Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1860-11-14
M(tsttll anGous
THE BATTLE OF FORT MOULTRIE
iaa 1776.


slFpm Bancroft, forthcoming History of the
.nioA United States
.vofThe month of May robed the catalpa
. andthe oleander in their gorgeous mas
ses OF flowers, and the peace of harlestou
. syasstlll undisturhed except by gathering
Z 5Eumors that the English fleet and trans.
ports destined for its attack had arrived
diniCape Fear river. All the mechanics
D and laborers about town were employed
q ainstrengtheniug in its Notifications, and a
great numter of negroes, brought down
nfrpm the country were put upon the
works. The bloom of the magnolia was
turning yellow in the hot sky of early
q summer, when on the first day of June
expresses from Christ Church Parish bro't
news to the President that feet of forty
orsfity sail lay anchored about twenty
miles to the north of Charleston bar.
Happily the colony had already organ-
ized an efficient government, and invests
ed Rutledge, its chief executive officer,
with large power. He ordered the alarm
20 be fired, and while the citizens were
looking out for horses, carriages or boats
TO remove their wives and children, he
hastened down the militia from the coun-
try by expresses, and in company with
Armstrong visited all the fortifcatons.-
harricades were thrown up against the
principal streets defences were raised at
the points most likely to be selected for
landing: lead, gathered from the weights
OF Windows of churches and dwelling
houses, was cast into musket balls, and
respectable force in men Nas concentra>
ted in the capitol.
Thn pf thn ,,h. l.
turned upon the people of South Carroll.
ma Their invaders at a moment when
Instant action vas essential to their sue
cess, were perpleXed by uncertainty of
counsel between Clinton anl Sir Peter
Parker. the respective commanders of the
army and the naval force On the sew
enih Clinton would have sen! on shore a
proclamRtion by a flag of truce: his boat
was fired on by an ignorant sentinel, but
next day Moultrie offered an explanation
through one of his officers, and received
the proclamation in return. In this the
British General declared the existence of
most unrrovoked and wicked rebellion
within South Carolina the succession of
crimes Of its inhabitants, the tyranny of
itscon gress and its committees, the error,
thus far incorrible, of an infatuated and
misguided multitude, tho duty of pro-
ceeding forthwith against all men in arms,
congress and committees, as open enemies
OF the State; but from humanity he con-
sented 10 forewarn the deluded people,
and to offer in His Majesty's name free
pardon TO such as should lay down their
arms and submit TO the laws" Having
done this he consulted CORVALLIS on the
best means of gaining possession of Sulli,
vans Island; and both agreed that they
could not more effectually cooperate
With the intended movement of the fleet,
than by taking possession of Long Island
which was represented to communicate
WITH Sullivan's Island at low wate;, by
ford, and with the main body by chan
mel navigable for boats of light draft
Chntonhad four days time to sound the
iord, but he took the story of its depth on
trust.
y.. On the morning Of the ninth of June,
Charles Lee, attended by his aid-de.camp
and Robert Howe, Of North Carolina. arr
I rived at Haddrelps Point. After examin>
ing its fortifcations, he crossed over 10
6uil;van's Island, where he found n good
stock of powder, fort ofwhich tho front
and one side were finished, and tweIve
Kindred men encamped in its rear in
huts und booths that were rooted with
palmetto leaves. Within the fort numer.
Gus mechanics and laborers were fitting
and lifting pa metto logs for its walls. =
He had scarce glanced at the work, when
he declared that he did not like that post
Nall it could not hold out half an hour,
:nd there was no way to retreat;' it was
Pr slaughter PEN and the garrison
xould be sacrificed. On his way up to
Snarleston, Lee touched at James Island,
&ere Gadsden had the command.
Inc battalions raised in South Carolina
Isre not yet placed upon the continen
establishment and although Con.
eress bore tho pronortionato exnense. tho