They found the Continental army headquarters about fifty miles inland from Charles Town and were ushered in almost immediately to see General Greene, who had invited General Pickens to attend. Pickens strongly supported Clarke’s suggestion, and after some hesitation Greene agreed that a genuine threat to Charles Town and Augusta would confront the British with a difficult choice. He would keep his troops at their present site, but sent Pickens and Lieutenant Colonel “Light-horse Harry” Lee to join the Georgians, with Lee to be in command of the actual move against Augusta.

Ethan Pratt tried to conceal his excitement about the prospect of attacking Augusta, which was occupied and defended by the Florida Rangers. Colonel Thomas Brown was in command, with Major James Grierson as his deputy. Ethan was not the only Georgia militiaman who was determined that the two notorious leaders would not survive the patriot attack, and a small group made plans to ensure that no quarter would be given them if the British force was defeated and the two taken prisoner.

After Pickett and Lee arrived at the Hornet’s Nest, they and the Georgia militia leaders agreed on a strategy for the siege of Augusta. In order to block reinforcements that might be sent out of Savannah northward, they first took Fort Galphin, twelve miles below the town, and captured a large cache of badly needed supplies. When all roads and trails to Augusta were blocked, Lee sent word to Thomas Brown of the formidable patriot force and demanded his surrender. Colonel Brown refused to reply or even to acknowledge the message.

Brown’s home base was Fort Cornwallis, in the center of Augusta, which was now well fortified: 250 Florida Rangers, 250 Creeks, 50 Cherokees, and about 200 slaves defended it. Knowing of preparations for the assault, Brown had sent for reinforcements from both Savannah and Ninety Six, but Georgia militiamen intercepted the messages.

On May 22, the Americans concentrated their first attack on an insignificant outpost a half mile upriver and named for its commander, Major Grierson. It was finally breached after a spirited engagement, and Grierson and most of his men escaped down a ravine to Fort Cornwallis. Forty-five wounded Tories were taken prisoner, and Lee could hardly restrain Clarke’s men from killing them. The Americans then turned on Fort Cornwallis, having only an old five-pounder and a six-pounder taken at Grierson, while the British had eight good artillery pieces. Major James Jackson and his men moved in from the south, and Pickens and Clarke from the northwest.

Not being able to damage the fort from ground level, Lee decided to build a tower designed to elevate his six-pounder so it could fire down onto the British defenders. A square wall of long interlocked logs, hidden behind some buildings, was filled with dirt and stone, and then another square was built atop the first and filled again. At the same time, Lee ordered that his troops begin digging classic siege trenches toward the fort.