The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-04-19


role great grandmother, who ~a2 not
only willing that her patriotic husband
should give up his possessions and if
necessary life itself, in defence of
his country, but submitted that he
should even endure all the horrors Of
exile in an English prison ship. She
was as much patriot as her brave
husband aud even though she were
not my kinswoman, as Daughter Of
the American Revolution ] should
aeup her.
Those we're days cf dread, uncer-
taiuty and bloodshed, and as the
Nonths rolled by the war cloud grew
%alacker. At last came the startling
Information that formidable attack
was 20 be made against Charles Town
.aaud Che patriots fastened to prepare
: Cor the defense of the city. By the
time the English feet had entered
1the harbor our men had constructed
ION Suliivan's Island the best fort
poesible, Of palmetto logs, and had
".Xseunted rs cannon, pointed the way
the enemy would have to come. On
che Grst of June, 1776, came the Brit
Ssh feet of over 40 vessels. These
gradually worked their way near to
Sullivan 9 Island, though two Of tho
'sh;ps were so large and heavy they
reGld not cross the bar until they
were lightened by the temporary re-
.noval Of their guns.
In the meantime the English land
forces had not been idle. Several
hundrcd soldiers had landed on Loug
Eslaad, under command of Sir Henry
rTCliaton. The English thought they
8~aould ford the narrow channel, which
separated Long Island from Sullivan 8
deland and made all their plans to CO.
= operate with the feet in the attack on
tho fort. This was considered by
saome, even one of our own men, Col.
CHARLES Lee and others, to be but o
poor defense-so frail that few dis
charges from the guns of the feet
would scatter il to pieces. They did
sSnot know the nature Of our palmetto
ssrees, which neither shatter nor split,
issut being porous the balls of the ene-
any were imbedded in the wood and
sthus did little harm. The fort was
defended by about $50 regular troops,
.sand come militia under command of
Sol. Moultrie.
On june %, the enemy opened Are
sapon the fort and terrible cannonade
sVFas fkept up ell day from the Britieh
*aaet. The guns Of the fort returned
ssthe: FIRE slowly but with deadly aim.
xSgddenly the American flag staff was
seshct away and the flag fell outside the
4ort, Sergeant Jasper fearlessly sprang
Gzeeu tie beach, rescued the flag and
'seplaced it upon the parapet Of the
Sort amid storm Of British shot.
SIha next day Gov. Rutledge took his
-sawagWord and presented il to Jasper
AaHdd,SS4GsseTTeeaa lad ,SS4GsseTTeea him iieuteuant's commits
ssion. Jasper gladly accepted the
sword but. declined the commission,
s4asshe could neither read nor write.
!. Another hero Of this time was Ser.
& Hgeans Mcdonald. He was mortally
sounded but continued urging his
omradcs to be faithful &c their ooun
;sstry till his voice was silenced in
ath. And still, the battle ragged.
Ehree Of the ships were now ordered
ss3sts attack the western end of the fort
(which was unfinished. A,s they ad.
saanced they stranded Oh shoal called
Middle Ground" probably the same
sShosl now known as Drunken Dick. /"
sA.R6 Of the ships ran afoul of each
s0tker and one Of them, the "Aoteor,"
stuck fast, the other two escaped,
The hour had now arrived when Sir
'8henfgt' linton was to cooperate with
The feet, but when his troops reached
&kechannel and attempted the pass.
=agefailure and death stared them in
'~sthe faes. Sir Henry Cliuton's 8 disas-
-'hsr seems to oorroborate legend
current on Sullivan's Island that
sEaays sssugiish soldiers lost their lives
70 attempting to ford this channel.
Gwen 1.-THE land forces could have
sa,yossea they would have encountered
200 .nen under Col. Thompson sta
ssiened on4 the east end Of Sullivan 8
asiand topFevent their landing.
History states that this chan.
Snel was Sansaally fordable, but at
ssresent it would prove more terrible
Sxenture than even, Sir Henry expe.
rfenced, sincs 3it is considered over 80
sgeet deep and q favorite resort for
z .-f, a.s,, .sStsYts .s.J:a ~