Brown was deeply disappointed by the atrocities of the victorious Redcoats. Although not especially concerned about the suffering of the Americans, he realized that recruitment of the survivors to the British cause would now be much more difficult. He remained close to Quash Dolly and kept her apart from any conflict. He made certain that everyone knew of the crucial contribution of the slave woman, and she was soon being treated as a heroine. Colonel Campbell ignored any compensation that might be due her master, Mordecai Singleton, and made arrangements for her to proceed on the first British ship sailing from Savannah to Nassau, along with a reward of £50 pounds and official papers certifying that she was a free woman.

British commander Campbell found Thomas Brown’s assistance to be invaluable, as he provided a remarkably complete and accurate dossier of merchants and plantation owners, describing their holdings and their degree of loyalty to the king. Not without some degree of personal prejudice, he also advised his superiors as to the honesty of loyalty pledges from many of the more prominent colonists. Brown examined the list of captured Georgians and advised who should be either released on parole or imprisoned and their property confiscated. He also named a few who had violated previous oaths of allegiance to the king and were to be executed for treason. While he performed these pleasant duties as a supreme judge in Savannah, he was contemplating plans for the British to move 150 miles up the river to Augusta.

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Recruited by General Howe to join in what was expected to be its easy defense, Elijah Clarke and sixty of his militiamen had been camped on the north side of Savannah, near the river. As surprised as anyone when gunfire broke out in the center of the city, Elijah roused his men and charged in to join the battle. It was obvious that the British were in control, but the Georgia militia engaged in the fruitless defense long enough for Elijah to see three of his men killed and nine wounded. Then they managed quite easily to escape capture and joined other Americans in what was at first a frantic retreat.