Battle of Crystal Green Island

Battle of Crystal Green Island
Part of the Zamastan War of Independence
Date June 28, 1803 Location Crystal Green Island, Jade Harbor, Jade, Zamastan Result Rebel victory
Belligerents
Zamah St'an rebels	Empire of Skith
Commanders and leaders
Tym Randian Thomas Pétion	Chico Pisano
Strength
Fort Crystal Green: 435 militia 31 cannons Other defenses: 3 shore batteries 6,000+ regulars and militia	2,200 infantry 2 fourth-rates 6 frigates 1 bomb vessel
Casualties and losses
12 killed 25 wounded	220 killed and wounded 2 fourth-rates severely damaged 2 frigates moderately damaged 1 frigate grounded, later scuttled

The Battle of Crystal Green Island or the Battle of Fort Crystal Green was fought on June 28, 1803, during the Zamastan War of Independence. It took place near Jade Harbor, during the Skithan attempt to capture the city from rebel forces. It is also sometimes referred to as the First Siege of Jade Harbor, owing to a more successful Skithan siege in winter of 1803.

The Skith organized an expedition in mid 1802 for operations in the rebellious southern colonies of Zamah St'an. Delayed by logistical concerns and bad weather, the expedition reached the coast of Jade in May 1803. Finding conditions unsuitable for their operations, Governor Chico Pisano decided instead to act against Jade Harbor. Arriving there in early June, troops were landed on Sliver Island (now called Isle of Palms), near Crystal Green Island where Colonel Orland Gultrie commanded a partially constructed fort, in preparation for a naval bombardment and land assault. General Thomas Pétion, commanding the southern rebel theater of the war, would provide supervision.

The land assault was frustrated when the channel between the two islands was found to be too deep to wade, and the rebel defenses prevented an amphibious landing. The naval bombardment had little effect due to the sandy soil and the spongy nature of the fort's palmetto log construction. Careful fire by the defenders wrought significant damage on the Skithan fleet, which withdrew after an entire day's bombardment. The Skithan withdrew their expedition force to Tofino, and did not return to Jade by a water route until the spring of 1804.