ts. The
Carolinians at once resolved to capture the ship and seize the cargo.
To that end, two barges, manned by forty well-armed men, were embarked
from Beaufort, and went to the mouth of the Savannah River, where they
encamped on a point that commanded a full view of Tybee Lighthouse. The
Provincial Convention, hearing of this expedition, offered to assist the
officers in every way possible. There was an armed British schooner in
the river at that time; and the Liberty Boys of Savannah determined to
join forces with the Carolinians at Tybee, and effect her capture. For
this purpose a schooner was equipped by the Provincial Convention, and
placed under command of Captain Bowen and Joseph Habersham. This vessel
was armed with ten carriage guns and swivels, and carried fifty men. The
British armed vessel was not inclined to enter into a contest, but,
when the Georgia schooner appeared, weighed anchor and sailed away. The
schooner then took position beyond the harbor bar, and waited for the
ship carrying the cargo of powder. She had not long to wait. On the 10th
of July, 1775, the powder ship, commanded by Captain Maitland, made her
appearance. Before entering Tybee Inlet, however, Captain Maitland saw
the armed schooner. Suspecting that he was about to fall into a trap, he
brought his vessel round, tacked, and stood out to sea. But he had gone
too far. The Georgia schooner gave chase, and soon overtook and captured
the ship. It was a fortunate capture for the Colonies. Five thousand
pounds of powder were sent to Philadelphia, and nine thousand fell to
the share of Georgia.

The convention that commissioned the first armed vessel of the
Revolution did more important work than this. It placed the Province
of Georgia in political union with her sister Colonies, and gave her
fellowship with those struggling Provinces. She was welcomed into the
United Colonies with joyful demonstrations by the Continental Congress.
By the 15th of April, 1776, the Liberty Boys in Georgia were so strong
that Governor Wright had taken refuge on one of the King's vessels at
Tybee; and on that date the patriots took full charge of the government
of the Province. Archibald Bulloch was the first republican president of
Georgia.

This is how the Liberty Boys took the Province of Georgia from his
Majesty the King, and made a free and independent government. Their
struggle did not end here, but the details of that struggle must be left
to history to