The Siege of Savannah

By Rivington’s Gazette, 1779

One of the battles of the Revolution, fought on Oct. 9, 1779, when Pulaski was mortally wounded. This poem appeared in Rivington’s Royal Gazette, a paper published in New York during the Revolution and conducted for the Tory side with great cleverness. Many poems appeared in it which were full of facetiousness at the expense of the Revolutionary leaders and their French allies. These verses from “The Battle of Savannah,” are a fair example of the ridicule which the paper endeavored to throw upon the patriot cause and as such have an interest of their own.

COME let us rejoice,

With heart and with voice

Her triumphs let loyalty show, sir,

While bumpers go round

Re-echo the sound,

Huzza, for the King and Provost, sir.

With warlike parade,

And his Irish brigade,

His ships and his spruce Gallic host, sir,

As proud as an elf,

D’Estaing came himself,

And landed on Georgia’s coast, sir.

There joining a band,

Under Lincoln’s command,

Of rebels and traitors and Whigs, sir,

’Gainst the town of Savannah,

He planted his banner,

And then he felt wondrous big, sir.

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Then muskets did rattle,

Fierce raged the battle,

Grape shot it flew thicker than hail, sir.

The ditch filled with slain,

Blood dyed all the plain,

When the rebels and French turn tail, sir.

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There Pulaski fell,

That Imp of old Bell,

Who attempted to murder his king, sir,

But now he is gone

Whence he’ll never return,

But will make H—— with treason to ring, sir.

To Charlestown with fear,

The rebels repair,

D’Estaing scampers back to his boats, sir,

Each blaming the other,

Each cursing his brother,

And may they cut each other’s throats, sir.

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