The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-08-21

end of the island to hold that part OF
the island and prevent Sir Henry
Clinton, who was with large Brit
ish force on Long Island (now called
the Isle of PALMS,, from crossing over
to Sullivan's Island. Col. Sumter ap-
pears to have been stationed along the
mainland, from Haddrell's Point (now
Mount Pleasant) towards Long Is
and to repel any attempted crossing
of the enemy from Long Island to
the mainland. Of the force 50 sta
toned. with the detachments from
other regiments, he seems to have
been in command.
Gas the conflict that took place
on the 2Stn June: 1776, was confined
to the attack by the fleet on Fort
Moultrie, and the skirmish between
Col Thomson's force and the enemy
on Long Island, Col Sumter had no
active part in it.
.sIn August, 1776, Gen. Charles Lee
undertook and expedition to East
Florida with the expectation Of east
" taking possession Of st. Augustine.
TIe was allowed the assistance Of the
mliitar~ establishment Of South Caro-
lima. Detachments from the four
first regiments accompanied him on
the 18th August, 1875. The remainder
Of loops. including Sumter's regi-
n II. followed. The expedition did
proceed beyond Savannah. There
Gen. Lee received, in September. an
express. calling him northward,
whittier he departed at once, express
ing before he left his high sense Of
the conduct and behavior of the Off
GERS of the South Carolina troops.
These troops suffeeed terribly from
sickness incurred "A the expedition to
Georgia, whence thet were gradually
withdrawn.
A Continental Officer.
I'm June and July, 1875, the Cont
mental congress passed a resolution to
take upon the continental military es-.
adjustment all troops upon the reg
ular establishments Of the colonies.
In pursuance of this action Of con-
gress the general assembly Of South
Carolina on goth September, 1776,
transferred to the continental estab-
lishment the six regiments Of provin-
cial regulars This included Col.
Sumter's regiment. All the officers OF
these regiments exchanged their COM
missions hitherto held from the pro-
vince for commissions in the CONT
mental service of the same grade en-
tering the continental line as young
est officers Of their respective ranks.
Sumter, therefore, became colonel
in the continental service, his commits
sion ranking as Of that date.
EXACTLY when Sumter had receiv-
ed his commission as colonel does not
appear. He was originally, in Feb
ruary, 177S, appointed lieutenant col
onel of the Sixth regiment There is
no distinct mention of his appoint
ment as colonel, but, inasmuch as in
the orders Of the time designating
him to sit on courtmartials and refer
ring to him for other duties. refer to
him as Col. Sumter-and these refer
ences are in the military order books
of the time, and must be presumed to
denote rank and precedence with mil
itarv exactness, there can be no doubt
he had received his commission.
cat the same time there is mention
ed Lieut. Col. Henderson, of the
Sixth regiment. If Henderson, who
had been originally appointed major.
was later lieutenant colonel, Sumter,
who commanded the same regiment.
was evidently colonel.
"on the 2eth September, 1776,
Francis Marion, then major OF the
Second regiment, received his com
mission as lieutenant colonel Of that
regiment
sumter, therefore, ranked Marion
by seniority of promotion in tae con-
tinentsl line. Neither of them ever
received any higher rank in the con-
tine,ital service.
TN 1777 the command of the troops
in South Carolina, after the departure
of Gen. Lee and Gen. James Moore,
sevolved upon Gen. Robert Howe.
who, upon information that the enc
my were about to invade Georgia,
went off to Savannah, where he was
followed by strong detachment or
she continental troops in South Caro-
lima, and Cen Sumter, with his regl-
ment, must have been part of 1t, as