Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-06

country, anu tneIl, dt SOHle III liIlc-
having collected sufficient force, re-
turn and drive the British out. This
would have been the proper course,
but General Lincoln was forced to
yield to the wishes of the citizens. He
was no doubt deceived by being told
that reinforcements would flock to him
from all quarters Of the state. Not
only so, but he had sent dispatches to
Havana soliciting aid from the Span
ish governor Expecting that some
event would occur, which would ena-
BILE him to defend the city. he went to
work to strengthen the Notifications.
ditch was cut across Charleston
neck. from the Ashley to the Cooper
river. This was protected by two
rows Of abattis. The works which
had been constructed on the approach
of Provost, were strengthened. Men
and boys, and even women, went to
work on the Notifications. Three hun
dred negroes were brought In from the
plantations in the neighborhood by
Governor Rutledge and put to work.
Night and day the axe and spade were
piled.
General Charles Cotesworth Pinck-
ney with a small garrison, was sta
toned at Fort Moultrie. Captain Dam
lei Horny was sent to Ashley Ferry, to
keep a lookout for the approach Of the
enemy. General Moultrie was order
ed south to collect a militia force, di-
rect the general movements Of the
American cavalry, and. in any way
that he could, harass the foe. The
works in front and around the city
from HadrelIs to Hospital Point, were
repaired, strengthened and manned as
well as circumstances would allow.
Whipper, with a small force which
congress had sent south, was ordered
to take his stand in the harbor, and
prevent che fleet of Admiral Arbuth-
not from crossing the bar. Such,
briefly, was the disposition made Of
the American forces.
Determined to hasten slowly, Sir
Henry Clinton established military
depot at Wappoo, on James Island,
and repaired Fort Johnson. After near
two months delay in preparing for
the siege, his forces moved forward on
the 2Sth of March, crossed the Stono,
and on the same day crossed the Ash
ley at the point where the first settle
ment In the state was made. Here, to
make assurance doubly sure, entrench-
ments were thrown UP confronting
those of the Americans on the opposite
shore. From the time that Sir Henry
Clinton landed on Johns Island UP toI
this time, the only opposition he met
with was single sklrmish party led
by Colonel Washington.
Arbuthnot and Clinton acted In con-
cert, and this will explain, to some ex-
tent, the delay that Clinton made on
James Island. Arbuthnot found 1t diff
ficult to get his large vessels over the
bar. The guns had to be removed and
various contrivances resorted to In
order to effect his purpose. On the
Goth Arbuthnot crossed the bar with
his small ships and transports, and
drove Commodore Whipper from Five
Fathom Hole, near the city.
The British land forces having
crossed Ashley river, filed to the right
and marched down the Neck to a point
within eleven hundred yards Of the
American works. Here, on Sabbath
morning, the first OF April, they broke
ground AS Clinton marched down the
Neck, the van of his column was at
tackled by a corps of light infantry led
by Colonel John Laurens. In this
skirmish the British lost, in killed and
wounded, about thirty. One Of the
!'s-de camp of Clinton, the Earle of
o.. .hness, was wounded. On the 5th
Of April. General Clinton made anoth-
er advance and, having erected a bat
terry and mounted twelve cannons, de-
,nanded a surrender of the town and
all the forces in 1t.
Just about this time, General Wood
ford with seven hundred Virginians,
entered the city, and reported that
considerable numbers were fastening
to the succor of the beleaguered city.
This, together with the entreaties OF
the citizens, who, as yet, knew moth
ing Of the horrors of war, induced
General Lincoln to reject the summons
to surrender. Two days after the bat
teries Of Clinton were opened upon the
city and the American works, and
FOR thirteen days a terrific cannonade
was kept up by both parties.
On the 9th Of April, Admiral Ar
buthnot ran by Fort Moultrie and took
shelter under the guns Of Fort john
son. AS the British fleet passed Fort
Moultrie, General Pinckney opened a
terrific fire upon 1t. Twenty-seven
seamen were killed, a transport ran
aground, and was burned by her crew.
General Pinckney hoped that Commo-
dore Whipper would keep the British
fleet back, whilst he would be allowed
to pour In upon 1t an enfilading fire
from Fort Moultrie. Whipper ran his
squadron up the Cooper river and sunk
his vessels, together with some mer-
chant ships between Shutes and Folly
Islands, and the city. The object had
in view in sinking these vessels at
this point, was to prevent the British
fleet from running up Cooper river and
raking the town.
So soon as the British fleet crossed
the bar and passed Fort Moultris 1t
was evident that unless succor was
soon received the city must fall.
About the time that the guns from
the British batteries commenced firing
Governor Rutledge left the city for
the purpose Of arousing the county
militia and sending them to the de-
fense Of the city. The civil affairs OF
the city were left In the hands Of the
Lieutenant Governor Christopher
Gadsden Governor Rutledge passed
up the country between the Cooper and
Santee rivers. He begged, he en-
treated, and threatened, but collected
few men. The only quarter Of the
city which was open was on the Coop
er river. To keep communication
with the country open, General Lincoln