Samuel Elbert (1740November 1, 1788) was an American merchant, military officer and politician from Savannah, Georgia. During the Revolutionary War, Elbert rose to the rank of major general in the Georgia militiaSmith, p. 285 and colonel in the Continental Army, commanding the victorious colonial forces in a naval battle near St. Simons Island, Georgia on April 19, 1778. He was wounded and captured at the Battle of Brier Creek the following year, though he regained his freedom in a prisoner exchange. He was brevetted a brigadier general after the end of the war.
Elbert was an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati of the State of Georgia and a Freemason. His name appears on the 1779 Masonic membership roles of Solomon's Lodge No. 1 at Savannah, along with James Jackson, Governor John A. Treutlen, and Archibald Bulloch. Elbert also served as the last Provincial Grand Master of the first English Provincial Grand Lodge of Georgia in 1785. In 1784, he was elected to the United States Congress, but declined to serve because he did not consider himself physically fit for the task. He later served a term as the governor of Georgia.
Early life Born on November 1, 1740 in Savannah, Province of Georgia,Purcell 1951, p.1.Georgia Colonial Records, Vol. V, p.655.Georgia Colonial Records, Vol. X, p.907. Samuel Elbert was the son of Baptist minister William Elbert and his wife, Sarah Greenfield. Elbert’s parents died in South Carolina when he was fourteen, after which he traveled back to Savannah.
Elbert was later employed by a prosperous planter named John Rae, an important man in both commerce and government. Rae had built a beautiful home on his land near Savannah known as Rae’s Hall. It was through Rae's influence that Elbert was commissioned to go into the Indian country as a trader. He had great success in his dealings with the Indians, mostly because of his kind regard for them. On one occasion, Elbert was called upon to escort and protect a party of Indians who had come to Savannah in an effort to redress a great wrong – the murder of a Creek chief called Mad Turkey by Thomas Fee. The incident turned into a local controversy, and in 1774, feelings ran high between the whites and the Indians. Fee was convicted and jailed. In 1785, Elbert wrote in a letter to George Walton, "It is a pity that the people on our Frontiers will behave so cruelly toward those poor savages; not contented with having the lands, but to rob, beat and abuse them likewise is enough to bring down Divine vengeance on their heads."Purcell 1951, p.90.
Elbert became engaged to Rae's daughter Elizabeth and in 1769 they were married at Rae’s Hall, a union which, according to historian Charles C. Jones, "confirmed Elbert’s social position and influence."
Elbert became a captain of a grenadier company of Savannah’s First Regiment of Militia in June 1772 and signed a pledge of allegiance to King George III as a prerequisite to being commissioned as an officer.
American Revolutionary War On the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, Elbert became active in the Provisional Congress of Georgia and its outgrowth, the Georgia Council of Safety. At the suggestion of a committee of the Council of Safety, the companies of the Georgia Militia decided to elect their own officers. As a result, all officers loyal to the king were replaced with staunch supporters of the oppositionist cause. On February 4, 1776, Elbert was made a lieutenant colonel and later a colonel in the Georgia Militia. "Samuel Elbert contributed as much as any other man to the early movement for Georgia’s independence", according to researcher C. E. Purcell.Purcell 1951
In 1777, Georgia’s president, Button Gwinnett, decided to launch an invasion of Florida to capture it from the British. His plan was to send Colonel Samuel Elbert with 400 Continental Army troops in three galleys and support craft by sea and another element of 109 mounted militia led by Colonel John Baker by land. The two elements were to rendezvous at Saw Pit Bluff, near the mouth of the Nassau River, a site that is presently within the city limits of Jacksonville, Florida.Bennett 1970, p. 10.
At about the time this expedition was initiated, an ongoing feud between Gwinnett and the commander of Georgia’s Continental troops, General Lachlan McIntosh, resulted in a duel in which both parties were wounded. Gwinnett died of blood poisoning three days later on May 19, 1777.
Nevertheless, one reason Florida never became a part of Georgia might be found in the vagaries of the wind. May 13, 1777 was the date picked for Elbert and Baker to combine their forces and drive back the British. Many problems prevented Elbert’s sea expedition from reaching its destination on time. While on the boats, the men were stricken with disease which, combined with supply problems and head winds, slowed their progress considerably. In addition, the internal waters in this area are relatively low in the spring, making navigation somewhat difficult. On May 30, Elbert wrote in a letter to his brother-in-law, Colonel Joseph Habersham, "could we have got the Galleys into St. John’s river, I would, with the men I have with me, made the whole province of East Florida tumble."Purcell 1951, p. 35.
Colonel Baker’s mounted militia arrived at Saw Pitt Bluff as planned, but quickly moved to a new location when it became apparent that the British already knew of their intentions. During this move, Baker’s men were surprised by a British-Muscogee force of some 250 men, and a brief battle ensued in the vicinity of Thomas Creek, just south of where it empties into the Nassau River.Bennett 1970 Outnumbered and facing withering fire, most of Baker’s men deserted. Baker, together with his few remaining forces, was obliged to retreat, returning to Georgia on May 17.
It was about three days later that Elbert disembarked his troops on the north end of Amelia Island. His forces were joined by a few stragglers from Baker’s force, but after reconnoitering, Elbert found the British well entrenched with troops and artillery. While Elbert’s little band was busy trying to cut through the Amelia Narrows, the British commander, Patrick Tonyn, was making plans to attack them with vastly superior forces.
To ensure total victory, the British warships HMS Rebecca and HMS Hawke were ordered out to block any attempt of Elbert’s little flotilla to escape. A violent storm came up, and Rebecca and Hawke were forced out to sea. Before they could return, they encountered a rebel brigantine of sixteen guns. The ensuing battle damaged the Rebecca so badly that it could no longer carry on, allowing Elbert to leave Amelia Island unopposed.Bennett 1970, p. 16.
Failing to surprise the British and without the support of Baker’s detachment, Elbert and his men returned to Georgia without much having been accomplished. Shortly thereafter, Elbert concluded in a letter to General McIntosh: I think --- that little can be done, unless by a formidable invasion, which I judge to be rather too much for Georgia to undertake till her forces are put on a more respectable footing, and therefore recommend confining our operations entirely to the defensive till a more favorable opportunity. We have too many secret enemies amongst us who keep up a regular correspondence with our Florida neighbors, and until they are put to a stop it will be impossible for us to enter Florida without their having timely notice of our approach.
A later attempt to invade Florida with a much larger army was initiated by Governor John Houstoun and General Robert Howe in 1778. It was doomed to failure from the start by lack of a unified command. One of the few successes of this second invasion attempt came when Elbert put 300 of his troops aboard three galleys and captured three small Royal Navy ships: the schooner HMS Hinchinbrook, the recently repaired sloop Rebecca, and a third vessel referred to as a prize brig, all of which were anchored along the Frederica River. These ships had been harassing the Georgia rebels for almost two years. Prevailing conditions favored Elbert’s flotilla and it was not long before the three ships were abandoned and captured. Having suffered no casualties, Elbert was ecstatic.
Elbert's three galleys comprised a good part of the Georgia State Navy at that time. These vessels were the Lee, the Washington and the Bulloch. The Continental Congress also authorized a fourth galley for the state, which was named the Congress. The galleys were approximately in length and were powered by two lateen sails as well as oars and had a very large cannon mounted in the bow. Although not suited for oceangoing, their maneuverability made them formidable in the shallow coastal waters of Georgia.
The remarkable success of this enterprise encouraged Elbert to consider launching an attack against another heavily armed British vessel, the Galatea, anchored at the north end of Jekyll Island. Apparently he decided against it, and the Galatea, unable to complete its mission, set sail for St. Augustine, Florida a few days later.Wood 2006 General Howe commended Elbert and his troops for their capture of the three British ships and, partly because of this venture, decided to continue with the invasion of Florida.
Meanwhile, Elbert continued with his Continental troops toward Florida. Just after they crossed the Satilla River, on June 24, the first solar eclipse recorded in the British colonies occurred.Purcell 1951, p.48. It was called "the dark day" by the troops and may well have been responsible for some of the desertions about then.
Elbert, now joined by General Howe, continued on and occupied Fort Tonyn, which had been abandoned by the British. It was here that problems began to arise. Houstoun and Howe were unable to agree on who would lead the continentals in the invasion and the rebel naval commander, Commodore Oliver Bowen, refused to subordinate himself to the Army. This, along with the lack of surprise and widespread illness among the troops, caused the invaders to be halted in a battle at a place called Alligator Creek Bridge. General Howe announced that "our principal objective has been accomplished" and returned his troops to Georgia. Although skirmishes between the Patriots and the Loyalists continued, the 1778 expedition was the last of Georgia’s attempts to capture Florida from the British.
In December 1778, the British sent a fleet with about 3,500 troops led by Colonel Archibald Campbell to retake Savannah. General Howe, in command of the city, declined to accept an offer from Colonel Elbert to use Elbert’s regiment to defend a landing place known as Girardeau’s plantation (). As a result, the British were able to land unopposed and soon were able to attack the American army from the rear by traversing a swamp under the guidance of a Black slave.Purcell 1951, p. 60. The Americans were soon forced to retreat across the bridge over Musgrove Creek. Although most of the army crossed safely, the British seized the bridge just before Elbert’s command arrived. As a result, Elbert and his men were forced to swim the icy creek to avoid capture. They later joined General Howe about above Savannah.
Battle of Brier Creek General Howe later faced a court-martial for abandoning not only Savannah but giving up all of Georgia.Purcell 1951, p. 62.Coulter 1947, p. 138. The defense of Georgia continued with the troops that had not fled to the Carolinas. Among those was Samuel Elbert who, with his remaining troops, briefly occupied Augusta, then deployed to the Brier Creek area, where they continually harassed Campbell’s army as it marched toward Augusta. The weather was cold and conditions harsh. On January 29, 1779, Elbert wrote in a letter to General Benjamin Lincoln, commander of the Southern army: