“We fight, get beat, and fight again.” These sentiments, penned by General Nathanael Greene in a letter to General George Washington in 1781, reflect the feelings of many during the Revolution, regardless of which side they fought on.
Image courtesy of the National Archives
Captain Raymond Demere II
Captain Paul Demeré served General Oglethorpe at Fort Frederica, and his only son, Raymond Demeré II, was born in Frederica’s fortified town. As an adult, Raymond Demeré II reached the rank of Captain like his father and took part in an incident that became known as the Battle of the Rice Boats in 1776. This incident proved to be a significant confrontation between Patriot militias and a Royal Navy fleet, which had arrived to purchase rice and other supplies from the Province of Georgia. The battle occurred along the Savannah River and marked a turning point, temporarily ending British control of Georgia for over two years before the British briefly returned in 1778. When an American officer was captured during the battle, Captain Demeré II demanded his release under a flag of truce but instead was taken prisoner himself for three weeks. Shortly after, he became the Clothier General of Georgia, making uniforms for the Continental Army.
Image courtesy of the Library of Congress
Elizabeth Lichtenstein Johnston
Elizabeth Lichtenstein Johnston, born outside Savannah in 1764, came from a prominent Georgia Loyalist family. Her father, a scout boat pilot, served under the Royal Governor Sir James Wright and advised the Georgia Light Dragoons. After refusing to help the Patriots navigate Coastal Georgia’s waterways, Elizabeth’s father was threatened with imprisonment and his property slated to be sold off, as the Patriot Council of Safety suspected his Lichtenstein plantation of providing asylum to raiders. Twelve-year-old Elizabeth petitioned the council, asking for possession of her father’s estate, which was granted. At fifteen, she married Loyalist William Martin Johnston, and they were eventually forced to evacuate Savannah. Reflecting on this tumultuous time, a seventy-two-year-old Elizabeth penned her memoir—Recollections of a Georgia Loyalist—that reveals how the Revolution deeply affected women in colonial Georgia.
Image courtesy of the National Archives
Nathanael Greene
Best known for his fighting tactics against the British army, Major General Nathanael Greene served as Quartermaster General in 1778 and two years later became Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in the South. Although the Continental Army was outnumbered and outgunned, Greene used evasive tactics to even the playing field. While strategically retreating north, Greene’s Army met the British at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in North Carolina. Even though he was defeated, his strategy, fighting style, and heavy loss of casualties weakened the British so greatly that it turned the tide of war. After the war, Greene was named “Savior of the South” and was thanked for his service by General Washington and awarded land outside Savannah. His plantation, Mulberry Grove, was included on Washington’s Southern Tour in 1791.
This month’s featured images are portraits of three figures deeply connected to Revolutionary Georgia. The portraits of Captain Raymond Demeré II and Major General Nathanael Greene are courtesy of the National Archives. Elizabeth Lichtenstein Johnston is pictured as a young woman in this image which originates from her memoir, courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Coastal Georgia Historical Society presents this article and images from our archives as part of our mission “to connect people to Coastal Georgia’s dynamic history.” The Society operates the iconic St. Simons Lighthouse Museum and the World War II Home Front Museum, housed in the Historic Coast Guard Station at East Beach. To learn more about the Society, its museums, diverse programs, and membership, please visit coastalgeorgiahistory.org.
