American Patriot forces, led by Brigadier General Andrew Pickens and Lieutenant Colonel Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, were successful in capturing Augusta, Georgia held by British loyalist militia.

The arrival of the British regular army in Georgia in 1778 was shortly followed by the occupation of Augusta by loyalist Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Brown, leading the East Florida Rangers on January 31, 1779.

Joined by Brigadier General Andrew Pickens' militia and Lieutenant Colonel Henry Lee's continentals, they arrived outside Augusta on May 21, 1781.

[2] On April 16, Patriot militia companies under the command of Micajah Williamson arrived on the outskirts of Augusta, Georgia and established a fortified camp.

The garrison of the town's primary fortification, Fort Cornwallis, was held by the King's Carolina Rangers commanded by Loyalist Thomas Brown, and did not immediately confront Williamson due to exaggerated reports of his troop strength.

Pickens maneuvered a force of 400 men between Augusta and Ninety Six, South Carolina to prevent the British outpost there from reinforcing Brown.

On May 21, the stockaded house of George Galphin, an Indian agent, located 12 miles (19 km) south of Augusta, was attacked by forces under Clarke and Lee.

Brown, aware of the danger to Grierson, sallied forth from Cornwallis, but when faced with Lee's strength, limited his support attempt to an ineffective cannonade.

To avoid a repeat of Grierson's fate, he was specifically surrendered to a detachment of Continental Army troops from North Carolina, as a number of the local militia were interested in seeing him dead over his previous acts of brutality.