The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-07-13

accomplish In the Impending connlct
Their general, Lee, once colonel IN the
British army, evidently expected catas-
trophe. His chief concern, up to the day
of the battle, was for the escape of the
garrison. He did not like the post; said
!"there was no way of retreat" called it
"a slaughter pen," wished to withdraw
the garrison and give up the post. De-
clared it absolutely necessary to have a
bridge of boats for retreat" June 7th,
Thought Moultrie should have "two
means of retreat" and urged expedition
in finishing the bridge" June 9Th,
wrote again about the bridge. June
10th, that it was absolutely necessary
for the common safety that the bridge of
retreat be finished that night" the COM
modore's ship having crossed the bar.
Day after day he wrote, expressing his
solicitude about means of retreat, up to
the night of the 9th. He had but little
confidence in the troops; thought Moul-
trie "too easy" for the command of so
important a post, and declared his
opinion that Thompson two guns "could
be carried off whenever the enemy
thought proper" Armstrong, too, wrote
Moultrie, RI wish the situation of the
bridge may not be fatal to U.S." One
Capt. Lampriere, brave and expe-
rienced seaman, said to him, "Sir, when
those ships come to lay alongside your
fort, they will knock it down in half an
hour"
Under all these discouragements, the
morale of Moultrie and his command was
magnificent. He tells he never was un-
easy about his means of retreat. "Never
imagined that the enemy could force him
to that necessity" considered himself
cable to defend the post" Replied to
Lampriere that if the fort was knocked
down they would ''lie behind the ruins
and prevent their men from landing"
On the 10th, writes, eve are all in high
spirits" His only concern was for a
supply of ammunition. He was only
entrusted with t,Oenty-eight rounds
Major Ben Huger was brave and gal
lant officer, who fell on the lines of
Charleston, by the fire of his own men,
May 10th, ITS, date, the anniversary
of which long afterwards was made
memorable as that upon which the spirit
of Stonewall Jackson passed over the
river and rested under the shade of the
trees" the victim of a similar accident.
june 9th, Major Huger writes to his wife
at Georgetown: "Sulliyan's Island will
be the spot first attacked, and which l
imagine will bear the brunt of the action.
This seems to be the general opinion.
I dined there yesterday, and
never in my life did I see men in better
spirits, or more anxious for battle
Should they be attacked, believe the
contest will be glorious one. I have
not the least doubt of victory, and am of
opinion the contest will end at Sullivan's
Island. We have about five
hundred men here (Charleston) and
though not so numerous as we could
wish, yet think well able to cope with
three times their number of men IN 80
glorious cause" How nobly he illus
trated that grand sentiment of the poet
'Thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel just,
In 80 glorious cause"
| Look where we may, my countrymen,
into the record of those grand old days
in the archives of government official
and State papers, in the acts of assem-
blies, in public addresses, or in private,
and even domestic, correspondence, these
glorious words ever recur, ringing upon
the ear and stirring the hearts Of men,
like some celestial trumpet-cal.
Nothing could daunt the courage of
men thus animated. 1t was an inspira-
ton under which they acted-those glori-
Gus men of 1776. They were no longer
men; they were the ministers of a cause
"a grand, glorious, heaven-born mis-.
sion-to bring to suffering, oppressed and
respondent humanity the assurance of
civil and religious liberty, reasonable,
regulated, orderly, equal, and uniform.
Liberty and 1ndependence-the right
of local self-government for homogene-
GUS communities and peoples. These
were the glorious watch-words that fired
the hearts and nerved the arms of our
ancestors, and brought them face to face
in deadly conflict with the greatest power
on earth, severing the ties of brother
hood, nationality and allegiance; throw
ing off her protection, and Drawing her
strength.
In this invincible spirit, this sublime
faith, Moultrie and Thompson, and their
heroic comrades, awaited the onset of
their heretofore invincible foe, that
memorable morning, a hundred years
ago, fraught with consequences of inesti-
mable importance to millions of the
human family yet to be born. Had that
little log fort fallen that day, Charleston
and the Carolinas would have fallen
there would have been no French alli-
ance; British power and resources would
have triumphed; there would have been
no independence to America; no vindi-
cation of the principles of liberty and the
right of selt-government; no French
Revolution; no subversion of old, obso-
lete, and despotic systems. The march
of civilization would have been arrested,
and human progress stayed.
At an early hour that morning, Moul-
trie, visiting Thompson's outpost, dis
covered the boats back of Long Island in
motion, and turning seaward, saw the
men-of-war loose their topsails. Hurry
ing to the fort, he prepared for action.
The long-roll was beat, the garrison was
aroused, the officers and men rushed to
their positions, the guns were manned,
the matches lighted, every nerve braced,
and every heart strengthened by silent
appeal to the God of Battles.
Not long did they wait the dread mo-
ment. With top-gallant sails, royals and
sky-scrapers spread, the feet sailed
majestically up the channel, 'ike float
ing mountains" under slow fire from
the fort, lay close in, and dropped their
anchors, in the calm confidence of an
easy and assured victory, and opened
upon the fort furious cannonade.
Says the British annalist of the day
"While the continued thunder from the
ships seemed sufficient to shake the firm
ness of the bravest enemy, and daunt the
courage of the most veteran soldier, the
return made by the fort could not fail of
calling for the respect OF, as we'll as
highly incommoding, the brave seamen