Colonel Ashe, of
North Carolina, was sent by
General Lincoln, with 2,000 men, to drive the
British from
Augusta, Ga., in 1779.
The latter fled when
Ashe appeared on the opposite side of the river, and pushed towards the sea, led by
Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell.
Ashe crossed and pursued as far as
Brier Creek, 40 miles below
Augusta, on the
Georgia side of the
Savannah River, where he encamped.
He was surprised (March 3) and utterly defeated by
General Prevost, who was marching up from
Savannah to support
Campbell.
Ashe lost almost his entire army by death, captivity, and dispersion.
Some were killed, others perished in the morasses, and many were drowned in attempting to pass the
Savannah River.
This blow deprived
Lincoln of about one-fourth of his army and led to the temporary re-establishment of royal authority in
Georgia.