Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-03
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hundred veterans would be in the
city, and then he felt he would be
comparatively safe. In the mean
time intrenching tools were put in
every mans hands and they were
granted no rest, night nor day. The
negroes were forced, by the lash, to
work as they had never worked be-
fore.
During the truce, Maitland arrived
D. Estaing no doubt thought 1t was
impossible for Maitland to reach the
city. In this he was sadly mistaken
When Maitland discovered that the
French were in possession of the
only regular channel which was nav
igable, he determined to reach the
city in some other way. On arriving
at Dawfuskie, he was piloted by g
negro fisherman through a creek
which, was at that time navigable
A dense fog prevailed, and Maitland
and his forces escaped the notice OF
the French. He entered the city be-
fore the expiration of the truce. A
shout Of JOY was raised and feeling
of confidence pervaded every breast
Lieutenant Colonel Maitland entered
Savannah on the afternoon Of the
18th, and soon after General Pre-
vost sent Count d'Estaing a note in.
forming him that he should defend
| himself to the last extremity"
The Count now, no doubt, discov'
cred that he had made a fatal mis-
take. Although he was eager tc
come to the assistance Of Genera
Lincoln, he seemed to have acted
precipitately and strangely incon-
sistent from the moment he landed
his forces. His intention, when he
set out from Cape Francois, was tc
remain at Savannah only ten days
He had been informed by the French
consul, by Governor Rutledge and
by General Lincoln Of the condition
of the British forces. From this in
formation he thought that Savannah
could be reduced in ten days. Hi:
information was true, and his deduc-
ton correct The city could have
been captured in less than ten hours
If the attack had been made as soor
as the French forces landed.
When General Provost refused tc
surrender, 1t was perceived that the
city could not be taken by assault
| Preparation was now being made by
the allied powers for taking the place
| by siege. D'Estaing was restless. He
/ feared a storm might dash his ship:
to pieces and he feared Admiral By
ron might follow him from the Wes
Indaes and surround him and cap
ture him and all his fleet The store:
and heavy ordnance were brought VI
from the point at which the French
| had landed. The small vessels be.
longing to the French fleet moved
up the Savannah and forced the Brit
ish ships to seek refuge under cover
of the guns of the batteries. On the
morning of the 23rd Of September
the besieging armies broke ground
Night and day they worked with ar
energy seldom surpassed, and rarely
equalled. In less than two weeks
| ffty-three heavy guns and fourteen
mortars were mounted and ready fol
use. Provost kept his forces within
his lines, outstanding all his strength
for the final conflict Only two at
tacks were made upon the besiegers
The one on the oath Of September
led by Major Graham and the other
on the eth of September, led by
Major Macarthur. These sortie!
amounted to very little. A few mer
were killed on both sides, but the
work of the besiegers went on Wig.
orously.
The work of the besiegers being
complete, and the batteries al
manned, the bombardment commenc-
ed with terrific fury, on the morning
of the 4th OF October The Truite
a French frigate, commenced firing
at the same time. For five days and
nights, the firing was kept up with
out intermission. The houses In the
city were shattered to pieces by the
guns of the besiegers. Men, women
and children were killed in the
streets. For safety, the citizens took
refuge in damp. unhealthy cellars
Still the besiegers kept approaching
the works of the British. The gar
rison became alarmed, for although
| their works, as yet, were not much
| injured, 1t was evident to all that
the garrison must soon be crushed
by the combined efforts of the allied
powers. General Provost had hoped
that Admiral Byron would come to
his assistance, but now this only hope
of safety had died. A grand victory
and glorious triumph was within
the grasp Of the French count and
American general.
At this critical moment d'Estaing
| became restless and impatient. A
council of war was called and the
engineers declared that ten days
mere would be required to reach the
British lines. D'Estaing declared
that an assault must be made upon
the city at once or he would leave.
Without the aid of the French forces,
General Lincoln could DO nOtnlnB.
Rather than raise the siege, 1t was
agreed to make an attempt upon the
British works by assault. The MORN
Ing of the 9th Of October was the
time to make the attack.
On the night of the Sth Of Octo-
Der, a sergeant in one of the Charles
ton companies deserted and commu-
nicated to General Provost an outline
of the contemplated attack, The
British, warned by this deserter, were
on the lookout for the foe. The
morning of the 9th was denSely fog
gy Three thousand five hundred
French, six hundred North Carolina
regulars. and three hundred Charles
ton militia. moved forward to the
assault. The stormers advanced In
three columns. Count d'Estaing. as
sisted by General Lincoln, led the
first column against the Spring Hill
redoubt. which was north of the city.
The other main column was led by
Count Dillon, and was directed to
move along the edge of a swamp and
attack the British lines on the east,
near the river The third column
wes led by General Isaac Huger.
This column was ordered to attack
the British in the front and thus di-
vert their attention from the two
columns Under cover Of a heavy