Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-06-01

Imined that Moultrle ana MS Cdrolll]
troops might suffer all the losses ant
ienjoy all the glory Of defending For
Sullivan. The whole number Of mer
left to defend this important point wa:
only four hundred and thirty five
all South Carolinians. They were the
Second South Carolina regiment o.
infantry, consisting Of four hundred
and thirteen men and twenty-five Of
the Fourth South Carolina regiment Of
artillery. In this act, General Lee
showed more temper than good sense
1t was the intention Of the British
commanders to attack Fort Sullivan
simultaneously by water and land
i Clinton was to cross over Beach Inlet
and drive Thomas from his fortifica-
ton and proceed to attack Fort Sui
livan by land, whilst Parker was tc
attack 1t by water.
From the 4th of June, to the 2sth
preparations were vigorously made by
both parties. The British were pre-
pairing for the attack and the Ameri-
cans for the defence. On the morning
of the 2Sth of June, 1776, the British
fleet began to take position. 1t con-
sisted Of the Bristol and Experiment
each fifty gun ships; the Active, Sole
bay, Acteon, Sphynx and Syren, each
of twenty eight guns: the Friendship
of twenty-five guns; and another OF
twenty guns. together with an armed
schooner and the -ketch
In all about three hundred guns OF
'arge caliber. The Active, Bristol, Ex-
pertinent and Solebay ran up nearest
the fort; the Sphynx, Syren, Thunder
bomb and Friendship arranged them
selves a little in the rear Of the others
and more distant from the city. All
things being ready at half past ten In
the morning, Sir Peter Parker gave the
signal to commence the attack. AS
the several vessels had been getting
into position the guns Of the fort had
been fired upon them, the vessels re-
turning a broadside. About eleven
o'clock the action became general
The inhabitants Of the city were
watching the battle from the tops OF
houses and other elevated places. The
fire from the fort was slow, but well
directed.
Early in the engagement, Sir Peter
sent the Syren, Acteon and Sphynx to
attack the extreme western side Of the
fort. This was the part Of the
fort which was unfinished; and had
these vessels been able to execute their
orders, the result of the battle might
have been different. AS the vessel ad-
vanced to take a position, so that they
could enfilade the garrison, they be-
came entangled In shoal, called the
Middle Ground The Acteon stuck
fast, the Sphynx lost her bowsprit and
although she got away. she was no
longer fit for action. The Syren
more fortunate than the other two, es-
capped with little damages.
During the action which lasted more
than ten hours, the garrison had only
lost ten men killed and twenty wound
ed In the fort there was a morass
which extinguished the fuses Of the
bomb and rendered them harmless.
The loss of the British was fearfully
great. The commodores ship-the
Bristol-was twice swept of every man
on it's deck, and the tradition is that
Sir Peter Parker had his silk panta-
looms shot off him. The loss in killed
and wounded on the Bristol, was one
hundred and eleven; on the Experiment
seventy nine. The whole loss Of the
British in killed and wounded was two
hundred and twenty-five. Among the
wounded was Captain Morris, of the
Bristol who afterwards died of his
wounds; captain of the Experiment, lost
an arm. Lord William Campbell, late
governor of South Carolina, served as
a volunteer on the Bristol and was
wounded i'm the beginning of the action
The forces stationed on Long Island
under the command of Clinton, effect
ed nothing. Colonel Thomas, with
his rifiemen kept them back.
At one time the powder in the fort
was exhausted and the firing having
ceased, the British thought the garri-
son was about to surrender. Governor
Rutledge sent a fresh supply of pow
der from the city, and Francis Marion
obtained another supply from the
schooner Defence. At sunset the firing
began to slacken and ceased entirely
/ ~ al A al 10 q Z
tered fleet, except the Acteon, which
was still stranded, withdrew to Five
Fathom Hole. Soon the next morning
the garrison opened a fire upon the
Acteon. which at first was returned
Sir Peter Parker seeing the condition
of the Acteon, sent word to the crew
to set her on fire and leave her. This
was done but before she blew up g
small party of Carolinians under Cap
tain Jacob Milligan, boarded her, took
her flag, which the crew left her bel
and three boat loads of supplies. Ther
having fired her guns, which were left
loaded, upon the Bristol they left. Ir
few minutes after the departure OF
. | captain MlHl6dll anu HIS party, tIlt
Acteon blew up.
Clinton again attempted to eros!
; Beach Inlet, but Captain Thoma:
again drove him back. The fleet pro-
ceeded to Long Island to recruit. Or
the 18th of July with a ruined flee
and a heart filled with sorrow, the
whole British force left South Caroline
for New York. Moultrie's slaughter
pen had blasted the hopes of Parker
CORVALLIS, Clinton and Vaughn. For
Sullivan was afterward in honor of it!
brave defender, named Moultrie.
Among those who covered them
selves with glory, was Sergeant vii
: liam Jasper and Sergeant Mcdonald
When the flag staff was shot down
Jasper leaped over on the beach, Sc
2 cured the flag. and then amid a shower
of iron hail, mounted the ramparts an(
planted it on the walls of the fort
Poor Mcdonald was mortally wounded
When dying he said: Il die, my com
, rades: but do not let the cause of lib
erty die with me-"
Governor Rutledge presented Jaspe