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Posted on 11/15/2003 11:59:59 PM PST by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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In April 1775, the war had started in Lexington and Concord. In May, the British had taken Bunker Hill (actually Breed's Hill) in Boston after absorbing tremendous losses. The American campaign of 1775-1776 in Canada had peaked just prior to the Battle of Quebec and had ended in retreat, but the lower (Southern) Colonies had forced the royal governors to flee. Maj. General Sir William Howe evacuated Boston in March 1776 and relocated to Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Colonel William Moultrie Following Bunker Hill, the British now knew they had a real fight on their hands. New York City became the focus of British interest, because it would split New England from the rest of the colonies. However, the British decided to first make a quick campaign through the South. The British government back home had been convinced by the Royal Governors of the Southern colonies that there were great numbers of Tories ready to flock the King's banner if the British Army exerted its presence. The British believed it would a simple matter to capture the Southern port cities of Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina. This would eliminate the Rebels there, swell the army's ranks with Tory volunteers and leave only Virginia and New England to be subjugated. They would then capture New York City and control the Hudson River-Lake Champlain corridor and further isolate the Rebels. In January 1776 before he had evacuated Boston, General Howe had ordered Maj. General Henry Clinton to sail south to Cape Fear, North Carolina. There, Clinton was supposed to rendezvous with Commodore Sir Peter Parker who was sailing from Cork, Ireland with seven regiments of the British Army commanded by Lt. General Charles Cornwallis. Tory forces were also expected to march from inland North Carolina to join Clinton at Cape Fear.  Maj. General Charles Lee This combined force would then march into North Carolina and then sweep south to Charleston, South Carolina. However, at the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge on February 27, 1776, a Tory force was defeated by Rebel militia and chased back home. This defeat also dissuade other Tories from turning out. On March 12, Clinton arrived at Cape Fear to find no Tory forces. Commodore Parker and his ships began to arrive in mid-April after being scattered by storms. The last ship finally straggled in May 31. Now that their Tory support had not turned out, General Clinton and Commodore Sir Peter Parker had to decide what to do. They debated between Virginia by way of Chesapeake Bay or a naval approach to Charleston through the Harbor. Clinton seemed to favor Virginia, while Parker favored attacking Charleston.  View of the Battle for Sullivan's Island, 1776 Then intelligence was received that the fortifications at Fort Sullivan in Charleston Bay were incomplete and vulnerable. Parker now chose Charleston and Clinton went along. Fort Sullivan, which resided on Sullivan's Island, was commanded by Colonel William Moultrie and had been for several months. Included among his officers, were Francis Marion and Thomas Sumter, who had yet to gain their fame. The first Continental Commander of the Southern Department, Maj. General Charles Lee arrived in Charleston on June 2, 1776. The British arrived offshore only two days later. As soon as he arrived, Lee ordered fortifications built in the city proper. He also considered Fort Sullivan too rundown to defend. Colonel Moultrie had not used his time in command to strengthen the fortifications and the fort's rear wall was still incomplete. However, Lee was overruled by South Carolina Governor John Rutledge.  The Unsuccessful Attack on the Fort on Sullivan's Island" by Henry Gray General Lee now had no choice but to do what he could to fortify Fort Sullivan. He chose to remain in the city proper, but corresponded with Colonel Moultrie several times a day. and frequently corresponded with Colonel Moultrie over improvements to Fort Sullivan. Though Lee and Moultrie had their differences, Lee instilled confidence in the Rebels that the British could be defeated and for that Moultrie respected him. On June 4, the British arrived outside Charleston Harbor. They now had to navigate over the bar that surrounded the harbor. It made the harbor inaccessable during low tide and accessable at high tide only through five channels. After sounding the channels and making other preparations, the smaller ships and warships moved to Five Fathom Hole on June 7. Five Fathom Hole was thirty feet deep and out of range of Fort Sullivan.  Francis Marion Between June 9 and 15, Maj. General Henry Clinton put his troops ashore on Long Island, which was north of Sullivan's Island, while the fort was on the island's southern tip. Clinton then found it difficult to cross The Breach from Long Island onto Sullivan's Island. The British had incorrect intelligence of a shallow ford, when in truth the shallowest channel was seven feet deep. But Clinton stubbornly spent several days searching for the elusive ford. When they finally tried crossing in boats, American riflemen and gunners held them off. While General Clinton continued his fruitless search, the last two British warships, the Bristol and the Experiment, had to have their guns removed to lighten the boats enough to clear the bar. On June 26, the British were ready, having finally moved and refitted all their ships at Five Fathom Hole. On June 27, they attempted to set sail, but contrary winds halted their movement. They now waited for favorable winds. At 10:30 A.M. on June 28, the winds were favorable and Commodore Parker moved into position to bombard Fort Sullivan. The bomb ship, Thunder, initially anchored too far away and quickly disabled itself when too much powder was used to compensate for the distance. The recoil damaged the ship and left it silent.  Lt. General Sir Henry Clinton After about an hour the Actaeon, Syren, and Sphynx attempted to move in closer for enfilading fire on Fort Sullivan, but the pilots were unfamiliar with the harbor and all three ships got stuck fast on Middle Ground shoal, where the famous Fort Sumter would later be built. Syren and Sphynx eventually rejoined the battle. The British continued their bombardment to little effect because of the fort's construction of palmetto logs. Palmetto is soft and spongy and simply absorbed the cannonballs. Meanwhile, the Americans expended roughly one-seventh the amount of powder that the British did, but the slow and steady American fire was quite accurate. The Bristol, Commodore Parker's flagship, was disabled. By 9:30 P.M., all firing ceased. At 11:30 P.M. the British ships withdrew to Five Fathom Hole. The next morning the Actaeon was set afire and abandoned. The British soon withdrew from the area and Lt. General Sir Henry Clinton sailed back to New York City. The British would not make another serious assault in the South until 1778 and would not attack Charleston again until May 1780. Meanwhile, Fort Sullivan would be renamed Fort Moultrie in honor of Colonel William Moultrie. In September, Maj. General Charles Lee would be recalled to help General George Washington with his campaign.
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It's a shame how a person can ruin a last name for everyone else. I cringe when I see that name no matter what the context.
Another great thread. I don't know how you do it everyday.
Thankyou to Aquamarine for this great graphic..
Thanks. A lot of help, coffee and late nights. :-)
;-)
Have a wonderful Sunday.
Hello troops and veterans!
THANK YOU for your service to the USA!
We're watching the final Winston Cup race....the end of an era.
Rootin' for my boy, Jeff....GO, JEFF, GO! LOL! He won't win but he's been on the move.
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