Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-05-16


ing as if to get between Haddrell's Point and
the fort, so as to enflade the works. and when
the rebels should be driven from them, to cut
off their retreat Ii was moment of danger,
for the fort upon that side was uninishedj but
the pilots kept too far to the south, so that they
all the three run upon a bank of sand, known
as the Lower Middle Ground. Gladdened to
see the frigates thus entangled, the beholders
in the town we're sNayed alternately by their
fears and hopes. The armed inhab tants stood
every one at his post, uncertain but that they
might be called to immediate action, hardly dar-
ing to believe but that Moultrie's small ill-lur
nished garrison could beat off the squadron,
when, behold his flag disappears from their
eyes. Fearing that his colors had been struck,
they prepared to meet the invaders at the wa
ter's edge trusting in Providence, and prefer
ring death to slavery.
In the fort, William Jasper, a sergeant, per-
ceived that the flag had been cut down by ball
from the enemy, and had fallen over the ram
parts Colonel said he to Moutrie, don't let
us fight without flag
What can you do?' asked Moultric; tho
staff is broken off,
Then said Jasper, I'll fix it on a halberd,
and place it on the mcron of the bastion next
the enemy and leapng through an embrasure
and Drawing the thickcst fire from the ship, he
took up the flag returned with it safely and
planted it, as he had promised on the summit
of the merlon.
The slow intermitted fire which was skillfully
directed against the Commodore and the brave
seamen on board the Bristol shattered that
ship and carried wounds and death. Never
had the British squadron experienced so rude
an encounter. Neither the tide nor the wind
suffered them to retire. Once the springs on
the cables of the Bristol were swept away; as
.;tb sto tlp c,,,
she drew upon herself the fire of all the guns
that could be brought to bear upon her. The
slaughter was dreadful. OF all who in the be-
ginning of the action were stationed on her
quarter deck not one escaped being killed or
wounded. At one moment, it is said, the Com
modorc stood there alone, an example of un-
surpassed intrcpidity and frmness. Morris, his
Captain, having his forearm shattered by chain
shot, and also receiving a wound in his neck
was taken into the cockpt but after submitting
to amputaton he insisted on being carried on
the quarterback once more, where he resumed
the command and continued it till he was shot
through the body, when, feeling dissolution near
he commended his family to the providence of
God and the generosity Of his country. Mean
time the eyes of the Commodore and of all on
board his fleet were frequently and impatiently'
and vainly turned toward the enemy. If the
troops would but cooperate he was sure of
gaining the island for at about one O'Clock he
believed he had silenced the guns of the rebels,
and that the fort was on the point of being
evacuated. If this were So Clinton afterward
asked him, why did you not take possession of
the fort, with the seamen and marines whom
you had practicable that purposeP And Park
ers rejoinder was that he had no prospect of
rpeedy support from Clinton. But the pause
was owing to the scarcity of POWDER of which
tlo hat o1 to
ed for the musketry as defence against an ex-
pected attack from our land forces. Lee should
have replenshed his stock but in the heat of
the action Moultrie received from him this let
| ter: IF you should unfortunately expend your
ammunition without beating off the enemy, or
driving them on ground, spike your guns and
retreat
little later better gift and better mes
sage came from Rutedge, now at Charleston
Il send you five hundred pounds of POWDER
Your know our collection is not very great
Honor and victory to you and our worthy coun-
trymen with you. DO not make too free with
your cannon. BE cool and do mischief These
five hundred pounds of powder, with two hun
dred pou DIS from schooner lying at the bac,
of the fort, were all the supplies tn It MoultriC
received. At three in the afteraoon Lee, on
report from his .aid-de-camp Byrn, sent Muh.
lenburgs Virginia Rihemen to reinforce 'Thomp-
SON. A little before five Moultrle was able tc
rer ew his fire. At about five the marines il
the deep tops, seeing lieutenant with eight OF
ten men remove the heavy barricade from the
gateway to the fort, thought that Moultrie anC
his party were about to retreat; but the gate
way was unbarred to receive a visit from Lee
The officers half naked, and begrimmed witt
the hot days work, respectfully laid down thei
pipes as he drew near. The general himsel
pointed two or three guns, after which he sale
to Moultrie, Colonel, see you are doing very
well here, you have no occasion for me, | vii
go up to town again ! and thus he left the fort
When, at a few minutes past seven, the SUI
went down in a blaze of light, the battle wa
still raging, though the British showed signs o
WEAKNESS. The inhabitants of Charleston
whom the evening sea-bleeze collected on tn
battery, could behold the flag of crescent liber
ty still proudly waving and they continued
gazing anxiously, till the short twilight was sud
denly merged in the deep darkness of a south
ern night, when nothing was seen but continuo
flashes, followed by peals as it were of thunde
coming out from heavy cloud. Many thou
sand shot were fired from the shipping, am
hardly hut or tree on the island escaped un
hurt but the works were very little damaged
and only one gun was silenced. The tirn
from the fort continued slowly, and the fe,
shots they were able to send were heard t
/ strike against the ships timbers. Just afte
nine o'clock, great part of his ammuntio
> being expended in a cannonade of about tc
hours, his people fatigued, the Bristol and 'EX
pertinent made nearly wrecks, the tide of eb
almost done, with no prospect of help from tn
; army at the eastward, and no possibility of hi
e being of any further service, Sir Peter ParkC
D resolved to withdraw. At hali-past nine hi
b ships slipped their cables, and dropped dow
= with the tide to their previous moorings.
/ OF the four hundred and thirty-five Amer
e cans in the fort, who took part in this actor
: all but eleven remained alive. and Of these bl
= 26 were wounded. At so small a cost of Iii
h had Charleston been defended and a ProyinC
- saved. When, after a cannonade of about te
n hours, the firing ceased, the inhabitants
c Charleston remained in suspence, till bo
e from Moultric announced his victory. At morl
= ing's dawn the 'Acteon' frigate was seen ia
n aground about 400 yards from the fort II
e 'Syrcn' had got off, and so too had the 'Sphin,
d yet with the loss of her bowsprit. Some sho
: were exchanged, but the crew Of the 'Acteo
y soon set fire to her and deserted her. Me
e from the fort boarded her while she was on fir
e pointed and discharged two or three of her gun
i at the Commodore and loaded their three boa
from her stores. In one half of an hour aft
/ they abandoned her, she blew up, and to Il
eyes of the Carolinans, the pillar OF smoke,
it rose over the vessel, took the form of pa
'e mctto.
m The Bristol had forty men killed and seve
y ty-one men wounded. Lord William CampbC
received "A contuSion in his left side and aft