The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-08-02
WAR STORIES.
Battle Of Stono Henry, One Of the Revo1,,-
TONS Bloodiest.
Helen Harcourt in the Sunny South.

defeated the British feet and saved
charleston from what seemed to many
inevitable capture. Among those
who held this opinion was the last
rnau who should have done so, or at
Feast, have acted upon it Major Gen
.eral Lee, the nominal commander of
:All the Continental troops in the
South. So convinced was he Of the
Eutility Of resistance that he ordered
Col. Moulirie, who had manned the
sors on Sullivans Island, aye, and
tauiIt it, too, before Lees arrival, to
abandon the fort and make no attempt
;at defense. The gallant Moultrie
refused to obey this order, and was
S1phek in his refusal by the plucky
Governor Rutledge, who was his more
LEaEediste commander. The battle
was fought and won, while Lee look
tsa ca from safe distance.
Within six months of this famous
battle of Fort Moultric, General Lee
was recalled to the north and Major
General Lincoln was ordered to take
command of the southern troops Of
'tiae United States. General Lincoln
reached Charleston in December,
Eaz9, and at once commenced active
separations against the enemy. who
was in full possession not only Of
Savannah, but of almost the entire
State of Georgia. Collecting his
Guroes Lincoln marched toward Savan-
aah. Reaching the west bank Of the
giver, he detached General Asche,
with two thousand men, onefourth of
dis army, and sent him across the.
river. Asche approached Brier Creek
-en the third Of March, and suddenly
found himself surrounded by large
Cody of British troops under the per
sonal command Of General Provost.
THE surprise was as complete as it
Swas inexousable and disastrous, and
resulted in the loss of almost the en-.
eire detachment.
Lincoln crippled by this misfortune
'uas forced to fall back to his base at
charleston. Nothing daunted, be
rapidly recruited his little army. and
'by the middle of April had collected
5000 determined patriots Leaving
Moultrie, now general, in command
OF Charleston, with orders to watch
Cor Provost, and should he appear,
.eudeavor to keep him occupied around
she city. Lincoln began his march
aor Georgia once more. But this time
siis route lay by the way of Augusta.
Eincoln's second expedition began its
enarch on the 23rd of April. Mean
time, as he had anticipated, Provost
aaad determined to attack Charleston
while Lincoln and the bulk of the
ssnall American army were out Of the
way. On the 1st Of May, the British
general appeared before the city and
demanded its surrender. Needless to
say, with such man as Moultrie in
command, the reply to this summons
was bold defiance.
Happily for the small American
eorce left to defend Charleston, Gen
cral Lincoln had received warning of
Prevost's approach, and hastily re-
traced bis steps.
At Stono Ferry he found a large
force Of British, and resolved to at
eack them. On closer approach,
esoweVer, Lincoln discovered the
enemy to be greatly superior to his
own little army both in numbers and
to artillery, 80 that he dared not take
tie risk OF an attack. 1t so happen
sss, that while hesitating as to the
4est course to pursue, an order ar.
~ived from Provost, detaohing por-
fion of the Stono Ferry forces for ac-
tive service elsewhere. Colonel
Maitland, the British commander, did
'not dare to disregard the order,
Though he fel. sure it would not have
5eea.given hsd Provost been aware Of
the presence Of the enemy. The de-
aachment, therefore, marched away.
Under these improved conditions,
aeincoln decided to return to his FIRST
plan, and attack the post.
Maitland, with his front protected
by vreastworks, his tanks resting, the
:nus ON a morass, the other on q ra.
vine, felt secure from defeat in spite |
IF his depleted force. The ground in
erohL ,of the British intrenohments
was level, and q short distance from
ohem, covered with lofty pine trees,
She Americans formed in line of battle
ia the sshelter Of the latter. Lincoln
Ad6 d6-asoertained that the Highlanders,
'aho were the best and most expe-
1ienned troops in Maitland's command |
=