The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1842-07-27
FORT JOHNSON, June %, 1776.

Yesterday about IL CLOCK, the b0mD
fketch and ship of war came up from five
falhom hole, and signal was fred from
the Commodore for the other ships Of war
10 weigh anchor; at about half after l the
kelch began to favor Sullivan's Island
with some bombs. | could distinctly see
many of them burst in the air; five fell in
The fort al Sulivan's Island, but did no 9TH
er damage than slightly wound one man.
The S"lrbay of 2S guns, which was ahead
Of the line received a shot from the Island,
aud Immediately returned il with herwllo lie
broadside. The enemy formed in two
lines to attack the for, on Sullivan's Island,
in the first line the Bristol of so guns, the
Solebav of %. and 40 gun vessel which |
am told is called the Roebnck, Il am not
sure of her name. but Certain of her
strength, for could plainly see her guns.)
In the second line were the Syron of Is,
and two other frigates, whose names do
not know, behind these were zthe bomb
kptch, and heavy hulk of vessel, some.
thing like our Proper. A brisk and heavy
cannunadng was kept up at first from the
ship and the fort. Snme shot from the
fort put their second line into disorder and
carried away the boWsprt of one Of the
frigatrs, and as they were near that bank
of sand which runs out from the fort to-
wards Cummin's point called the lower
midde) the two ships whose names | do
not know ran aground there. The first
line Of the enemy appeared to us as this
place tn be ahou. 6 or 700 yards from the
Island, but from thence hear they were
within 500 yards. All the 2G Founders
were pointed at the Bristol, and about two
hours after the cannonading began, she
received so much damage that she was
Obliged to draw back, but still continued
to fire, though not SD brlskly as before; at
about three o'clock the fort had expended
all it's ammunition, Gl had 30 odd rounds Ia
each gun and 32 guns) the shipping still
kept up heavy cannonade; the fort codld
MT return it. In about 2 hours they got
supply or2O0 lbs. gunpnwder from Tufts
ami 500 lbs. from Haddrilrs Point; they
fired again bu, slowly and with great judg-
ment. Night came on and The cannona-
ding still continued on both sides, the great
est number of our shot Gf we may judge
from the mise they made against the sides
of the ships) took effect. but thesships fired
near SO for one. A little after 9 o'clock
the ships thought they were sufficiently
} battered, and ceased firing, and ha i after
8 began t" work down again to their old
) station in five fathom hole. One of the
ships which ran aground, got of again; the
the other, at least ii twenty gun ship, stuck
fast there; upon being fired at from the
Island this morning, she returned the fire,
the Island fired agnin, the men then that
were ON board her loaded all their guns,
set her on fire. got into her boats, leaving
all the cnIurs flying on board the ship, and
! rowcd eff 10 the rest Of the fleet. When
: she was burnt down to her cannon, she
gave noble discharge. A boat from the
Island went OH board of her and brought
f away her Jack she is now almost burnt
I, down TO the waters edge, end in little
T while we shall scarcely see the remains of
her. The ships that warped off must have
+ received considerable damage, as in gener-
al The shot from the Island was exceeding
" we'll placed. (rhe Bristol's mizen mast
: has this moment fallen down, doubtless in
: consequence of The shot she got yesterday.)
, Several parts of the ships and some parts
of the cabin have foated up to town, so
that believe they bave met with recep.
: ZION they little expected. The officers
, and men at the Island am informed, be-
haved with The greatest bravery, and not
/ wilhs,anding so heavy a cannonade for ten
hours, we had but ten men killed and twen-
: tv-lwo wounded. There was only Moul-
= tries regiment, consisting Of about $50
e men, and 80 of Roberts artillery in the
: fort; the officers behaved nobly and point
ed every gun themselves, and what is re-
] markahle, though there was not man Kill
: ed, but wha, was close to an officer, yet
: only Lieut.. Grey was slightly wounded by
! snlinter from carriage in his thigh, and
S spent ball on his breast, and Lieuls
| Hall and Mazyck received two conlusions
. in The face. The first man that was killed
was Corporal Of Grenadiers. the rest of
r The men who belonged to his gun immedi-
) a1ely threw him off the platform with their
: hands pixies, crying out revenge, let US re-
venge our comrades death, and immedi-
a,ely returned 10 their gun with the great
est eagerness. The enemy shot away the
a flagstaff with our colors, a Grenadier iin-
J. mediaiely ran through shower of grape
Il \ ~