---
title: "Siege of Savannah | Georgia History"
description: "Siege of Savannah was the 1779 Franco-American attempt to retake British-held Savannah, showing Georgia’s role in the Revolutionary War."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/hs-georgia-history/key-terms/siege-of-savannah"
type: "key-term"
subject: "Georgia History"
unit: "Unit 4"
---

# Siege of Savannah | Georgia History

## Definition

The Siege of Savannah was the 1779 Franco-American attempt to take back Savannah, Georgia, from British control during the American Revolutionary War. In Georgia History, it shows how coastal Georgia became a major battleground in the southern campaign.

## What It Is

The Siege of Savannah was a major Revolutionary War campaign in Georgia that took place from September 16 to October 18, 1779. It was the combined French and American attempt to force the British out of Savannah, which had become a stronghold for British operations in the South.

In this course, you should think of it as more than a single battle. It was a siege, which means the attackers tried to surround the city, cut off supplies, and break through defenses over time instead of just fighting one quick clash. Savannah mattered because it sat on Georgia’s coast and gave the British access to ports, ships, supplies, and movement along the southern theater of the war.

The British had already secured the city under General Augustine Prevost and fortified it well. That made Savannah hard to take, even with a large allied force. About 12,000 Franco-American troops gathered for the attack, including roughly 3,000 French soldiers under Count d’Estaing and about 7,000 American troops under General Benjamin Lincoln.

The big turning point came on October 9, when the allies launched a direct assault and failed. British artillery, prepared defenses, and poor coordination between the French and American commanders all worked against the attackers. Heavy casualties followed, and the siege ended without retaking the city.

For Georgia History, the key idea is that the Siege of Savannah shows how Georgia was not just a side location in the Revolution. Coastal Georgia was strategically valuable, and control of Savannah affected trade, military supply lines, and the larger fight for the South. Even though the attack failed, it still reveals how international help, local geography, and military planning shaped the war in Georgia.

## Why It Matters

The Siege of Savannah matters because it connects Georgia to the larger American Revolutionary War in a concrete way. If you are tracing how the war moved through the South, this event shows why Savannah was such a target and why coastal cities could change the balance of power.

It also helps explain the French Alliance. France did not just send symbolic support, it sent troops and ships that joined with American forces in real military operations. When the siege fails, you can see that alliances could be powerful without guaranteeing victory, especially when commanders disagreed or timing was off.

The battle also gives you a way to compare successes and failures in Revolutionary Georgia. A siege like Savannah looks very different from smaller backcountry clashes such as Kettle Creek, because it involved international forces, artillery, and coastal fortifications rather than a fast inland fight. That contrast shows how geography shaped warfare in Georgia.

If your class asks why Georgia stayed under British pressure for so long, Savannah is a major part of the answer. The city’s fall, defense, and eventual recapture period help explain the pace of the war in the state and the stakes of controlling ports, roads, and supply routes.

## Connections

### American Revolutionary War

The Siege of Savannah is one episode inside the broader Revolutionary War, so it makes the national conflict feel local and specific. Instead of just memorizing dates, you can place Georgia on the southern war map and see how the struggle for independence reached coastal cities, not just Boston, Philadelphia, or Yorktown.

### French Alliance

The siege is one of the clearest examples of French aid in the war. French troops joined American forces, but the attack still failed because coordination was weak and British defenses were strong. That makes the alliance easier to analyze as a military partnership, not just a diplomatic agreement.

### Battle of Savannah

This term is often used alongside the siege because it points to the same 1779 fight for Savannah. In many class discussions, the siege includes the final assault on the city, so if you see either phrase, focus on the attempt to retake the British-held port and the failed attack on October 9.

### [Georgia Backcountry](/hs-georgia-history/key-terms/georgia-backcountry)

Savannah tells you one side of Revolutionary Georgia, while the backcountry tells you another. The coast was tied to ports, forts, and British naval power, while the interior involved militia fighting, local loyalties, and harder-to-control terrain. Putting them together gives you a fuller picture of the war in the state.

## On the AP Exam

A quiz or short-answer question may ask you to identify the Siege of Savannah from a date, a map, or a description of a failed Franco-American attack on a British-held port. On essays or document questions, use it as evidence that Georgia was strategically important in the southern campaign and that the French Alliance had real military consequences. If you get a comparison prompt, pair it with another Georgia battle and explain how coastal warfare differed from backcountry fighting. A good answer usually includes who fought, where it happened, and why the outcome mattered for British control of Georgia.

## Key Takeaways

- The Siege of Savannah was the 1779 Franco-American attempt to take Savannah back from British control during the Revolutionary War.
- It was a siege, not just a single battle, so the attackers tried to pressure the city’s defenses over time before launching a direct assault.
- The event shows how important coastal Georgia was because Savannah gave the British a strong port and a base in the South.
- The failed attack highlights both the value of the French Alliance and the problems that come from weak coordination in wartime.
- For Georgia History, this term belongs in the larger story of how the Revolution unfolded in the state’s coast and backcountry.

## FAQs

### What is the Siege of Savannah in Georgia History?

It was the 1779 Franco-American effort to recapture Savannah from the British during the American Revolutionary War. The attack failed, but it is still a major Georgia event because it shows how contested the state’s coast was.

### Was the Siege of Savannah the same as the Battle of Savannah?

They are closely related, and many classes treat them as part of the same 1779 campaign. The siege refers to the overall attempt to take the city, while the main battle was the final assault on October 9.

### Why did the Siege of Savannah fail?

The allied force faced strong British fortifications, heavy artillery, and poor coordination between French and American commanders. Those problems made it hard to break through the defenses, even with a large army.

### How does the Siege of Savannah connect to the French Alliance?

It is one of the best examples of French troops fighting alongside American forces in the Revolution. The siege shows that France’s help was military as well as diplomatic, even though it did not produce a victory in Savannah.

## Related Study Guides

- [4.2 Key battles and military campaigns in Georgia](/hs-georgia-history/unit-4/key-battles-military-campaigns-georgia/study-guide/ASdbbjK6OWnVTTtp)
- [4.1 Georgia's role in the events leading to the Revolution](/hs-georgia-history/unit-4/georgias-role-events-leading-revolution/study-guide/xs2uWkbQtty5KNse)

## About This Document

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