British 1; Patriots 1

Prior to leaving Savannah yesterday, we visited the remains of the Spring Hill Redoubt on the western edge of the Historical District, an area that again was within walking distance of our B & B. In this small green space are the remains of one of the British redoubts and a modern interpretation of the redoubts built for tourists like us, so we could get a feel for what the Patriots faced when they tried to take Savannah from the British in 1779. Unfortunately for the Patriots and their French and Haitian allies, those redoubts were quite effective. The well-protected British stood fast in their defences and prevented the allies from planting the Stars and Stripes in the city. This was unfortunately, a very one-sided battle, where the Patriot team lost about 1000 casualties, including about 240 dead. The British casualties included 40 killed, 63 wounded and 52 missing. It was definitely a 'W' for the British. They subsequently held Savannah until 1782.

We checked out of the Ballastone Inn at  about 11 AM and jumped in the car. We had about a four hour drive up I-95 ahead of us, and we were headed for the furthest point north on our tour of the Deep South. Our itinerary would bring us to Wilmington, North Carolina for two nights. However, the drive seemed longer than it should have, especially for Mrs. Gym. Mrs. Gym needed to have a rest stop for about the last 100 miles or so and there was really no place to stop because we had gotten off the I-95 and were driving east on US 74/76, which is a lonely stretch of highway for dozens of miles. Fortunately, there was a battlefield nearby and it just happened to be one on Gym's 'points-of-interest list'. In addition, since it was a National Monument it had some pretty swank restrooms. So, Mrs. Gym got her relief and she was then happy to join Gym on the one mile hike through the woods and experience the lay of the land on the hallowed ground of the Battle of Moore's Creek.

From inside the re-built redoubt, facing the direction of the Patriot and French attack

Looking at the re-built redoubt from the attackers perspective

The colonial Stars and Stripes near the ruins of the British redoub

Saying goodbye to James Edward Oglethorpe, the founder of the colony of Georgia and the  22 town squares in Savannah

The battle of Moore's Creek was a skirmish between North Carolinian loyalists and North Carolinian Patriots. This battle ended up being one in the 'win column' for the Patriots. Now compared to the Siege of Savannah, this was not a very big battle but it was important to me because the overall commander of the Patriots was a guy named Colonel James Moore. He is the fellow of Irish heritage who was descended from Rory Og O'Morda (or Rory Moore), and he may in fact be related to me, so I had to see this site.

The battlefield is very well preserved thanks to it's location in a rural area and thanks to the wonderful work of  The National Park Service. The self-guided tour is well laid out and the pathway through the woods is mostly laid down with a material which is comprised of recycled tires that are dyed to fit in with the undergrowth. Mrs. Gym commented that the trail would make a wonderful jogging track. The path quickly brought us into the middle of the position that the Patriots held during the battle. This time the Patriots were defending and they were well dug-in behind earthen breastworks on the east side of Moore's Creek. James Moore's officers had laid a trap for the loyalists. The Patriots picked there ground well and the loyalists were lured across a dismantled bridge which spanned the creek and lead to a narrow clearing in front of the Patriot defences. The Patriots decimated the charging loyalists who lost 30-50 men compared to Patriot losses of one killed and one wounded. This was definitely a 'W' for the Patriots.

The commander of the patriots in North Carolina really was James Moore

Re-cycled tire path through the battlefield

The bridge over Moore's Creek

Moore's Creek

We have now been in Wilmington for two nights and will be leaving here in an hour or so to drive south to Charleston. Internet access has been sketchy over the past 24 hours so I am getting this article out later than I would have hoped. I will have another chapter on Wilmington that I hope to get it out this evening if the internet access is better tonight. We will not be using the I-95 today and will instead be meandering south on US 17,  a more scenic route through Myrtle Beach, SC.