Battle of Rice Boats

The Battle of the Rice Boats in March 1776 was an engagement in Georgia waters as British naval forces attempted to seize rice cargo intended to supply both colonial needs and potential export. British naval vessels under Captain Barkley moved against American vessels on the Savannah River loaded with rice.

American forces attempted to resist the British seizure, and some fighting took place between the opposing parties. The British ultimately succeeded in capturing most of the rice, providing valuable supplies for their naval forces while denying the cargo to the Americans.

The engagement was part of the broader British effort to supply their forces from colonial resources and disrupt the colonial economy. Georgia, with its substantial rice production, was a particular target for these operations throughout the early war years. The battle illustrated Georgia's vulnerability to naval raids and foreshadowed the more significant British operations against the state in 1778 and beyond.