Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-04-29
A Morass inside Of the Fort Extin,
gulshed Many Shells Of
the Enemy.
With Small Number of Troops the
Fort Defeated Large
British Fleet.

|
as 1t does, some of the most important
chapters IN the annals of American histo-
| ry. AS such cursory sketch of the events
with which it has been associated may not
prove interesting to the general readers.
| About the period of the revolution the
relations of the colonies to the mother
country were friendly, and the people
were loyal to the British govern
ment. But the subsequent resist
ance to its authority was engen-
dered by sense of duty to oppose what
they regarded as unjust encroachments
upon their rights as subjects. 1t is unnec-
essary TO enter into the details of the
stamp act, which was the primary irrita5-
ing cause of the difficulty and of the
famous tea episode, which aggravated the
| otfense and Intensified the inimical feel
lngs OF the colOnists. These are subjects
OF common history, and familiar to every
schoolboy. Active hostilitles were inaugu-
rated in South Carolina in 1885, when two
royal armed vessels, the lamar and the
Cherokee, fred upon the schooner Defence,
which was engaged protecting the sinking
or hulks across what is known as Hog Island
Channel. The return of the fire and that
OF some heavy artillery which Col. William
Moultrle had mounted on an eligible site,
called at that time Haddrell's Point, dis
| persed the British vessels. The first blood
was shed IN the memorable battle of Fort
J Moutrle on tbs 18th Of June 1776, when
the British fleet In command of Admiral
Sir Peter Parker attacked what was then
known as Fort Sullivan, so.called from the
fact of its being located on Sulli7an's
Island, about seven miles from the city of
Charleston. The fort stood on the front
1 nnh nf Soil IL.
the main entrance to the harpor. It was
at that Juncture square structure, with a
| bast1on at each angle, and was construct
ed OF Palmetto logs, piled one On another
IN two lines sixteen feet apart, the inter
vening spaces being filed with sand The
plans OF the fort were hurriedly developed
and lncompletely carried out for the want
of time, and with the breastworks thrown
up at the eastern end of the land.
/ With these scanty and INSULT Gent de.
fenseS and comparatively small number
of troops, the British fleet consisting of
eight vessels, two Of them fifty gun ships,
was defeated with severe loss, the ActG IN
grounded and abandoned, and the ship of
the Admiral being almost entirely
annibilated. Not only did thu spongy
Palmetto logs prove formidable bulwarks
against the enemEs cannon balls and the
sand, superior masonry, for resisting
the same, but Elorass in The interior of
the fort did effective service in extipguish-
ing the fuses Of many of the shells which
fell into it. The incident Of the rescue of
the flag which was shot away in the early
part of the action and its replace ment by
Sergeant Jasper in the midst of the hea.
West fire of the enemy is one of the oldest
/ nd ha g
revolution. 1t may not, however, be gen
orally known that as late as 1876 the cen
tenary of the battle, the event was com
memorated by The Lnveilink of monu-
ment to the gallant sergeant, in the act of
mounting the ramparts, with the rescued
flag on a sponge staff, erected by a spirited
and patriotic military COM any of Charles
| ton known as the Palmetto Guard" and
located at White Point Garden, which
OVerlooks the battery, In full view Of the
fort, where the intrepid deed was per
| formed. The defense Of this fort was one
Of the most gallant events OF the whole
war and achieved for General MCuItrie the
highest distinction. The fort was thus
named in his honor.
The present fort is built Of brick on the
same site. 1t was occupied by our troops,
y
secession of South Carolina, and it was
his evacuation of it on the night of the
| 26th of December, 1860, after having
| spiked the guns and destroying the car.
riages. and his subsequent occupancy of
| Forts Sumter, which cons ituted the first
act In the woeful and pIotructea tragedy
| Of the war of the rebellion. All the cir
cumstances of these stirring times have
| been often rehearsed. The occupa ton of
the fort by tire confederate forces In con.
| junction with other points of vantage
ned by them and the joining of the Ere
/ with other batteries against fort Sumter
which Major Anderson and his noteworthy
| band of United States troops were garri-
soning, are matters of comparatively re.
cent history, and need not be related.
| Prior to the war MoultrievilIe, or Sulli-
van Island, was fashionable and popu-
| lar summer resort on account of the salu
brity of its climate, bathing facilities,
splendid drives, and magnificent beach.
| The tufted ramparts of tie fort furnished
a gala promenade for the peop,e. and it
was an almost daily spectacle to witness
elegantly dressed ladies with their escorts
strolling along the favorite walks, while
groups of children. .gayly disported over
It's grassy plots. The officers too, with
their traditional galantry, acted as
sprighily cavaliers to the ladies of their
choice, and possibly, had the little
sequestered spots, that lie about the Gals
sons of the guns, and the sentry-boxes,
and the nountings of the ordinance gen
ersiIv. tongues that could thev pirate
wou eIoouently tell of many a snnti-
mental and romantic episode. On Sun
DAYS it was customary for the troops to
appear on tull-dress parade and the cent
always attracted large crowd from the
hotels and private retreats of the So
iourners at the island. The dashing
uniforms of the soldiery, the inspiring
music of the band, the area of neatly
trimmed space, which constituted the ex-
tent of the parade ground, with the as
sembled spectators, all conspired to pre-
sent an ensemble at once brilliant and
alluring.
The view from the ramparts of Fort
Moultrie is one of the fine in the coun-
try. A beach, nearly 100 yards wide at
low water, firm and gently shelving,
sweeps along over a distance Of three
miles and affords charming drive. A
splendid surf. which, from the constant
play of the waves. Is crested with foam
and beaded with jets of spray that sparkle |
in the sunshine, surges IN with the rising |
tide, distributing Its wealth of shells to |
the elsexise impoverished shore. The |
ocean in front forms noble adjunct to the |
combined water view and landscape, and |
the crafts that are constantly plying the |
sea heighten the effect of the panorama /