| March 4, 1777 |
Georgia's Council of Safety gives President Button Gwinnett the authority to organize the militia and proceed with an attack on Florida. This is known as the Second Florida Expedition.
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Button Gwinnett |
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Second Florida Expedition |
| March 27, 1777 |
Unable to raise a militia large enough to accomplish his goals, Button Gwinnett requests the assistance of Continental commander Lachlan McIntosh to launch the Second Florida Expedition
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Button Gwinnett |
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Second Florida Expedition |
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Lachlan McIntosh |
| April 13, 1777 |
Main body of Georgia militia arrive at Sunbury under the command of Button Gwinnett.
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Button Gwinnett |
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Second Florida Expedition |
| April 14, 1777 |
Main body of Continental troops, under the command of Lachlan McIntosh arrives at Sunbury.
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Lachlan McIntosh |
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Second Florida Expedition |
| April 15, 1777 |
Gwinnett, as leader of the militia, attempts to call a council of war. McIntosh and his commanders, trained Continental soldiers, cannot believe that a politician with no military experience has called such a council and do not attend.
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Lachlan McIntosh |
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Button Gwinnett |
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Second Florida Expedition |
| April 16, 1777 |
General Lachlan McIntosh begins to move his Continentals south. Gwinnett orders his militia to stay in Sunbury. When McIntosh finds out about Gwinnett's order he tries to draw supplies to which he is entitled from the quartermaster. Gwinnett has the quartermaster refuse the request.
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Lachlan McIntosh |
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Button Gwinnett |
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Second Florida Expedition |
| May 1, 1777 |
Overshadowed by the McIntosh-Gwinnett feud, Elbert departs from Sunbury heading south to the Georgia-Florida border
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Samuel Elbert |
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Second Florida Expedition |
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Button Gwinnett |
| May 12, 1777 |
Florida Rangers rout Georgians waiting to meet Samuel Elbert on the Florida side of the St. Mary River
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Samuel Elbert |
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Second Florida Expedition |
| May 17, 1777 |
Georgia Whigs ambushed at Thomas Creek (present-day site of Jacksonville, Florida) in a decisive battle marking the end of the Second Florida Expedition
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Second Florida Expedition |
| May 26, 1777 |
Second Florida Expedition returns to Savannah
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City of Savannah, Georgia |
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Second Florida Expedition |
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Georgia and the American Revolution
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This disastrous advance of combined American forces (Continentals and Georgia militia) was so fractious that it ended in the death of
Button Gwinnett, chief executive of the state of Georgia (he did not have the title of Governor) and leader of the militia, by Lachan McIntosh, commander of the Continentals. A day after the duel, Col. Samuel Elbert's forces (a detachment under the command of John Baker) were defeated in the battle of Thomas Creek.
Second Florida Expedition
