post he occupied until 1772. The following
year Campbell returned to Scotland, where he
acquired an estate and represented the Stir-
ling Burghs in Parliament. In 1775, he became
lieutenant colonel of the newly raised Fraser’s
Highlanders (71st Regiment of Foot) and
sailed to fight in the American Revolution.
However, his transports arrived at Boston on
June 16, 1776, three months after the British
army under Gen. William Howe had de-
parted, and he and 400 men were taken pris-
oner. Relations were initially cordial, and
Campbell was at liberty to reside in Reading
with servants and have complete freedom of
movement. But conditions changed drasti-
cally in December 1776, when word was re-
ceived that American prisoners Charles Lee
and Ethan Allen were being mistreated in cap-
tivity. Consequently, the Continental Congress
ordered all British prisoners be kept in “safe
and close custody.” Campbell was accord-
ingly transferred to the jail in Concord, New
Hampshire, where he languished under diffi-
cult conditions. He wrote several pointed let-
ters to Gen. George Washington in protest and
secured a transfer to a room in the jailer’s tav-
ern. Campbell’s lot improved dramatically as
of August 1777, when he obtained a parole
from Concord and was allowed to move
freely within the city limits. In March 1778, he
traveled to New York City and was formally
exchanged for Ethan Allen the following May.
By this time the American Revolution was
at a strategic impasse in the north, and the
ministry of Lord George Germaindecided
to direct offensive efforts farther south. In
November 1778, Gen. Henry Clintondis-
patched Campbell from New York with an
amphibious armada of 3,000 men. His goal
was Savannah, reputed to be lightly de-
fended. It was hoped that in the course of
conquest he would be aided by British troops
in Florida, friendly Native Americans, and
Loyalists hiding in the backwoods. Campbell
was a curious choice, given his relative lack
of experience, but he was probably the only
ranking officer that the hard-strapped Clin-
ton could spare. He did so only reluctantly,
and privately confided that the expedition
was probably headed for disaster. The fleet
sailed on November 8, 1778, endured a storm-
tossed passage, and arrived at its destination
that December.
To everybody’s surprise, Campbell con-
ducted himself with a consummate skill that
belied his relative inexperience. He was op-
posed by a small force of 650 Continental sol-
diers and 93 militia under Gen. Robert Howe,
who stationed his troops at Fairlawn Planta-
tion. There Howe repeatedly had been ad-
vised to flood the nearby rice fields and to
place strong pickets along various trails skirt-
ing the American right flank. Howe demurred,
however, and simply awaited the approach of
the British. Once ashore, Campbell quickly
overwhelmed a small American picket and
marched inland. A captured slave then re-
layed information about Howe’s position at
Fairlawn Plantation, and Campbell set out for
Savannah with half his troops. As expected,
the Americans were deployed and awaiting
his appearance, so he personally climbed a
tree and carefully ascertained their position.
On the morning of December 29, 1778, an-
other slave then guided part of Campbell’s
men through the woods, around the enemy
right flank. At a given signal, Campbell and his
flanking party then charged the American
line, routing it. For the loss of two British
killed and 10 wounded, the town of Savannah
was taken, along with several hundred Ameri-
can prisoners and many cannons. The town,
and most of Georgia itself, was to remain
under British control until the end of the Rev-
olution. Furthermore, as the southern cam-
paign unfolded, Savannah served as a valu-
able base of operations against Charleston
and points farther north.
Having consolidated his position, Camp-
bell was also commissioned to serve as the
civil governor. Georgia thus became the only
part of the United States reannexed as a
colony. In fulfilling his affairs as head of state,
Campbell proved to be an enlightened leader.
He ordered his officers to treat the inhabi-
tants leniently while encouraging Loyalists toCAMPBELL, ARCHIBALD