The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-06

the fort was doomed The British ships
| passed the fort and took a position
off the western end OF Sullivan Island;
/ the ships would be out of danger and
the garrison would be helpless, for
the fort was open on that side.
| Only Moultrlc Knew.
General Charles Lee, who had been
sent by Washington TO command the
troops defending the Southern sea-
board. thought i: folly to expose the
men In the fort to the fire Of the Brit
| ish ships. He believed the cannon
balls of the warships would make
short work of the rude defenses and
he feared the whole garrison would be
| slaughtered or captured II the ships
passed the fort. Colonel William Moul-
trie. who was in charge OF the fort,
did not have Lees military experience.
but he knew more about the resisting
force Of Sand and palmetto and he
also had no end Of faith in the lighting
qualities OF the men with him. The
ships OF the British were OF the best
OF the time. They threw a weight of
metal sufficient to crumble any ordi-
nary fort. The troops under Clinton
were British regulars. classed as the
best lighting men of the world. The
American fort, hastily put up. only
half finished and defended by mem
whose experience in warfare was con-
fined principally to Indian warfare. 4
seemed but scant shield for the city.
There was some hope that the
marksmen under Thompson and Muh-
lenberE might hold Clinton's men
back for 4 time, but this was hope
only.
On BALCONY on roof and in church
steeple the people of Charleston gath
cred to witness so much of the contest
Sphinx. Syren, Thunderbomb, Ranger
as they could. Above Fort Sullivan
they could see the new South Carolina
flag OF independence. 1t had blue
body and in an upper corner was a
crescent. The stars and stripes had
not come into service at that time. SO
long as the people could see the flag
on Fort Sullivan Charleston was safe.
With beating hearts the watchers
saw the stately warships form in line
(of battle and move upon the fort. The
Active, Bristol. Experiment and Sole
bay led. Then came the Actaeon,
| and Friendship. They saw the flag
! ship of the commodore, Sir Peter Par
ker. come abreast ofsthe fort, and then
| 1t seemed In an instant that fort and
ships were turned into VOLCANOES.
Flashes and roars. thunderous crashes
and great volumes of smoke followed
each other at intervals OF only few
seconds. Soon the smoke obscured
most of the view and they could see
only the flag Of Independence and tho
topmasts OF the warships. How. the
| tide ofabattle went they could not tell
but they watched the flag. Hour after
hour they heard the thunder of the
guns. So long as 1t lasted the city was
safe. but they relied more on the flag
above the fort. Once in a while a
cloud of smoke would hide 1t from
4 view. but not for&long.
The Fall Of the FInE.
i Higher and higher rose the spirits
of the watchers as the hours passed.
Suddenly at the heighth OF their joy
the flag went down. From housetop
and belfry went forth the cry that the
fort had fallen.l 1t was taken up and
carried throughout the city. a sort
OF panic possessed many Of the people.
Tho thingssthey feared and expected
HAD happened, and now that it had
come to pass they We're a a loss what
to do. Some made hasty preparations
\ to leave the city.
Others ran about aimlessly. TO those
B wlo were alarmed the fact that the
4 Thunder of the guns continued increas-
q ed their fright at first. but then per-
q picked them. Why was the cannonad-
ling kept up II the fort had surrender
ed? Were the British SO merciless $
to continue tho slaughter? Then there
came the suggestion that maybe tho
1 fort had not surrendcred; maybe tho
4 fight still was on, While they We're In
doubt there came first from one steeplA
and then another q cheer that told
Its own story. cheer that brought
10y too the hearts OF many who had
been deep In despair. Tho flag Of In
dependence was floating once more
\ above the fort
II was not until late that night, Tor
the battle lasted llntilfnearly8 Q o'clock
that they heard the story Of how the
! Flagstaff, which had-heen the mast OF
a schooner, had been struck by d car,
| non ball anu riven. The flag itself hat
| fallen outside tho fort. Working al
| ono of the guns along with Marion am
/ Ihissmen Was Sergeant Jasper, lie hat
been ono ofstlle first to volunteer wrel
/ there was ~ call to arms. Hewas onl,