(FL) Battle of Alligator Creek Bridge

The Florida Society Sons of the American Revolution, the City of Callahan, and the West Nassau Historical Society celebrate the Anniversary of the American Revolutionary War Battle of Alligator Creek Bridge – 30 June 1778

TIME: 11:00 a.m. Saturday June 29, 2024

LOCATION: West Nassau Historical Society, 45383 Dixie Ave, Callahan, FL 32011

RSVP to Darryl.jaxsar.sec@att.net

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLE OF Alligator Creek Bridge – The 3rd Florida invasion took place on June 30th, 1778, led by Col. Elijah Clark. It is known as the Battle of Alligator Creek Bridge. Col. Clark led his mounted Georgia Militia against British Major Prevost’s forces who were defending Alligator Creek Bridge.
As with the prior two expeditions, there was a serious leadership disagreement between the two leaders: Governor Houstoun and General William Howe. Even though there were 2,600 Continental and militia forces under the two leaders, they did not agree on how to proceed with the invasion into Florida.
General Howe (with one half of the forces) opted to stay and occupy Fort Tonyn located about 14 miles north of the Alligator Creek Battle site on the St. Mary’s River, even though it had been burned by British Loyalists.
Governor Houstoun opted to attack the 500 British Regulars, 200 South Carolina Royalists and Seminoles at Alligator Creek Bridge. As Houstoun’s forces under General Screven chased the Loyalist forces back to the bridge, the British Regulars thought Screven’s forces were also Loyalist forces retreating from the burned Fort Tonyn.
Col. Elijah Clarke led his mounted militia against the British bridge entrenchments during the skirmish and Clarke was wounded. General Screven’s main reserve force, seeing that Clarke was injured and being barely able to escape capture, ordered a retreat. This was the third failed expedition. It was primarily due to a lack of coordination that had also doomed the two previous assaults on the Florida-Georgia borderlands.
The third invasion into Florida swamp land was a disaster. Although American battle casualties were only 13, over 500 Patriots died of disease before they could be withdrawn from East Florida.