Three Times Georgia Invaded Florida - Part 2: The Thomas Creek Massacre - 1777

After successfully repelling the Continental Army the year before, Thomas Brown’s East Florida Rangers continued to harass the Americans with their raids into Georgia where they captured Fort McIntosh on February 17, 1777.  Despite its designation as a “fort”, it was really just a small stockade of about 100 square feet.  It was manned by about 40 soldiers.  Brown’s Rangers, along with their Indian allies, laid siege to the fort for twenty-four hours and forced its surrender. 

In exchange for the surrender of the fort, the British forces agreed to escort the American troops to Fort Howe on the Altamaha River so they would not be attacked and killed by the Indians.  When the Americans abandoned the fort the British also abandoned their promise of safe escort.  The defeated soldiers were forced to travel to safety by foot, under cover of darkness, some thirty miles to Fort Howe through the undeveloped and treacherous South Georgia swamps.

Early in 1777, the Georgia Council of Safety President (much like Governor today), Button Gwinnett, decided to punish the British and their Floridian allies for their continued raids by attempting to capture St. Augustine.  His idea was not popular with either fellow Georgians or the Continental Army.  Continental Major General Robert Howe moved his 1,000 man force to South Carolina and ordered the Georgia Continental battalion, led by General Lachlan McIntosh to assist (or perhaps take control of) Gwinnett’s expedition.  Gwinnett would have preferred to not include McIntosh in his plans but since he could not raise enough recruits in Georgia he was forced to accept the joint command.

Button Gwinnett

Button Gwinnett and Lachlan McIntosh argued continuously as their troops moved south from Savannah toward Florida. Their bickering was so intense that by the time they reached Sunbury, approximately forty miles south of Savannah; they were both ordered to return.  They were replaced by Colonel Samuel Elbert.  The animosity between Gwinnett and McIntosh finally boiled over later in May of that year and the two me fought a duel in which Gwinnett was killed.

The expedition was re-launched in May.  Under the command of Colonel Elbert, the force was split in two.  About 200 Georgian Militia volunteers, led by Colonel John Baker would travel overland.  The 400 men of the regular Continental Army, under Commodore Oliver Bowden, would travel by ship through what is now known as the Intracoastal Waterway.  The plan was to meet in twelve days at Sawpit Bluff on Black Hammock Island.  From there they would launch their attack on St. Augustine, fifty miles to the south.

Reprinted With Permission from the Book

South of the St. Marys River

The journey South was neither easy nor uneventful.  Baker’s ground troops encountered delays crossing the three rivers they needed to traverse:  the Altamaha, Satilla and St. Mary’s.  The spring rains had swollen the rivers to the point of treachery.  They were attacked by Indians and two of their men were killed.  Despite these obstacles Baker and his men managed to traverse Northern Florida’s alligator and insect laden swamps and its dense pine forests.  They arrived at Sawpit Bluff on schedule.

Meanwhile, Elbert and his flotilla were having problems of their own.  The ships they were on were often bogged down and the wind required for their sails was uncooperative.  Almost three weeks later they finally reached Amelia Island, but they were still fifteen miles north of the rendezvous point.

Samuel Elbert

Needing to re-supply after the longer than expected journey, Elbert ordered his men to seize all of the cattle on Amelia Island.  The locals were not happy with this and fired upon the invaders.  Two of his men were seriously injured and one was killed.  In retaliation, Baker ordered the destruction of every dwelling and farm on the island after which they continued down the coast to Sawpit Bluff.  By the time they arrived, Baker and his men were no longer there.  Meeting resistance from British vessels, Elbert called off the mission and set sail for the safety of Georgia.

A few days earlier Brown’s East Florida Rangers became aware that Baker and his men were camped out at Sawpit Bluff.  That night Baker’s camp was raided by Indians friendly to the Rangers and stole forty of their horses.  The next day the Georgians staged a counter-attack in which the horses were recovered.  During the skirmish two Georgians and one Indian were killed.  The Americans scalped and mutilated the Indian’s body and left it for Brown and his Indian allies to find.  This act of brutality enraged the Indians and made the incursion personal to them.  They were now fighting for revenge.

Now knowing that the British were aware of his location, Baker decided not to wait any longer for Elbert’s Continental forces.  Baker plotted a retreat and moved his men westward to a location along Thomas Creek.  From there, they would be better able to see an attack and the location provided alternative routes, if needed.  He was not aware that Brown’s East Florida Rangers were aware of his new location and had been reinforced by British Army troops.  There were approximately 200 loyalist fighters versus the dwindling Georgia militia expeditionary force.

The Rangers and Indians stealthily positioned themselves ahead of Baker’s camp.  The British troops maintained a position behind it.  The next morning Brown’s men attacked the camp unloading several rounds of rifle fire.  In an effort to escape the onslaught Baker’s men doubled back, running directly into the formidable British regulars.  Trapped between the two forces, most of the Georgians fled into the swamp.  It is not known how many made it back to Georgia and how many succumbed to the harsh conditions of the swamp.  Of those remaining, eight were killed in the battle and thirty were captured.  About half of those captured were slaughtered by the Indians for revenge over the death and mutilation of the Indian warrior a few days before.

If you missed Part One of this article you can access it here.

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Recommended Reading (Ad):

East Florida in the Revolutionary Era, 1763–1785

Loyalists in EAST FLORIDA, 1774-1785

Cathedrals of War: Florida's Coastal Forts

 

 

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