Revolutionary War in Augusta, GA

Discover the pivotal role Augusta, Georgia played in the American Revolution. Founded in 1736 and named in honor of Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, the bride of Prince Frederick, Prince of Wales, Augusta quickly grew into a strategic colonial settlement. During the Revolutionary War, Augusta changed hands multiple times and became the site of two significant battles. In early 1779, British troops marched up from Savannah and took the town without a fight. Later that year, in the First Battle of Augusta, Patriots led by Elijah Clarke clashed with Loyalists under Thomas Brown near the Mackay House, where King and Sibley Mills now stand. Brown held the city for the British, but in 1781, Augusta was retaken during the Second Battle of Augusta when “Light Horse Harry” Lee joined Clarke and Andrew Pickens to force Brown’s surrender at Fort Cornwallis - built on the site of the original Fort Augusta.

By the end of the war, Augusta was firmly in Patriot hands. The city went on to serve as the capital of Georgia from 1786 to 1796, and one of its enduring post-war legacies is the founding of the Academy of Richmond County in 1783. Today, visitors and locals alike can explore Augusta’s revolutionary past at numerous museums and historical sites throughout the city. Plan your visit and experience firsthand the stories that helped shape both Augusta and the nation.