JACKSON COUNTY. 337 



the ambitious youth, because they saw in him, enthusiasm, 

 courage, and talents. The first time that Jackson had an op- 

 portunity of distinguishing himself was when an attack was 

 proposed against Savannah, by a fleet of vessels commanded 

 by Captain Barclay, aided by land forces under Majors Mait- 

 land and Grant. The armed vessels grounded, and thus the 

 expectations of the foe were defeated. A party of volunteers, 

 among whom were John Morel, Thomas Hamilton, James 

 Bryan, and James Jackson, then only nineteen years of age, 

 proceeded to that part of the river where the vessels lay, and 

 set them on fire, the crews, however, making their escape, with 

 the loss of their clothes and arms. This affair gained him the 

 approbation of his fellow-citizens, and upon the organization 

 of a company of light infantry he was elected lieutenant, and 

 afterwards captain ; but shortly afterwards resigned, from an 

 impression that injustice had been done him by his colonel. 

 About 1778, he was appointed brigade major, and the chroni- 

 cles of this period speak highly of his military talents and fide- 

 lity. In the battle at Medway, where General Scriven was 

 killed, he commanded a party of volunteers, received a wound, 

 and acquired fresh laurels for soldierlike conduct. After the 

 fall of Savannah, in 1778, in company with his friend Mr. 

 Milledge, he went to South Carolina, and joined the command 

 of General Moultrie. During the progress of these sons of 

 liberty, barefoot and clothed in rags, they were apprehended 

 as spies by some American soldiers, and condemned to be 

 hung. The gallows was actually prepared, and but for the 

 timely arrival of Major Peter Deveaux, who accidentally heard 

 of the transaction, these two patriots would have been exe- 

 cuted. It is an incident worthy of notice, that both, at a sub- 

 sequent period, became Governors of the State of Georgia, and 

 successively Senators in Congress from that State. We are 

 unable to say in what capacity he served under General Moul- 

 trie ; but, whatever it was, we are sure that he was not want- 

 ing in any of the attributes of a gallant and faithful soldier. 

 In 1779, he was at the ill-fated siege of Savannah, attached, as 

 it is thought, to the division of troops under Colonel Mar- 

 bury. Here he exerted himself, with others of his brave asso- 

 ciates, to recover the town. The result of that siege is well 



