536 TATTNALL COUNTY. 



county is named, was the son of Colonel Josiah Tattnall, and 

 was born at Bonaventure, below Savannah, a place owned by 

 his grandfather. Colonel Mulryne. Colonel Tattnall had been 

 an officer in the British colonial service, and had received two 

 wounds in the wars of Carolina and Georgia against the In- 

 dians. His military character being high at the commence- 

 ment of the Revolution, he was offered the command of the 

 forces raised for the defence of Savannah. Although opposed 

 to the measures of England, he was also opposed to an appeal 

 to arms, and declined the ofler. He would not take up arms 

 against Georgia, and he left the country (no neutrals being tole- 

 rated), carrying with him to England his son Josiah, thesubject 

 of this memoir, then eleven years old. The father soon re- 

 crossed the Atlantic to Nassau, in New Providence, leaving the 

 son at Eaton school, under the care of an uncle. Here he 

 remained for eighteen months ; after which his uncle placed 

 him on board of a man-of-war ship, to prevent his return to 

 his native Georgia. He was under the patronage of the cap- 

 tain, with assurances of rapid promotion if he behaved well. 

 The ship was bound for India. Neither the glare of power or 

 of profit seduced his affections. A large proportion of the 

 crew were Americans, forced on board. Mutinies occurred, 

 and the generous boy, with the Americans, was turned over 

 from ship to ship. Having procured a little money from 

 his godfather, a gentleman of the name of Elliott, who had 

 lived in Georgia, unknown to parents or uncle, he found 

 his way back to America. Whilst under the British flag, 

 some question arose upon the matters in issue between 

 the two countries, when Tattnall maintained the cause of his 

 native land. A duel was the result, in which he wounded his 

 antagonist. At the age of eighteen he landed, without a shil- 

 ling in his pocket, on the north side of the Savannah river, and 

 travelling alone on foot through the country, arrived at Purys- 

 burgh, where he crossed into Georgia, and then joined the 

 army of General Wayne, at Ebenezer. The war was closing, 

 and no opportunity was presented for drawing his sword in 

 defence of freedom. On the surrender of Savannah he was 

 immediately placed in office. The whole of Chatham at that 

 time constituted but one regiment. He was soon Captain of 



