battle rice boats battle rice boats called land naval battle american revolutionary war took place border province georgia march battle pitted patriot militia georgia south_carolina small fleet royal_navy december british_army besieged boston need provisions royal_navy fleet sent georgia purchase rice supplies arrival fleet prompted colonial rebels controlled georgia government arrest british royal governor resist british seizure removal supply ships anchored savannah supply ships burned prevent seizure recaptured successfully taken british governor wright escaped confinement safely reached fleet ships departure marked end british control georgia briefly restored savannah british wright ruled british troops finally withdrawn closing days war background april tensions british colonial policies thirteen colonies boiled war battles lexington concord following events patriot colonists surrounded city boston placing siege incomplete city sea news action june battle flames independence colonies managed remain relatively neutral events georgia provincial congress came power summer progressively stripped georgia royal governor powers wright requested naval presence near savannah patriots charleston south_carolina intercepted request substituted dispatch indicating need support dispute georgia reached crisis point british men war began arriving january january ships seen anchor january fleet consisted hms number smaller vessels wright opinion expressed fleet sent punish local rebels fact ships beginnings fleet assembled acquire provisions savannah british troops boston december general ordered expedition purchase rice provisions georgia early february entire fleet assembled overall command captain hms included transports carrying british army regulars 40th foot command major arrival ships january prompted order arrest wright provincial representatives crown january major georgia militia placed governor wright house arrest extracted promise governor attempt communicate british ships wright continued harassed spite confinement feared life escaped mansion night february way plantation loyalist supporter taken meantime georgia provincial assembly met elected representatives begun process raising regiments continental_army governor wright arrived aboard wrote letter remaining members council expressed frustration getting assurances safety access desired supplies patriot authorities georgia colonies adopted terms created banning trade great_britain negotiations effectively failed ordered fleet action february objective number merchant vessels docked savannah owners moving goods possible march previous constraints expired battle march sailed hole accompanying transports carrying men grant command transports sailed river transport anchored opposite port area attempt position town grounded river gunfire cleared decks suitable boats unable attempt taking vessel floated free high tide late evening march grant men landed way island march took number rice boats anchored near island success remaining quiet possibly ship captains alarm raised savannah arrival ships march prompted issue calls defense town ships forward request assistance south_carolina day alarm raised colonel took set pound cannons sent lieutenant major flag occupied ships promptly arrested second larger arrived discuss release captives ships situation turned nasty captain rogers leader party insulted fired occupied ship british responded kind wounding nearly sinking group boat following boat retreat opened fire cannons bluff beginning lasted hours met discuss situation decided supply ships burned company militia assembled accomplish task supply ship set occupied vessels causing scramble british troops abandon face arriving fire ship confusion patriot militia battery active british crews musket fire shot occupied vessels managed away downstream escaped flames going upstream forced dock crews taken prisoner ships succumbed flames burned night action assisted timely arrival south_carolina militia sent response earlier appeal aftermath colonel sent captain day offering prisoner exchange refused exchange ordered arrest remaining members wright council proved successful british held prisoners released exchange promises protection spite action british successfully sailed merchant ships river ships needed dump portion cargo order shallow channel reached desired provisions amounting barrels rice loaded british transport ships fleet remained anchored negotiations went exchange prisoners time fleet detained arriving vessels later disposed prizes march band militia savannah burned houses island deny use wright ships officers weighed anchor march sailed north leading convoy merchant ships transports british abandoned boston earlier march newport rhode_island local patriots denied assistance fired ships field artillery eventually rejoined british forces halifax nova scotia battle wright departure marked end british control georgia savannah recaptured british forces december governor wright returned savannah remained british hands
Battle of the Rice Boats