Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-07-21

pletely promoted their design. But Rutledge
interposing his authority, would not suffer it,
and Lee did not venture to proceed alone yet
on the 10th his very first order to Moutrie, ex-
cept one which was revoked as soon as issued,
directed that officer to construct bridges for his
retreat, and the order was repeated and enforced
several times that day, and almost every sue
ceeding one. Happily Moultries courage was
of that placid kind that could not be made anx-
ious or uneasy; he weighed carefully. his danger
and his resources; with quiet, imperturbable
confidence, formed his plan for repelling the
impending double attack of the enemy by sea
and by land and never so much as imagined
that he could be driven from his post.
On the 10th of June, while the Continental
Congress was finishing the debate on indepen-
dence, the Bristol whose guns had been previ-
ously taken out, came over the bar, attended by
thirty or forty vessels, and achored about three
miles from Fort Sullivan. In Charleston, from
which this movement was distinctly visible, all
was action; on the wharls warehouses of great
value were thrown down to give room for the
fire of cannon and musketry from the lines
along East Bay; intrenchments surrounded the
town; the barrcades, raised in the principal
streets, were continued to the water and arrow
headed embankments were projected upon the
landing places. Negroes from the country took
part in the labor; the hoe and the spade were
also in every citizens hands, for all persons,
without distinction, "labored with alacrity,"
some for the sake of example, some as the best
way of being useful. Neither the noon.day
sun, nor the rain, which in that cline drops
from the clouds in gushes, interrupted their
toll.
On the | lth the two regiments from North
Carolina arrived. That same day Lee, being
told that bridge of retreat from Sullivan's Is
land to liaddrell's Point was impossible, and
not being permitted by Rutledge to direct the
total evacuation of the island, ordered Moultric
to Immediately send four hundred Of his men
over to the continent; in his postscript he adj
ded "Make up the detachment to five hum
dred." On the 18th he writes, you will de-
tach another hundred men," to strengthen the
corps on the other side of the creek. But the
spirit of South Carolina had sympathy with
Moutrie, and mechanics and negro laborers
were sent down to complete his fort but hard
as they toiled, it was not nearly finished before
the action. On the 18th the wind blew so vio-
lently that two ships which lay outside of the
bar, were obliged for safety to stand out to sea,
and this assisted to delay the attack
On the 10Th, Lee stationed Armstrong at
liaddrell's Point; and Armstrong, as the supe-
rior officer, ever manifested for Moultrie a
hearty friendship. On that same day, Sir Peter
Parker gave to the Captains of his squadron
his arrangement for the attack of the batteries
on Sullivan's Island, and on the 10th he COM
municated it to Clinton, who did not know what
to do. The dilatory conduct of the British be-
trayed uncertainty and division of courcils ;
and the Carolinians made such use of the delay,
that by the 18th they were in an exceedingly
good state OF preparation at every outpost and
also in town. But Clinton intended only to oc-
cupy and garrison Sullivan's Island. For that
end, consulting with CORVALLIS, he completed
the landing of all his men on Long Island, a
naked sand, where nothing grew except few
bushes, that harborcd myriads of mosquitoes,
and where the troops suffered intensely from
| the burning sum- the want of good water, and
the bad quality and insufficient supply of pro-
visions A trial of the ford was made; Clinton
himself waded up to his neck so did Others of
his officers. and on the day on which he sue
ceeded in getting all his men on shore, he an
nounced through Vaughan to Sir Peter Parker,
that no ford was to be found that there re-
mained depth of seven feet of water at low
| tide and that therefore the troops could not
take the share they expected in the intended
attack. His six full regiments. and companies
enough from others to make up one more, u
body of more than three thousand men, thor
oughly provided with arms, artillery and ammu-
milton, had left the transports for a naked sand
bank that was to them prison. Yet compelled
to propose something, Clinton fixed on the 23d
for the joint attack.
On the night after the day appointed for the
attack, Muhlenberg's regiment arrived. On
receiving Lees orders it instantly set off from
Virginia and marched to Charleston, without
tents, continually exposed to the weather. 1t
was composed chiefly of NIuhenbergs old Ger
man parishoners and of the Virginia regiments,
and was the most complete, the best armed,
best clothed and best equipped for immediate
| service. The Americans were now very strong.
The confidence of Sir Peter Parker in an easy
victory was mistaken. To make all sure, he
exercised body of marines and seamen in the
art of entering forts through embrasures in
tending first to silence Moultrie's battery, then
to land his trained detachment, and by their aid
enter the fort. His presumption was justified
by the judgment of Lee. That General, coming
down to the Island, took Moutre aside and
said "Do you think you can maintain this
post p Moultre answered: "Yes, | think |
can" But Lee had no faith in n spirited de-
fence, fretted at the too easy disposition Of
Moultrie and wished up to the last moment
to remove him from the command.
On the 23d an unfavorable wind prevented
the joint attack. On the 25th the squadron
was increased by the arrival Of the expert
ment," a ship of sixty guns, which passed the
bar on the 26th. Letters of encouragement
came also from ronyn, then Governor of East
Florida, who was impatient for an attack on
Georgia; he would have had body of Indians
) raised on the back of South Carolina; and @
body of royalists to "terriiy and distract, sc
that the assault at Charleston would have struck
an astonishing terror and alright" He reported
J South Carolina to be in "a muinous state that
) delighted him = "the men would certainly raise
on their officers the battery on Sullivans Is
; land would not discharge two rounds" This
, opinion was spread through the fleet, and be-
came the belief of every sailor on board With
or without Clinton's aid the Commodore was
persuaded that with his trained seamen and
} marines, he could take and keep possession o.
; the fort, till Clinton should "send as many
; troops as he might think proper, and who might
enter the fort in the same way"
! Capt. Lamperer, walking with Moultrie or
the platform, and looking at the British ships
, of-war, all of which had already come over tht
l bar, addressed him:
"Well, Colonel, what do you think of il
, now ?"
ave shall beat them," said Moultrie.
"rhe men-of-war,' rejoined the captain, "wil
, knock your fort down1n half an hour"
4 - Mo,lt.;a al lo bol,; ,;,,f