On the day of the summons to surrender, although the works were otherwise well advanced, there were not ten cannon mounted in the lines of Savannah; but from that time until the day of assault, the men of the garrison, with the slaves they had captured, worked day and night to get the defences of the city in the highest state of excellence.  Major Moncrief, chief of the engineers, is credited with placing in position more than eighty cannons in a short time after the call to surrender had been received.

The city itself at this time was but a mere village of frame buildings and unpaved streets.  Viewed as facing its assailants, it was protected in its rear, or upon its north side, by the Savannah river; and on its west side by a thick swamp or morass, which communicated with the river above the city.  The exposed sides were those of the east and south.  These faced an open country which for several miles was entirely clear of woods.  This exposed portion of the city was well protected by an unbroken line of defences extending from the river back to the swamp, the right and left extremes of the line consisting of strong redoubts, while the centre was made up of seamen’s batteries in front, with impalements and traverses thrown up to protect the troops from the fire of the besiegers.  The whole extent of the works was faced with an ample abattis.

[Illustration:  Savannah River.]

To be still more particular:  there were three redoubts on the right of the line, and on the right of them quite near the swamp, was a sailor’s battery of nine pounders, covered by a company of the British legion.  The left redoubt of these three, was known as the Springhill redoubt; and proved to be the objective of the final assault.  Between it and the centre, was another sailor’s battery behind which were posted the grenadiers of the 60th regiment, with the marines which had been landed from the warships.  On the left of the line near the river were two redoubts, strongly constructed, with a massy frame of green spongy wood, filled in with sand, and mounted with heavy cannon.  The centre, or space between these groups of redoubts, was composed, as has been said, of lighter but nevertheless very effective works, and was strongly garrisoned.

Having thus scanned the works, let us now take a glance at the men who are to defend them.  As all of the assaulting forces are not made up of Americans, so all of the defenders are not foreigners.  The centre redoubt of the triplet on the right, was garrisoned by two companies of militia, with the North Carolina regiment to support them; Captains Roworth and Wylie, with the provincial corps of King’s Rangers, were posted in the redoubt on the right; and Captain Tawse with his corps of provincial dragons, dismounted, in the left or Springhill redoubt, supported by the South Caroline regiment.  The whole of this force on the right of the line, was under the command of the gallant Lieutenant-colonel Maitland; and it was