Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-05-04

entered the city before the expiration Of the
truce. A shout of joy was raised, and feel
ing of confidence pervaded every breast.
Lieutenant Colonel Maitland entered Savan-
nah on the afternoon of the 18th, and soon
after General Provost sent Count d'Estaing q
note informing him "that he should defend
himself to the last extremity"
The Count now, no doubt, discovered that
he had made fatal mistake. Although he
was eager to come to the assistance Of General
Lincoln, he seems to have acted precipitately
and strangely inconsistent from the moment
he landed his forces. His intention, when he
set out from Cape Francois, was to remain at
Savannah only ten days. He had been in
formed by the French Consul, by Governor
Rutledge, and General Lincoln, Of the condi-
ton of the British forces From this infor-
nation be thought Savannah could be reduc-
ed in ten days. His information was true,
and his deduction correct. The city could
have been captured in less than ten hours, if
the attack had been made as soon as the
French forces landed. %
When Gen. Provost refused to surrender, it
was perceived that the city could not be ta-
ken by assault Preparation was now made
by the allied powers for taking the place by
seige. D'Estaing was restless. He feared
storm might dash his ships to pieces, and he
feared Admiral Byron might follow him from
the West Indies and surround him and cap
ture him and all his fleet. The stores and
heavy ordnance were brought up from the
point at which the French had landed. The
small vessels belonging to the French fleet
moved up the Savannah and forced the Brit.
ish ships to seek refuge under cover of the
guns of the batteries. On the morning Of the
23rd of September, the besieging armies
broke ground. Night and day they worked
with an energy seldom surpassed and rarely
equalled. In less than two weeks, ffty.three
heavy guns and fourteen mortars were mount
ed and ready for use. Provost kept his forces
within his lines, outstanding all his strength
for the final conflict Only two attacks we're
made upon the besiegers. The one on the
24th of September, led by Major Graham,
and the other on the 9th of September, led
by Major Macarthur. These sorties amount
ed to very little. A few men we're killed on
both sides, but the work Of the besieged and
besiegers went on vigorously.
The works Of the besiegers being complete,
and the batteries all manned, the lombard
ment commenced, with terrific fury, on the
morning of the 4th of October. The Truite,
French frigate, commenced firing at the
same time For Eve days and nights, the
firing was kept up withoutintermission. The
houses in the city we're shattered to pieces by
the guns of the besiegers. Men, women and
children were killed in the streets. For safe
ty, the citizens took refuge in damp and un-
healthy cellars. Still the besiegers kept ap-
preaching the works of the British. The gar
rison became alarmed, for although their
works. as yet, we're not much injured, it was
evident to all that the garrison must soon be
crushed by the combined efforts Of the allied
powers. General Provost had hoped that Ad.
miral Byron would come to his assistance,
but now this only hope Of safety had died.
A grand victory and glorious triumph was
within the grasp of the French Count and
American General.
At this critical moment D'Estaing became
restless and impatient A council Of war was
called and the engineers declared that ten
days more would be required to reach the
British lines. D'Estaing declared that an
assault must be made upon the city at once,
or he would leave Without the aid of the
French forces, General Lincoln could do moth.
ing Rather than raise the siege, it was agreed
to make an attempt upon. the British works
by assault. The morning of the 9th of Octo-
Der was the time appointed to make the at
tack.
On the night of the 9th of October, Ser
geant in one of the Charleston companies de-
serted and communicated to General Provost
an outline Of the contemplated attack. The
British, warned by this deserter, were on the
lookout for the foe. The morning of the 9th
was densely foggy. Three thousand FIVE hun.
dred French, six hundred North Carolina
regulars, and three hundred Charleston mill
tia, moved forward to the assault. The storm
ersadvanced in three columns. Count dEs'
taing, assisted by General Lincoln, led the
first column against the Spring Hill redoubt,
which was north of the city. The other main
column was led by Count Dillon, and was d.
rected to move along the edge of a swamp and
attack the British lines on the east, near the
river. The third column was led by General
Isaac Huger. This column was ordered to
attack the British in front and thus divert
their attention from the two columns. Under
cover of heavy fire from all the batteries,
the three columns advanced to the several
points assigned them.
A few words are sufficient to give correct
account of the assault. The allied powers
were defeated with loss, in killed and woun-
ded, of fully one thousand, whilst the British
loss, in killed and wounded, was only one
hundred and twenty. The assaulting COL
umns were not discovered until they had ap.
preached within musket shot Of the British
work. A dense fog concealed them from view.
When day dawned, shower after shower Of
musket balls was poured into their ranks, and
the batteries opened cross fire which moved
the men down by hundreds. Early in the
action, D'Estaing wae 'ounded in an arm
and thigh, and carried from the field of car
mage to the camp. Lieutenant Colonel Lau-