Runaways and the Last of the Guale

An epic tale that follows generations of the Milam family as they establish a life on the coastal outskirts of Savannah, Georgia. Most of the story takes place between Savannah and Tybee Island and the group of small Islands south of Tybee called "Little Tybee." The Runaways and the Guale from the title are an important part of history because, during and shortly after the Revolutionary War, Tybee and Sullivans Island in South Carolina were refuge destinations for runaway slaves. From there British ships would take them on. The slave population in South Carolina was greater than the population of white colonials, and after a few slave rebellions, the colonials lived in fear of a major slave rebellion. Many militia groups formed to watch for and capture runaways. One zealous militia group, dressed as Indians, came across the river to Tybee and massacred hundreds of runaways. Shortly afterward, the same thing happened on Sullivans Island. While this book is historical fiction, many events and conditions in it are true, including the slave massacre.