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traversed the continent with the utmoft expedition to fecure NorthCarolina. And at length, upon the further progrefs of the fleet and army to the fouthward, Lee again proceeded with equal celerity to the defence of Charlestown.

The first object of our forces, after paffing the bar, was the attack of a fort which had been lately erected, though not made alto gether complete, upon the fouthweft point of Sullivan's Ifland. This fort commanded the paffage to Charlestown, which lay farther weft, at about fix miles diftance; and, notwithstanding the lateness of its conftruction, was with propriety confidered as the key of that harbour. It is faid to have been reprefented to our commanders as in even a more imperfect ftate than it was found in; but if the defcription had been otherwife, it is not probable they would have expected that a raw militia could have been able, for any length of time, to have fupported the great weight of fire from our fhips, even excluding the co-operation of the land forces.

The troops were landed on Long Ifland, which lies nearer, and to the eastward of Sullivan's; being feparated only by fome fhoals, and a creek called the Breach, which are deemed paffable at low water, the ford being reprefented to our officers as only eighteen inches in depth in that fate. The Carolinians had pofted fome forces with a few pieces of cannon near the north-eastern extremity of Sullivan's Island, at the diftance of near two miles from the fort, where they threw up works to prevent the paffage of the royal army over the breach. General Lee was encamped with a confiderable body

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of forces on the continent, at the back and to the northward of the island, with which he held a communication open by a bridge of boats, and could by that means, at any time, march the whole, or any part of his force, to fupport that poft which was oppofed to our pasfage from Long Island. The latter is a naked burning fand, where the troops fuffered greatly from their expofure to the intense heat of the fun. Both the fleet and army were greatly diftreffed through the badnefs of the water; that which is found upon the sea coasts of South Carolina being every where brackish. Nor were they in a much better condition, with refpect either to the quantity or quality of provifions.

Notwithstanding the difpatch which thefe inconveniencies rendered neceffary, fuch delays occurred in carrying the defign into execution, that it was near the end of the month before the attack upon Sullivan's Inland took place; a feafon which was applied by the enemy with great affiduity to the completion of their works. Every thing being at length fettled between the commanders by fea and land, the Thunder bomb, covered by the armed fhip,

took her ftation in June 28th.

the morning, and began the attack, by throwing fhells at the fort as the fleet advanced. About eleven o'clock, the Bristol, Experiment, Active, and Solebay, brought up directly against the fort, and began a moft furious and inceffant cannonade. The Sphynx, Acteon, and Syren, were ordered to the weftward, to take their ftation between the end of the island and Charlestown, partly thereby to

enfilade

enfilade the works of the fort, partly, if poffible, to cut off the communication between the island and the continent, which would, of courfe, cut off the retreat of the garrifon, as well as all fuccours from the latter; and partly to prevent any attempts that might be made by fire-fhips, or otherwife, to interrupt the grand attack. This part of the defign was rendered unfortunate by the ftrange unfkilful nefs of the pilot, who entangled the frigates in the fhoals called the Middle Ground's, where they all ftuck faft; and though two of them were in fome time with damage and difficulty got off, it was then too late, and they were befides in no condition to execute the intended fervice. The Acteon could not be got off, and was burnt by the officers and crew the next morning, to prevent her materials and ftores from becoming a prey to the enemy.

Whilft the continued thunder from the fhips feemed fufficient to shake the firmness of the bravest enemy, and daunt the courage of the moft veteran foldier, the return made by the fort could not fail of calling for the refpect, as well as of highly incommoding the brave feamen of Britain. In the midft of that dreadful roar of artillery, they fuck with the greatest conftancy and firmness to their guns; fired deliberately and flowly, and took a cool and effective aim. The fhips fuffered accordingly; they were torn almost to pieces, and the flaughter was dreadful. Never did British valour shine more confpicuous, nor never did our marine, in an engagement of the fame nature with any foreign enemy, experience fo rude an encounter. The fprings of the Bristol's cable being VOL. XIX.

cut by the fhot, fhe lay for fome time expofed in fuch a manner to the enemy's fire, as to be most dreadfully raked. The brave Captain Morris, after receiving a number of wounds, which would have fufficiently juftified a gallant man in retiring from his ftation, ftill with a noble obftinacy difdained to quit his duty, until his arm being at length fhot off, he was carried away in a condition which did not afford a poffibility of recovery. It is faid that the quarter deck of the Bristol was at one time cleared of every perfon but the Commodore, who stood alone, a fpectacle of intrepidity and firmnefs, which have feldom been equalled, never exceeded. The others on that deck were either killed, or carried down to have their wounds dreffed.. Nor did Captain Scott, of the Experiment, mifs his fhare of the danger or glo. ry, who, befide the lofs of an arm, received so many other wounds, that his life was at first despaired of.

The fire from the British ships was not thrown away; though it did not produce all the effect which was hoped and expected. But the fortifications

were much firmer than they had been thought, and their lownefs preserved them in a great degree from the weight of our shot. They were compofed of palm-trees and earth, and the merlons were of an unusual thickness. The guns were at one time fo long filenced, that it was thought the fort had been abandoned. It feems extraordinary, that a detachment of the land forces were not in readinefs on board the tranfports or boats to profit of fuch an occafion. But thefe are only a part of thecircumftances relative to this en[*]

gagement

gagement which have never been fufficiently cleared up. The praise bestowed upon the garrifon for the conftancy and bravery of their defence, by the Americans in general, as well as by General Lee, fhew, that they neither abandoned their guns, nor were changed; however they might be, and undoubtedly were, reinforced. It appears by their accounts, that the filence of the fort proceeded from the expenditure of all their powder, and the waiting for a fupply from the continent; which, probably, did not arrive the fooner, from the neceffity of its being conveyed through the line of fire from the men of war.

During this long, hot, and obftinate conflict, the feamen looked frequently and impatiently to the eastward, ftill expecting to fee the land forces advance from Long Island, drive the rebels from their intrenchment, and march up to fecond the attack upon the fort. In thefe hopes they were grievously difappointed. Such various accounts have been given of the caufe of this inaction of the land forces, that it is difficult to form any decided opinion upon the fubject. The Gazette, from whence a fatisfactory folution of all difficulties might be expected, is fo totally defective and diffatisfactory, that it feems to have laid a foundation for every other error and contradiction relative to this bufinefs. That account fays, that the King's forces were stopped by an impracticable depth of water, where they expected to have paffed nearly dryhod. To fuppofe that the Generals, and the officers under their command, fhould have been nineteen days in that small island, without ever examining, until the

very inftant of action, the nature of the only paffage by which they could render fervice to their friends and fellows, fulfil the purpose of their landing, and answer the ends for which they were embarked in the expedition, would feem a great defect in military prudence and circumfpection. But there might be reafons for concealing a true ftate of the affair. Until that ftate appears, it would be unjust to lay any imputation on the officers concerned in fo critical a fervice. The only rational folution of the fact, muft, for the prefent, be drawn from the different American accounts. From thefe it is to be inferred, that the post which the rebels poffeffed at the end of Sullivan's Ifland, was in fo ftrong a fate of defence, the approaches on our fide fo difadvantageous, and Lee's force in fuch preparation and capability of crushing us in the conflict, that General Clinton would have run the most manifest and inexcufable rifque, of the ruin, if not total loss, of his forces, if he had ventured upon an attack. To this it may be added, that it was only upon a near approach that our people acquired any certain knowledge of the force of the enemy.

The action continued, until the darkness of the night compelled that ceffation, which the eagerness of the affailants, worn down as they were with fatigue, and weakened with lofs, was ftill unwilling to accept. Sir Peter Parker, after every effort of which a brave man is capable, finding that all hope of fuccefs was at an end, and the tide of ebb nearly spent, between nine and ten o'clock in the evening withdrew his fhattered veffels from the fcene of action, after an engage

ment

ment which had been fupported with uncommon courage and vigour for above ten hours. The Bristol had 111, and the Experiment 79, men killed and wounded; and both fhips had received fo much damage, that the provincials conceived ftrong hopes, that they could never be got over the bar. The frigates, though not lefs emulous in the performance of their duty, being lefs pointed at than the great fhips, did not fuffer a proportional lofs. The bomb veffel did not do all the fervice upon this occafion which was expected; whether it was from overcharging, in confequence of having originally taken too great a distance, which has been faid, or whether it proceeded from fome fault in the conftruction, which feems more probable; however it was, the beds of the mortars were in fome time fo loofened and fhattered as to become utterly unferviceable.

Colonel Moultrie, who commanded in the fort, received great and deferved applaufe from his countrymen, for the courage and conduct by which he was fo much diftinguifhed in its defence. The garrifon alfo received a great fhare of praife, and a ferjeant was pub·licly distinguished by a prefent of a fword from the Prefident of the colony, for a particular act of great bravery.

During these transactions, the Congrefs took an opportunity of feeling the general pulfe of the people, and of preparing them for the declaration of indepen

May 15th. dency which was to follow, by a kind of circular manifefto to the feveral colonies, fating the caufes which rendered it, as they faid, neceffary, that all

authority under the crown fhould be totally fuppreffed, and all the powers of government taken refpectively into their own hands. In fupport of this pofition, they inftanced the Prohibitory Act, by which they were excluded from the protection of the crown; the rejection of their petition for redress of grievances and reconciliation; and the intended exertion of all the force of Great Britain, aided by foreign mercenaries, for their deftruction. They concluded with a recommendation to thofe colo. nies, whofe government was not already fufficient, to proceed to the establishment of fuch a form, as was neceffary to the prefervation of internal peace, and fuited to the prefent exigency of their affairs, for the defence of their lives, liberties, and properties, against the hoftile invafions and cruel depredations of their enemies.

Penfylvania and Maryland were the only colonies that in part oppofed the establishment of a new government, and the declaration of independency. A majority in the affembly of the former, though eager for a redrefs of grievances, regarded with horror every idea of a total feparation from the parent ftate. But though they knew that great numbers in the province held fimilar fentiments, they were alfo fenfible, that the more violent formed a very numerous and powerful body; that they had already taken fire at their hefitation, and confidered them rather as fecret enemies, than luke-warm friends. Their fituation was befides difficult. If they broke the union of the colonies, and thereby forfeited the affiftance and protection of the others, they had no certainty of [*L] 2 _

obtaining

obtaining a redrefs of thofe grievances, nor the fecurity of those rights, for which they were as willing to contend in their own way as the most violent; but were not yet willing to give up all hope, nor to break off all poffibility of accommodation. Thus critically circumstanced, they declared, that the question of independence was a matter of too great importance for them to decide finally upon, and that they would therefore refer it to their conftituents, together with the arguments which had been ufed on both fides of the question.

It was manifeftly a step from which it would not be eafy to retreat. On one hand, the feparation from Great-Britain, even if it could be finally accomplished, muft be attended with many evident inconveniences. The protection of the great parent ftate, and the utility of the power of a common fovereign to balance fo many feparate, and, poffibly, difcordant commonwealths, befides many political and many commercial advantages derived from the old union, muft appear in a clear light to every fober and difcerning perfon. On the other hand, it was faid, that their liberty was their first good, without which all the other advantages would be of no value. That if they were to fubmit to a great ftanding army, compofed of foreigners as well as Englifh, compofed in part even of their own flaves, and of favages, what terms were they to hope for? The moment their arms were laid down, they must be at the mercy of their enemy. For what end did they take up thefe arms? If it was to fecure their liberty, to lay them down without that fecurity, would

be to own, that their first refiftance was causeless rebellion; and the pardon offered, was the only fatisfaction for the prefent, or fecurity for the future, they were given to expect. Did they refift power only to obtain a pardon? were they fo abfurd originally, or are they fo cowardly now? If then their object is refufed to all their entreaties by Great Britain; if the abandons them to plunder without redemption, except on unconditional fubmiffion, how is the object of their refiftance to be obtained? By war only. But as long as they acknowledge the claims of the crown of Great Britain, fo long will their councils and their generals be deftitute of all civil and military au· thority. The war they carry on muft of courfe be irregular, feeble, and without the fmalleft prospect of fuccefs. Orders will be given, which none will be obliged to obey; and confpiracies and mutinies will be formed, which none will have a juft power to punish or reprefs. Neither will any foreign power give them any fupport against the hoftile combinations of Great Britain, and fo many foreign powers as the has called to her affiftance, fo long as they hold themfelves to be fubjects. We do not break the connexion (faid they); it is already broke and diffolved by an act of parliament; and thus abandoned, all laws human and divine not only permit, but demand of us, to provide every internal and external means for our own prefervation.

In these fentiments, by a reference to the people, the matter was brought to a fair trial of strength between the two parties; when it was carried by great majorities, that the delegates fhould agree to

the

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