at Kettle Creek:

Col. William Woffard (~risoner of Boyd)l58b

Capt. Robert Anderson 59

Capt. James Little fwounded)l60

Capt. James McCall 61



John Clark 162163

Austin Dabnel

Owen Fluker 64

Giles Harris 165 Stephen Heard [Herd?] 166

Elijah Moore Samuel Moore 167

Joseph Wardlaw (prisoner of Boyd)l68

Micajah Williamsonl69

Additional names for other (chiefly secondary) sources on Whigs who were at Carr's Fort:
Capt. W1.l 11~ am Freeman170 Capt. Alexander Hamiltonl71 Capt. John Otteryl72 Asa Morgan (part of the Fort's Garrison)l73

NOTE: See Appendix H- for Col. John Dooly's Capt Robert Carr's Company for September 15th - October 15, 1778. Other such rosters may be extant but were not searched.

83
The Mrs. T.M. Green List
The following appears to be the longest and most "complete" of several lists of the Whigs who fought at the Battle of Kettle Creek. Compiled by
174 Mrs. T. M. (Met Andrews) Green and her sister Miss Eliza Frances Andrews, it seems to have been taken from various family traditions and a few published
175 secondary accounts of the battle.
The list is inaccurate when compared to the Revolutionary War Veterans' Pension statements at the National Archives, however. For example, one of the men on the list, John Bird, actually died of smallpox in 1777, two years before the battle was fought (according to his widow's statement). Mrs. Janet Harvill Standard of Washington, Georgia, stated that many of the men on the list
176 did not even come to Wilkes County until after the Revolutionary War.
The introduction to the list, also filled with errors, appears in the original penciled manuscript at the Georgia Department of Archives and History,
177 and was probably written by Miss Annie M. Lane, Regent of the Kettle Creek [Wilkes County] Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution during the
178 early part of the 20th Century.
Information concerning some of the men on the list and others that legends have surrounded is included following the list. Some of this information is documented, but most of it is traditional.

84

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85

NAL\'lES-OF SOLDIERS
WHC> FOUGHT 'L'r THe
BA .TTLE OF KETTLE- CI?EEK
FEBRUARY 14th. 1779

soo There \\en~

Americans ill this. battle. Some were from

South Carolina, but most of them. were from \vhat was or.igioally
Wilkes county;_but now includes the territory of ijncoln, Elbert; Ogletboq,~!> au~~part~.~pf..T.aliaf~;ro, W~rrc~, Gn;c~e; H~rt and

Madison.

;:!'~c. co~man'(le~s w_ere~G~n. Andre\~. Pi~ke_ns of Sout~ C~r.~.
lina, and Cols. John Thos. Dooley and Elijah Clarke of Georgia.This)ist ~though. not complete,: is ci:;rrect; having been care
fully con1piled from the records of Wilk~s.county, andth.~se in th~
office. of. Secret~ry of State Atlanta. , it wiil b~ ~dded to from
time to time .as other. n:~ines niay be idc:ntifi.ed a!:l belongi;1g to it. It is . .pre~e~terl : to the d~scendant~ ~f rhes~ R~volutionary

soldiers by Wilkes County Chapter 0 ~- R., in the hope that it

will arouse interest in _their ,,;ork, and .~id them in their' effort to

.

.

.erect a monument on the battle ground:

MRS -T. 1L" GREEN,
Regent W~lkes County Chapter -n.. A: R.

86

Anderson, Alexander

Catr, Henry

,1\ndarson., EliJah

Cantey, Zachariah

Anc)erson~ . Henry

Cohron; _Corn ielius

Andrews, John .

Clark, John

Andrews, George .

Clark, Gibson

Anglin, Wilriam ,

Cloud, Ezekiel

Alexander. Asa

Clou(;l, Nehemiah

Alexander, Jam~.s

Cloud; Jeremiah

Alexan d~r.:samuel

Cairi,John .

(\ycock, Richa,rd

Combs, John

Aikins. John

Craine, 'Spen'cer

Austin, Richard Aldridge, Jam e~ ~ntony, Johri

Copk, Ceorg-e
.Davis,Samuel. *
Davis, Absol.om

Antony; Alexander

Davis, Jo"et

.Bird; John

Davis, Hardy

B;irnes, Richara .
Barnes; WiHi~m

Dantham, Elijah
Du.Hns, Henry

Browo, James_

Downs, Wllli;:~.m

Bird, Benjamin

Downs, Jonathan

Bazlewooc), Richard

Dooley, George

Srannon, Moses

Qooley, 'John

t:f:a.i-n ett; Nathan

Oardenl Ueorga

autts; Solomort

Day, -Robert

Butler, .William

Day, J.9seph

B.tittar, E:dmllnd

Dab.,ey~ Austin

Branharn~ Samuel

Durkee .Nathanlel

Beasley, Richard
B~asley, .Ambrose

Eidson, Shelto.n Evans, Daniel

Beasley, William

Evans, Stephen

Bedell, Aosolo.rri

Evar1s, baniel

Bedding-fieldr ~harles

Evans, Ben-jamIn

Beesley, James

Elti&, Jerry

ClarI< e, John .(.U!:t!rwarrti ::u..em<~r:) . Favot.&rs, John .

Catchings, Benjamin

F'ord11gton, Jacob

Catch .ings, Jos.eph ...

Freeman, .John

Catchings, Sey'mour

.Freeman, Daniel

Coleman, Daniel

Fre.:srnan, Cofdress

Coleman, Thomas.

Freeman,.. HoHman

Coleman, Benjamin
c oteman ~ 'J 0 hn coleman, James-

Freeman, James
Freeman, WilHam
F'lytU1 lor F't}t.ntJ, John

Ctosby, William

Frankl in, David

Crutchfield', John

Franklin, David, Jr.

Cheshire, Jotin

Farr, John

Compton, William

f:"arr, J;lenJamln

Clowes, Peter

Fowier, Pete.r

Carter, James

Fowler, Henry

c'handler, John

Foster, Francis

Cade, Drury

Foster-, .WHiiam

87

Fluker, John Fluker, Owen Cilloms, James Cowze, Henry G!a!:>S, John Glass, Joel Glass, Joseph Grant, Thomas Graves, James Craves, 'Nilliam Craves, Thomas Griffin, Ranr.lolph H oward, \Vi IIi am H oward, John H 1.tggins, Robert Hamilton, \Villiam Hawkins,. Stephen
HoI i day, vV i IIia rn, Sr.
H .ubbard, John Harvey, James 1-laryey, Joel Hi II, James Hoard, Richard Heard, Barnard Heard, George Heard, Joseph Hart, John Harris, John Harris, David Harris, Buckner Harper, Samuel H c; rper, Robert. Heat~d, Jesse Jordan, . Demsey JordCI.n,. Samuel Jiles, Thomas Jiles, Samuel Johns, Thomas Johnson .. John Jones,. Jesse Joiner, .Senfam in Joiner, T.homas Kitty, Daniel Sinby, William Sinby, James Sinby, Thomas Lowe, Jesse Lower William Lamar, :James Lamar, Zachariah

Lamar, Samuel Lamar, Basi I Loyd, John Loyd, James Little, James l:.ittle, Archibald Little, David Lindsey, Denis Lindsey,. John Line, Denis McLeni:lon, Jacob, .Sr. McLendon, Jacob, Jr. McLendon, Isaac Marn ey, Thomas McLean, James Manaduc, Henry Meriwether, Daniel McCall, Hugh McCall, Thomas Mathews, Isham Mercer, Jacob Mecer, James Mercer'" Joshua Mercer, William Mogan, Asa Morgan, William Morgan, Luke Moseley, William McBurnett, Daniel McMurray, Fredertck Nelson, John Oilens, .Dan lei. Oliver, Dionysi us Oliver, Peter Oliver, John Powell, Joshua Pritchet, ,Wi I liam Pritchet, John Persons~ :sam uel Persons, Henry Pratt, Edward Pickens, ;"oseph, from S.C. Poullain,. Antony Poullain . William Phillips, joel Phillips, zachariah Roberson, Hugh Roberson, Dayid Rogers, Heubin Redden, Scott

88

Rice, John

Terrell, David

Rice, Nathan

Triplett, Francis

Ri'ce, David

Tyner, Benjamin

Smith, Peyton

Tyner, Richard

Smith, Nathan

Tunis, Nicholas

Smith, '.James

Tate, Riohard

Summerlin, Samuel

Veazey, James

Summerlin, John

Vance, Patrick

Summerlin, Demsey

Weller, Jacob

Summerlin, Richard

Wood, James

Summerlin, JameS-

Worth, Thomas

Stots, John

Williams, John

Stots, Peter

Williams, James

Smith, Thomas

Whatley, Samuel

Sinkfield (or Sinquefield Wm) Whateley_, William

Sinquefield, Satnuel

Whateley, Walton

Spikes, Nathan

\1'/ilkinson, Benjarnir)

Simmons, William

'Nilkinson, Elisha

Surlock, George

\Valton, George

Stewart, William

Walton, Jesse

Swan, John

Walton, John

Stephens, John

Wanon, Nathaniel

Stubblefield, J.::ter

Walton, Robert

Saffold,--

Wright, John

Sutton, William

Wilson, /\.ndrew

Stroud, Thomas

Wilson, Robe rt

Simpson, Archibald

Welbounie, Daniel

Samson, William

Walker, Thomas

Simpson, James

Walker, John

Snelson, James

Williamson, 1'11icajah, sr.

Stmzier: Peter

Williamson, Micajah, jr.

Simmons, James

Welbcurne, David

Snead, Dudley;

Wallace, John

Stone, Charles

\Valier, "Benjamin

Stone; Joshua

Wooten, Thomas

Stephens, Benjamin

Willis, Robert

Stripling, Francis

Willis, Brittain

Shannon;Thomas, sr.

Willis, Josiah

Shannon,Tbomas, jr

Winn, Benjamin

Shepperd, Benjamin

Wheeler, Zachariah

Thompson; Reuben

Watson~ Bonjam in

Turner, Samuel

Wats.Qn; George

Turner, Henry

Watson, John .

Thompson, Benjamin Thompso~, Peter

Watson,-Jacob

89 Supplemental Information to Mrs. T. M. Green's List

Benjamin Catchings - supposedly promoted to major "on the spot" at the Battle
179 of Kettle Creek.

-Joh-n -Ha-rt-

husband of 180

Nancy

Hart.

Theyboth fought in the battle, according

to tradition.

Stephen Heard or Herd - was supposedly captured in early February, 1779, by
the British and held in Augusta, Georgia, as a prisoner. According to
tradition, he was rescued. on the day of his scheduled execution by his
Negro slave woman, Mannny Kate, who smuggled him out of the prison in a 181
basket of soiled clothes.

John Lindsey -lost his hand during the Revolution and, according to tradition, 182
was thereafter nicknamed "old silver fist". He did receive a disability 183
pension after the Revolution and was wounded by three bullets at the 184
Battle of Long Cane.
185 Dionysius Oliver - after the Revolution he founded the city of Petersburg, Georgia.

Archibald Simpson - supposedly owned the cattle butchered by the Loyalists at 186
Kettle Creek.

Captain Abram Simons - was buried standing upright, according to tradition, with
his musket so he could "fight the devil." This supposedly required his 187
grave, which was walled up in rock, to be dug to twice the normal depth.

NOTES ON SOURCES
The two most important sources of information concerning Kettle Creek and the events that preceded it are Capt. Hugh McCall's The History of Georgia, Vol. II (1811-1816), and the Historical collections of Lyman Copeland Draper (1815-1891). The account of the battle written by McCall is famous and has been copied (often without credit given to McCall) by dozens of historians researching the history of Georgia and the American Revolution. The Draper Collection, far less well known, is usually associated with the Battle of King's Mountain, South Carolina.
Capt. (brevet major) Hugh McCall was only 12 years old when the Battle of Kettle Creek was fought and is obviously not the Capt. McCall who fought there. The McCall at Kettle Creek, may have been hfs father, James McCall, or an uncle, Hugh McCall, both of whom served in the Revolution.
Capt. Hugh McCall was a bed-ridden invalid when he published his two-volume history (Vol. I in 1811 and Vol. II in 1816) and probably could not have gone far from his home in Savannah to do research. He apparently relied upon newspaper accounts, personal interviews and correspondence with many of the veterans of the Revolution still living at that time for his very detailed second volume. McCall
188 died in 1824 and is buried in the Old Colonial Cemetery in Savannah.
Lyman Draper was a short, slender man who, at the age of 23, dedicated his life to finding information on the American frontier and presenting an accura-te account of its history. By the time of his death, the Draper Collection spanned . several volumes of interviews, court records and valuable documents relating to the frontier history of Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky and Wisconsin. He wrote only one book, however, King's Mountain and Its. Heroes (1881), due to the fact that he
189 could not bear to write a book when more information might still be available.
-90-

91
~ Hv;,~~
c ------ ~
Captain Hugh McCall. [Courtesy of the Georgia Historical Society of Savannah, which owns the original portrait.]

92

k(r _l/(v~ .x~_.,_ (~J)c.1c1,.Jt'cj-if>t-:'}

(} ( r .

-

Lyman Cope land Dr aper. From his King's Mountain and Its Heroes History of the Battle of King's Mountain, October 7th, 1780, and the Events which Led to It. (Cincinnati, 1881 and Baltimore, 1967)

93
Among the documents in the Draper Collection relating to the Battle of Kettle Creek is Andrew Pickens' personal account of the battle [Pickens' letter to Col. Henry Lee in 1811J, a biography of Loyalist Col. John Moore and his attack on the Thomas House, and Francis Pickens' remembrances of his grandfather, Andrew Pickens. Other Draper documents relating to the battle include pension
190 applications and original interviews.

FOOTNOTES

Errata:

North Carolina Department of Archives and History is now: North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Wilkes County Court of 1779:
"Oier and Terminer" - should be: "Oyer and Terminer" It is a Commission issued in English Court to empower judges to inquire, hear, and determine all treasons, felonies and misdemeanors. It was formerly issued only on particular occasions, as upon sudden outrage or insurrection in any place.
"Goal Delivery" - should be: "Gaol Delivery" - In criminal law, the delivery or clearing of a gaol of the prisoners confined therein, by trying them. It means the judges will clear the jail of all prisoners when they arrive, and then meet, whether indictments were brought previously or not. The phrase used today is, "Court of Oyer and Terminer and General Gaol (Jail) Delivery".
Northern - Editor of Men of Mark in Georgia_ - should read Northen
Draper Collection Manuscript on Microfilm at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia and other locations, all unpublished.
Transcripts/Translations of Crown-copyright records in the Public Record Office appear by permission of the Controller H.M. Stationery Office.

- 94 -

95

II The Site

1

.

Georg1a Surveyor General Department.

2 Washington [Georgia) Gazette and Chronicle, January 10, 1879, quoted in 'l'he Battle of Kettle Creek A Turning Point of the American Revolution in the South, Janet Ha.rvill Standard, ed.-,-(Washington, Georgia: Wilkes Publishing Co., 1973), pp. 17-18.

3 Eliza Bowen. The Story of Wilkes County, compiled by Mrs. Louise

Frederick Hays, (Atlanta, 1950; hereafter cited as "Bowen") pp. 395-

396. Conversations, Summer 1974, with Mr. Henry Nichols (claimed age of 102 years) of Union Point, Georgia and Miss Eloise Slaton (age 90) of

Athens, Georgia

who have lived in the War Hill Area when it was

under cultivation, remember gun harrells, bullets, dishes etc. being

found in the area.. Mr. Nicholas also says that he was told that the

cemetery on the hill directly north of War Hill is the burial site of

Revolutionary War Soldiers. The Authors of this report visited the said cemetery on July 2, 1974 and found one of the graves covered with

bricks and the others marked with small rocks. We believe this cemetery

to be of a much later vintage than the Revolutionary War.

4 capt. Hugh McCall. The History of Georgia Containing Brief Sketches
of the ~t Re markable Events Q to the Present Day (1784) , (S a vannah
1811-1816 and Atlanta 1909 and 1969) , Vol. II, pp. 395-396. ('l'he 1969

6 Ibid. 7 Telephone conversation with Mrs. Frank Bradley, July 17, 1974.
8 Letter of J. L. Vickery of Miami, Florida, August, 1974 (Appendix G).
9 McCall, pp. 393-396. Also: South Carolina and American General Gazette, Thursday, February 25, 1779, p. 2. (Located courtesy of Mrs. Mary B. Warren of Danielsville, Georgia.).
10 Pickens to Lee, 1811. McCall, p. 396.

96

11 Pickens to Lee, 1811.
12 Conversations on July 2, 1974 with Mr. Bill Cofer of Tyrone, Georgia, who lived in the War Hill area all of his life (he is presently 72 years old).
13 McCall, p. 397.

14 Ibid., pp. 393 and 395. 15 Appendix D: Land Transactions of the War Hill Site.

16 Telephone conversation with Miss .Eloise Slaton, July 9, 1974, of Athens,
Ga. (Appendix G).

17 Ibid.

18 Bowen, p. 8.

19 Ibid.

20 Appendix C: Land Grant Survey Map, See Footnote 5 above, Land El.e!
Book ~' p. 49.

21 Revolutionary War Pensions, General Services Administration, National Archives (hereafter cited as "Pensions"), Pension of Micajah Brooks, Georgia W-27694,dated August 19,1850 Paulding Co. ,_Georg;i.a.

22

.

See the Creek and Cherokee Ceded Lands maps on pp. 46-4 7.

23 Reference Footnote 5, above, Land Plat Book Qt p. 288. Letter of Samuel

Elbert, September 9, 1777 in the



Collections of the Georgia

Historical Society,l902,V,part 2,pp. 54-55.

24 Pickens to Lee, 1811; McCall, pp. 395...,;396.

25 Robert Anderson died in 1813. Cornelia A. Cole. ~ Robert Anderson (MSS.
at the South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina, Columbia,
South Carolina,undated).

26 For a statistical comparison of the various accounts of the Battle of Kettle Creek, seep. 40 of this report.

97 I II The His tory III (A) Prologue to the Battle of Kettle Creek The British Invasion of Georgia

1 Copies of Documents of the British Public Record Office relating to
North Carolina, North Carolina State Department of Archives and
History; also Doyce B. Nunis, "Colonel Archibald Campbell's March From
Savannah to Augusta, 1779," Georgia Historical Quarterly, XLV, 1961, p. 275.

2 Archibald Campbell. Journal of An Expedition Against the Rebels of Georgia in North America Under the Orders of Archibald Campbell Esquire Lieut. Colo. of His Majesty's 7lst Regiment 1778 (Typed copy of the MSS in the Georgia State Library, original .in the possession of the John Campbell family, Isle of canna, Scotland; hereafter cited as "Campbell Journal"), p. L

3a Ibid., p. l.
Sir Archibald Campbell was the son of James Campbell of Iverneil, Scotland and was born on August 21, 1739. By special <?Ommcndation
of Mr. Pitt, he received a Captain's commission in 1757 in Fraser's Highlanders and was wounded while in this unit during the Seige of Quebec in 1759.
At the conclusion of the war he was transferred to the 29th regiment and afterwards promoted to Major and Lt. Colonel in the 42nd or Royal Highlanders. In the latter he served in India until he returned to Scotland in 1773 was elected to Parliament from Stirlingburgs, Scotland in. 1774. .
Campbell was selected as Lt. Colonel of the 2nd Battalion of Fraser's Highlanders in 1775 and was captured by the Americans in Boston Harbor, Hassachusetts. He was released in exchange for American Col. Ethan Allen in May of 1778. Ca~pbell took command of the British invasion of Georgia in December of 1778 until he was superseded by General Augustine Prevost in January of 1779. Because of disputes \'lith Prevost, Campbell returned to England in the Spring of 1779 v.>he:ce he married Amelia daughter of artist Allan Ramsay,.
Campbell \oJas promoted to Major General and commissionc:!d Governor of Jamaica. He was successful in defeating French attacks onthe Island. For his services, he was invested a Knight of the Bath on September 30, 1785. Later he served again in India and in Parliament. Sir Archibald Campbell died f:.larch 31, 1791 and was buried in Westminster Abbey, London. [Poets' Corner]. J. P~ McClean, An Historical Account of the Settlement of Scottish Highlanders !_ America Prior to the Peace of 1783, (Cleveland, 1900), pp. 379-380.

3b Sir Hyde Parker was born in Devonshire, England in 1739. He entered

the British navy during the American Revolution where he commanded

small squadrons of ships. He was . knighted in 1779, promoted to rear

admiral in 1793 and appointed commander in chief of Jamaica in 1796.

Parker returned to England in 1800 and commanded the British Baltic

fleet until his retirement. He died l!ar.ch 16, 1807. Encyclopedia

Americana, 1954 Edition , ~' p. 328.



'

4 Campbell Journal, pp. 2-3.

5 Ibid., pp. 37-41, and B.F. Stevens, Facsimiles, No. 1247.

98
6
~ 1 P 42; Rev. George White. Historical Collections of Georgia: Containing The ~Interesting Facts, Traditions, Biographical Sketches, Anecdotes, ~ Relating To Its History And Antiquities, ~ Its First Settlement To The Present Time (New York, 1854; hereafter . cited as "White"), pp. 337-339; McCall, p. 378; Campbell implied in his journal that the slave [Dolly] was formerly owned by Sir James Wright.
7 Campbell Journal, pp. 42-46.
8 Ibid. , p. 45.
9 Letter from Joseph Lane to General Robert Howe, December 30, 1779. A. L. S. 3 pp. 4to. Emmet. 6716, Emmett Collection New York Public
Library; typed copy available at the North Carol1na State Department of Archives and History
10 Joseph Lane to Gen. Lincoln, Februa:ry 22, 1779. Emmett Collection, New York [City) Public Library, typed copy available at the North Carolina State Archives This letter also contains a list of the men captured at Fort Morris. Also Steyens, Facsimiles, No. 1251, AP to GG, January 8, 1779.
11 Campbell Journal, p. 66,, and Stevens, Facsimiles, No. 1247.
12 Ibid. , p. 6; Campbell also refers to them as "some thousand Loyalists" on p. 76.
13 Ib1. d. I pp. 53-54, 83. Campbell was particularly shocked at the Whig looting the plantation
of a Mr. Martin, who had died fighting as a Whig against Campbell's army. The looting of Martin's plantation and robbery of his family was apparently being unjustly blamed on Campbell's men. Campbell left British troops to protect Martin's family and prevent further robberies there. Campbell Journal, pp. 53-54.
14 Campbell Journal, pp. 83 and 89. Campbell described Brown's detachment as "composed of a mer~ Rabble of undisciplined Freebooters". Thomas Brown {or Browne) was an Englishman who was living in the New Richmond settlement he founded in the Ceded Lands of Georgia, prior to the Revolution. When he refused to join the Whigs in 1775 and became their outspoken opponent, they tarred and feathered him. Surviving the other Whig tortures, Brown eventually escaped to the Loyalists in South Carolina and later to British held Florida. In Florida, Brown formed a military unit of Loyalist refugees named the "Carolina [or Florida] King's Rangers". The Rangers were primarily responsible for helping repel Gef>rgia's invasion of Florida making retalitory raids into Georgia. During the third Georgia invasion of Florida, Brown and his men were nearly surrounded by Whig militia at Fort Tonyn, Florida. Brown and his men . escaped the fort through nearby Cabbage Swamp to Alligator Bridge where they joined other Loyalist units entrenched there. Whig leader Elijah Clarke was wounded when the Whigs attempted to drive the Loyalists from their entrenched positiort.

99
Brown and his Rangers were part of Gen. Augustine Prevost's Florida wing of the Invasion of Georgia in 1778-1779. The Rangers were with Prevost at the capture of Fort Morris at Sunbury, Georgia in early January of 1779. As part of Lt. Col. Campbell's forces during the same invasion, Bro\vn and his men were defeated at the Battle of Burke County Jail [Courthouse], in January of that same year, where Brown was wounded.
After the fall of Charleston, South Carolina to the British in 1780, Brown and his men occupied Augusta, Georgia. Brown was also a British Indian agent at this time and in effect commanded all of north Georgia.
During Brown's command of Augusta, the Whigs made three attempts to retake the city. The first two attempts were defeated (latter attempt commanded by tvhig Elijah Clarke) but the third attempt called the Second Seige of Augusta was successful after 16 days. Brown and his Rangers were escorted to British held Savannah, Georgia in accordance with the terms of their surrender.
After the Revolution, Brown received lands in the Bahamas for his services. A rebuttal by Brown of charges of cruelty by him during the Revolution was published in White, pp. 614-619. (Gary D. Olson, "Thomas Brown, Loyalist Partisan, and the Revolutionary War in Gf;!orgia, 17771782," in two parts, Georgia Historical Quarterly, LIV, Spring and Summer of 1970; Heard Robertson, "A Revised,.or Loyalist Perspective of Augusta During the American Revolution, "Richmond County Histozy, I :2, Summer 1969; Wilbur Henry Siebert, Loyalists in East Florida, 1774 to 1785; The Most Important Documents Pertaining Thereto, Edited with an Accompanying Narrative. (Gregg Press, Boston 1972 [reprint of 1929 MSS]), II I pp. 323-325. 15 Campbell Journal, p. 21.
16 Ibid. I pp. 661 761 99 o
17. !.b.2'.d_. I PP 70-72
18 !.b.2'd._., pp. 82, 86-88, 91, 92, 94.
19 Ibid. I p. 84; ~ll,p. 390. Campbell wrote that three young brothers, of Brown's Rangers~were captured at the Battle of Burke County Jail and condemned to death by the Whigs. Sending six of his Whig prisoners to the Georgia side of the Savannah River, Campbell ordered a gallows constructed within sight of the Whigs in South Carolina. Here Campbell planned to hang two of his Whig Prisoners for each of Brown's men executed. The Whigs agreed to exchange their three prisoners (alive) for three of Campbell's captives. (Campbell Journal, pp. 85-86).
20 Campbell Journal, p. 82. Campbell refers to the ba.ttle as tak1.ng p l ace at the "Courthouse" in Burke County.
21 Ibid. ,p. 83
22 McCall, p. 390, and PaulL. Ford's Proceedings of~ Council of War and Samuel Beckaem's Statement, June 1, 1812, Peter Force Papers, vii-E,3, Library of Congress. Many of the Loyalists and Whigs who fought at the Battle of Burke County Jail became famous partisan leaders for both sides in the American Revolution in Georgia. They are: Thomas Brown (see foot-

100

note 20) . Benjamin and \qilliam FeW were .brothers who fought for the
Whigs during the Revolution~ They were . from one of the oldest families.
()f Pe~nsylvania. Their family moved from Pennsylvania to .North Carolina

but finally settle1 in Georgia prior to the Revolution.
Benjamin F~w' s mili t:ary career \>las ctliefly concerned with battles with the Indians although he was at the Seige of Savannah in lc~te 1779 and

corr.m<mded the Whigs at .the Battle of Long Cane

. Will.iam Few, although also active in the fighting in .Georgia, is famous

in Georgia History as a congressman after the war. He was one of Georgia's

signers of the United States Constitution. William Few later moved to

Ne~ York' City \'/here he was mayor and. later died in 1828, (McCall, pp.

409, . 421, 434'i4:58,471, 501-503; White, pp. 409..:412)' ~-

. ..

Captain Joshua Inman commanEled a troop ofWhig cavalry during the Re~olution in . GeOrg~a~ . At the B 'attl,~ of Burke COunty Jai 1 he is supposed
to have ''killed three of the enemy with his own hands." He. ~as impor-

tant in the Whig Victory at the Battle of Ogeechee Ferty (1780) art.d was

also at the ~attle ''of Musgrove 'a -Mill i:ttat same year. (l-JCCali, pp ~ 39o,

421, 465, 466, 479).

' '

Daniel McGirth was born in Kershaw. District, south Carolina and was

a Whig scout at the start of the Revolution. Apl?arently a Whig officer : at St. Illa, Georgia covet.ed ~1cGirth's horse

"Grey Goose"~. He had McGirth court-martialed, flogged and impdsoned

ori false chciu:~ges and ce>.nf.iscated "Grey G9ose". .

.

__. McGirth escaped with his horse , "Grey Goose'' and his brother .James

McGirth and joined Whig Capt . John .l3aker's company in ,rO\.tte to attack Loyalist Jermyn Wright's .Fort on the st~ M~iry's River. When the Whigs

had camped eight of nine miles from the fort, the McGi rths stqle the

Whigs' horses anddefected to the British.

Daniel McGirth and the Loyalists , who served under him were part of

the . Florida Wing of the British 'invasion of Georgia in 1778-1779.

Besides the Battle of Burke county Jail he was also repulsed at B\lckheaQ.

Creek, Georgia by the Whigs under John Twiggs in the SUil)Iller of ,1779

(where McGirth was wounded) and on the Ogeechee River in Harch of 1780

by a force under \llhigs Andrew Pickens, John Twiggs and Joshua InmM.

McGirth and his men _were described during these operations .as. ".the most

infamous Banditti and horseth!i.eves that perhaps ever were collected

together anyWhere, under the direction of H'Girt (dignified with the

title of Colonel) "

;

After . the Revolution McGirth appears to have continued his thievery in

East Florida (held by. the British and later the Spanish). McGirth was

eventually captured and -imprisoned He was released iind apparently

returned to South Carolina "ruined in health, reputation, and estate".
(Wilbur Henry Siebert Loyalist$ iri East Florida; The Most Important;
Documents Pertaining Thereto Edited With an . Accompanying

Narrative .. [Gregg Press, Boston, 19721 [Hereafter Cited as Siebert]

Vol. II, pp . . 328.-330; South Carolina . and American General Gazette, June

7," 1779, Col. 3, p. 1).

Major Har;y . sharp _is one of the more obscure Loyalists of the ReV'olu-

tion and all that appears to be known itbout him is what has bfen said

by the Whigs ,he fought .against.

He appears to have commanded Georgia Loyalists (militia) and possibly

was under Gen. Augustine Prevost Command. Sharp led the successful

Loyalist attack pn Fort Morgan [Georgia?] andbrought reinforcements to

Brown who was rallying his men after the firstday of the Battle of

Burke County Jail.

101
In cooperation with Loyalist Major Spurgin, Sharp led 200 men in an attack on Col. John Twiggs' and Lt. Col. Ely Kershaw~ Camp at Beach Islarid, [S.C.] (March, 1779). The night attack (8 PM under a full moon) was repulsed. by Twiggs 200 Whigs, Sharp was captured, mortally wounded, and Spurgin was left dead on the field. (Gazette of the State ()f South
Carolina, Wednesday, April 17, 1779, p. 2, Col.. l; Siebert, Vol. II, pp.
69, 329; Pensions of Isham Eastwood, Georgia S31660 and Daniel Carter, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina S3126; South Carolina and American General Gazette, Friday, April 9, 1779).
John Twiggs was a-Whig guerilla leader during the Revolutionary War in Georgia. He was in several successful skirmishes with Loyalists forces much smaller, in number, that his own. Although he \vas in the Seige of Savannah, Twiggs seemed to avoid large battles and preferred to operate in the neighborhood of British held cities where his men (usually no more than 200) could surround and capture small British and Loyalists foraginq and scouting partys as \'/ell as disrupt British supply routes. Twiggs' tactics, in the long term, resulted in tremendous casulties to his opponents and forced the British and Loyalists to us e additional men to guard their supply routes and their several vulnerable areas from Twiggs small group of Whigs.
The only time that Twiggs' men fought an enemy equal or larger in number than their own, was when they were attacked by Loyalist~' at Burke County Jail (January, 1779) and Beach Island, [S.C.] (March 1779). In both of these battles Twiggs' men were success ful however.
There are some secondary sources that claim Twiggs \'laS at . the Bat.t:le of Kettle Creek. He is not, however, mentioned by any of the primary sources of the Battle.
Twiggs was promoted to Major General in 17Bl and after the Revolution moved from Burke to Richmond County, Georgia, where he died near the close of the eighteenth century. (McCall, pp. 390, 400, 421, 424, 434, 457, 464, 495; The National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildi ngs
Theme ! The War for Independence (1960) National Park Service,. United
States Department of the Interior, p. 88; White, p. 629).
23 Campbell Journal, pp. 74, 103
24 Ibid. , p. 99 Campbell wrote that Col. Boyd and his Loyalists were coming from Red Creek, South carolina. Boyd, according to Campbell came with him as a volunteer from New York.
Boyd had been dispatched into the backcountry of GeorQ'ia and South Carolina to recruit the backwoodsmen for Campbell's army, after Savarinah was captured in January of 1779.
25 'Ibid. 1 P 99.
26 Ibid., pp. 99-100. John Hamiltdm was ~ Scotsman living in Halifax, North Carolina prior to the Revolution. He and his brother, Archibald Hamilton, owned a successful import business that went out of business because of the Hamiltons' Loyalists S}Dllpathies. The Hamiltons arrived in New York after 1777 and although Archibald Hamilton went to England, John stayed in New York and volunteered to join the British invasion of Georgia planned for 1778.

lt()2

During the voyage of the British invasion force to Georgia, Hamilton

broughtthirty Loyalists with him on his armed brig "Britannia", at his

own expense.
Hamilton was apparently a Captain when he held Carr's Fort, Georgia

against Whig attacks in February of 1779. He was apparently not a

subordinate of Loyalist Col. Daniel McGirth as stated by capt. Hugh McCall.

Capt. Hamilton and eighty Loyalists horsemen were on their way to

rendezvous with Col. Boyd arid his Loyalists when Hamilton was attacked

at Carr's Fort. He claimed to have been [at Boyd's defeat} at the Battle

of Kettle Creek although this disagrees with the accounts of the battle

given by Andrew Pickens, Capt. McCall, and Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell.

Hamilton probably meant the Kettle Creek "campaign" as a whole rather

- than

the

s.pecific

b. att. le., '

although

this

does

present
' ..

the .interesting

theory that Boyd and his men did not stop at Kettle Creek only for

breakfast but also because there they had achieved their planned rendez-

vous with Hamilton's men.

Hamilton apparently had a warrant [contract} with Lt. Col. Archibald

Campbell whereby Hamilton would receive militia rank according to the

number of Loyalists he recruited {i.e. to have the rank of Major when

he had recruited 200 or 250 men, the rank of Lt. Col. wheri he recruited

350 men and the rank of Colonel when he recruited 500 men)~ campbell

promoted Hamilton to Major before the time required by the warrant for

his successful defense of Carr's Fort. Eventually Hamilton achieved the rank of Militia Colonel, under Lt. Col.

CampbellJ having recruited an entire regiment of Loyalists called the

"Royal North Carolina Regiment". He calimed to have recruitep upwards

of 1400 men for his regiment during the war including many former

members of his import company who became Loyalist Officers in Hamilton's

regiment. They served at the Battles of Briar Creek 1 GA. (March 1779) , the Spring Hill Redoubt {Seige of Savannah, Georgia) , Stone Ferry, Seige of

Charleston (1780), Monks Corner, Camden, Guilford Courthouse (1781)

and Yorktown. The Royal North Carolina Regiment was divided prier to

the Seige of Yorktown and only the part with Hamilton surrendered with

Cornwallis. The remainder of the regiment, at Wilmington, North Caro-

lina under Major Manson1was evacuated by sea. After the Revolution, Hamilton and his men moved to British St.Augus-

tine, Florida, where the regiment \'las disbanded in November of 1783.

Hamilton prevented an armed revolt of the British inhabitants of Florida

when it was granted to Spain soon afterwards.

In._l794 Hamilton was appointed British Consul to Virginia, a post

he apparently held in 1811. He died in England in 1817. Historian

Stedman wrote of Hamilton that, "the British nation owed more perhaps

to Colonel Hamilton of the Royai North carolina Regiment than to. any

other loyalist in its service." (Memorials and testimony on behalf of Archibald and John Hamilton

in the British Public Record Office, [the Authors used copies of these

papers at the North carolina ::;tate Department of Archives and History];
Seibert, Vol. II, pp. 333-335; Pickens oo Lee [1811]; Mccall pp. 392-

395; Campbell Journal, p. 112).

27 'l'he identity of the Loyalist capt. Campbell, that British Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell refers to 1 is unclear. A good guess would be Capt. Alexander campbell of the South Carolina Loyalists who was killed fighting Col. Francis Marion's Whigs on the Cooper River in South

103

Carolina in 1780, although there are three Campbells listed in COl. Hamilton s Royal North Carolina Regiment (all lieutenant.' s rank however). (Siebert, Vol. I, pp. 87-88 and Vol. II p. 385).
28 Campbell Journal, pp. 100-101.
29 Ibid., pp. 102, 112. Loyalists Campbell and Hamilton were promoted to Major by Lt. Col.
Campbell for there action "at the fort [Carr's fort) . as an Encouragement to others to .follow their example".
30 I b1'd , p. 110-112. Campbell apparently did not learn of Boydts defeat until the night of February 15, 1779 and believed that it occurred in the northern part of Ninety Six District, South Carolina.
31 Governor George Gilmer, Sketches of Some of the First Settlers of Upper Georgia, of the Cherokees and the Author (originally published in 1855 reprinted in Americus in 1926~ pp. 138-140.
32 Regular Army Capt. Thos Dooly was killed, ambushed by Indians near Big Shoals, Georgia, in 1776 and the same year two separate parties under Capts. John Pulliam and Elijah Clarke, respectively, were attacked in the same year. The former was attacked at Beaverdam Creek and the latter enroute to the Broad and Savannah Rivers. Both parties had men killed and wounded. Robert Carr's Fort [On Beaverdam Creek] was attacked by Indians in 1778 and Patrick Carr wrote in 1782 of a family being massacred .:m Little River. There are several other similar incidents dur1ng this time but the Authors neither have the time nor the space to record them all. (McCall, p. 316; "Carr, Patrick", File II, Georgia Department of Archives and History; "Carr's Fort~ Dr. John H.~f Collection, Georgia Surveyor General Department [see Appendix B:Frontier Forts of Wilkes County in this report)).

33 Georgia Gazette, Sept. 7, 21, 28 and Oct. 12, 1774; White, pp. 48-49, 603-606; Heard Robertson, "A Revised, or Loyalist Perspective of Augusta During the American Revolution," Richmond County His tory, Vol. I, No. 2, Summer, 1969, footnote 18, p. 21.
34 Letter of John Stuart to Lord George Germain, August 10, 1776, pp. 5-6, '(British Public Record Office, copies are available at the North Carolina State Department of Archives and History). It appears that the Indian attacks of 1778 were planned to divert Whig attention from the American invasion of Florida. This Indian activity that "has caused much alarm" to the "back country" settlements of Georgia and South Carolina may have back fired on the British by guaranteeing men from Wilkes COunty would be on the invasion of Florida.

35 Pension of John Gray., Georgia W419

; Gary D. Olson

"Thomas Brown, Loyalist Partisan, and the Revolutionary War in Georgia

1777-1782," Geor,gia Historical .Quarterly, LIV, Number 2tSummer 1970.

36 Pension of Jesse Gordon1Georgial North Carolina Wl3280.

104

37 McCall, pp. 391.

38
Pension of Peter Strozier ,Georgia R 10279 (filed by his widow Margaret). Peter Strozier fought at the Battle of Kettle Cre.ek and apparently was with Clarke's refugees during .his second
retreat to Tennessee, for Peter Strozier also fought at the Battle of

King's Mountain, South Carolina. Margaret and her small children, after

the destruction of their home and property by the loyalists, who knew

her husband was fighting with the Whigs, rejoined Peter in South Carolina.

She described their condition as they tried to join him as "half begging

and starving, suffering greatly from want and cold,. exposure, ".

The pension state~ent of Margaret Strozier is reprinted in Mrs. Janet

- -- -- - Harvill Standard's The Battle of Kettle Creek A Turning Po.i.nt of . the

Americ:an

Revolution

in

die'

,

- -- - - -



s-outh

-'

- . .. ..

(t.Yashingfon,

"

..

Georgia,

197:3;

~--
hereafter

cited as "Standard") , pp. 53-55.

39 McCall, p. 391. Apparently these refugees were still in South Carolina in April of 1779 and planned a meeting concerning returning to Georgia for May 10, 1779 (Gazette of the State of South Carolina, April 28, 1779 ,column 2, page 1)
40 Ibid., p. 391.

41 Pickens to Lee (1811).

42 McCall, p. 391. For McGirth's biography see footnote 20, above. The memorialist papers of John Hamilton (see footnote 26, above), the letter of Pickens to ~ (1811) , and the Journal of Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell seem to indicate that McGirth was not the Loyalist who prevented Dooly from crossing the Savannah River and was not actually in Wilkes County. Capt. Hamilton, who apparently was the officer in question, does not seem to have been a subordinate of McGirth as stated by McCall. One of McCall's sources of information (possibly the Journal of James McCall [McCall p. 312]) witnessed Col. Boyd Is dying words and ,apparently I the misunderstanding concerning McGirth's presence in Wilkes County came from Boyd, who believed he was to rendezvous with McGirth on the Little River in Georgia (Mccall, p. 398).

43 McCall, pp. 391-392. 44 Ibid., p. 392.

45 Ibid., pp. 392. ~ens to Lee (1811); Pickens' regireent was named after Ninety Six, South Carolina. The City's name comes from the erroneous idea that it is "ninety six" miles from there to Ke.eowee Indian Village, the closest Cherokee Town. 1780 Map of S.C. and Ga. by John Stuart and William G. DeBrahm., Ga . Surveyor General DeRt
46 McCall, p. 392; Pickens to Lee (1811). McCall wrote that this occurred on February 10, 1779.

47 McCall, p. 392; , Pickens to Lee ( 1811); Campbell Journal, p. 99.

105

48 McCall wrote that this was Capt. A. Hamilton of South Carolina (probably Capt. [later Hajor] Andrew Hamilton of South Carolina). Hamilton in his pension statement claims that he was with Pickens at Carr's Fort and brought Pickens' surrender demand to the fort under a flag of truce. He further claims that he commanded the right wing of the attack on Boyd at Kettle Creek and that he witnessed Boyd's dying words. If Hamilton was not the man sent to Carr's Fort and thus was not captured then he must have commanded the right wing of Pickens central attack on Boyd. Col. Dooly of Georgia coinmanded the right wing of the attack, as a whole. (Pension of Andrew Hamilton, South Carolina Sl8000; McCall, pp. 392, 395; Pickens .!:9_ ~ (1811).).
49 McCall, p. 392.

50 ..!.b..2':d__. ,p. 393.
51 Pickens to Lee {1811).
52 McCall, p. 392-393.
53 Ibid., p. 392.
If McCall was relying on the Journal of Capt. James McCall {McCall, p. 312) , for his information concerning this battle then the differences between Andrew Pickensi account of this battle(Pickens to Lee [1811]) and McCall's account could be the typical excuses made by people in ~ournals or diaries for mistakes that they would not like to admit in their diaries or journals (such as James McCall's journal).

54 McCall, p. 393.

55 Pickens to Lee (1811).

56 A. L. Pickens. Skyagunsta: The Border Wizard CMl Major-General ~~12_cw
Pickens (1739-1817) (Observer Printing Company, Greenville, South Carolina, 1934, hereafter cited as "A. L~ Pickens"), p. 41.
57 McCall, p. 393.

58 Pickens to Lee (18111

59 McCall, p. 393.

60

PickMecnCsal-tlow-Lreo-ete

{1811). that i

t

was

suggested

to

Pickens

and

Dooly

that

the

fort

be set on fire but that these two officers refused because of the danger

to the women and children inside of the fort. The reason for the differ-

ences between the two accounts maybe the same as suggested in footnote

53, above. (McCall, pp. 393-394.).

61 Pension of Andrew Hamilton, South Carolina 48 above).

Sl8000

,(see footnote

62 McCall, p. 393

106
63 Ibid., p. 363; Pickens to Lee (1811). McCall wrote that the letter arrived at 10':'00 PM.
64 Pension of Benjamin Thompson, Georgia S32016
65 McCall, p. 393. This "John Otte.:r;y" is probably Capt. John "Autrey" of Georgia (Pension of Asa Morgan, Georgia, S31870).
66 P1. ckens to Lee (1811). p7
Ibid. ; campbell Journal, p. 112; Mccall, p. 394.
68 McCall, p. 394; Campbell Journal, p. 112.
69 McCall, p. 394.
70 Pension of Henry Anglin, Georgia S31521.
7l Pickens to Lee (1811).
72 McCall wrote that Boyd had intentionally bypassed Pickens to reach the ford (!vlccall ,p. 394).

107

III (B) The Kettle Creek Campaign The Recruitment of Boyd's Loyalists

1

>

Campbell Journal, p. 99;

campbell wrote that Boyd came as a volunteer.

2 Ibid., p. 99.

3 Military Collection, War of Revolution,Miscellaneous Papers 1776-1789, North Carolina State Department of Archives and History.

4 This Mr. Mattock T"!lay be the Joseph Maddock who refused to take his seat for St. Pauls Parrish (later Richmond County, Georgia) .(White, p. 65).
He was a leader of the Wrightsboro Quaker Community beginning in 1768. 5
Joshua Rials or Ryal was tried and sentenced to death for helping Loyalist David Tait and the Indians in Wilkes County, Georgia iri the August court of 1779. ( ':Court of General Sessions or Oier and Terminer and General Goal
Delivery, Wilkes County ,Georgia. , Superior Court. fl1inutes, p. 12. (Hanuscript on Microfilm Reel 45-29 at Georgia State Archives).
6
Thomas Ansley apparently later joined the Whig forces a.nd his grave has been marked by the Daughters of the American Revolution (Kenneth Harrison Thomas, Jr. The Rock House McDuffie County, Georgia An. Analysis of an Historic Site, p. 31, .Historic Preservation Section, Georgia Department of Natural Resources,June 30,1974.

7 See footnote 3 above.

8 Campbell Journal, p. 66.

9 Memorial of Zacharias Gibbs, British Public Record Office; reprinted in The Royal Commission on the Losses and Services of American Loyalists 1783
of to 1785 Being the Notes of Mr. Daniel Parker Coke, M. P. One the Commis-
sioners During that Period, Hugh Edward Egerton, ed., (Oxford, 1925)

10 The State Records of North Carolina,Vol. XIV,pp. 261-262.

lla Brought to the attention of the Authors of this report by Ms. Wylma Wates
of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, the story of the
attack on the Thomas House is recorded in the Draper Collection of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Draper MSS. -D5; 1p. 182 ff. Draper quotes many sources in his description of the attack, most of which the authors have confirmed, primarily the pensions of Josiah CUlbertson, S. C.
Sl6354 and Mathhew Patton, S. c. Sl8153.

llb Draper Collection, Sumpter Manuscript, 3VV 250-253 (Deposition of Joseph
Cartwright, Sept., 1779).
12 Ibid. (see lla).
13 Pension of Matthew Patton, South Carolina 18153; also see footnote 10.
14 See footnote 9. And Deposition of Joseph Cartwright, Sept., 1779, Draper Collection, 3VV 250-253.

108
15 See Statistical Comparisons of the Various Accounts of the Battle of
Kettle Creek on page 52 of this report. and footnote ll, above.
16 Pension of Alexander McFadden. North Carolinas 18887.
Catherine s. Crary in The Price of Loyalty (McGraw-Hill Book Company, New
York, 1973), P: 28, wrote that B9yd's Loyalists were Scottish. The Authors of this report have been unable to confirm this, although George Stevenson of the North Carolina State Department of Archives andHistory says that they probably were although there is some indication that there were strong Loyalist sympathies with the .German Colonists in North Carolina.
Boyd's Loyalists have often been described as "thieves", "murderers", "bandetti", etc. by secondary sources based on Capt. McCall's account of the Battle of Kettle Creek. This may have been correct although there is no definite proof one way or the other and there is a good possibility that this is an over-exaggeration by over zealous "patriots".
17 ~ension of Anthony Dickey, Draper Collection, lGG, 126b. Dickey implied that when his company r:eturned home they ordered all of the Loyalists in their area to meet them at the Company mustering area. There the Loyalists were given the choice of joining the cause of "Liberty" or moving to the "British" at Ninety Six, South Carolina. The pensioner may mean Boyd and his Loyalists although he also might have his events out of order and actually be referring to one year later when the British occupied Ninety Six.
18 Pension of Robert Long, S.c. Sl8000, Draper Collection, 2DD, pp. 306-308. Robert Long was a member of Josiah Greer's Company, which was working in conjunction with Brandon's Company.
19 P1. ckens to Lee (1811 ) Pension of Anthony Dickey (see footnote 17, above).
20 McCall,pp. 393-394. Pickens to Lee. (1811).
a 21 McCall, p. 394; see Frontier Forts of Wilkes County, Appendix B.
2lb Draper Collection, "John Harris," llVV 394-6, for McGowin's Blockhouse.
22 McCall, p. 394.
23 The first name of Lt. Shanklin and the correct spelling of his last name came from "the Index of Revolutionary War Indents" at the South carolina Department of Archives and History. Shanklin appears to have remained a lieutenant in Anderson's company throughout the war. He is the only Shanklin in the index.
24 Pension of Patrick Cain, South Carolina. Cain was one of Shanklin's men. Hereafter cited as "Patrick Cain". Pension number S. C. Sll85.
25 McCall, p. 394.
26 McCall wrote that it was BOO Loyalists (McCall, p. 393) although Pickens wrote that it was 700 (Pickens to Lee, 1811).
27 Patrick Cain.

109
28 Otis Ashmore and Charles H. Olmstead, "The Battles of Kettle Creek and Brier Creek", The Georgia Historical Quarterly, Vol. X, No. 2, p. 94, June 1926; wrote "Much do we regret that the name of this gallant gentleman [Lt Thomas Shanklin has not been recorded his memory is not less to be honored ... than is that of brave, 'Horatius, the captain of the gate', who kept Rome against the hosts of Tuscany in the days of old."
29 Patr1. ck Ca1. n.
30 Ibid.; "Revolutionary Incidents" Central Presbyterian, August 20, 1859. This article was based on McCall, pp. 312, 394, 390-400 and the reminiscences of Capt. Little's son, Robert G. Little. (Typed Mss. "Little, James" ,File II, Georgia Department of Archives and History. Author of the article, not given).
31 Ibid.
32 11 Revolutionary Incidents", see Footnote 30, above.
33 McCall, p. 394. A. L. Pickens wrote that William "Bloody Bill" Cunningham, who was supposidly working for Boyd, advanced a flag of truce to the blockhouse and that the Lieutenant asked for one or two hours time to think over the terms. During this time, a cannon was supposidly being smuggled to the fort which dispersed Boyd's attack on the blockhouse when the surrender was refused. Neither Andrew Pickens, Patrick Cain, or the James Little article mentioned any of this and A. L. Pickens' sources for this account are very unclear (A. L. Pickens p. 42).
I
There is a possibility of Cunningham being with Boyd, as Boyd appears to have depended on important Loyalist Leaders to do his recruiting for him. 34 Ibid.
35 Patrick Cain. 36
McCall, p. 394. 37
Patrick Cain. 38
Ibid. 39
McCall, p. 395.
40 McCall. McCall wrote that 16 were captured, Zacharias Gibbs (see .footnote 9, above) stated that 13 were taken prisoner, and Patrick Cain claimed 18 were taken.
41 A~ L. Pickens, p. 42.
42 Ibid., p. 42.
43 P1. ckens to Lee (1 811 ) . McCall, p. 395.

110

44 McCall, p. 395.
45 Patrick Cain; McCall, p. 395; Pickens to Lee (1811).
46 McCall, p. 395.
47 Pickens to Lee (1811).
48 Ibid.
49 McCall, p. 395.
50 Pension of William Black, Georgia W9730.

51 McCall, p. 395.
52 Pickens to Lee (1811)

53 McCall, p. 395. 54
Pickens to Lee (1811)

55 Ibid.
56 McCall, p. 395.
57 The newspai>er account of the Battle of Kettle Creek in the South carolina and American General Gazette, was published on Thursday, Feb. 25, 1779 which means that Feb. 14, 1779 had to fall on a Sunday.
58 The date of the battle was given in McCall pp. 395-396 and in the news article mentioned in footnote 57 above.
59 See footnote 29 above and subtract the 100 men k1. lled or deserted at B9yd's crossing of the Savannah River [Battle at Vann's Creek] (McCall, pp. 393, 395).
60 McCall, p. 395.
61 Campbell Journal, pp. 99, 112-113; McCall, p. 394.

62 P1. ckens to Lee (1811 )

63 This is probably the Capt. Jaines McCall mentioned by Capt. Hugh McCall

throughout 'I'he History

of Georgia 1Vol.

II (McCall, 1

p.

560).

64 McCall, p. 396.

65 Pickens to Lee (1811).

66 McCall, p. 396.

67 Ibid.

l.tl
68Pickens to Lee (1811); and McCall, p. 395.

69 Ibid. 70
Ibid. 71
McCall, p. 395.
72 P1. ckens to Lee (1811). 73
-I.-bi-d.
74 Ibid.
75 Mccall, p. 396. Apparently the rest of the Loyalists were scattered searching fo;r food.
76 Pickens to Lee (1811). Note: Depos.1tion of Joseph Cartwright, Draper Collection, indicates "the Tories weremaking a good stand on a piece of advantageous high ground." Draper Collection, 3VV, 250-253.
77 Ibid.

78 Ibid.

79 Letter of J .A. Campbell to Lyman C. Draper, Oct. 15, 1872, Draper Collection V (Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina), p. 14ff, State Historical Society of Wisconsin.

Micajah Williamson was born in Bedford County, Virginia around 1745

and moved to Georgia in 1768 where he became an important planter in the

Ceded Lands (Original Wilkes County) of Georgia.

Williamson was wounded several times while fighting for the Whigs during

the Revolution. One such instance was the Battle of Kettle Creek where

he supposidly lost a finger. He commanded the Whig forces at the Second

Seige of Augusta in the Spring of 1781 until reinforcements could arrive

for his men under Cols. Pickens, Clarke and Lee.

Williamson's farm was burned to the ground and his twelve year old son

was hung before"the eyes of his mother" by the loyalists while Williamson was

CJMay fighting for the Whigs.

His health was shattered by the "exposures of War" and he died in 1796. (Letter of W.T. Williamson to . CoL Thomas, Feb. 26, 1872, Draper Collection

V (Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina papers), p. 34, State Historical

Society of Wisconsin; Men of Mark in Georgia: A Complete and Elaborate

History of the State from its settlement .to the present time, chiefly tci>ld

in biographies of the most eminent men of each period of Georgia's progress

and development.

William T.

Northern, LL.D 1ed.1 [Atlanta,

1910] Vol.
1

II .1

pp.

157-159.

80 Pickens to Lee (1811). 81
Mccall, p. 396. 82
Ibid., p. 397. 83
Ibid.

112

84

The

.
pens~on

statements

of

Charles

Gent,Ga.

51903

and

James

Hooper, Ga.

51913.

These two pensioners were life long friends and when they were allowed to

file for pensions (1832} , they were neighbors in Kentucky. Because they

had served together in the Revolution they had two almost duplicate copies of

a pension and witness statement. On one copy Gent signed -as the pensioner

and Hooper signed as the witness. On the other copy they have reversed

statements really one statement based on the combined remembrances of the

two veterans. (and subsequently it is ad.most impossible to determine which

veteran is remembering which information}.

One (or perhaps both} of these two veterans claimed to have seen three

horses shot from under Clarke and heard that several had been shot out

from under him. Clarke, who may have been disabled permanately in ; the legs

during one of his earlier battles may have been forced to remain on horse-

back to continue moving about during the battle.

85 McCall, p. 397.

86 Ibid.

87 Ibid., p. 397; see "Loyalists" in the "People" section of this .report for the biography of Spurgin.

88 Ibid. , p. 397.

89 I b~'d .
90
Campbell Journal, pp. 114-115.

91 McCall, p. 399
92The Sou.th Carolina and American General Gazette, Feb.. ..25, 1779. Among these prisoners were Capts. John Miller and William Baskins (captured at Vann's Creek), Col. William Wofford and William Buchanan (captured in Ninety-Six District, South Carolina), and Lt. Joseph \vardlaw. (See '~Peop+e" section.)

93 McCall, p. 398.

94 Pension of William Buchanon, South Carolina.
95
Pickens to Lee (1811}.

521675.

96 McCall, p. 398. There is a legend that a large walnut tree marked the spot where Boyd felL Bowen, p. 14.

97 See "Loyalists" in the "People" section of this paper.

98 Francis Pickens to J.H. Marshal, Edgewood, South Carolina, Nov. 4, 1847. Pickens wrote this letter to offer information to. Marshal, who Pickens had learned was writing a book on the life of General Andrew Pickens (Draper Collection, Sumter Manuscript, 16VV356, State Historical Society of l\lisconsin.)
99 Pickens to Lee, 1811.

ll3

100Pickens to Lee (1811).

101Pension of Paul Findley (Finley), Georgia, South Carolina, W9440; Gazette of the State of South Carolina, March 3, 1779, C.3, p. 2. Findley was a guard for the Loyalists captured at Kettle Creek.

102wGhaozewtetere-oefx-ethc-euteSdtaatere-ol-fisStoeudthbyC

arolina,Wed. April 14, 1779 James Cannon in his Pension

c.2 in

p. 2. Four the Draper

Collection, 3 DD 44-49, as: Aquilla Hall, James Lindley, John Clagg, and

John Anderson.

l03Ibid. NcCall, p. 339.

104aibid. Pickens! Lee (1811).

l04bBrig. Gen. Andrew Williamson to Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, Feb. 20, 1779 and Alexander Shaw to Major Thomas Pickney, March 16, 1779, Benjamin Lincoln Papers, Massachusetts Historical Society (on microfilm at the University of Georgia); Pension Statement of Paul Finley Ga/SC W9440; Gazette of the State of South Carolina March 3, 1779, c.3 p.2; Gibbs Memorial; Carole W. Troxler The Migration of Carolina and Georgia Loyalists to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. (unpublished PhD dissertation, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1974) p. 23; C.F.W. Coker (ed.) "Journal of John Graham, South Carolina Militiaman, 1779" Military Collector and Historian (Summer 1967) XIX38-39; Gov. John Rutledge to Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, Feb. 28, 1779, The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, XXV no. 3, (July 1924)-:--p-.134.

104cAlexander Shaw to Major Thomas Pickney, March 16 and April 24, 1779, Lincoln

Papers; Robert Gary Mitchell "Loyalist Georgia", (unpublished PhD dissertation,

Tulane, 1964) p. 154; Gen. Augustine Prevost to Gen. William Moultrie, May 21,

1779, and Moultrie to Prevost, May 22, 1779, William Moultrie Memoirs of the

.A;..;:m.__cec:r-:i:-c::..a.:;n.,=

Revolution
==~==.:.=

-So

-Fa-r -as-

related

-to- -th-e

States

-of

North

-an-d

South

Carolina

and Georgia (New York, 1802), pp. 457 and 459.

104dGazette .2f the State of South Carolina Wed. April 14, 1779, c.2, p.2; Gibbs
Memorial; Col. John Christian to Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, April 24, 1779, Lincoln Papers; Pension Statement of James Cannon, Draper Collection 3DD 47; Petition For Substance For Prisoners Escorted from Ninety Six Jail to Orangeburg in 1779, Accounts Audited of Revolutionary Claims Against South Carolina AA5335, South Carolina Department of Archives and History; Rev. J.H. Saye to Lyman C. Draper, Sept. 30, 1874, Draper Collection 22VV 159.
l04eDeposition of Joseph Cartwright, Sept. 1, 1779, Draper Collection 1KK108~ Deposition of Samuel Beckaem, 1811, Peter Force Papers vii-E 3, Library of Congress; McCall,p. 400.
104fcartwright Deposition; Walter Clark (ed.) State Records .2f North Carolina XXII,
p.959; "Affidavit of Those recommended to Mercy on Trials of High Treason, State of North Carolina, Salisbury Court, Sept. 29, 1779, Draper Collection 1KK43; Petition on behalf of Samuel Richardson, Sept. 21, 1779, Draper Collection, 1KK99.

105copies of these maps are available in the Georgia Surveyor General Department and Colonial Records of Georgia, Vol. 38 (unpublished), Mrs. J. E. Hays, camp.; Georgia Department of Archives and History.

113b
106 Georgia Surveyor General Department.
107 The warrants of Thomas Brown, Samuel Hoof, and Joseph White in Alexander M. Hitz, The Early Settlements in Wilkes County (Georgia Historical Society, 1956; reprinted from The Georgia Historical Quarterly, XL, No. 3, Sept., 1956). There is no truth to the legend that Kettle Creek was named from the Loyalists' cooking equipment that supposedly fell into the creek during the battle. The legend was stated by Mrs. Clare (Boifeuillet) Jones in the Atlanta Journal in 1930. This article was reprinted in Mrs. Standard's
The Battle of Kettle Creek: A Turning Point of the American Revolution in
the South (Washington, Ga.: 1973).
108 Pension of Paul Findley (Finley), Georgia, South Carolina, W9440. Also, Pension of John Finley, Georgia, Wl257.
109 See Section IliA: Prologue to the Battle of Kettle Creek, footnote 32.
110 Eliza A. Bowen, The Story of Wilkes County, compiled by Mrs. Louise Frederick Hays (Atlanta, 1950; hereafter cited as "Bowen"), pp. 152-154; History of Liberty Church (Presbyterian Committee of Publication, Richmond, Va., 1904), available at the Mary Willis Library, Washington, Ga., and brought to the attention of the authors of this report by Mrs. L.C. (Emma Stephens) Wilson of Washington, Ga., in her letter of July 24, 1974.

114
111 Bowen, p. 154.
112 Ibid, pp. 152, 153. Bowen wrote that the church was "not very far" north of the Kettle -Creek Battlefield [War Hill], between the Greensboro and Schull Shoals Road on the property of Henry T. Slaton. She also wrote that she visited the site of the church with the Rev. F.T. Simpson, son of Archibald Simpson, the founder of the church.
113 Conversations with Mrs. John Singleton, who says she has actually visited the site.
114 William Hammett was one such grantee [pension of William Hammett, Georgia R4528; and Appendix C of this report]
115 Letter of Samuel Elbert, Sept. 9, 1777, from Collections of the Georgia Historical Society, Vol. V, Pt. 2, "Order Book of Samuel Elbert ... " (hereafter cited as "Samuel Elbert"), 1902, pp. 54, 55.
116 See Appendix B of this report.
l17 The news story of the Battle of Kettle Creek apparently only appeared in Whig newspapers (i.e., it does not appear in the Loyalist newspapers of New York or the British newspapers). Among the Whig newspapers t;hat carried the same account of the Battle were: The South Carolina and American General Ga:;1:ette; p. 2 February 25, 1779; The Virginia Gazett;:--April 12, 1779; The New Jersey Gazette, p. 2, c. 2, April 14, 1779; The Boston Independent Chronicle and the Universal Advertiser, p. 2,_ c. 2, April 22, 1779; The Providence [Rhode Island] Gazette and Country Journal, p. 2, c. 1, April 24, 1779; and The Boston Gazette and Country Journal, p. 4, c. 1, May 10, 1779.
ll8 Documentary History of the American Revolution Consisting of Letters and Papers Relating to theContest for Liberty, Chiefly in South Carolina, from Originals in the Possession of the Editor, and Other Sources, Dr. R. W. Gibbes, M.D., ed. (New York, 1857), p. 109.
ll9 Dr. David Ramsay. History of the Revolution in South Carolina (1785), Vol. II, pp. 13-15. Available at the South Caroliniana Society Library of the University of South Carolina and the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.
120 c. Stedman. The History of the Origin, Progress and Termination .2.f the
American War (1794), Vol. I, p. 120.
121 Draper Collection, lV V 107-1077 State Historical Society of Wisconsin.
122 Capt. Hugh McCall. The History of Georgia, Vol. II, pp. 388, 391-399. The reprinted edition was used.
12 3 Rev. Adiel Sherwood. ! Gazetteer of the State of Georgia (1827), p. 67.
The 1939 reprinted edition was used.
1 24 Georgia Surveyor General Department.
125 B~, p. ii.

115

126

I
-.

b-.i-d

,

p.

18.

127 Ibid.

128 The Washington [Georgia] News-Reporter, Feb. 23, 1918. Mr. Slaton had served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War and was with General Lee at Appomatox.

129 Telephone conversations with Miss Eloise Slatpn, July 9, 1974 (see appendix G of this report).

130 Wilkes County Deed Book]_, p. 241.
131 Ibid, Book 36, p. 5.
132 The Washington [Georgia] Gazette and Chronicle, Jan. 26, 1900, p. 3, c. 6. Judge S.H. Hardeman drew up the papers. He and Green apparently did this "without reward or the hope thereof."

133 See pp. 83-89 of this ;report.

134 The letter of Dr. Turner Bryson and letter of J.L. Vickery, August, 1974. (See Appendix G.)

135 Letter of J.L. Vickery, August, 1974. (See Appendix G.)

l36 Personal observations of the authors of this report, who visited the War Hill site on July 2, 1974, with Dr . Turner Bryson and Mr. Bill Cofer.
137 Washington [Georgia] News-Reporter, June 1, 19 72.

138 Conversations with Mr. Alexander Wright of Washington, Ga., in July of 1974.
139 Aconsiderable amount of additional information concerning the dedication of the monument can be found in the 1930 issue of the Washington [Georgia] News-Reporter, copies of which are at the ?1ary Willis Library of Washington, Ga., and at the University of Georgia on Microfilm. The monument represented 20 years of effort by local citizens (May 23rd issue). A program and full-page invitation to the ceremony were published in the June 6 issue as well as anews story concerning "a landing field [having] to be provided for Governor Hardeman [of Georgia] and Adj. Gen. Parker", and Mayor Johnson [of Washington, Georgia?] declaring "June 6, 1930" a legal holiday. It was reported in the same issue that "moving pictures" of the dedication were planned and that historian Otis Ashmore had sent his thoughts by mail. . At the ceremony, held despite the rain, were over "two thousand people'' present. Wreaths were laid at the monument by ten children who were direct descendants of men who fought at Kettle Creek (June 13 issue). These children, dressed in Revolutionary War uniforms, were: Marion Coles Phinizy of Augusta, Ga.; Julian and Clarke Carter of Hartsville, S.C.; Helen Colley of Athens, Ga. ; Ann Latimer; Ethetyn Lindsey; James Armstrong, Jr.; Caroline Fluker; Lavonia Sparks; and Henry Fluker, Jr. [of Washington, Ga. ) It was reported in that same issue that wreaths were pr~sented on behalf of the original counties created from Wilkes County, and in an editorial, a national cemetery project was proposed.

140 Letter of William C. Lake, Sept. 17, 1942 (see Appendix G).

116
14l Conversations with ,an unidentified reporter of the . Union County News [Union County, S.C.], July 11, 1974.
142 See picture on p. 55 of this report.
143 Wilkes ~ounty, Georgia, Superior Court. Deed Book A:-76, pp. 26ff.
144 Conversations with Dr. Bryson of Washington, Georgia, summer, 1974.
145 Letter of Bobbie R. Beller, ca. July, 1974, to the authors (Appendix G).
146 Washington [Georgia] News-Reporter, August 30, 1962, and Bowen, p. 165.
147 Ibid, October 13, 1962, p. 8.
148 Copy of this reenactment program in the ''Kettle Creek File" of the Georgia Heritage Trust, Department of Natural Resources.
149 Conversations with Miss Carroll Hart (director), Mrs. Meri ta Rozier (microfilm librarian) and Ms. Lang (county records). All of these personnel of the Georgia Department of Archives and History were at the reenactment.
150 See footnote 148~
151 The National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings, Theme _!, The War for Independence (1960), National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior, p. 88.
152 Letter of the National Park Service, April 10, 1972, to Mrs. Charles Wickersham of Washington, Ga. (Appendix G).
153 Report of the Society of War in Relation to the Pension Establishment of the United States, Senate Documents Pension Roll, First Session, 23rd Congress, No. 12, Washington, D.C.; printed by Duff Green, 1935 (compiled by Helen M. Prescott); reprinted in Georgia's Roster of the Revolution Containing~ List of the . State's Defenders; Officers and Men; Soldiers and
Sailors; Partisians and Regulars; Whether Enlisted from Georgia .!. Settled
in Georgia after the close of Hostilities (compiled by Lucian Lamar Knight, LL.D., F.R.S. (Atlanta, 1920), p. 442.
Major Lindsey fought under Elijah Clarke at the Battle of Long Cane, S.C., where Lindsey was severely wounded. As Lindsey lay wounded on the ground, he was attacked by Loyalist Captain Lang, who cut him about the head and arms with a saber, causing Lindsey to lose a hand. (Capt. Hugh McCall, The History of Georgia Containing Brief Sketches of the .~
Remarkable Events !I t2. the Present c!gy_ (1784), Savannah, 1811-1816,
Atlanta, 1909, 1969. The 1969 edition is hereafter cited as McCall; pp. 502, 503.)
Lindsey, apparently because of his having an artificial hand, was supposedly nicknamed ''Old Silver Fist." (Roster of .Revolutionary Soldiers in Georgia, compiled by Mrs. Howard H. McCall; Baltimore, 1968; Vol. I, p. 110.)
154 Washington [Georgia] News-Reporter, Oct., 1973.
155 Conversations with Mrs. John Singleton of Washington, Ga., summer, 1974.

117

156 "Cartledge, James," Bounty and Headright Petitions, Warrants, Certificates file, of official record and on file in the Georgia Surveyor General Department, Office of Secretary of State.
157 As one of George Washington's bodyguards, he served at the battles of Brandywine; Germantown, Pa.; Monmouth, N.J.; and King's Bridge, N.Y. ("Flemister, Lewis," File II, Georgia Department of Archives and History.)
15 8 Conversations with Mrs. Dennie Peteet, Jr., of Atlanta, Ga., summer, 1974.

159 Conversations with Dr. J. Turner Bryson of Washington, Ga., summer, 1974.

160 Janet Harvill Standard. The Battle of Kettle Creek: ! Turning Point of

the American Revolution in the South (Washington, Ga. : Wilkes Publishing

Co. , 19 73) .

--

161 "Kettle Creek File," Georgia Heritage Trust, Department of Natural Resources, State of Georgia.

118
IV The People
1 Capt. Hugh McCall. The History of Georgia Containing Brief Sketches of the Most Remarkable Events !:!.to the Present Day (1784) (Savannah, Ga., 1811; Atlanta, Ga., 1909 and 1969; 1969 edition hereafter cited as McCall), p. 388. McCall described Boyd as "bold, enterprising, and famed for acts of dishonesty."
2 Military Collection, War of the Revolution Miscellaneous Papers, 1776-1789, North Carolina State Department of Archives and History (unpublished).
3 Archibald Campbell. Journal of an Expedition Against the Rebels of Georgia in North America under the Orders of Archibald Campbell, Esquire, Lieut. Col. of His Majesty's 71st Regiment 1778 (typescript journal at the State Library of Georgia; hereafter cited as "Campbell Journal"), p. 99.
4 Ibid
5 The authors of this report have yet to find any source which disagrees with this and few sources that do not at least mention it.
6 Memorialist papers of John Hamilton, British Public Record Office. (The authors used copies available at the North Carolina State Department of Archives and History.)
7 The Ohio State University Bulletin, Vol. XXVI, Oct. 30, 1921, No. 4, p. 80. Lymart Copeland Draper, in his Draper Collection, also wrote that Boyd's first name was "John." Although Draper quotes many sources, it is not clear where he learned of John Boyd. (Draper Collection, 5D, pp. 182ff, "Josiah Culbertson," State Historical Society ofWisconsin). See note at end of this section of footnotes.
8 Robert M. Calhoon. The Loyalists in Revolutionary America 1760-1781 (New York, 19 73) , p. 4 76.
9 Gary D. Olson, "Thomas Brown, Loyalist Partisan, and the Revolutionary War in Georgia, 1777-1782," The Georgia Historical Quarterly, Vol. LIV, spring, 1970, p. 12, with footnotes on p. 18 citing five sources.
10 Georgia Historical Quarterly, Vol. LVII, summer, 1973, No. 2, p. 296.
11 Col. Matthew Floyd was from Fishing Creek, S.C. In 1775, he was arrested by the Whigs for attempting to see Royal Governor Lord William Campbell. In May, he was given command of all Loyalist militia between the Enoree and Tyger rivers in South Carolina. At the same time, he was recruiting in York County, S.C., for the garrison at Rocky Mount. After the war, he went to East Florida. (Revolutionary War pension statements, General Services Administration, Washington, D.C.; hereafter cited as "Pension." John Moore, Draper Collection, 2DD, p. 33ff; and Peter Forney, North Carolina W4955; Loyalists in East Florida, 1774 to 1785: The Most Important Documents Pertaining Thereto, Edited with an Accompanying Narrative, Wilbur Henry Siebert, Deland, Fla., 1929; Boston, 1972; hereafter cited as "Siebert,'' Vol. II, pp. 128, 129).

119

12 Robert 0. Demond. The Loyalists in North Carolina During the Revolution

(Hamden, 1964; reprint of earlier-edition), p. 105.

---

13 Ibid. Also, "Statement of Samuel Beckaem," Peter Force Papers, vii-E, 3. Library of Congress also cites Yadkin, N.C.
14 Demond, cit., p. 240 (see appendix B).

15 Letter of Francis Pickens to J.H. Marshal, May 13, 1858, to help Marshal in writing a life of General Andrew Pickens (Draper Collection, Sumter Manuscript 16V V 356, State Historical Society of Wisconsin).

16 Letter of Maj. Gen. Andrew Pickens to Col. Henry Lee, Aug. 28, 1811, in preparation for Col. Lee's memoirs of the Revolutionary War in the South (Draper Collection, Mss. 1 VV 107-1077, State Historical Society of Wisconsin; hereafter cited as ''Pickens to Lee, 1811").

17 E. Alfred Jones. "The Journal of Alexander Chesney, a South Carolina Loyalist in the Revolution and After," The Ohio State University Bulletin, Vol. XXVI, Oct. 20, 1921, No. 4, pp. 79-82. The Royal Commission~ the Losses and Services_f American Loyalists, 1783 to 1785 Being the Notes of Mr. Daniel Parker Coke, MP, One of the Commissioners During That Period, Hugh Egerton, ed. (Oxford, 1915), pp. 45, 46.

18 See footnote 2.

19 South Carolina and American General Gazette, Feb. 25, 1779, p. 2. There may have been another Moore with the same last name as Boyd's second-in-command.

20 McCall, pp. 396, 399.

21 The State Records of North Carolina, Walter Clark, ed. (Goldsboro, 1898), Vol. XV, p. 252.

22 Lyman Copeland Draper, LL.D., King's Mountain and Its Heroes: History of the Battle of King's Mountain, Oct.]_, 1780, and the Events Which Led~_!! (Cincinatti, 1881), p. 298.

23 Mary Elinor Lazenby, comp., Catawba Frontier 1775-1781: Memories of Pension-

ers (Washington, D.C.: 1950), pp. 57, 58.

--

24 Draper Collection, 5D, pp. 182ff, "Josiah Culbertson," State Historical Society of Wisconsin.
25 Pension of John Moore, Draper Collection, 2DD, pp. 33ff. (See footnote 24.)
26 Conversations with George Stevenson, North Carolina State Department of Archives and History, Aug., 1974.

27 McCall, pp. 396, 397.

28 South Carolina and American General Gazette, Thurs., Feb. 25, 1779, p. 2; Gazette of the State of South Carolina, April 17, 1779; pension of Daniel Carter, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, S3126.

29 Ibid

120
30 See footnote 27.
31 Records of the Moravians in North Carolina, Adelaide L. Fries, M.A., ed. (Raleigh~N.C., 1968), Vol7 III, pp. 1025, 1026.
32 Ibid.
33 Conversations with Mrs. Clell Spurgeon of High Point, N.C. Mrs. Spurgeon says that the will is filed in the District of London, County of Norfolk, Province of Upper Canada.
34 Cornelia A. Cole. General Robert Anderson (undated, printed pamphlet at the South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina).
35 Men of Mark in Georgia: f=. Complete and Elaborate History of the State from
Its Settlement to the Present Time Chiefly Told in Biographies and Autobiographies of the Most Eminent Men of Each Period of Georgia's Progress and Development, ex-Governor William T. Northen, ed. (Atlanta: 1907; hereafter cited as "Northen"), Vol. I, pp. 40-47.
36 See footnote 28.
37 McCall, p. 317.
38 McCall, pp. 358, 359 .
39 Gary D. Olson, "Thomas Brown, Loyalist Partisan, and the Revolutionary War in Georgia, 1777-1782," Georgia Historical Quarterly, in two parts, Vol. LIV, spring and sunnner, 1970, N.os. 2 and 3 (hereafter cited as "Olson"); Pension of John Gray, Georgia W419.
40 Pension of Jesse Hooper, Georgia Sl913; Pension of John Bynum, Georgia S3111; Pickens to Lee, 1811; Revolutionary Records of Georgia, Vol. II, pp. 136, 137.
41 South Carolina and American General Gazette, April 9, 1779; Pickens~ Lee, 1811; McCall, p. 409.
42 Olson, Part II, p. 187.
43 Pension of David H. Thurmond, Georgia S32010; pension of Jesse Gordon, Georgia, North Carolina, Wl3280. The volunteers apparently met at John Dooly's home.
44 Olson., Par. t II, pp. 186, 187.
45 McCall, pp. 477, 478; Pension of John Webb, Georgia, S32055.
46 Pension of Joshua Burnett, Georgia S32154; pension of Jesse Gordon, Georgia, North Carolina, Wl3280.
4 7 Pension of David H. Thurmond, Georgia, S32010; McCall, pp. 482, 483.
48 Pension of Jesse Bently, Georgia R785; Pension of Samuel Jordan, Georgia, W8224.

121
49 "A large stone house on Banks of the Savannah River," Pension of Joshua Burnett, Georgia S32154; "A stone house about two miles from the town," Pension of Jesse Gordon, Georgia, North Carolina Wl3280.
50 Pension of William Gilliland, Georgia, South Carolina W7533; McCall, pp. 483, 484, McCall described the house as "M'Kays trading-house, denominated the White-house, one mile and a half west of the town .. about eighty yards from the river."
5! McCall, p. 484; pension of Joshua Burnett, Georgia S32154.
52 Ibid, p. 485.
53 Ibid.
54 Pensions of Jesse Hooper, Georgia Sl913, and Charles Gent, Georgia Sl903; McCall, p. 485 -.
55 McCall, p. 485; pension of Benjamin Thompson, Georgia S32016; pension of David H. Thurmond, Georgia S32010.
56 McCall, p. 486. One of the more interesting, although one of the less credible, tales of the first siege of Augusta was the pension of Henry Anglin. (Ga. S31521). Anglin claimed to have been captured by the Tories at the first siege of Augusta and turned over to the Indians to be "scalped." They supposedly tied a rope around his neck and "swung" the rope over a tree. Anglin was saved at the last minute by a British officer who promised to have him executed the next morning if he did not take a loyalty oath. Anglin took the oath.
57 Ol&on, Part II, pp. 190, 191.
5B Pension of David H. Thurmond, Georgia S32010; and John Webb, Georgia S32055.
59 Ibid; pension of Peter Strozier, Georgia Rl0279; McCall, p. 493.
60 McCall, pp. 502, 503. Major John Lindsey, whose body has been reinterred at War Hill, was also wounded at the Battle of Long Cane, S.C. Lindsey, who had fallen under three wounds, was attacked by Loyalist Capt. Lang, who beat Lindsey so badly about the head and arms that Lindsey lost a hand.
6la McCall, pp. 514-524.
6lb Pension of John Webb, Georgia S32055, who was in Burke County, N.C., when he got the call to arms.
62 Ibid. 63 Ibid.
64 Olson, Part II, p. 194. 65 Northen, Vol. I, pp. 40-'47. 66 Ibid.
67 Ibid.

122
68 Caroline G. Hunt, "Oconee: Temporary Boundary ,i, University of Georgia Lab-
oratory of Archeology Series Report ~ 10 (1973), pp. 34-46. 69 Northen, Vol. II, pp. 163-167. 70 .Ib~.d, Vol. I, pp. 40-,.47.
71 Draper Collection, V (Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina papers), pp. 150. "Elijah Clarke," State Historical Society of Wisconsin.
72 Georgia Surveyor General Department.
73 Minutes of the Georgia Executive Council, 1820, Georgia Department of Archives and History (unpublished).
74 William c. Dawson, ed., Compilation of the Laws of Georgia, 1819-1829, p.
301. "An Act for the relief of Austin, otherwise called Austin Dabney, a free man of .color," signed by Gov. John Clark, May 16, 182l. This .act referred to one sigried Aug. 14, 1786, which granted Dabney his freedom.
SeeHoratio Marbury and William H. Crawford, eds., Digest [of the] .Laws of
the State of Georgia, 1755-,.1800 (Savannah, 1802), pp. 203, 204. 75 Georgia's Roster of the Revolution, Lucian Lamar Knight, LL.D., FR.S.
(:Baltimore, 1967; reprint of Atlanta, 1920, edition, hereafter cited as "Knight"), p. 402. 76 Ibid, p. 438.
77 See footnote 74.
78 Ibid. 79 Northen, Vol. II, pp. 26-29. 80 Gilmer, pp. 164-167. 81 There are other stories bf Dabney, but they appear to be reinterpretations
of Gilmer's work. ''Dabney, Austin," File II, Georgia Department of Archives and History.
82 Gilmer, p. 165.
83 "Dabney, Austin," File II, Georgia Department of Archives and History.
84 Gilmer, pp. 166, 16 7.
85 William B. Foster, "James Jackson in the American Revolution," Georgia Historical Quarterly, Vol. XXXI, 1947, p. 253.
86 See footnote 83. William Harris died in 1839. Pike County, Georgia, records show an orphan son, Austin D. Harris.
87 Northen, Vol. II, pp. 324-329.
88 Early Records of Georgia, Vol. I, Wilkes County, Grace Gillam Davidson (Macon, Ga., 1932, hereafter cited as "Davidson"), p. 55.

123
89 John Dooly's third son may have been "Jack Dooly." Also, Ibid.
90 Ibid, pp. 37, 55.
91 Ibid, p. 12. Apprently the land John Dooly occupied was not his, for he was sued by Thomas Lee, and the court ordered the land returned to Lee. (Ibid' p. 33).
92 White, p. 40.
93 See footnote 28.
94 McCall, pp. 316, 317, 471, 472. Pension of Joseph Collins, Georgia R2179. McCall wrote that Thomas Dooly 1s death occurred near the Big Shoals (Ogeechee River?). Major Burwell Smith took over command of Thomas Dooly's men. Also see Samuel Elbert's Account.
95 Ibid.
96 Pension of John Bynum, Georgia S3111. John Coleman died of an illness (pension of Jesse Hooper, Georgia Sl913).
97 Pension of Samuel Jordan, Georgia W8224.
98 South Carolina and American General Gazette, April 9, 1779.
gg Ibid.
100 The Revolutionary Records of the State of Georgia, Vol. II, ex-Governor Allen D. Candler (Atlanta, 1908), pp. 162, 163. The State Records of South Carolina: Journals of the General Assembly and House of Representatives, 1776~1780, William Edwin Hemphill, Wylma Anne Wates, and R. Nicholas Olsberg, eds. (Columbia, S.C., 1970),pp. 181, 182.
101 Court of General Sessions or Oier and Terminer and General Goal Delivery, Wilkes County, Georgia, Superior Court. Minutes (1778-1780), pp. 9-12. (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 45-29 at Georgia State Archives). Hereafter cited as "Court of General Sessions."
102 Pension of Benjamin Thompson, Georgia S32010; pension of John Smith, Georgia R9769. Smith wrote that Dooly carne horne from the siege of Savannah sick and discouraged. Dooly's regiment was also on its way to join General Ashe prior to the Battle of Briar Creek (March 1779). Arriving after Ashe's men had been defeated and routed, Dooly's men buried the dead.
103 White, p. 103.
104 Olson, Part II, p. 187.
105 This "Major" or "Colonel" Manson was a subordinate to Lt. Co;t. Thomas Brown and is not to be confused with the Major Manson who was second-in-command of the Royal North Carolina Regiment or the Colonel Mason who was a Whig leader who surrendered his regiment to Brown. (Pension of Joshua Burnett, Georgia S32154; pension of David H. Thurmond, Georgia S32010. Manson was an important land owner and Loyalist who worked under cover in the ceded lands. After the Revolution, his land was confiscated, although he moved to Richmond County, dying in the 19th century. (Davidson,

124

II, p. 260; pension of Peter Strozier, Rl0279. Lilla Hawes, ed., "The Proceedings and Minutes , of the Governor and Council of Georgia," The Georgia Historical Quarterly, XXXV, p. 208.

106 Pension of Joshua Burnett, Georgia S32154. John Dooly was one of the Original founders of Washington, Ga. (Eliza A. Bowen, ]'he Story of Wilkes County, Georgia [Marietta, 1950], p. 26).

107 Pension of Joseph Collins, Georgia R2179.
108 Ibid.
109 Pension of John Smith, Georgia R9769. This is probably the Capt. Joseph Wilder of the Georgia Loyalist Militia, a subordinate of CoL Grierson at Augusta. Wilder was supposedly later killed in a Whig attack on the fort at Wrightsboro, Ga. (Lilla Hawes, ed., "The Proceedings and Minutes of the Governor and Council of Georgia," The Georgia Historical Quarterly, Vol. XXXV, p. 213; and Samuel Beckaem's statement, Peter Force Papers. McCall wrote that John Dooly's killers were led by Loyalist Capt. Corker (McCall, p. 471); however, Smith was actually in Dooly 's home the night the killing took place. There is an undocumented legend that some of the Loyalists that killed Dooly were captured and imprisoned at the Guillebeau Tavern (which burned in 1972) in present-day Lincoln County, Ga. (Mrs. Kirby Smith Anderson, "Taverns and Inns of Early Georgia," unpublished manuscript, Georgia Archives, 1939, pp. 23, 24).

110 Pension of John Smith, Georgia R9769; pension of Joseph Collins, Georgia R2179.

111 Cyclopedia of Georgia, ex-Governor Allen D. Candler and Gen. Clement A. Evans, eds. (Atlanta, 1906) , Vol. I, p. 611. Thomas Brown wrote in 1786 that because of "Colonels Dun, Burnett, and [George] Dooly, sixty peaceable loyalists on the ceded lands were murdered in their own houses in the course of a week by these execrable ruffians" (White, p. 617).

112 Pension of Asa Morgan, Georgia S31870.

113 Northen, Vol. II, pp. 324-329; Davidson, Vol. I, p. 55; letter of Dorothy H. Ward to the authors of this report, Oct. 19, 1974.

ll4 Court of G.eneral Sessions.

ll 5 E. Merton Coulter, ~ancy Hart, Georgia Heroine of the Revolution: The Story of the Growth of a Tradition," The Georgia Historical Quarterly, Vol. XXXIX, 1955, pp. 118-151.

116 Louise Frederick Hays, Hero of Hornet's Nest (New York, 1946; hereafter

cited as "Hays")~ p. 56-.----

---

Edward Clarke, grandson of Elijah Clarke, wrote to Lyman Copeland Draper

in 1872 that his mother recalled "some woman giving Clarke information of

the British before a battle" (Draper Collection, V; Georgia, Alabama and

South Carolina papers; "Elijah Clarke," State Historical Society of Wiscon-

sin), pp. 1-50.

125
117 See footnote 115. 118 Hays, p. 56.
119 See footnote 115. 120 Ibid..
121 "Revolutionary Incidents," Central Presbyterian, Aug. 20, 1859, "Little James," File II, Georgia Department of Archives and History.
l22 Alice Noble Waring, The Fighting Elder Andrew Pickens (1739-1817) (Columbia, 1962), pp. 2, 4, 13; hereafter cited as "Waring."
123 Pickens to Lee, 1811. 124 Dictionary of American Biography, Dumas Malone, ed. (New York, 1934), Vol.
VII, pp. 558, 559. Article on Andrew Pickens by Anne King Gregorie. 125 Pension of Andrew Hamilton, South Carolina Sl8000; Waring, pp. 37-41. 126 See footnote 124. 127 Ibid
128a Ibid, pp. 559-561. 128b "Deposition of Joseph Cartwright," Draper Collection, 3 VV 250-253. 129 Pension of Patrick Cain, South Carolina Sl185; see "Revolutionary Incidents,"
footnote 121; McCall, p. 394. 130 "Revolutionary Incidents," footnote 121. 13la Draper Collection, llVV 394ff. 13lb See footnote 130.
132 Col. Andrew Pickens (S.C.): pension of Benjamin Thompson, Georgia S32016. l33 Col. John Dooly (Ga.); pension of Jesse Hooper, Georgia Sl913; pension of
Charles Gent, Georgia Sl903: pension of Jesse Gordon, Georgia, North Carolina W13280. 134 Lt. Col. Elijah Clarke (Ga.) Ibid; and John Webb, Georgia S32055. 135 Maj. Burwell Smith (Ga.): pension of David H. Thurmond, Georgia S32010; and John Webb, Georgia S32055. l36 Capt. Robert Anderson (S.C.): pension of Micajah Brooks, Georgia W27694.
137 Capt. George Barber (Ga.): pension of Micajah Brooks, Georgia W27694. 138 Capt. David Gunnells (Ga.): pension of David H. Thurmond, Georgia S32010. 139 Capt. Andrew Hamilton (S.C.): pension of Andrew Hamilton, South Carolina
S18000.

126
140 Capt. Adam C. Jones (S.C.): pension of John McAdams, South Carolina W2649. 141 Capt. Joseph Neal (or Nail), Sr. (Ga.): pension of William Black, Georgia
W9730, and John Webb, Georgia S32055. Ens. Joseph Nail, Jr.: John Webb, Georgia S32055. 142 Lt. Samuel Roseman (S.C.): pension of John McAdams, South Carolina W26491; Thomas Norwood, South Carolina S21400, refers to him as Samuel Rosamond. 143 William Black (Ga.): pension of William Black, Georgia W9730; and John Webb, Georgia S32055. 144 Micajah Brooks (Ga.): pension of Micajah Brooks, Georgia W27694.
l45 William Buchanan (S.C.): pension of William Buchanan, South Carolina S21675. 146 Isham Burke (Ga.): pension of Isham Burke, Georgia S3093.
147 Charles Gent (Ga.): pension of Charles Gent, Georgia Sl90J. Charles Gent and Jesse Hooper were lifelong friends who also served together at the Battle of Kettle Creek. When they were able to file for pension in Tennessee in 1832, they were neighbors. They made two almost duplicate copies of the same pension statement. On one, Jesse Hooper was the pensioner and Charles Gent was the witness. The other copy showed the two veterans reversing the roles, making their two statements almost one statement based on the remembrances of two men.
148 Jesse Gordon (Ga.): pension of Jesse Gordon, Georgia, North Carolina Wl3280.
149 William Hammett (Ga.): pension of William Hammett, Georgia R4528. William Hammett was granted land adjacent to War Hill in 1784 and was probably living near there during the Revolution, as was his brother, James Hammett, who owned the War Hill area (see Appendix D of this report).
150a John Harris (S.C.): Draper Collection, llVV 394ff.
150b Jatres Hays (Ga.): pension of James Hays, Georgia R4787.
150c Jesse Hooper (Ga.): pension of Jesse Hooper, Georgia Sl913. (See footnote 14 7.)
151 John Leard (S.C.): statement as a witness with the pension statement of Alexander Patterson, Georgia, South Carolina S7288.
152 John McAdams (S.C.): pension of John McAdams, South Carolina W2649.
153 Alexander Patterson (S.C.): pension of Alexander Patterson, Georgia, South Carolina S7288.
154 Thomas Ramsey (Ga.): pension of Micajah Brooks, Georgia W27694.
155 Peter Strozier (Ga.): pension of Peter Strozier, Georgia Rl0279.
156 David H. Thurmond (Ga.): pension of David H. Thurmond, Georgia 832010.

127
157 Benjamin Thompson (Ga.): pension of Benjamin Thompson, Georgia S32016.
158 John Webb (Ga.): pension of John Webb, Georgia S32055.
159 McCall, p. 395.
160 See "Revolutionary Incidents," footnote 121.
161 McCall, p. 396.
162 Gilmer, pp. 156, 157.
163 Ibid, p. 165.
164 Bowen, p. 18. Bowen wrote that William Fluker, son of Owen Fluker, told her that his father had fought at the Battle of Kettle r.reek near where Owen Fluker lived. Owen Fluker was granted land near War Hill after the Revolution (see Appendix C of this report).
165 See footnote 163.
166 White, p. 213. White wrote about Stephen Heard that "at the Battle of Kettle Creek, he acted a distinguished part, not only by ...his patriotic speeches, but also by taking an active part in the engagement."
167 Documentary HistoEY_ of the American Revolution Consisting of Letters ~nd Papers Relating i the Contest for Liberty, Chiefly in South Carolina, From Originals in the Possession of the Editor, and Other Sources, Dr. R.W. Gibbes, M.D., ed. (New York, 1858; hereafter cited as "Gibbes"), p. 109.
168 Ibid.
169 See footnote 79, Section III of this report.
170 McCall, p. 393; A.L. Pickens, Skyagunsta: The Border Hizard Owl, MajorGeneral Andrew Pickens (1739-1817) (Greenville, S.C., 1934; hereafter cited as "A.L. Pickens), p. 41.
171 Ibid. Pension of Andrew Hamilton, South Carolina Sl8000.
172 McCall, p. 393. His first name is given in the pension of Benjamin Thompson, Georgia S32016.
173 Pension of Asa Morgan, Georgia S31870.
174 Janet Harvill Standard, The Battle of Kettle Creek: !_Turning Point of the American Revolution in the South (Washington, Ga., 1973), p. 44. Various copies ofMr-;:-Green's list also appeared in: Otis Ashmore's ''Wilkes County: Its Place in Georgia History," The Georgia Historical Quarterly, Vol. I, 1917, No. 1; Mrs. H~1ard H. (Ettie Tidwell) McCall's Roster of Revolutionary Soldiers in Georgia (Baltimore, 1969 for the only printing, although compiled by Mrs. McCall around 1941), Vol. III, p. 275ff., hereafter cited as "Mrs Howard McCall"; and Hearst Sunday American, July 6, 1930.
175 Conversations with Mrs. Janet Harvill Standard of Washington, Ca. According to Mrs. Standard, Mrs. Green originally nomlnated the Cherokee Ros<! as the

128

Official Georgia State Flower. Her husband donated the money for the Daughters of the American Revolution to purchase Kettle Creek Battlefield (see History of War Hill section of this report).

176 Ibid.
177 "Kettle Creek," File II, Georgia Department of Archives and History.
178 Lucian Lamar Knight, Georgia's Landmarks, Memorials and Legends (Atlanta, 1914), Vol. II, p. 1044.

179 Mrs. Howard McCall, Vol. II.

180 Hays, p. 56.

------------- 181 Howard Meriwether Lovett, Grandmother Stories from the Land of Used-to-Be

(Atlanta, 1913), pp. 29-33.

~~~~~~

182 Mrs. Howard McCall, Vol. I, p. 144.

183 Knight (see footnote 75), p. 442.
184 E. Merton Coulter. Old Petersburg and the Broad River Valley of Georgia: Their Rise and Decline (Athens, Ga., 1965), p. 31.
185 Conversations with Miss Eloise Slaton of Athens, Ga., on July 9, 1974 (see Appendix G).
186 McCall, p. 502. Where he also lost his hand.
18 7 Lucian Lamar Knight (see footnote 178), Vol. II, p. 1045. 188 Northen, Vol. I, pp. 235-240. 189 Dictionary of American Biography (see footnote 124), Vol. III, pp. 441, 442.

190 In the possession of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin and on Microfilm at Emory University, University of Georgia and King's Mountain National Military Park.

7

Addition State of

to Footnote 7: South Carolina,

In p.

the 4, .

March 24, c. 2, under

1779, "To

issue of be sold by

thPeubGliaczeStatele-o" f-foth-re

the following Oct. 15, Jacob Valk advertised 5,000 acres of land in Ninety-

Six District. Some of this land bordered on one Patrick Cunningham [A man

by a similar name was a Loyalist.]; and a 250-acre tract on a branch of

Durban's Creek, off the Enoree River, bordering northeast on land of John

Boyd and James Moore, southeast on John Wells and west on William William-

son.

It is possible that both E. Alfred Jones and Lyman C. Draper saw this

notice or papers relating to it and gathered that this was the Col. Boyd of

Kettle Creek. It is also possible that the first names of Boyd and Moore

were reversed and it should have been James Boyd and John Moore.

APPENDIX A 'l'he following are copies of the Loyalty Oath administered by Lt. CoL Archibald Campbell and his men to the "inhabitants" of Georgia and the Procla:'!lation he posted at all crossroads and "church doors" between sz..vannat'1 and Ebenezer 1 Georgia. The name of Admiral Hyde Parker was added to that of Lt. Col. Campbell on the Proclamation to give it more authority with the ~orgians of whom "Coblers and Blacksmiths [are] enjoying like rank[ i e. Lt. Col.l
in th~ir anny". A
Originals of the Proclamation and the Oath are at the British Public R<!cord Office. The transcripts used here were made from photostats at the North carolina State Depa.v.-tment of Archives and History.
Acarnpbell Journal 1 pp. 57-61.
- 129 -

130

I A. B.

do solemnly swear that I will bear true and faithful

Allegiance to his Majesty King George the Third, . my lawful Soverign;

and that I will at all Risks stand forth in Support of his Person and

Government: And I do solemnly disclaim and renounce that unlawful and

inqui tous Confederacy, called the General Continental Congress;. also

the Claim set up by them to Independency, and all Obedience to them,

and all subordinate Jurisdictions assumed by, or under, their Authority.

All this I do sincerely promise without Equivocation, or mental Reser"-

vationwhatever. So help me God!

The Bearer having complied with the Terms of the Proclamation issued

by the Commanders of his Majesty's Sea and Land Force.s in this Province,

dated 4th of January 1779, has Permission to remain on

Plantation;

and enjoy his Majes'ty' s Protection for

, Family and Effects of

- - - - every Kind:

has also Permission to pass and repass to and from

Savannah, with Provisions and all other Necessaries for the Use of the

Town and Garrison unmolested; and the Guards at the Out-Posts are hereby

- - - - - required and directedto give

every Assistance that may be

necessary.

GIVEN at SAVANNAH this

Day

of

, One Thousand Seven Hundred and

Seventy-nine.

To all Officers, Civil and Military.

131
By HYDE PARKER Jun. Esq; O:mmodore of a Squadron of His Majesty's Ships of War, and Lieutenant Colonel ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL, commanding a Detachment of the .Royal Army, sent for the Relief of his Majesty's .faithful Subjects in North and South Carolina and Georgia.
A PROCLAMA'l'ION.
Whereas the Blessings, of Peace, Freedom and Protection, rnost graciously tendered by His Majesty to his deluded Subjects of America, have been treated by COngress with repeated Marks of studied Disrespect, and to the Disgrace of Human Nature, have had no Effect in Reclaiming them from the bloody Persecutions of their fellow Citizens; BE IT THEREFORE KNOWN to all His Majesty's faithful subjects of the Southern Provinces, that a Fleet and Army, under our Orders, are actually arrived in Georgia for their Protection, to which they are desired to repair without Loss of time, and, by uniting their Force under the Royal Standard, rescue their Friends from Oppression, themselves from Slavery,and obtained for both the most ample Satisfaction for the manifold Injuries sustained.
To all other well-disposed Inhabitants, who, from a just Regard to. the Blessings of Peace, reprobat the Idea of supporting a French League, insidiously framed to prolong the Calamities of War,and who, with His Majesty's faithful Subjects, wish to embrace the happy Occassion of cementing a firm and perpetual Coalition with the Parent State, free from the Imposition of Tax by the Parliament of Great-Britian, and secured in the irrevocable Enjoyment of every Priviledge,consistent with that Union of Interests and F'orce, on which their mutual Advantage, Religion, and Liberties depend, t-ie
. offer the most ample Protection in their Persons, Families and Effects; on
Condition they shall immediately return to the Class of peaceful Citizens,

132
acknowledge their just Allegiance to the Crown, and with their Arms support it. To those who shall attempt to oppose the Re-establishment of legal Govern-
ment, . oz:; who shall presume to injure such whom the Dictates of Reason, Honor, and Conscious prompt to embrace it, We lament the Necessity of exhibiting the Rigours of War, and call God and the World to witness, that they only shall be answerable for all the Miseries which may ensue.
Deserters of every Description, who, from a due Sense of their Error, wish to return to their Colours, have also ourPardon, provided they return within the Space of three Months from the Date of this Proclamation.
Given at Head . Quarters at Savannah, this Fourth Day of January, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-nine, and the Nineteenth Year of His Majesty's Reign. H Y. D E PARKER, A R C H I B A L D C A MP B E L L .
GOD SAVE THE KING.

APPENDIX B
Frontier Forts of Wilkes County
The following is a list of forts in original Wilkes County that the Authors located during the course of writing this report. The list is incomplete and is only included in the interest of Wilkes County Historians.
Robert Carr's Fort- "Order book of Samuel Elbert ... General in the Continental Army, October 1776, to November, 1778, Collections of the Georgia Historical Society, Vol. V, Part 2, p. 55 describes 'Carr's Fort, Beaver Dam Fork'; Warrant of John Holmes 200 acres November 3, 1778 mentions his land was between Carr's Fort and Benjamin Autry's land. The plat did not show a fort or mention Carr's Land.
' ... Robert Carr ... of Wilkes County .. is the person who was proprietor of Carr's Fort about the year 1778 ... 1 (Indian Depredations, Vol. II, part 3, page 749). Indians attacked the fort at this time. The fort mentioned in July 1778, May 1779, and 1781 (Ibid., pages 940-941). This fort mentioned in July 1778 (Ibid., p. 963).
Capt. Robert Carr of Carr's Fort on Beaverdam Creek of Little River in 1779 (Ibid., p. 968) attacked by Creek Indians (Ibid., p. 982) -From the Dr. John H. Goff Collection, Georgia Surveyor General Department (hereafter cited as the "Goff Collection") .
Cherokee Ford (S.C.)- (see main text for description) ... "sat just east of Heardmont, Georgia, Elbert County (i.e. Abbeville County, South Carolina)" from Goff Collection. Also site of McGowan's Blockhouse. (Pension of John Harris).
Dooly's Fort - Revolutionary War pensioner John Collins implied that Dooly's fort was the home of Col. John Dooly on the Savannah River (Pension Application of John Collins, Revolutionary War Pensions, Georgia R2179, General Services Administration, National Archives; Reference to Revolutionary War Pensions will
'- 133 -

134
hereafter be cited as "pension"). Fulsom (or Folsom) Fort- This fort was located on Ogeechee River ("Order
Book of Samuel Elbert . General in the Continental Army, October 1776 to November, 1778," Collections of the Georgia Historical Society, Vol. V, Part 2, p. 55; hereafter cited as "Sam Elbert"). Folsom's Fort was burned by a group of Indians under Loyalist David Tait in 1779 (South Carolina and American General Gazette [Charleston, South Carolina] Friday, April 9, 1779).
Gunnell's Fort- This fort was probably commanded by Capt. Daniel Gunnell and stood on Sandy Creek. It was here that Cols. Pickens and Dooly separated after defeating David Tait and his Indians (Pension application of Micajah Brooks, Georgia W2769~, see Hill's Fort).
Heard's Fort - This fort was built near Fishing Creek (Pension Application of John G. Heard, Georgia R4822).
Hill's Fort- Capt. John Hill possessed Hill's Fort on Long Creek now in Warren County, Georgia according to RevolutionaryWar Veteran Micajah Brooks (Pension Application of Micajah Brooks, Georgia W27694). Micajah Brooks' other statements have been found to be questionable (see earlier in this report). Joseph Mimms was killed at Hill's Fort (Pension Application of William Brooks, Georgia Rl263}.
Hinton's Fort - (Indian Depredations, Vol. II, Part 2, p. 454): Hinton's Fort on Chickasaw Creek, a tributary of Broad River in present day Lincoln County [this is in error, it is in Wilkes] about the last of April or first of May, 1782. (Ibid., Vol. II, Part 3, p. 764). Hinton's Fort about Norman or near Georgia 17 northward of Tignall. (from Goff Collection).
Fort James - This fort was built by the British prior to the Revolutionary War near where Petersburg, Georgia later stood [Savannah and Broad Rivers] (pension Application of John Bynum, Georgia S3111).

135
Kerr's Fort - "The exact location of Carr's Fort has not been ascertained, although every reasonable effort has been made to do so. Upon the authority of Mr. J.N. Wall of Elbert County the traditional site of this fort [here he has confused Robert Carr's Fort, see above, with Kerr's Fort that he now describes] is in Elbert County on Broad River nearly opposite the mouth of Long Creek, which divides Wilkes County from Oglethorpe [County]. This is probably correct." (Otis Ashmore and Charles H. Olmstead, "The Battles of Kettle Creek and Brier Creek," Georgia Historical Quarterly, Volume X, June 1926, No. 2, p. 91). "Kerr's Fort (Creek Indian Letters, Part 1, p. 167) mentioned, February 14, 1778 near Neal's Fort was on the Broad River fourteen miles above where the Broad River joins the Savannah River. (Pension application of John Bynum, Georgia S3111). Petersburg (Broad and Savannah Rivers) in Georgia" (Goff Collection).
Neal's (or Nail's) Fort- This Fort was built on the Broad River (Pension Applications of William Black, Georgia W9730 and Matthew Neal, Georgia Sl4004) and was destroyed by Indians. The fort's owner, Capt. Joseph Neal, later surrendered to the British. (Pension Application of William Black, Georgia W9730).
Capt. Phillip's Fort- This fort was on the Little River, (Samuel Elbert). Joel Phillip's Fort - This fort was also on the Little River but apparently
was different from the one above (Samuel Elbert). After the Revolutionary War, Joel Phillips was granted land where Kettle Creek joins the Little River (Land Grant Plat Book Q, p. 288 with the Surveyor General Department and on microfilm with the Georgia Department of Archives and History). His fort was probably near there.
Well's Fort- This fort was on the Ogeechee River (Samuel Elbert; Pension Application of Mordecai Chandler: Georgia, South Carolina, Rl848). It was burned by Loyalists and Indians under David Tait in 1779. (Pension Application of Samuel Jordan W8224).

APPENDIX C The Land Grant Plat Map The following is a map of the Kettle Creek beginning where Little Kettle Creek joins "Big" Kettle Creek and continuing northward past War Hill (not shown but on James Hammett's Land Grant). The map was made from copies of the original Land Grant surveys (i.e. plats) in the Land Plat Books on microfilm in the Microfilm Library, Georgia Department of Archives and History under "Official
!
Records: Georgia Surveyor General's Office." Original Volumes are in the Surveyor General Department. The Book and page number on each survey (i.e. plat) refer to a specific book.
- 136 -

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APPENDIX D
Land Transactions pf the War Hill Site
Although the War Hill site was included in the Creek and Cherokee Land Cession of 1773, the turmoil of the Revolution prevented the Governor of Georgia from granting clear title to most of Original Wilkes County until after the Land Office reopened in 1783.
James, John and William Hammett applied for land at the Land Court which met monthly in Wilkes County. The court issued warrants for their landS to be surveyed. These warrants were carried out and certified by the County Surveyor, his deputies or assistants in December 1783 and January 1784. 1 James Hammett's acreage totaled 450 acres on the North side of Kettle Creek; John Hanunett was surveyed for 200 acres on the South side of the creek; and William Hammett for 200 acres to the North and West of John. After all the waiting periods were over and the fees paid, the Hamrnetts were granted their lands in 1784and 1785. 2
Since it has previously been stated that the War Hill Site is believed to be on the 450 acres granted to James Hammett, it is the title to this land that will be pursued here. James and Lyda Hammett sold 400 acres of this tract to William Evans, Sr., in 1791. 3
William Evans, Sr. (1746-1806) 4 was a native of Virginia who appeared living on land granted to James Hammett on Kettle Creek in the 1801 and 1806
Tax D.1gests of W1'1kes County. 5 Evans died in Wilkes County in 1806 and his
estate was inventoried and appraised on November 4-7, 1806. 6 '!'he estate was sold December 19-20, 1806 and January 16, 1807. 7 Evans did not leave a will, and his administrators were his sons Stephens and William Evans. Other legatees (or heirs) were: Philip J. Stark, Micajah Bennett as guardian of the minor child James Evans, Elisha Slaton, Arden Evans, and John C. Evans. 8
- 142 -

143
The widow, Susannah (Clement) Evans married Daniel Slaton, father of William Slaton, who later owned the War Hill site. Although it might appear that Susannah Evans took her husband's lands with her under the marriage agreement she signed when she married Slaton, December 29, 1807, 9 the terms of the contract do not indicate such a transaction. The real estate of William Evans, Sr., was sold January 2, 1809, to his two sons, William Evans, Jr., and Stephen Evans (who were also his administrators). William Evans, Jr. paid $801 for the 345 acre tract that had originally been James Hammett's (and the War Hill Site);
10 while Stephen Evans paid $305 .for another 85 acres owned by his father. The widow I Susannah ("Clement) Evans (by then Mrs. Slaton)' . received no land at this sale, assuming she was still alive.
Tax records indicate that William Evans, Jr. joined the War Hill Site and other land he got from his father's estate in 1809 with other land and in 181211 he is shown with 603 1/2 acres. In 182512 his executor, William Robinson [Robertson) was handling 630 acres for the Evans estate in Wilkes County and 160 acres in Oglethorpe County.
William Evans, Jr. wrote his will on September 3, 1822 and it was probated 13
November 4, 1822. He willed his land to his wife Elizabeth for her life or widowhood. The final division was not to take place until his youngest child was of age, or his wife died or remarried. His heirs were: son, James Evans; son-in-law, Chenoth Peteet; daughter, Susannah Evans; son, William G. Evans~ and minors who were not mentioned in the will. To the above persons he willed the land upon which they were already living, although it is not clear whether deeds were created concerning those transactions.
The terms of the will carne to pass by 1829. The lands of William Evans, Jr. were advertised for.sale during that year, the sale taking place on December 1, 1829, at the courthouse at public outcry. 14 The lands once again were sold to the members of the family. William G. Evans obtained 260 acres for $650, 15

144

the land adjoining Samuel Jones, Mary Montgomery, and others not named. Chenoth Peteet purchased 630 acres for $140o, 16 his land bordered on his own

estate, and that of Foster and others. A third tract was sold February l, 17
1830, consisting of 166 acres of Oglethorpe County, to John Peteet. This

latter 630 acre transaction appears to have been the WarHill Site.

Chenoth Peteet was married to Martha Evans, daughter of William and

.

. . . 18

Elizabeth Evans, on March 23, 1815, the ceremony being performed by none

other than Jesse Mercer. Peteet lived in another militia district in 1830,19

20 but had 175 acres on Kettle Creek. In 1831 he owned several tracts,

apparently not contiguous, totally 1,634 acres in Wilkes County and 160 acres
in Og-lethorpe County. By 1839 21 his holdi~gs had increased to 1,728 acres on

Kettle Creek and other. lands elsewhere in the county.

Peteet became involved in several laws.ui ts causing the sheriff to seize

his lands and sell them at public auction. These lawsuits appear to have been

over debts.

On February 2 1 1840 Sheriff Edward R. Anderson sold to James M. Smythe 3,970 acres for $3,100.-22 This land was sold after the lawsuit of Thomas H.

Lawrence v. John S. Combs and Chenoth Peteet and various other executions

against Peteet were settled in the plaintiff's behalf. Smythe sold the same acreage to William Slaton March 1841 for $6 ,ooo. 23 It adjoined Slaton's

previous acquisitions.

William Slaton owned 12,000 acres, according to his descendants. He married Frances Wright of Woodstock (now Philomath), Oglethorpe County, Georgia. 24

Their children were Sarah A. Stephens, wife of Aaron Grier Stephens (d.l843),

brother of Alexander H. Stephens; Mary Slaton, wife of Samuel Daniel who moved

to Oglethorpe County, Georgia; John Slaton, who died "in his teens'i; William

Slaton, who died "in his early 20's"; Henry Thomas Slaton (1834-1918), a bach-

elor who later owned the battlefield site; Alexander Slaton, who served .in the

145

Civil War, became a lawyer and practiced in Early County, Georgia, until his

death c. 1906. The last son was Franklin Pierce Slaton (1841-1898), who mar-

ried first Miss Cornelia Fouche and then Martha Elizabeth ("Queen Victoria")

Armstrong. By this second marriage descend the living relatives of this line today. "Victoria" (Armstrong) Slaton was a descendant of Archibald Simpson,

and it is through this lineage that the tales of his cattle being slaughtered and eaten at the Battle of Kettle Creek have developed. 25

William Slaton died in early reconstruction days c. 1869, and at that time his lands were divided among his above mentioned children. 26 Mrs. Daniel,

Mrs. Stephens and A. Slaton sold their shares of the land to their brothers

F. P. Slaton and H. T. Slaton on December 16, 1869. This amounted to 5,150 acres. 27

These brothers divided the lands, H. T. Slaton receiving 3,185 acres

.

. 28 .

.

. .

and F. P. Slaton 1,965 in 1871. Henry T. Slaton who owned the land of War

Hill Site began to divide up his lands for whatever reasons in the late

1880's. On April 4, 1889 he sold 4,462 acres in the 169th Georgia Militia

District bounded on the north by Arden Evans, B.F. Williams, and Bryan Fanning;

east by Bryan Fanning and Frank P. Claton; south by land sold to Camilla

(Dubose) Colley, Eugenia McKenney; and west by Samuel Daniel and John Walls, all bordering on the Greensboro Road. 29

The buyer of these lands was Mr. A.L. Richardson of New Orleans, Louisi-

ana and later of New York City. He paid $19,300 for the lands and then pro-

ceeded to divide the same. The land was . resurveyed by W.G. Tatum on December

28, 1899. [This plat has not been located.] The lots, numbered 13 and 14,

were sold on January 9, 1900, to the Wilkes County Chapter of the Daughters
of the American Revolution, 12 and one-half acres for $75. 30
30 acres for seventy five dollars.

On July 29, 1929 the Daughters of the American Revolution granted to

146
The U. S. War Department an Easement in perpetuity across the property in order to grant "legal permission" for the War Department to erect the monument which had been authorized by an Act of Congress of 1929. 31 The monument was dedicated June 6, 1930. The "metes and bounds" of the monument site were reevaluated in 1938 by the Quartermaster Genera1. 32
As described above under "The History of War Hill", Dr. Turner Bryson was instrumental in having the title to the Kettle Creek Battlefield Site transferred from the surviving members of the Daughters of the American Revolution to The Board of Commissioners of Roads and Revenues of Wilkes County, Georgia. In a deed dated December 12, 1960 this transaction took place. 33 There is some question among the local citizenry as to whether the plat drawn for the 1960 deed is the same area covered by the transactions of 1938, and 1900. 34 The land is presently owned by the Commissioners of Wilkes County.

Footnotes: The Land
1 Georgia Surveyor General Department. Loose Plats, for Wilkes County.
2 Ibid., Register of Grants-Book DDD, p. 393 for John Hammett, signed September 20, 1784; and registered for September 22, 1784. p. 404 for William Hammett on Sept. 20, 1784 and registered Sept. 23, 1784; Book FFF, p. 336 for James Hammett signed January 3, 1785 and registered January 13, 1785.
3 Wilkes County, Georgia. Superior Court. Deed Book II, pp. 424-5. Deed for 400 Acres (with dimensions given) dated November 26, 1791 and recorded January 23, 1793. (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 43-32 at Georgia State Archives).
4 Daughters of the American Revolution. Lineage Book, CXIV, p. 117. (Washington, D. C.: 1930) Lineage of Mrs. Bessie (Ponder) Godfrey, Number 113351. Attempts to locate blood descendants of William Evans, S:i:'. have been unsuccessful at present. Mrs. Godfrey died in Madison, Georgia and left no blood kin. Her papers are said to have gone to her son's wife's family living in the Lithonia-Conyers, Georgia area in 1974. Her greatnieces are Mrs. Lolly Hunt, Mrs. C. L. Mason, and Mrs. J. Boyce Thomas of Madison, Georgia, all kin to her on other lines, not the Evans line. William Evans' descendants lived at Evansville, Georgia in Morgan County at one time. Mrs. Godfrey's descent was through William Evans, Jr. (1776-1822) and his wife Elizabeth Combs Hammock.
5 Wilkes County, Georgia. Court of Ordinary. Tax Digest for 1801, (Militia District Labeled No. 1). (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 61-56 at Georgia State Archives). Ibid., Tax Digest for 1806 (Captain John Heard's Militia District, No.1). (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 61-56 at Georgia State Archives).
6 Wilkes County, Georgia. Court of Ordinary. Inventories, Appraisements and Sales of Estates (1806-1807) pp. 221-225. (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 44-64 at the Georgia State Archives).
7 Ibid., pp. 248ff. Sale recorded December 10, 1807.
8 Ibid., p. 261 to end of book. Recorded December 10, 1807.
9 Wilkes County, Georgia. Superior Court. Deed Book XX (1806-1809) p. 393. (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 43-40 at Georgia State~rchives). Susannah Evans indicated that she was the widow of William Evans and that this was a pre-marriage agreement.
10 Wilkes County, Georgia. Court of Ordinary. Loose Papers (Estate Records of William Ev~ns, Sr.). (Manuscripts on Microfilm Reel 241-68 at Georgia State Archives). Although all of these papers should be recorded elsewhere, they are not necessarily recorded as completely when transcribed. The essential information has been quoted in the .text.
Susannah (Clement) Evans wrote her will the same day she remarried (to Daniel Slaton), December 29, 1807, although for some reason she used the Evans name.A
- 147 -

148
Her will was probated first on May 2, 1814 and contested by Arden Evans and Daniel Slaton. Her estate was not inventoried and appraised until March 31, 1817 for $1865 and no land was mentioned.B Her property was d~vided under an order of the Inferior Court on May 6, 1817. All her estate transactions are recorded under the Evans name and not the Slaton name, for whatever reasons.
Daniel Slatgn did not die until late 1817 when an administrator was named. When his land was divided and sold on November 3, 1818, 342 acres went to Walter L. Campbell for $3,751 and 345 acres to William Pounds for $1500.E These persons later sold land of similar acreage to William Slaton, son of Daniel, although it is nearly impossible to tell the location of these lands due to the lack of plats with the deeds.
A Mrs. John Davidson. Early Records of Georgia, II (Wilkes County), p. 220. Contains will of Susannah Evans which no longer appears in the Loose Papers of her estate. Samuel Slaton was appointed administrator of Susannah Evans, deceased, with the will annexed on March 3, 1817. Wilkes County, Georgia. Court of Ordinary. Minutes of the (Ordinary) (Inferior) Court (1817-1824) p. 2 for March 3, 1817. He received permission to divide the estate on May 5, 1817 (p. 5). (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 44-22 at Georgia State Archives). The Will of Susannah Evans was contested by Arden Evans when it was first placed for probate May 2, 1814. It was ordered recorded at that time and it is not clear as to why it was probated again in 1817. Wilkes County, Georgia. Court of Ordinary. Minutes of Inferior (Ordinary) Court (1811-1817), p. 75 for May 2, 1814. (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 4422 at Georgia State Archives). Suit was appealed on p. 78 for May 3, 1814. The lawsuit may have ended with the death of Daniel Slaton or for other reasons.
B Wilkes County, Georgia. Court of Ordinary. Inventories and Appraisements (1812-1816), p. 373. Recorded March 31, 1817. (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 44-65 at Georgia State Archives).
c
Ibid., Loose Papers (Estate Records of Susannah Evans). Original Order from the Justices of the Inferior Court dated May 5, 1817. Order carried out May 6, 1817 and recorded "Book 2, folio 211-212" on September 1, 1818.
D Ibid., Minutes of Inferior (Ordinary) Court (1817-1824), p. 30 for November 17, 1817. The court named Daniel Simpson administrator with William Simpson as security. (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 44-22 at Georgia State Archives).
E Ibid., Loose Papers (Estate Records of Daniel Slaton). Document dated November 3, 1818 and recorded (where?) May 3, 1819. (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 242-12 at Georgia State Archives).
11 Ibid., Tax Digest for 1812, (Capt. Joel P. Leverett's Militia District, no. 12), (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 61-56 at Georgia State Archives).
12 Ibid., Tax Digest for 1825, (Capt. Thomas H. Cosby's Militia District, no. 4), (Manscript on Microfilm Reel 45-9 at Georgia State Archives).
13 Ibid., Wills-HH-1819-1836, pp. 109ff. (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 44-31 at Georgia State Archives).

149
14 Ibid., Loose Papers (Estate Records of William Evans, Jr.) for sale of estate in Journal kept by the executors of his estate.
15 Ibid., Deeds were not checked.
16Ibid., Deeds were not checked.
17 Ibid., Deeds in Oglethorpe County were not checked.
18Mrs. John Davidson, Early Records of Georgia, II, (Wilkes County), p. 323.
19Ibid., Tax Digest for 1830, (Capt. Davidson's Militia District, No. 6) under Defaulters, indicating that Peteet did not submit a Tax Return for that year but still owned property in that district. (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 45-9 at Georgia State Archives).
20Ibid., Court of Ordinary. Tax Digest for 1831 (Capt. Pollard's Militia District, No. 14). (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 45-9 at Georgia State Archives).
21 Ibid., Tax Digest for 1839 (Capt. Guice's Militia District, No~ 4). (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 45-10 at Georgia State Archives).
22 Ibid., Superior Court. Deed Book 000 (1839-1842), p. 267. (Manuscripts on Microfilm Reel 43-46 at Georgia State Archives). Deed was recorded on March 5, 1841. [In the Superior Court Minutes (1832-1839) on July 23, 1839 appeared the case Thomas H. Lawrence V. George W. Carter and Lawrence in some action against Peteet, perhaps indicating they once were partners under "Lawrence & Peteet." Peteet's attorney was Robert Toombs and the original suit was filed in February 1839, although a search of the records did not locate same. (Reel 42-70)].
23 Ibid., p. 290. Deed was recorded April 6, 1841. Robert Toombs was a witness to this deed. The neighbors were: North: Arden Evans and Seaborn Hammock; East: William Slaton and Samuel Jones; South: Thomas Truitt; West: Estate of Cunningham Daniel.
24Telephone conversations with Miss Eloise Slaton, of Lanier Gardens Nursing Home, Athens, Georgia on July 9, 1974 and September 17, 1974. Miss Slaton is aged about 90 and is spry and very alert. She is a granddaughter of William Slaton, through his son Franklin Pierce Slaton. Her neice is Mrs. Margaret (Slaton) Singleton of Athens, Georgia. . (See Appendix G)
25 Ibid., As well as: The Slaton Family: AB Antiguitas, with brief notes on some allied families, pp. 10-11, 25. This was given to the Georgia State Archives in 1964 by Mr. John Slaton Allison of Lincoln, Nebraska. It is unclear who the author was or much else about the volume. Since an interview is cited with Miss Eloise Slaton, for 1964, that must be the year of completion. The family history is a bit sketchy at best and census records and other official records were not cited. The dates of the lives of the Slatons cited in the text are from their Tombstones in Rest Haven Cemetery, Washington, Georgia and from their obituaries foundin the Washington [Georgia] Reporter, August 19, 1909, page 1, column 5 for Mrs. Victoria Slaton and January 25, 1918, page 4,

150
column 5 for Henry T. Slaton and the UDC Memorial to the. latter on February 23, 1918, page 3, column 4.
26 The estate records for William Slaton (d. c. 1869) were not located. His descendant Miss Eloise Slaton (see above) stated that they were never located, even by her brother, the late William Armstrong Slaton (1878-1954) an attorney in Washington, Georgia. Time did not permit further research in this area. His death is said to have come during the early days of Reconstruction due to her memories that her father had to stay home during the Civil War and take care of William Slaton who was then blind.
27 Wilkes County, Georgia. Superior Court. Deed Book 57, pp. 258 ff. (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 43-49 at Georgia State Archives). Deed was recorded on January 22, 1870.
28 Ibid., Deed Book 16, p. 452 for H. T. Slaton to F. P. Slaton concerning the 1,965 acres. Deed dated February 7, 1871 and recorded September 23, 1885. Page 480 for F. P. Slaton to H. T. Slaton for the 3,185 acres. Deed dated February 7, 1871 and recorded December 22, 1885. (Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 43-65 at Georgia State Archives).
29 Ibid., Deed Book l (1888-1889), p. 241.
(Manuscript on Microfilm Reel 43-57 at Georgia State Archives). Deed was recorded April 10, 1889. Mrs. Camilla (DuBose) Colley, one of the neighbors, was a granddaughter of Robert Toombs.
30 Ibid., Deed Book 36, p. 5. This deed was witnessed by the Commissioners of Deeds for Georgia in New York City and recorded in Wilkes County, Georgia between July 13-15, 1900. (Manuscripts on Microfilm Reel 44-9 at Georgia State Archives).
31 Ibid., Deed Book A60, page 434 and was recorded August 8, 1934. The Acts of Congress were approved May 23, 1928 and February 28, 1929 (Public Acts Nos. 486 and 843 of the 70th Congress). The Deed Book includes only the easement. See also Letter from Major R. D. Valliant to the Judge Advocate General dated August 12, 1929 concerning the "Marker for Kettle Creek Battle Field". This letter is from the files of Veteran's Administration. (See Appendix G)
32 Letter from Malin Craig, Chief of Staff (?) to E. T. Conley, Major General, The Adjutant General dated April 27, 1938. The information had been supplied by the Quartermaster General on April 20, 1938. This letter is from the files of the Veteran's Administration. (See Appendix G)
33 Wilkes County, Georgia. Superior Court. Deed Book A-76, p. 26ff. Deed recorded December 16, 1960.
34 See the plat a~tached to the deed cited in Footnote 33 above and conversations
with persons interested in the Kettle Creek site.
Since the Commissioners of Wilkes County acquired the Kettle Creek Battlefield Site in 1960, land developers have bought out Mr. J. M. Griffin, who had owned the land surrounding the 12.5 acre site. Mr. Thomas M. McComb, Jr. of Marietta, Georgia under the names "Albright and McComb" and "Kettle Creek, Ltd." has acquired land on both sides of Kettle Creek.

151
APPENDIX E
Families
---------Peteet----------
Chenoth Peteet was the son of (John) Richard Peteet who was born in Fairfax County, Virginia in 1750 and died in Wilkes County, Georgia in 1827. (John) Richard Peteet was a Revolutionary Soldier whose remains were reburied at Kettle Creek Battlefield Site October 27, 1974. Chenoth Peteet's grandparents were John and Ruth (Chenowyth) Peteet, the' latter a daughter of John Chenowyth whose will was written in 1746 in Frederick County, Virginia. Chenoth Peteet's brother and sisters were: John Richard Peteet who married Hettie Strozier and later Mrs. Elizabeth Colley Tindall; Simeon Peteet who married Matilda Jones and moved to Texas; Elizabeth Peteet who married Garrett Newnan of Wilkes County; Susan Peteet who married Parker Calloway of Wilkes County; Delphia Peteet who married Seaborn Calloway of Wilkes County; Eunice Peteet who married Allen Arnold.
The late Mr. John Crane Peteet of 637 Pinetree Drive, Decatur, Georgia was a descendant of this lirte through John Richard Peteet, brother of Chenoth Peteet. He was the source of this brief sketch and the information he provided bas been deposited with the Georgia State Archives. Mr. Peteet died November 5, 1974.
---------McCall---------Mrs. Peteet (nee Maude Stanley) is a descendant of Colonel James McCall, and is thus a collateral relative of Capt. Hugh McCall, Historian. History of her line can be found in Ettie (Tidwell) McCall's McCall-Tidwell and Allied Families (Atlanta, 1931) and in History of Laurens County, Georgia, pp. 502-504.
---------Slaton----------William Slaton was born 1790 in Virginia. His children, mentioned above, were born: Sarah A. (1817) (Mrs. Aaron Grier Stephens); William [Jr.] (1831); Alexander (1833); Henry Thomas Slaton (19 March 1834, died 22 January 1918, Washington, Ga.); and Franklin Pierce (1838). These were all living with William Slaton in the 1850 Census. Franklin P. Slaton's descendants include: Miss Eloise Slaton, age around 90, now of the Lanier Gardens Nursing Home, Athens, Georgia; and descendants of the late William Armstrong Slaton (1878-1954). The latter married Miss Emma Anthony (1884-1962) who was a descendant of Mary Rembert Dubose and her husband Micajah Tate Anthony. Mary Rembert Dubose was a sister of Mrs. Robert Toombs (nee Julia Dubose). William and Emma Slaton had three children: Clara Barnett Slaton (born 1911) who married Dr. Elmer Evans Brown of Davidson N.C.; Margaret Hill Slaton (born 1913) who married Stanton Singleton and lives in Athens, Georgia; and William A. Slaton, Jr. (born 1916) of Jacksonville, Florida. Slaton descendants of the next generation are: Mrs. Curtis Carlson (nee Dudley Hanes Brown) of Rocky Hill, N.J., William Slaton Brown of Colorado, and James DuPuy Brown a student at N. C. State. All three are married, without issue. Mrs. Singleton's children are Mrs. Ebert Frank Harrold (nee Elizabeth Slaton Singleton) moving to Manassas, Virginia, Stanton James Singleton, Jr. of Stone Mountain, Georgia. William Armstrong Slaton, III of Jacksonville, Florida is the only child of W. A. Slaton, Jr. The only children of the next generation are Kenneth Jeffrey Harrold and Margaret Kimberly Harrold, children of Mrs. Harrold above. S. J. Singleton, Jr. has two step-children: Mark and Ellen Thomson.
----------Hammett------------Mrs. Paul Hammett, Jr. (nee Biddie Barfield of Columbus) of LaGrange, Georgia has many files relating to the family tree of the three Hamrnetts who once owned land along Kettle Creek. Bible records relating to the Harnmetts are on file at the

152
Georgia Department of Archives and History. William Hallllilett, according to her records, was born November 16, 1749 and died August 23, 1832.
-----------Evans-------------The source for the Evans' family tree is A. Evans Wynn.'s Southern Lineages: Records of Thirteen Families (1940).

APPENDIX F
The following is an excerpt from an earlier paper prepared by the Authors of this report for the Georgia Heritage Trust.
- 153 -

IMPORTANCE OF THE KETTLE CREEK BATTLEFIELD SITE TO THE STATE OF GEORGIA
(1) The Patriot victory at Kettle Creek helped to prevent total British control of Georgia for at least another year, and was the only significant check of the British invasion of Georgia.
(2) The Battle of Kettle Creek was the only major Patriot victory in Georgia during the Revolutionary War.
( 3) Many of the men who fought at Kettle Creek and their descendants were governors, mayors, bankers, lawyers and other important citizens of the settlement and history of the South. Even today, large numbers of people all over the United States claim ancestors who fought at Kettle Creek and have written and visited Wilkes County for information concerning this battle.
(4) The Battle of Kettle Creek at War Hill is one of the best examples of what the American Revolution was all about and why the British lost.
(5) The histories of Georgia describe Kettle Creek as one of the most important battles fought in the State prior to the Civil War. There are few, if any, Georgia histories that do not at least mention the battle, and many authors have discussed it at length. The effect on Georgia traditions and fictional literature of Kettle Creek is also considerable. Voluminous material has been written concerning the roles Nancy Hart, Elijah Clarke and Austin Dabney may have or did play in the battle, and these legends play an important part in the "make-believe" world of undocumented Georgia history. These stories could be recounted at the Kettle Creek site, along with the equally exci ting adventures of those who it has been proved were at the battle.
(6) The efforts of the Daughters of the American Revolution in making Kettle Creek into a cemetery and memorial garden for Revolutionary War
- 1 "''i -

155
soldiers is beginning to give the Kettle Creek battlefield a special national significance that Arlington Cemetery enjoys, but on a much smaller scale.
( 7) War Hill is located in the center of the ceded .lands or old Wilkes County, which was a wilderness frontier, with the people living in blockhouses and stockade forts and in a constant struggle with the Indians of the area. The story of these pioneers has never been told completely, and Kettle Creek, the site of their greatest victory, would be an excellent place to do so.

156 APPENDIX G: Deposition of William Millen

(Source:

State of North Carolina, Department of Cultural Resources( Division of Archives and History. Some punctuation added and abbreviations written out.]

State of Georgia Wilkes County

Personally appeared before me Stephen Herd one of the Justices assigned to keep the Peace, William Millen of the County of Richmond and District of Wrightsborough in the State aforesaid who being duly sworn saith that on the twenty fourth day of this instant [January 24th, 1779] he the deponent was sent for by one James Boyd to the house of John Moore and when he came there he found said Moore and Boyd and James Bryan talking by themselves and after some little discourse said Boyd told him the deponent that he had just come from the King's Army at Savannah and that he was going in to South Carolina to raise men to join them and desired him the deponent to show him the way through the settlement and shewed him the King's Proclamation and his instructions to raise men, upon which said Bryan desired Boyd to go and sound Mr. Mattock for he knowed the King's Heart was in his Bosome, and the Deponent further saith that he believes he did, accompanied by John Moore but that he the deponent went away and met with Peter Buffington who told him he had seen such a man and some time after he met with one James Coates and Joshua Ryal and told them, and that they all three went to Thos. Ansley's and told him likewise and that said Ansley, Ryal and Coates went to John More's to see him and when he the depo nent we nt there he found with them David Baldwin, and the deponent saith that they were all in discourses about the times and when Boyd found out that, he Bow [?] at Respect for the King he shewed his proclamation and the Instructions he had to inlist [sic] men and further says that Ansley seemed to find some fault with the~ and did not seem to like the terms they were upon but Boyd desired them to let any friends they had or knew off [sic] know and hold themselves in readiness to march down to Augusta and give up after that the King's Army should arive [sic] and the deponent further sayeth that he heard the said Boyd say that he intended to raise men for his friends in the South and take Augusta in about 6teen [?] days from the date hereof and further this deponent sayeth not.

Signed and sworn before me this Twenty Eighth Day of January 1779.

[signed] Wm. Millen

Stephen Herd, J.P. Copy

[Note:

This document ties in the owner of the Rock House, Thomas Ansley, with the movements of the Loyalist under Boyd and Moore who later met the Patriot forces of Georgia and South Carolina at Kettle Creek, in Wilkes County, on February 14, 1779, only a few weeks after this deposition was taken. Ansley apparently did not join the Loyalists, for one of the men they recruited as they went through Wrightsboro, Joshua Ryal, was ordered hung in the summer of 1779. But the Legislature and the Governor reprieved him at that point. It seems probable that Thomas Ansley was living on land closer to the settlement of Wrightsboro and not in the Rock House at the time of this description.

Stephen Herd (Herd was Governor of Georgia 1780-1781) Mr. Mattock would be Joseph Mattock, the head of the Wrightsboro Quaker Community. See Court Minutes Apr. 10-12, 1779, Matthew Singleton Papers, South Caroliniana Library, USC, Columbia, S. C. for further information on the episode.

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United States Department of the Interior

IN REPLY REFER TO:
H30-HH

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240

Mrs. Charles Wickersham Kettle Creek Chapter of the Daughters
ot the American Revolution Washington, Georgia 30673
Dear Mrs. Wickersham:
Thank you for sending us the resolution of the Kettle Creek Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution concerning the Kettle Creek Battlefield.
Historic sites established as units of the National Park System must be judged to 1)ossess national historical significance and to meet standards of suitability and feasibility for park purposes as well. In accordance with the Historic Sites Act of 1935, determinations of national significance are made by the Secretary of the Interior with the assistance of his Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings, and Monuments. The criteria api>lied in making these determinations are listed on
pages 13-15 of the enclosed copy of "NPS Criteria for I>arklands."
The Advisory Board considered a. comprehensive survey of Revolutionary
War sites in 1960. At that time the battlefield was examined but was not classed as a site ot national significance in commemorating
the Revolutionary period. Although the battle undoubtedly helped to boost patriot morale and to depress that of the Tories, it was not judged to have produced a lasting effect on the course of the war. The British evacuation of Augusta began before the battle of Kettle Creek was fought, nod the subsequent British victory
at Brier Creek on ~3rch 3, 1779, enabled them to reoccupy Augusta. In view of these considerations, the Advisory Board did not recom-
mend the battlefield as nationally significant.
Legislation in the Congress is ordinarily required to authorize the establishment of areas administered by the Rational Park Service. If legislation should be introduced in the case or the battlefield then the Congress--assi~ted by reports and
(!)
National Parks Centennial 1872-1972

158

recommendations of the Service and the Department ot the Interior--would ultimately determine l-Thcther it 1nerits inclusion in the National Park System.
Another means by which the Federal Government encourages the preservation of historic sites is the National Register of Historic Places, which recognizes properties of significance to States and localities as well as to the Nation. We believe that this alternative, described in the enclosed leaflet, would be more appropriate for the battlefield. You may wish to ,express your in~lierest in this site to the State Liaison Officer respoonible for nominating historic properties in Georgia to the National Begister. She is l>1rs. Mary Gregory Je"1'1ett, Director, Georgia. Historical Co~ission, 116 Mitchell Street SW., Atlanta, Georgia
30303.
We appreciate your interest in historic preserv~tion and your desire that the battle of Kettle Creek be suitably commemorated.
Sincerely yours,

/s/ ijobert M. Utley

Enclosures

1\CTING

ASSC:CL~TE

1
Directo

cc: Mrs. Mary Gregory Jewett Director, Georgia Historical Commission
116 Mitchell Street SW.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303) w/c of inc.

A RESOLUTION

159
' I

The Kettle Creek Chapter of the Daughters

of..- !.h.~ Amed.can Revolution with headquarters trr"W"dshington,

Georgia, being an organization dedicated to the preservation of

the memory of the struggle which made America free, hereby.

ma~es the following resolution:

BE IT RESOLVED, that the following statement

be presented to ourrepresentatives in the United States

Congress.

The battlefield where the Battle of Kettle

Cre~~k was fought on February 14, 1779, is of. unusual historic

importance both on the local and the national level. The

engagement, though small as compared with the great,battles of

later wars, was vital to the patriot cause.

At the moment of the opening of the battle

there was not a significant area of Southeastern America not

controlled by the Crown. Savannah and Augusta were occupied and

forces of the British Government moved at will across our land.

A unique feature of the engagement was the

unified action of three separate commands, Andrew Pickens, John

Dooley, and Elijah Clarke moving together successfully in a

common cause. Following the victory, the tide of events turned.

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against the Crown. Local support and volunteers for the military

force began to emerge from the back country. From the moment .of

victory the British were never again to control the South.

We, therefore, urge our representatives in

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s. the Co~gress to confer. with the U.

Parks Servi~=e relative to

designating this area as a national monument or a Battlefield Park

within the System of National Parks.

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160

Its significance increases as we approach the National Bicentennial in 1976 and the 200th Anniversary of the Bat'tle in 1979.
KETT~E CREEK CHAPTER DAUGHTERS OF ~1ERIC~~ REVOLUTION WASHINGTON, GEORGIA
BY: ~~-&a~~ ;fvr"a-~A~J~flp7~~ !'-Irs. Charles \'Jickersham, Regent '
'nc~ 11\ ~, r1 (-: 1\J--r-. 1tY ~:)/J e{.u
Mrs. Mary WI;ight Blue, Recording Secre t;H); 1
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FACT SHEET RE KETTLE CREEK BATTLEFIELD
1. 12.5 Acres, Roughly rectangular in shape; occupies a prominent hill with a steep bluff overlooking Kettle Creek.
2, On the top of the hill stands an imposing Granite Shaft on which the details of the battle are given. There is also a bronze Georgia Historical Commission Marker.
3. The Shaft was erected by theCemeteries Division of the United States Army in c~operation with the Kettle Creek Chapter of the Daughters of the Nnerican Revolution,
4, The site is owned by the County of Wilkes, It is situated 12 miles Southwest of Washington, Georgia, 1~ miles \vest of Georgia Highway #44, and one-half mile off a paved County Road,

. I
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162

VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL CEMETERY SYSTEM
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20420
Mr. Robert Davis Department of Natural Resources Office of Planning and Research
270 Washington Street, s. W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30334

u~$i~-~(>t0(\;.ll~n6o.>..,'...6,~.~.l..
,,.,61g1b
(41A) IN REPLY
REFER TO:

Dear Mr. Davis:
In reply to your letter of July 19, 1974, we are happy to be able to
furnish you with the information you have requested.
Enclosed please find copies of the signed agreement between the DAR
and the United States of America dated July 29, 1929, and a copy of
the ~~tes and Bounds Description of Boundary for the Kettle Creek Battlefield Monument Site, Georgia, as furnished by the Quarter1naster
General Office April 20, 1938.
We hope this information will be of help to you.
Sincerely yours,

Enclosures 2

-13,a_;. rl/3 ...IlL.

BOBBIE R. BELLER

-

Deputy Director,

Cemetery Service

163 Metes and Bounds of Kettle Creek Battlefield Monument

WAR DEPARTMENT Washington, April 27, 1938.

Kettle Creek Battlefield Monument Site, Georgia -metes and bounds.--The following description of the metes and bounds of Kettle Creek Battlefield Monument Site, Georgia, as furnished by The Quartermaster General, April 20, 1938, is published for the information and guidance of all concerned:

KETTLE CREEK BATTLEFIELD MONUHENT SITE, GEORGIA

Metes and Bounds Description of Boundary

The Kettle Creek Battlefield Monument Site, for which the United States holds an easement in perpetuity granted by the Daughters of the American Revolution, is situated on Kettle Creek, about 10 miles west of Washington, in Wilkes County, State of Georgia, and is more particularly described as follows:

Beginning at a pine on the waters of Kettle Creek, and running thence:

(1) North fifty degress West (N. 50 W.,) five hundred forty-seven and eight tenths (547.8) feet (8.30 chains), to a rock; thence:

(2) North forty-six degrees East (N. 46E.,) four hundred thirty-six and nine temths (436.9) feet (6.62 chains), to a white oak; thence:

(3) North fifty-nine degrees East (N. 59 E.,) five hundred twenty-one and four tenths (521.4) feet (7.90 chains), to a pine; thence:

(4) South ten and three fourths degrees East (S. 10-3/4 E.,) nine hundred twenty-four and no tenths (924.0) feet (14 chains), to a white oak on Kettle Creek; thence:

(5) Westerly five hundred and eleven (511) feet (7.75 chains), more or less, along said creek, to the point of beginning.

There is included also the right of ingress, egress, and regress thereto.

The tract as described contains an area of twelve and five tenths (12.5) acres, more or less.

The description of the metes and bounds as furnished by The Quartermaster General, November 20, 1937, is rescinded.
(A.G.600.93 (4-20-38).)

By order of the Secretary of War:

Official: E. T. CONLEY, Major General, The Adjutant General.
Source: Veterans Administration, Washington, D. C.
Not filed with Deed in Courthouse

MALIN CRAIG, Chief of Staff.

164 William C. Lake to Georgia Historical Society
Typed copy of original typed letter on file at Georgia Department of Archives & Histor~
Union, S. C. Sept. 17, 1942
Secretary, Georgia Historical Society Atlanta, Ga.
Dear Sir:
I would like to know the name of the American and English comanders in the Battle of "Kettle Creek" during the Revolutionary War. The engagement took place in Wilkes County, Ga., near Washington, the county seat.
Also would be glad to learn about the number of men on each side and the result of the battle.
We have here a cannon ball dug up on the old battlefield. The owner wishes to donate it to the scrapiron collection for the War effort and desires the history of the battle.
Sincerely yours, [Signed] Wm C. Lake Newspaper man

165 TYPESCRIPT OF J. L. VICKERY TO BOB DAVIS ---MIAMI, FLORIDA AUGUST 1974
{punctuation and underlining in original)
Dear Sir:
I lived with my uncle {Old Will Slaton Place) Mr. Clarence H. Vickery from 1920-1924 at Tyrone, Wilkes County, Ga. Having moved there after my father died June 7, 1919 in Atlanta, Georgia. (James Lester Vickery, Detective-Inspector Atlanta Police Dept.) Also I belonged to the Boy Scout Troup who had their meetings in Trinity Methodist Church Building on Washington Street--Is that where your office is now located?
The Will Slaton (C.H. Vickery) Place in Tyrone Section is now owned by Mr. Mark Moore.
Back in 1920-1921-22 they started to dig out a new channel for Kettle Creek.
It was after 1920, because l came there in 1920 and I once hunted all that area before they started to clear the "right of way", by cutting down all trees in path of dredge.
I have tried to remember who did the dredgeing -- but can't see~ to bring just who it was -- but maybe Mr. Madison Griffin; who runs the store at Tyrone, can remember because his father and uncle - Mr. Wade Griffin & Mr. Jim Griffin ran the store back in those days and probably had land near Kettle Creek Battle Ground.
I do remember that the channel of Kettle Creek was very crooked
and that because it overflowed its banks and destroyed corn & crops
in bottomland; it was decided to channel it better so that it would have better drainage.
So they did it like this:
All sections where it could be straight wasmade that way, with turns only where necessary. My uncle's section was straight all the way through -- turning as it entered and turning just after it left his land. He owned land on both sides of creek.
Each owner was assessed by how much linear space (distance) was dredged, as I remember it cost my Uncle $1,500 (or that's the figure I remember). I bet it would cost $15,000 or more today.
This was 53 or more years ago, but I was going to school up at Tyrone for about one term in one or two room school house. All grades mixed together. Then I went to Washington, Ga. High School -- having transferred there from Tech High in Atlahta, Ga. I think Willis Sutton was principal
in Atlanta & was originally from Wilkes Co., Ga.
Mr. John Boyd of Tignall, Ga. is a distant cousin of mine, as is Mr. Ben Fortson, your Secretary of State -- I went to school with Mary Cade -- Ben Fortson's wife, now deceased.
Mr. John Boyd is my brother Fred Vickery's brother-in-law. My brother lives next door to John Boyd in Tignall. {Fortson Family Book -

166 J.L. Vickery Letter Page 2
Lt. Thomas Fortson 1742-1824). John Boyd, author. I was up there in July and also visited & talked to Mr. Madison
Griffin at Tyrone & other old friends -- not about Kettle Creek dredging tho - as I just read this in the NEWS - REPORTER July 18, 1974. (Washington, Ga.)
I remember going to the supposed site of the Battle of Kettle Creek about 1921 and it was on a hill overlooking the old channel of the creek, that was so overgrown with brush you could hardly move about. Of course I may have been in wrong area, as at that time, my uncle was my guide, as he had lived several years before 1920 at his farm, the old Will Slaton place -- which used to be an old stage station. Had massive square hewn log carriage house which I drew a picture of, and it was published in NEWS-REPORTER in 1920's at Washington, Ga.
(ILLUSTRATION ON FOLLOWING PAGE)

Let me know if I can help you.

Sincerely,
[Signed]
J.L. Vickery, Ret. CWO USN. 3160 N.W. 101 St. Miami, Fla. 33147

167
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168
Transcript of telephone conversation with Miss Eloise Slaton of Lanier Gardens Nursing Home, Athens, Georgia on July 9, 1974 and September 17, 1974.
MS. Slaton, daughter of Franklin P. Slaton, was born at Kettle Creek and is aged 90 at this time. The battlefield belonged to her grandfather William Slaton. At his death it passed to her Uncle Henry Thomas Slaton.
Tradition was that her great grandfather came with his family to Wilkes County, Georgia c. 1789 as shown in tax digests. He settled 8-1/2 miles from Washington on the Greensboro Road. He built a house of hewn logs there and died in 1806. His son, Daniel Slaton, lived there after his father's death.
The original settlement of the Slaton family in Wilkes consisted of 12,000 acres (SIC) along Kettle Creek. The battle site was one mile from the home site and she was very familiar with it. She used to roam over the battle site in her youth.
William Slaton lived about 1-1/2 miles further along the Greensboro Road at Tyrone Community. His house which is still standing, was built by people from Jamaica. William Slaton bought it from the LaPresta family. He continued to buy land and his estate reached the town of Woodstock near Greensboro, now in Oglethorpe County.
The Battlefield is near Phillips Mill Baptist Church. Her Uncle, Henry Thomas Slaton, inherited that part with the battlefield on it and the unmarked burying ground of the battle casualties.
Her aunt, Sarah Slaton Stephens, lived just one fourth of a mile above Phillips Mill Church. Her house burned. Another aunt, married to Samuel Daniel, lived further toward Oglethorpe County. Their house still stands and is owned by a man with Six Flags over Georgia.
The Slaton burying ground is back of the LaPresta House. Why did the Slatons sell the property? After the Civil War it was no longer practical for them to raise cotton since freedom had been given to the Negroes, resulting in a tremedous financial loss.
Her aunt, Sara Stephens, died in 1883, before Eloise was born and had no children.
The Simpsons lived near the Tyrone community and were close neighbors. Their house is still there. Dr. Robert Stephens' mother was a Simpson. His grandfather was William Simpson. They are still listed on the monument at the cemetery.
Her grandmother was a Simpson who married an Armstrong. Her mother was Martha Elizabeth Armstrong, nicknamed "Victoria".
So both of their families descend from Archibald Simpson of the Revolutionary Era. :John Nelson, brother to Kitty Nelson Simpson, wife of Archibald Simpson, came to Wilkes to live and liked it and went back to Maryland to get his sister. Her persuaded Mr. Simpson to let him bring his family down to Georgia. The two year old youngest son was her ancestor, and he road on his mother's lap. This was William Simpson.

169
She claims the Nelsons and Simpsons had nothing to do with the Kettle Greek Battle Ground.
The Slatons and Simpsons lived on opposite sides of the road. Archibald Simpson is buried in an unmarked plot in a field, not on a hill. Her father could recall where Archibald Simpson was buried. It was family legend that Archibald Simpson's cows were being eaten by the British (Loyalists) when General Pickens and group came over the hill. She has no written proof of this, just her father, Franklin P. Slaton's testimony. They had stolen these cows from Archibald Simpson.
According to her father, old cooking utensils were found around the Battle Ground.
She knows of no family papers but has some things at her apartment in Athens.
Something is mentioned in Longstreet's Georgia Scenes. One chapter described Slaton's house. It was where Arthur Slaton had lived and stored cotton(???).
Uncle Henry Slaton had a grist mill, fish pond, where they all played when young. Her brother William Slaton was a lawyer. He was a title expert and ran down the title on the site.

170 APPENDIX I Militia Roll of Captain Robert Carr

State of Georgia Dr To Robert Carr for Ranging as Captain of the Militia in Wilkes County by Order of Coln. John Dooly

John Owtry first Lieut.

Jacob Wilkins

George Runnals Second Lieut.

Isaac Wilkins

Zackariah Henderson Sergn

Dennis Maddin

Lambeth Hopkins

George Bagby

Robert Trapp

Jonathan Riggan

Saunders Walker

Robert McNabb

John Coats

Thomas Norton

Black Sanger

John Norton

Alixr Owtry Ser
*
Wm. Morgan

Alixr Owtry Jur. John Philips Ser.

Wm. Hopkins

Benjamin Philips

Tunstall Roan

Wm Young

Wm. Jackson

Daniel Young

Henry Summerill Moses Trapp Luke John Morgan Asa Morgan John P Fling

From the 15th of September to the 15th
of October 1778 this Acct. Proven before me this
9 Day of Janr. 1779 His
Robert (X) Carr Mark

Robert Hammett Ser.

Wm. Downs

John Dooly Colo.

Robert Hammett Jnr.

I do Certify the abouve Amt.

Wm. Philips Wm. Ellis

(Original manuscript includes number of days and pay L. F. H.)

Fedrick Runnals Edwd. Hammett *Jacob Owtry

Source: Georgia Military Affairs 1775-1793, I, p. 9. Typed copy at Georgia State Archives edited by Mrs. Louise F. Hays. Original Mss. exists
at archives in its entirety.

171

State of Georgia Dr To Robert Carr for Ranging as Captain of the Militia in Wilkes County by Order of Coln. John Dooly

John Owtry First Lieutend. George Runnals Second Lieut. Jacob Wilkins Thos. Norton Jacob Owtry Wm. Morgan Dennis Madden Tunstall Roan Robert Trapp Isaac Wilkins Fedrick Runnals John Philips Sr. John Philips Jur. Wm. Philips Benjamin Philips Wm. Jackson Wm. Hammett Edwd. Hammett Lambeth Hopkins Jonathan ldggan William Ellis Robert McNabb Abraham Smith Henry Summerill

William Thompson Benjamin Thompson, Sr. Robert Hammett Zachariah Henderson Joseph Trap Moses Trapp Alixr. Owtry Jur. Asa Morgan Alixr. Owtry Ser. John Norton David Philps David Madden Luke John Morgan Benjamin Thompson Wm. Lachey George Bagby
From the 15th of Augst. to the 15th of September 1778
(Original manuscript includes number days and pay L. F. H.) Source:
Georgia Military Affairs 1775-1793, I, p. 10. Typed copy at Georgia State Archives edited by Mrs. Louise F. Hays. Original Mss. exists at archives in its entirety.

Militia Roll of Captain Burwell Smith

172

[Muster] role [sic( of Captain Burrell [Burwell] Smith's Company of Volunteers

[sic] in State of Georgia in wilks [sic] County Commanded by Col. John Dooly

he first of June 1778 to the first of august 1778

mith Capt. Lieut. ergant tt ps
phillips ps pson mes Stewart Richard Graves Shadrack Mimms lliam Camp mas Littleton lliam Brooks hal hindsmond iam anderson n Dardin eph kitchens hn Wilson James linsley ences Crain
Pester hn_ _ parks hn McClain nery anglin et McBurnitt

huett
ilkins
heard
Smart [Stuart?]
Reacton
mon Warters
Daniel Corner
sworn before me this Day December 1778 [signed] Ba~ Heard JP
I do Certify the abouve [sic] Accot [sic] to be Inst and True and that the Duty was Done by my orders [signed] John Dooly Colo.
P.S, in order that there be no Mistake in This Said acct. I have Certified our acct. for this money before and I am Informed it is lost So I Desire that if the other should be found not to be paid (signed] J. Dooly
Source: Wilkes County Military Records Collection Ga. Dept. of Archives and History
(Note: amount paid has been omitted although shown on the remnant of the original R.S.D.)

173 Militia Roll of Captain John Hill
Muster Roll of Capt. John Hill's Company of Militia commanded by Colonel Elijah Clarke of Wilkes County Duty done at Fort Martin on the frontier; two months from the first of march 1782 to the first of may 1782

John Hill Capt.

Richd Barfield

Stephen Bishop 1st Lt

James Crismus [?]

Joseph Mimms 2nd Lt

Henry Castlebery

John Shately Sergt.

Jacob Brooks

Ezekiel miller Sergt.

William Brooks

Joshua Hill Sergt. Malachi Wilson

Tho Branham Ezekiel Cobb

Richard [?] Hill James Davis

-----------------~----------------------------
Sworn before me the above duty is as performed

Demsey Phillips

[signed] Jas Bowie JP [signed] John Hill

John Bugg

Davie [?] Holliman Mark Holliman John Castlebery

Source: Wilkes County Military Records Collection Ga. Dept. of Archives and History

John May

Joseph May Martin Mimms

(Note: Actual pay figures are omitted although shown on the original document - R.S.D.)

Joseph Cobb

Richard Courton

Simon Salter

John Mimms

William Mimms

Wittia~ ~~- [crossed out as in original]

William Bishop

Samson Wilder

APPENDIX J

174

Alphabetical Transcript of Names of the Wilkes County Petitioners Against General Lachlan Mcintosh, August 5, 1777 (two petitions-combined) (original petition in Georgia State Papers, Ga. Dept. of Archives and History Microfilm. Reel 178-68.)

A: Jackson Anderson William Anderson John Anglin
B: George Bagby John Banks Solomon Barfield Richard Bearly A. Bedelly James Bently John Bently Wm. Bently Ben Biden James Bishop Stephen Bishop John Black Mascus Bowen Silas Bowen Joseph Bowhannon Jas. Bowie Preson Bowie James Brantly Thomas Brantly Harris Brantly John Bronson Joseph Bronson Joseph Brown Thomas Brown Benjamin Brasswell Daniel Burnett William Buller
C: William Caldwell John Camps John Carson James Carter Benjamin Catchings Edmond Catchings Joseph Catchings Meredith Catchings Seymour Catchings Benjamin Chaldress Andrew Clark John Cimby Wm. Cimby Daniel Conner John Conner John Cook Issac Cook Thomas Cook

D: William Daniel Robert Day James Davis Julious Deen [sic] William Downs Henry Duke George Douglas James Dunkin Wallace Dunston
E: Stephen Ebelen Jno. Eeeles Thomas Ellis William Eley William Evans
F: William Foster John 'Folsom John Fambake Daniel Foster Clem Forbes
G: Richard Gasotgne John Gray Simon Gentery John Ganven
H: William Hobbs Robert Harper Laird Harris . Matthias Harris Joseph Hopkins William Holliway William Holly Abram Hupman Abrus Hutcheson Joel Holland Edward Howess Edward Hill Daniel Holliman Elijah Hill Joseph Hamilton Bernard Herd Dennis Hemby Edward Headiment John Herd John Hill Charles Humes Joshua Hill

J: Richard Johnson William Johnson Sihan Johnson William Jucien (Guien?) Sr. William Jucien (Guien?) Jr. David Jennings James Jones Charles Jordan
L: Jacob Landers Thomas Levier Abram Landers Thomas Luster Bolen Luvsey William Lovin Joseph Lawrence Luvistal Lites Thomas Loyd John Lindsay
M: Benjamin Megginson John McWhore Ezekiel Miller Joshua Miller Augustine Martin Ganary Martin John Mumford William More Jones McClendon Benjamin Mosely
N: George Neal Jacob Noridike James Nevar
0: Nathan O'Neal John O'Neal Thomas O'Neal Samuel Oliver
P: William Phillips Lachland Phillips Thomas Posless William Phillips Steven Pennington Charles Parks John Parkes Joseph Phillips

175

P: Reuben Phillips Demsey Phillips John Phillips William Phillips
R: Joseph S. Riden John Ramsey Issac Refield Joseph Rabson George Ryates
S: G. Shem Zachariah Shelly Alexander Scott Moses Stevens James Smith James Swords Thomas Smith Thomas Smith Nat Smith Nathania! Smith
T: John Trevot Francis Travier Jacob Thaly Benj. Thompson George Thompson Ed Teeck Jacob Thorton
u-v-w-x-Y-z:
Fred. Williams George Wells James White Z. Wood Lach Wheeler Richard Whately Jesse Whately Jesse Webb Patout Welch Samuel Wilson Henry Ware William Wiggins Ander Wocuff John Webster Joseph Walker Dred Wilder Jos. Wilder Richard Williamson

U-V-:W-X-Y-Z: Wm. Wilder Henry Williams

176
APPENDIX K
Sources for Further Research
Sources not consulted, not fully consulted; or for which no place could be found in this paper:
Andrew Williamson Papers, South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
Samuel Beckaem's Statement, Peter Force Papers, vii-E, 3, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. This concerns Beckaem's account of the war from 1778-1781 and parallels many pension records as well as General Pickens letter to Lee of 1811. This was written in 1812.
Lilla M. Hawes, (ed.), "Miscellaneous Papers of James Jackson, 1781-1798", The Georgia Historical Quarterly, XXXVII: 54-80, 147-60, Mar.-June, 1953. These are interesting notes found in Gov. Jackson's copy ot Ramsay's History of The Revolution of South Carolina. He confirms (p. 63) that Elijah Clarke played a major role at Kettle Creek by seizing a hill from the loyalists.
PaulL. Ford, (ed.), Proceedings of a Council of War Held at Burke [County,] Jail, Georgia, January 14, 1779, with a Narrative of the Subsequent Proceedings, and the Proclamation Issued by Lieut. Col. James Ingram. Published with notes in 1890 by the Historical Printing Club, Brooklyn, N.Y. A 20 page document published as part of their "Winnowings in American History; Revolutionary Proclamations No. 1".
This is interesting in giving activities a month prior to Kettle Creek.
William Moultrie, Memoirs of the American Revolution, two vols., New York, 1802. Original copy at Georgia State University Treasure Room. Especially Vol.l, pp. 310-311 letter from Moultrie to Col. Charles Pinckney dated 11 Feb 1779 indicating he felt Campbell was to join the tories in South Carolina and push toward Charleston. General Lincoln was very worried about defending the latter.
B.F. Stevens. Facsimiles of Manuscripts in European Archives Relating to America 1773-1783 ... "Issued only to Subscribers .... London, February, 1892". This collection consists of 25 volumes, Number 25 having a chronology of the letters copied. A very fascinating selection of documents reprinted in their original format. The reader must be aware that this is not all that is available on any particular subject or by an specific author.