Barkley's vessels entered the Savannah River on 1 March, but HMS Hinchinbrook grounded on a sandbank while attempting to take position above the town. Joseph Habersham's militia swept her exposed deck with small-arms fire and forced the crew below. The militia lacked suitable boats to board and capture the stranded vessel, while the British may still have been able to defend her at close range. Hinchinbrook floated free on the next tide. River geography and limited local equipment had constrained both sides.
Notable Point · 1:00:31-1:01:55
HMS Hinchinbrook grounds under militia fire
Before the main rice-boat fight, HMS Hinchinbrook grounded while trying to move above Savannah and was pinned down by militia gunfire until the next tide freed her.