McINTOSH COUNTY. 417 



mother, and favoured with the friendship of Oglethorpe, was 

 carefully instructed in the ordinary branches of an English edu- 

 cation, together with mathematics and surveying. For some 

 time he resided in Charleston, clerk in the counting-house of 

 Henry Laurens, Esq., but mercantile pursuits not suiting his 

 views, he returned to Georgia, where he remained until the 

 voice of his country summoned him to arms. Mr. Mcintosh 

 was called from his retirement, to take command of the first re- 

 giment which Georgia organized ; and when afterwards three 

 regiments were raised, he was appointed Brigadier General. 

 Owing to some unpleasant circumstances resulting from his 

 duel with Mr. Button Gwinnett, he was induced to accept of a 

 command in the central army under Washington.* The west- 

 ern frontiers of the country being the scene of great atrocities, 

 committed by the Indians, it was determined to punish them; 

 and Washington, who entertained a high opinion of his justice 

 and military talents, selected Mcintosh to conduct it. With 

 a force of 500 men, he marched to Fort Pitt, and in a short 

 time succeeded in giving repose to the frontiers. In 1779, he 

 received orders to repair to the south, to take command of the 

 Georgia troops at Augusta, and to be in readiness to march to 

 Savannah. In the siege of the latter place he bore an active 

 part, and commanded the 1st and 5th South Carolina regi- 

 ments of militia. After the fall of Savannah, he retreated to 

 Charleston, and was present when that city surrendered lo Ge- 

 neral Clinton, on the 12th of May, 1780. He was kept as a 

 prisoner of war for a long period, and never resumed his com- 

 mand. He remained in Virginia until the close of the war, 

 when he returned to Georgia. He died in Savannah, in 1806, 

 in the 79th year of his age. 



Lieut. Col. John Mcintosh was also a soldier of the Revo- 

 lution, and did much service. He had command of the Fort 

 at Sunbury, when Col. Fuser, of the British army, demanded 

 its surrender ; to which he returned the memorable answer — 

 "Come and take it." At the battle of Brier creek, he displayed 

 a bravery which will always entitle him to the highest rank as 

 a soldier. With Elbert he stood his ground until nearly every 

 man was killed. Upon surrendering his sword, a British offi- 

 cer attempted to kill him, and he was only saved by the timely 



* See page 298. 



