It pitted an American garrison of Continental Army and militia units against a British invasion force commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Campbell.

General Sir Henry Clinton, the Commander-in-Chief, North America, dispatched Campbell and a 3,100-strong force from New York City to capture Savannah, and begin the process of returning Georgia to British control.

Taking advantage of local assistance he flanked the American position outside the city, captured a large portion of Major-General Robert Howe's army, and drove the remnants to retreat into South Carolina.

In March 1778, following the capture of a British army at Saratoga and the consequent entry of France into the American Revolutionary War on the American side, George Germain, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, wrote to General Sir Henry Clinton that capturing the Southern Colonies was "considered by the King as an object of great importance in the scale of the war".

[5] Germain's instructions to Clinton, framed as recommendations, were that he should abandon Philadelphia and then embark upon operations to recover Georgia and the Carolinas; whilst making diversionary attacks against Virginia and Maryland.

[11] These failures led the Continental Congress to decide in September 1778 to replace Howe with Major-General Benjamin Lincoln, who had been involved in militia participation in the Saratoga campaign.

[14] A council of war decided to attempt a vigorous defense of Savannah although it was thought that they were likely to be significantly outnumbered by the British and hoped to last until Lincoln's troops arrived.

The British, rather than returning fire, advanced rapidly with bayonets fixed, denying the Americans a second shot, who retreated after they had killed four and wounded five at no cost to themselves.

[18][19] Campbell ordered Sir James Baird to take 350 light infantrymen and 250 New York Volunteers and follow the slave through the swamp, while he arrayed his troops just out of view in a way that would give the impression he would attempt a flanking maneuver on Howe's left.

"[21] British light infantry in the Continental rear cut off the road to Augusta, the only significant escape route, which forced a mad scramble of retreating troops into the city itself.

Howe would receive much of the blame for the disaster, with William Moultrie arguing that he should have either disputed the landing site in force or retreated without battle to keep his army intact.

[23] He was exonerated in a court martial that inquired into the event, but the tribunal pointed out that Howe should have made a stand at the bluffs or more directly opposed the landing.

Campbell occupied the frontier town against minimal opposition, but by then General Lincoln had begun to rally support in South Carolina to oppose the British.

[26] Campbell abandoned Augusta on February 14, the same day a Loyalist force en route to meet him was defeated in the Battle of Kettle Creek.