Governor Wright did not respond, but nodded to General Prevost, who was well prepared. Looking at some notes, he spelled out his orders with a reassuring clarity and confidence.

“I want you to close down the shore batteries. Spike the guns in permanent emplacements and transfer all the other cannon and ammunition into the city. Move our four small gunships upriver, where we will remove their weapons and men and then sink the stripped craft just below the town. We also need a boom and other barriers established upriver, to prevent any effort to float fire rafts down on us. I want all buoys and other markers removed so the French won’t know where the channel might be. I have prepared a map that shows where your troops will be stationed, all within the town and facing the river toward Carolina.”

The officers bent over a table and received their specific orders, somewhat surprised when the general prescribed the exact number of men for each position and seemed to assume that they would be protected by defenses that did not exist. Prevost then turned to Chief Engineer Moncrief.

“Major, each cadre of men will cut fascines and pickets and build their own protective abatis. I hold you responsible for the digging of adequate trenches for the men and redoubts for the cannon.”

Moncrief’s face drained of color, and he stammered out a reluctant response: “But, sir, I have only thirty men assigned to me.”

Prevost looked up at Brown. “Colonel, how many slaves can you bring in within the next two days?”

Brown thought for only a few seconds before responding. “Sir, with authorization from you and the governor, I can conscript every one living near here on the rice plantations, not less than four hundred.”

“Get them in here, then, and have them bring shovels and mattocks.”

Still addressing Brown, the general added, “Colonel Maitland has eight hundred men at Beaufort. Send one of your best men to acquaint him with the situation here, the likelihood of Lincoln’s moving south, and direct him to join us as expeditiously as possible. If he can do so before his path is closed, this will almost double our forces.”

“Sir, I’ll have a messenger there tonight, who will be well acquainted with the route along the coast that is least likely to encounter the Continental army.”

As they prepared to leave, the general held up his hand and added, “You all know the serious straits in which we find ourselves. Even in the best of circumstances, with cannon mounted, entrenchments completed, and Maitland’s troops with us, the enemy forces will more than double our own. D’Estaing is an able and ambitious man, who has been remarkably successful in the West Indies. The taking of Savannah will give him worldwide fame, and he will make great sacrifices to achieve this goal.”