arlestown and to abandon the upper parts of
Georgia, yet, so long as he kept possession of the town of Savannah and
maintained a post at Port Royal Island, South Carolina was exposed to
incursions. The Americans, therefore, pressed the French admiral, Count
D'Estaing, to repair to the Savannah River, hoping, by his aid, to drive
the British from Georgia. D'Estaing, in compliance, sailed from Cape
Francois, in St. Domingo; and with twenty-two sail of the line and a
number of smaller vessels, having 4800 French regular troops on board
and several hundred black troops from the West Indies, appeared off the
Savannah so unexpectedly that the _Experiment_, a British fifty-gun
ship, fell into his hands. On the appearance of the French fleet, on
September 9th, General Prevost immediately called in all his outposts
in Georgia, sent orders to Lieutenant-Colonel Maitland, at Port Royal,
to rejoin him at once, and exerted himself to strengthen the defences of
the town of Savannah.

For the first three or four days after the arrival of the fleet, the
French were employed in moving their troops through the Ossabaw Inlet to
Beaulieu, about thirteen miles above the town of Savannah. On the 15th
of September, the French, with a party of American light horse, attacked
the British outposts, and General Prevost withdrew all his force into
his works.

On the 16th, D'Estaing summoned the place to surrender.
Lieutenant-Colonel Maitland's force had not yet arrived, the works were
still incomplete, and General Prevost was desirous of gaining time; he
consequently requested a suspension of hostilities for twenty-four hours.
This was granted, and in that critical interval Lieutenant-Colonel
Maitland, by the most extraordinary efforts--for one of General
Prevost's messengers had fallen into the hands of the enemy, who had at
once seized all the principal lines of communication--arrived with the
garrison of Port Royal, and entered the town. Encouraged by this
accession of strength, General Prevost now informed Count D'Estaing that
he was resolved to defend the place to the last extremity. On the 17th,
D'Estaing had been joined by General Lincoln with some 3000 men, which,
with the French troops, raised the total besieging force to something
over 8000. The besieged did not exceed 3000.

The enemy spent several days in bringing up guns and stores from the
fleet, and on the 23rd the besieging army broke ground before the town.
On the 1st of October