Battle of the Rice Boats
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The Battle of the Rice Boats was a battle of the American Revolutionary War that took place in the Savannah River on the border between the Province of Georgia and the Province of South Carolina. The battle, which pitted colonial militia against the Royal Navy, took place on March 2 – March 3, 1776. It is sometimes referred to as the Battle of Yamacraw Bluff.
[edit] Background
In the early days of the American Revolution, Georgia had managed to remain relatively neutral in the conflict. However, by late 1775, radicals in the Georgia House, inflamed by events in the northern colonies, came into power and entered into an epic political conflict with Georgia's Royal Governor James Wright. In early 1776, Governor Wright ordered the provisioning of several British warships anchored in the Savannah River near Cockspur Island. The Council of Safety believed the warships had been sent to put down rebellion in Georgia. The militia-sympathizing assembly refused to allow this and put Wright under house arrest and subsequently drove him from capital, effectively overthrowing royal rule in Georgia. Wright, along with several dozen Loyalists, took shelter on the warships.
[edit] Conflict
Further north, a group of merchant ships carrying rice was attacked by British warships on March 2, 1776, and their cargoes of rice were seized. Georgians reacted quickly. About 600 Georgian militia, joined by about 500 Whigs from South Carolina, set the ship Inverness ablaze and cut it loose. The fire ship drifted into the British brig Nelly. These two ships drifted downstream, setting three more ships on fire. The British squadron was forced to retire.
Patriot Colonel Lachlan McIntosh was present, but it is unknown if he commanded the Patriot forces.
