Key Facts
- Siege duration
- September 16 – October 18, 1779
- Major assault date
- October 9, 1779
- British control of Savannah
- Until July 1782
- Notable casualty
- Count Casimir Pulaski, mortally wounded
Strategic Narrative Overview
Beginning on September 16, 1779, French and American forces jointly besieged Savannah. After weeks of siege operations failed to force a British surrender, the allies launched a major frontal assault on October 9. The attack was repulsed by the British defenders. During the assault, Polish cavalry commander Count Casimir Pulaski was mortally wounded while leading the combined cavalry forces.
01 / The Origins
In late 1778, a British expeditionary force under Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Campbell captured Savannah, Georgia, giving Britain a strategic foothold in the South during the American Revolutionary War. The city's loss prompted American commanders to seek French naval and military cooperation to retake it, reflecting the broader Franco-American alliance formed after the French entry into the war in 1778.
03 / The Outcome
The failure of the October 9 assault ended allied hopes of retaking Savannah by siege. French and American forces abandoned the operation on October 18, 1779, leaving the British firmly in control. Savannah remained under British occupation until July 1782, when it was finally evacuated near the conclusion of the Revolutionary War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Count Casimir Pulaski.
Side B
1 belligerent
Archibald Campbell.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.