May 22nd Madison Square, British Southern Line of Defenses Marker

Madison Square, British Southern Line of Defenses

 

 

 

Inscription. Through this square ran the southern line of defenses of the British who held Savannah from December 29, 1778 to July 11, 1782. After a siege of 22 days, at dawn of October 9, 1779, the strong western defenses on the line of the present West Broad Street, were assaulted by 3,500 French troops under
Charles Hector, Count D'Estaing, who had come to Savannah flushed with his recent victories at St. Vincent and Grenada, and 1,500 Georgia, South Carolina and Continental troops under
Major General Benjamin Lincoln. Brigadier General Lachlan McIntosh commanded one attacking American column and Col. John Laurens, of South Carolina, another. After three charges of unsurpassed bravery, in which Count D'Estaing was twice wounded, a retreat was sounded. In leading a charge of his American Legion, Brigadier General (Count) Casimir Pulaski was mortally wounded. Among the American dead were Major John Jones of Liberty County, GA. and Sergeant William Jasper. "This Heroic Action has given to the history of Savannah and the State of Georgia a chapter than which none is bloodier, braver or more noteworthy."

Erected by the City of Savannah and patriotic societies on October 9, 1929 the 150th Anniversary of he Assault. As a tribute to the valor and sacrifices of the allied French and American
forces.

Erected 1929 by City of Savannah.