The Georgia Naval Militia ( GNM ) is the legally-authorized but currently inactive naval militia of the U.S. state of Georgia. The Georgia Naval Militia, along with the Georgia National Guard and the Georgia State Defense Force , is a component of the organized militia of Georgia.
8-716: The predecessor to the Georgia Naval Militia, the Georgia State Navy , was originally created by the colony of Georgia in July 1775 in order to protect shipping interests in Savannah . The navy consisted of four galleys, whose funding was provided by the Continental Congress . The General Assembly created the Georgia Naval Militia on December 19, 1893. By the next year, Companies A and B of
16-564: The American Revolutionary War , the Georgia State Navy consisted of only a few ships, most of which were destroyed in 1778 and 1779. Georgia was one of the first of the Thirteen Colonies to engage a ship for its own naval purposes. In June 1775, not long after the American Revolutionary War broke out, it commissioned an armed sloop for the purpose of seizing a British transport carrying munitions that
24-645: The 1779 Siege of Savannah , a failed Franco-American attempt to retake the city from the British. The continued British occupation of the state (the only state in which the royal governor returned to take control), made the construction of further ships impossible. In the late 20th century, it became a popular practice for the Governor of Georgia to award a certificate to new members of the Georgia General Assembly (and others) bestowing upon them
32-625: The Naval Reserve Artillery were organized in Brunswick and Savannah, Georgia, respectively. The naval militia trained with the federal navy on various ships, including USS Amphitrite and USS Prairie . The federal government gave the USS ; Passaic to the Georgia Naval Militia, delivering it on July 30, 1896; it remained available for the Georgia Naval Militia for the next two years. The Georgia Naval Militia
40-586: The Patriots confiscated Royalist Governor James Wright's estate. In addition, troops from the Georgia State Militia went on board the galleys to serve as marines. The galleys were unsuited for use on the high seas, but with their shallow drafts and oars were well-suited to serve along the state's coast and on its rivers. They carried troops and supplies for the two unsuccessful invasions of East Florida in 1777 and 1778. During these operations
48-635: The galleys also secured river crossings, escorted vessels transporting troops, and protected the army's flank. The galleys' greatest success was the Frederica naval action on 19 April 1778. Washington , Lee , Bulloch , and some boats captured the 12-gun sloop HMS Hinchinbrook and the Loyalist privateer Rebecca s off St. Simons Island , after the British vessels had grounded and their crews had escaped ashore. The Georgia State galleys took their prizes to Sunbury. The four galleys served during
56-676: Was destined for the Georgia port of Savannah . Funds were authorized in 1776 for expeditions by Captains Oliver Bowen and Job Pray to acquire and arm ships in the West Indies ; whether these were actually successful is unknown. In November 1776 the state established an admiralty court for adjudicating the distribution of prizes captured at sea. The state also authorized the construction of row galleys in 1776. A total of four were put into service: Washington , Lee , Bulloch , and Congress . The galleys' crews came from slaves seized when
64-634: Was mustered out of service in November 1911. Naval militias of U.S. states are recognized by the federal government of the United States under 10 U.S.C. § 7851 . Georgia law also recognizes the naval militia as a component of the organized militia. Therefore, an executive order by the Governor of Georgia or an act of legislature would be legally sufficient to reactivate the Georgia Naval Militia. Georgia State Navy During
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