Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-04-17
GQortester 4ailp SPY.
From Bancroft's History of the United States.
THE BATTLE OF FORT MoULTRIE,
2Sth of June, 1910.


The month of MAJ robed the pomegranate
and the oleander in their gorgeous masses of
flowers, and the peace of Charleston was still
undlstnrbed except by gathering rumors, that
the English fleet and transports destined tor |
the attack had arrived in Cape Fear river. |
Its citizens taking courage from the efficiency
and wisdom with which the independent gov
eminent OF the colony was administered, toied
continually in the trenches, and bands OF me-
groes from the neighboring plantations were
put upon the works. The bloom of the mag
noa was following in the hot sky OF early
summer when on the first day OF June cX-
presses from Christ Church parish brought
news to the president that fleet of forty or
fifty sail lay anchored about twenty miles 10
the north of Charleston narbor.
Prompt and fearless in action, Rutedge
ordered the alarm to be fired, and while the
townsmen were looking out tor horses, car
riages, or botes, to remove their wives, and
children, he fastened down the militia from
the country by expresses; and, in company
with Armstrong, visited all the Notifications
Barbados were thrown up across the prnci-
pal streets detences were raised at the points
most likely to be selected for landing lead,
CLEANED from the weights of church windows
and dwelling houses, was cast into musket
balls; and respectable force in Laen was
concentrated at the capital.
On the morning of the 2Sth, gentle sea-
breeze prognosticated the attack. Lee from
Charleston, for the tenth or eleventh time,
charged Moultrie TO finish the bridge for his
retreat, promised him reinforcemens, which
were never sent, and still medltated removing
him from his command while Moultrie whose
faculties under the outward show Of impertur-
babe and even indoent calm, were strained to
utmost tension, rode to visit his advance guard
ON the east. Seeing the enemy S boats in mo.
ton on the beach of Long Island and the men
of war loosng their topsais, Moultrie hurried
back to his fort at full speed. He ordered the
long roll 10 beat, and officers and meu to their
posts. His whole number, including himself
and officers was, 435; of whom % were of the
artillery, the rest of his own regiment; men
who were bound to each other. to their officers
and to him, by personal affection and conf
dence. Next to him in command was Isaac
Mote his major was the fearless and daunt-
less Francis Marion. The fort vas a square,
with bastion at each angle; built of Palmel.
to logs, dove-tailed and boted together, and
laid in parallel rows sixteen feet asunder, with
sand filled in between the rows. On the east
ern and northern sides the Palmetto wall was
only seven feet high but it was surmounted BY
thick plank, so as to be tenable against
scaling party traverse OF sand extended
from east to west. The standard which was
advanced to the south east bastion, DISPLAYED
flag Of blue with white crescent, on which
was emhazoned LIBERTY The whole num-
Der OF cannon in the fort, the bastions, and the
two caViliers, was but 81, of which, no more
than Il could at the sometime be brought into
use; OF ammunition there was but % rounds
for 26 cannon. AT Hadlrels Point, across
the bay, Armstrong had about 1900 men. The
first regular South Carolina regiment under
Christopher GadSden, occupied Fort johnson,
which stood in the most norlherly part of
james Island, about three miles from Charles
ton, and within point-bIank shot Of the chan
mel. Charleston was protected by more than
1000 men.
The Thunder bomb," covered by the
III ship" began the action ~ throwing
81 a 9ich it Continued till more than 60
wereSustharged Of these some burst in the
air; one lighted on the magazine without do
ing injury the rest sunk in the morass, or
were buried in the sand within the fort AT
about quarter to eleven the Active" OF %
guns, disregarding four or five shots fred at
her while under sail the :" Bristol" with so
guns, having on board Sir Peter Parker, and
Lord William Campbell, the governor; the
Experiment" also of so guns and the
Solebay of %, brought up within about
$50 yards of the fort, let go their anchors with
springs upon their cables, and began a most
turio"s cannonade. Every sailor expected
tina wo 5roadsides would end the strife but
the Soft, fibrous, spongy wood of the Palmetto
wilhstood the rapid fire, and neither split, nor
spHtered, nor started and the Varapet was
high enough TO protect the men pn the plat
forms. When broadsides from three or four
of the mcn-of.war struck the logs at the same
instant, the shock gave the merlons a tremor
but TIE pile remained uninjured Moultrie
had but one-tenth as many guns as
were brought to bear on him, and was
moreover obliged to stint the use of powder
His guns ecordingly were fired very slowly
the officers taking aim, and waiting always
for the smoke 10 clear away, that they might
point with more precision. Mind the Com
modore, mind the ftty-gun ship" were the
words that passed along the platform from Of
fcers and men,
Shall l send for more powder 2" asked
Moultrie of Motto
To be sure" said Motto.
Aid Moultrie wrote to Lee: &c believe we
shall want more powder. AT the rate we go
on | think we shall but you can see that
Pray send us more if you think proper"
More vessels were seen coming up, and can
non were heard from the northeast Clinton
had promised support; not knowing that else
to do he directed the batteries on Long Island
to open a cannonade; and several shells were
thrown into Thomsons entertainments, doing |
The firing was returned by Thomson with his
one eighteen FOUNDER; but from the distance
with little effect
The people of Charleston, as they looked |!
from the battery with senses quckened by the
nearness Of dan~er, beheld tile Sphinx" the |
"Acteon,' and the "Syren,' each of 28 guns,
sailing as if TO get between HaddrelPs Point |
and the fort, so as to enfilade the works, and
when the rebels should be driven from them, |
TO cut off their retreat. 1t was Il moment of
danger, for the fort upon that side was unfin
ished; but the pilots kept too far to the south,
so that they run all the three upon a bank OF
sand, known as the Lower Middle Ground.
Gladdened by seeing the frigates thus entan-
gled, the behoders in the town were swayed
alternately by their fears and hopes. The
armed Inhabitants stood every one at his post
uncertain but that they might be called to I'M
mediate action, hardly daring to believe but
that Moultries small and -furnisbed garrison
could beat of 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 waters edge, trust
ing in Providence, and preterring 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
ramparts. Colonel" said he to Moultrie
"don't let us fight without flag"
"What can you do?" asked Moultrie; "the
staff is broken of"
"Then," said Jasper, rI fix it on hal
berd, and place it on The merton of the bastion
next the enemy !" and leaping through an EN-.
brasure and Drawing the thickest fire from the
ship lie took up the flag returned with it safe
~ ard planted it, as he had promised on the
summit OF the merton.