The American Revolution Arrives Off-Shore
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008Courtesy of Andrea Marroquin, Jekyll Island History Museum Specialist
In 1776, the American colonies prepared for war by mustering troops and assembling navies. As part of this effort, the Continental Congress authorized the construction of several galley ships. The Lee, Washington, and Bulloch were among those commissioned for Georgia’s coastal defense, engaging in battle with ships of the British Royal Navy along the Golden Isles.
In April of 1778, these fledgling naval vessels, under the command of Colonel Samuel Elbert and Commodore Oliver Bowen, soundly defeated the British off of St. Simon’s Island. The British called it the “Debacle at Raccoon Gut” and fled towards Jekyll Island.
Elbert boasted that faced with capture, the British “soon took to their boats; and, as many as could, abandoned the vessels with everything on board, of which we immediately took possession. What is extraordinary, we have not one man hurt.”
The British escaped in the ships’ rowboats, leaving some crewmembers behind. They fled six or seven miles to where the Frigate Galatea was anchored in St. Simons Sound, just off of Jekyll Island.
The Congressional Marine Committee wrote a letter of congratulations to Commodore Oliver Bowen for his part in the event: “We highly esteem your prudence in your conduct of the squadron under your command and applaud the activity & Spirit of your officers and Men on a late Occasion in capturing the enemies Vessels on the Coast of Georgia.”
The Continental victory was a huge boost for American morale. It demonstrated the effectiveness of American galley ships against the mighty British Royal Navy. It also temporarily left British East Florida with no naval defenses except the HMS Galatea.
The Galatea, however, was a formidable man-of-war. Under the command of Captain Thomas Jordan, who was in charge of the British naval forces, and armed with 44 cannons and a crew of 200, the Galatea was known for its conquests up and down the coast. Since its arrival to the colonies, the vessel had captured over 30 American ships. Elbert wanted to strategize with the other ship’s captains in his command before striking at the Galatea. He wrote, “As soon as I see Col. White, who has not yet come to us with his prizes, I shall consult with him, the other three officers, and the commanding officers of the galleys, on the expediency of attacking the Galatea now lying off Jekyll.”
What happened next is not known in any great detail. On May 31, 1778, Continental Congress Delegate Henry Laurens wrote “Our gallies are gone to attack the Galatea man of war, said to be on shore at Jekyll island. This ship, the Galatea, has long infested the coast, and interrupted the trade of Georgia and South-Carolina.” Yet was there a naval engagement or a sea chase between the galleys and the Galatea just off the north end of Jekyll Island? It seems not.
The Galatea, waited a few days, then seeing preparations made for her capture, apparently fled the scene of battle and headed for St. Augustine. It continued to serve the British for several more years. In 1779, the ship was spotted in the Bermudas, assisting with the transport of “Green-Coats,” then it captured the notorious privateer Revenge, and it also participated in the Destruction of the American Fleet at Penobscot Bay, Maine. In 1780, it ran a privateer aground near Hog Island. The Galatea was broken up in 1783.
A year after his victory on the coast, Samuel Elbert was captured in battle and remained a prisoner of war until June of 1781, when he was exchanged for a British general. He later returned to battle at Yorktown. Elbert was subsequently elected Governor of Georgia in 1785 and oversaw the chartering of the University of Georgia.
To learn more about individuals and events of significance in Jekyll Island’s history, visit the Jekyll Island Museum on Stable Road. Tours and exhibits are available daily, (912) 635-4036.
