After Gov. Wright escaped, two war vessels entered the Savannah harbor. The leaders began to prepare Savannah for an attack by erecting fortifications along the waterfront. In early March of 1776, the British, unable to get supplies, decided to appropriate for themselves a fleet of rice vessels and turned two of their ships up the river toward the wharves where most of the rice boats were tied. Before the authorities could act, the British had seized the rice boats. The leaders commenced peaceful negotiations for the recovery of the boats, but got nowhere. Outraged, they enlisted the help of South Carolinians and set fire to some of the ships. Thus, the British left with only several rice boats, with eight left behind to be taken over by the Georgians and dismantled.
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