What happened at the Battle of Brier Creek?

The Battle of Brier Creek was fought on March 3, 1779, near the confluence of Brier Creek and the Savannah River in southeastern Georgia. A Patriot force, commanded by Maj. General John Ashe, consisted principally of Continental Line Troops from both Georgia and North Carolina, as well as a large number of State Militia from North Carolina. They were surprised and defeated by a British force commanded by Lt. Colonel Mark Prevost.

This battle occurred only a few weeks after a resounding American Patriot victory over pro-British Loyalists at Kettle Creek, northwest of Augusta. The losses on the American side at Brier Creek were never fully tallied, as many militiamen retreated all the way back to their homes in North Carolina. Lt. Colonel Prevost claimed that 150 American bodies were found on the battlefield. These 150 patriots were buried in unmarked graves a few days after the battle by a militia unit commanded by Colonel John Dooly (one of the Patriot leaders at Kettle Creek).

In addition, Lt. Colonel Prevost stated that 227 captives were taken, mostly from Colonel Samuel Elbert's Continental Line regiment. Many of these men did not surrender until they were wounded, ran out of ammunition, or were completely surrounded. Most were imprisoned on prison ships anchored at the eastern end of Cockspur Island, near the mouth of the Savannah River. In addition to the known casualties, an unknown number of Patriots drowned in the swamps adjoining Brier Creek or while trying to swim the Savannah River to safety on the South Carolina side.

Total Patriot casualties could have exceeded 250 men, who were either killed or drowned attempting to escape. The number of Patriots who died on prison ships in the Savannah River is unknown.

Brier Creek is significant in that it represented a major setback for the American side in that it perpetuated the war in the Southern colonies for at least another year or more. Had General Ashe succeeded in repulsing the British attack at Brier Creek, his army would have been reinforced by a much larger force of American troops under Maj. General Benjamin Lincoln within a week. The combined forces of Ashe and Lincoln could have then marched south to Savannah to liberate that city from British control and, potentially, drive the British completely out of Georgia.