Battle of Sullivan’s Island 1776
Sullivan’s Island sits on the North East entrance to Charleston Harbor, right beside the main shipping channel for large vessels coming into the port proper. Its geographic location makes it the perfect site to build a fort on the northern side of the harbor to protect this entrance. From this vantage point all shipping would have to come within range of its guns before passing into the harbor. On the Southern side of the harbor sits Fort Johnson which protects the Southern entrance to the harbor on James Island. This fort had been in service for many years on and off with the threat coming from the French and the Spanish for decades. In 1775 there was no fortification on Sullivan’s Island and no need until the Colony decided to join the other colonies in breaking away from Britain. In January of 1775 a Provincial Congress was called for in South Carolina and it voted to break away from England and formed a rebel government in Charleston. As a result the Royal Governor Lord William Campbell escaped their capture by boarding one of the Royal Navy ships in the harbor for protection.
Here, in the harbor, Lord Campbell tried to continue Royal rule in South Carolina by trying to get Loyalists to rise up against the rebels and writing to General Howe in Boston and Lord North in London, England to send troops to retake Charleston for the crown. In his letters he told them of the Loyalist presence still in the colony that only needed the support of Royal Troops to help them to rise up against the rebels. For months Lord Campbell wrote letters from the harbor to London and tried to secretly contact Loyalists in the interior of the colony to rise up against the rebels. The support of neither the Loyalist nor the Royal Troops materialized so he left with the Royal Navy leaving Charleston Harbor in the fall of 1775 and thus the last Royal presence in the colony left with him.
Lord North
While this was playing out in South Carolina, General Howe and General Washington were in a stalemate in Boston before Howe left Boston with the British army and loyalists in March of 1776. With the stalemate going on in New England a plan was being formed by Lord North the Priminister of Great Britain and Lord Germain Secretary of State for the American Department in London on how to take back the colonies starting with the South and then like dominos moving northward to retake the colonies. This strategy was based upon the information given to them by the Royal Governor of South Carolina Campbell and North Carolina Josiah Martin. Their main contention was that if Royal troops came to the Carolinas that the Loyalists in great numbers would turn out in support of the King. This would allow the Royal troops to take an area and then the Loyalists could hold it as they moved to the next colony to subdue it. If this could happen then the rebellion could be put down quickly and his majesty's power restored.
Below is a map of Charleston Harbor
Battle of Sullivan's Island Part Two
Lord Dartmouth and Lord Germain with the approval of King George III and Prime Minister Lord North in London had decided on a plan of action to start retaking control of the rebellious colonies with a Southern Strategy. The strategy was for Major General William Howe to send troops that were massing in Ireland the 15th, 37th, 53rd, 54rth, and 57th of Foot plus others under the command of Lord Cornwallis, along with any extra troops he could spare from service in the Americas to the Cape Fear area in North Carolina. Once they were in North Carolina, they would retake the colony for royal control and then turn it over to the Loyalist who Royal Governor Josiah Martin of North Carolina and Royal Governor Lord William Campbell of South Carolina had told anyone who would listen that the Loyalist were ready to rise up if they felt safe and had support from the crown in the South. The interesting part of this argument is that both of these governors had been ejected from their post by the colonists in North and South Carolina with no resistance from the large number of Loyalists they kept telling the crown would help. Ground zero for the North Carolina campaign would be the former royal capital of North Carolina, SouthPort on Cape Fear. Once royal control had been assumed in SouthPort, then the army could start to move into the countryside to quell the rebels there. General Howe chooses Major General Henry Clinton to lead the army for the expedition to the South with Gov Martin and Gov. Campbell with him to retake control of their respective colony. To round out the Royal Armies command structure was Major General Cornwallis who would lead the first brigade and Major General John Vaughan who would lead the second brigade.
The navel part of this combined army and navy operation would be Admiral Peter Parker (pictured to the right). His main job was to give support to the army initially as they went ashore and to protect the transportation ships en route to North Carolina from Ireland. Admiral Parker would be in charge of over 50 ships with nine of them being ships of the line with two fifty gun ships in the fleet. He left from Ireland in December of 1775 with his transports in tow to start the retaking of the colonies in the South.
On January 20th, 1776 Clinton left Boston with his small force of the 4th and 44th Regiments of Foot Light Companies along with the 84th to rendezvous with Admiral Parker on the coast of North Carolina at Cape Fear. On March 12th, 1776 Clinton and his force arrives off the coast of North Carolina at Cape Fear. Once Clinton arrives off the coast of North Carolina he learns from locals of the defeat of the loyalist force that was coming to his aid on the coast to retake the colony. This force of Loyalist numbering over 1500 men under the command of Donald McDonald was defeated by a Patriot force lead by Col. Richard Caswell at the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge on February 27th, 1776. This defeat had totally routed the Loyalist in North Carolina who had now gone into hiding and were not to be relied upon for help with Clintons force on the coast. On May 3rd in 1776 Admiral Peter Parker arrived in Cape Fear with part of his fleet which had already started to arrive in late April and continued to follow him into Cape Fear for two weeks. The fleet had been dispersed on their crossing of the Atlantic by storms which had caused the staggered arrival of the fleet into Cape Fear.
Once all the principals were in Cape Fear, a meeting took place between General Clinton and Admiral Parker about the prospects of taking North Carolina back for the crown. After this meeting it was decided that North Carolina would not be at this time an appropriate target with the resources available to the crown and no more Loyalist support coming from the colonists. So the next decision was to decide if they were going to call off the mission or attack a different colony. The only two colonies that fit the bill for the second option of conquest was Virginia to the North or South Carolina to the South of Cape Fear.
Charleston was the third largest and richest port in the colonies and was producing war materials for the rebels in New England. With her naval stores and great harbor up for grabs the two commanders made a quick decision and decided on Charleston as the new target for their force. If it could be captured it would reduce the rebel supply line and provide a great base of operations for the next domino to fall in the Southern Strategy. General Howe had already written to Clinton telling him that his services would not be needed in Howe’s summer campaign for New York and its harbor after he had been ejected from Boston in March and Howe was now in Halifax. Also intelligence had been gathered about an unfinished fort guarding the northern entrance to the harbor of Charleston from British ships which had been sent there to gather intelligence about the harbors defense. The report told of an unfinished fort on Sullivan’s Island on the Northern entrance to the harbor and Fort Johnson on the Southern entrance to the harbor on James Island. These two coastal defenses were the only two things stopping the British from entering the harbor proper and Charleston. Admiral Parker felt with the information that he had obtained from his scout ships that he could reduce the unfinished fort on Sullivan’s Island with his fleet, thus allowing the British to take control of the Northern entrance to the harbor and shutting the port down as the army moved in to secure key points on the main land from a secure base of operations on Sullivan’s Island while the navy blockaded the port.
Thus on May 30th, 1776 the sites of the British Empire were set on Charleston with the fleet leaving Cape Fear to start their journey southward towards Charleston. The fleet included 52 ships including HMS Bristol (Flagship, 50 guns), HMS Experiment (50 guns), HMS Actaeon, HMS Active, HMS Solebay, HMS Syren, HMS Sphinx, HMS Friendship, HMS Lady Williams, bomb vessel HMS Thunder, transports, supply ships and others with totaling around 300 heavy navel guns. The army on board the transports included the Light Infantry companies of the 4th “The Kings Own” and 44th, Grenadiers, the15th, 28th, 33rd, 37th, 46th, 53rd, 54th, 57th, 84th “Royal Highland Emigrants” of foot, Royal Artillery with 20 heavy field guns plus several 3 pounders, Royal Engineers, totaling 2200 Royal Army personnel and 700 Royal Marines totaling 2900 soldiers and marines. This large force was bearing down on Charleston like a hurricane wanting to unleash its fury against the colonists who had rebelled against their king’s rule in Charleston.
However, Charleston knew the British were coming and was in the process of preparing a gala reception for the British Empire as it tried to bring its rule back to these rebellious colonists. The city known Worldwide for its hospitality was in no mood to welcome them back with open arms, instead it was preparing a welcome the British Empire and World would soon not forget.
Battle of Sullivan's Island Part Three
As the British began to pull anchors and set sail for Charleston Harbor, the Patriot forces there were putting their defenses in the ready. This process had already started in January of 1775 when the colony voted to leave the British Empire and set up its own government. This was done after they had sent five representatives to the Continental Congress in September of 1774 in hopes of repairing the relationship between the colony and the mother country. The Continental Congress was unable to solve the problems and all hope was lost when word reached South Carolina of the Battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts in May of 1775. Once the South Carolines knew there was to be a shooting war they began to build up defenses and recruit troops.
The first troops raised to fight the British Empire in South Carolina were the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th South Carolina. The first two were to be of the line with the third being a ranger regiment to control the inland region of South Carolina and the fourth was designated an artillery regiment. Also in the fall of 1775 South Carolina started to take control of key military sites in the harbor and the city proper. This included the fort on James Island, Fort Johnson, the powder magazine in downtown Charleston, and other strategic points in the harbor. The other strategic points included Haddrell Point and at the waterfront of Charleston, where cannons were placed to defend the city and to help dislodge Governor Campbell from the harbor, where he was still trying to govern from two British warships sitting there. The other keep point that the Patriots began to place guns on was on Sullivan’s Island. Sullivan’s Island is located on the Northern approach to the harbor and with it being fortified caused the governor and the British fleets to leave before damage could be done to them in the late fall of 1775. While this was going on in Charleston, militia in the outer parishes of South Carolina began to drill and prepare for the British.
While the South Carolina Provincial Government was preparing for the expected British attack the merchants in Charleston were producing goods as fast as they could. These goods were for the war effort in the North and also for the new trade routes that opened once South Carolina decided to leave the Empire. The workshops and the docks were at full capacity bringing in much needed war material and profit for the local merchants. Ships from many nations were in and out of Charleston harbor as fast as they could load and unload. These ships were not involved in diplomatic relations; they were involved in moving valuable cargo to and from Charleston to the Caribbean and other points on the globe. This preparation for war and making a profit for the local merchants and farmers went on for a few months. That was until the return of John Rutledge in February of 1776 from the Continental Congress with word of a British fleet heading south from New England. In February of 1776 the first meeting of the General Assembly occurred and they elected John Rutledge President of South Carolina.
The election of John Rutledge (pictured to the right) marked a turning point in creating a stronger defense of Charleston. Besides the election of Rutledge in February in March the Continental Congress also started to take the threat of a British invasion of the South very seriously and they appointed General Charles Lee as Commander of the Southern Theater of operations. General Lee made his headquarters in Williamsburg, Virginia as he felt that either Virginia or South Carolina would be the place that the British struck in the South. Also in March of 1776 President Rutledge ordered a fort built on Sullivan’s Island to defend the Northern approach to the harbor. He gave this task to Col. William Moultrie and his command, the 2nd South Carolina.
Battle of Sullivan's Island Part 4: Charleston prepares for war
The pre-revolution defenses of Charleston were mainly Fort Johnson on James Island, the town militia, and parish militia. The only other military buildings in the general area around Charleston were the Powder Magazine in Charleston and the tabby fort at the town of Dorchester 30 miles upriver from Charleston. The common thread for these defenses was that they were never meant to fight off a major power alone. They were designed to hold off attackers until the British Fleet and Army could come to the rescue of Charles Town. As long as the colony of South Carolina had the protection of the crown it could hold its own against the Native Americans, but not much more. Also with the protection of the crown the colonists did not want to add more defenses because that would require public spending which would cause taxes and we know how they felt about taxes.
Fort Johnson had been guarding the harbor since 1704 on the Southern entrance to the harbor protecting against the ever present Spanish threat from Florida and the French threat from the Caribbean which caused it to be strengthened in 1759 during the French and Indian War. The Powder Magazine was built in 1713 to hold the powder stores for the colony. By the time of the revolution it had already gone out of service, but was used by the patriots as a meeting point and for storage for incoming troops and their munitions. The Powder Magazine can still be visited today in downtown Charleston. The fort at the town of Dorchester was built in 1757 to help protect the town from possible French and Indian attacks during the French and Indian War. Its location on the Ashley River meant that it would be the first road block on one of the two main river transport systems from the interior of South Carolina to the capital at Charleston, the other system being the Cooper River. It was constructed out of tabby walls on a bluff overlooking the river. In 1775 a powder magazine was built out of brick in the middle of the fort for storage of extra powder outside of Charleston for either Charleston’s defense if they needed it or for a forward storage area for the interior of the colony by the Patriots. This site can also be visited today to see the fort still intact, a church site, and what’s left of the Powder Magazine.
These defensive positions around Charleston were not in the best of shape in 1775 when the colony of South Carolina decided to rise up with the other colonies to defy their King. In fact, by 1775 the powder magazine and the fort at Dorchester were for the most part abandoned. Fort Johnson was in little better shape, but it was kept in some state of readiness by the British.
This was the state of defense in Charleston when they decided to join the other colonies. As soon as the path was clear that some sort of armed revolt was coming the colonists began to construct works on different parts of the harbor for their protection against their new threat, the British.
This began to change once the South Carolinas began to organize a patriot government. In September of 1775 the South Carolinas took the position of Fort Johnson and began to arm the fort with new cannons and to repair the cannons the British had spiked upon their abandoning of the fort. The strengthening of Fort Johnson was assigned to the First South Carolina. Also, this was the time period that the fort at Dorchester began to get its new powder magazine. Four 18lb guns were also placed on Haddrell’s point, on present day Mount Pleasant to guard the Cooper River entrance to Charleston in the inner harbor defenses. This building up of the batteries around Charleston helped to convince Gov. Lord Campbell and the two British ships in the harbor the HMS Tamar and HMS Cherokee where he was trying to cause an uprising of Natives and Tories that it was time to leave before they were caught in a trap.
One of the first things that came about on Sullivan’s Island was that Col. Moultrie of the 2nd South Carolina ordered men from both the 1st and 2nd SC to send a combined force of 225 men to the island on January 10th, 1776 to build a fascine battery on the tip of the island guarding the entrance to the harbor. A fascine battery is one made primarily out of sticks that are tied together almost like baskets for protection. Facing any type of artillery barrage this type of battery would be of little use to its defenders. So in March of 1776 Col. Moultrie was ordered to Sullivan’s Island to build a fortification of real substance with his 2nd South Carolina that could hold out the Royal Navy. This was accomplished with the use of mechanics, army personnel, slaves, and volunteers who worked around the clock to build the fortification. This fort was built out of sand and palmetto logs which came from all over the harbor. To get the palmetto logs to the island, they were tied together in rafts and floated to the beaches of the island and then dragged to the construction site by animal and manpower. The plan was for the fort to have 16 feet thick walls and 500 feet long around its perimeter with walls 10 feet higher than the gun placements. The palmetto trees would form an inner and outer wall with sand in between to give maximum protection to the guns and their crews inside the fort.
Besides Fort Johnson on James Island, another battery was placed on James Island with twelve cannons in an inner defense position in case the British Fleet got past Fort Johnson. This second battery on James Island was also garrisoned by the 1st South Carolina.
Christopher Gadsden
In the city proper the town was building redoubts, fortifications, and batteries to repel the British if they should get past the outer harbor defenses. One of the most substantial fortifications was placed on and near Gadsden’s wharf, one of the largest private wharfs in North America and which was garrisoned by the 4rth South Carolina. Its owner Christopher Gadsden was a member of the 1st and 2nd Continental Congress and a Lt. Col in the 1st South Carolina Regiment. He is also famous for the Gadsden Flag which he designed with the yellow background, coiled snake, and the words “don’t tread on me” located on it. These fortifications in the city proper mainly went up on the Cooper River side of Charleston since it was the location where almost all of the industry in Charleston was located during this time period.
During the spring of 1776 the harbor was full of the sounds of construction and troops drilling in the air as the thought of a British fleet showing up outside the harbor made the work have urgency and real purpose. Also during this time period troops began to come from Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia to aid in the defense of Charleston. Along with the troops came Continental Officers such as General John Armstrong, General Charles Lee, and others to help build and lead the defense of Charleston.
The final touches to the Charleston Defense; Part 5 Battle of Sullivan's Island
At the end of May 1776 the British fleet began to move down the coast of North Carolina into South Carolina towards Charleston. As they did this they did not try to hide their movements as they proceeded southward staying alongside the coast most of the way. As a result the Patriots were able to send riders to the capital with the size of the British Fleet and updates of its location along the coast. Examples of this coastal watch program are noted by Gov. Rutledge in written exchanges between himself and patriot officers in the harbor such as Col. Moultrie and Brigadier General John Armstrong who had been named the head of the defenses of Charleston. General Armstrong was an experienced soldier from Pennsylvania who had won praise in the French and Indian War as a commander of Pennsylvania troops and was also an engineer who had begun to organize and build the defenses in Charleston. The information gathered and shared by these men told of the British fleet being around forty ships and their location as they came past each parish and safe harbor such as Bulls Bay near Georgetown, North of Charleston.
As the news spread of the impending British Fleet movement’s people began to flee Charleston and head inland to other homes and anywhere where they could safely move their families to. Charleston began at the first of June to resemble a military post rather than one of the busiest commercial harbors in North America with most of the foreign and commercial vessels leaving port and going to safe harbors in the Caribbean and towards Savannah to await the outcome of the impending battle. Also at the start of June, Gov. Rutledge ordered all of the outlying Parish Militia to turn out and to report to Charleston with all speed. This call to the countryside was headed by the local and backwoods Parish militia and they started to report in piecemeal to the capital for its defense. For most of this militia it was their first time to Charleston and they were greeted with open arms by the Low Country rice gentry who had previously always had looked down on their unwashed cousins from the woods such as the Scotch-Irish, Dutch, and German settlers. You can only imagine what the scene was on the roads to and from Charleston as the town folks from Charleston were heading inland on their buggies and carts with their valuables as the backwoods men with their buckskin shirts and hunting rifles passed each other on the roads.
Also starting at the first of June with the sighting of the fleet moving toward Charleston every slave and able-bodied man went to work around the clock on the defenses in Charleston. This building of additional fortifications or finishing fortifications was on the Islands of James and Sullivans, the town proper, and other key points in the harbor.
By June the 7th most of the British fleet had moved into Charleston Harbor and was heading to an anchorage known as Five Fathom Hole in the outer harbor. From this point they could clearly see the fortifications on James and Sullivans Island and began to finalize their plan of attack on Charleston without fear of Patriot interference.
On June the 8th General Charles Lee arrived in Charleston from Williamsburg, Virginia with troops from Virginia and North Carolina and took command of its defense from General John Armstrong who then became the second in command. This change of command was made with the British sitting in the outer harbor with an attack emanating from the Patriots at any moment that the tides and winds were favorable to the British. Charles Lee was born and raised in England and came to the American cause with vast military experiences with the British Army having served in the French and Indian War as a lieutenant and with the 44th Regiment of Foot as a captain. He also served as a soldier of fortune for the King of Poland before moving to America in 1773 to settle in Virginia. He was considered a military treasure by most of the Patriots from New England to the South. His vast military knowledge made him on par with Washington in the eyes of his new country. So with his arrival in Charleston it made its defenders feel even more confident than before knowing they had a commander with vast amounts of knowledge and experience to help defend their city. Also behind General Lee were a few more troops making their way through North Carolina from Virginia to further aid the defense.
Once General Lee met with Gov. Rutledge and the Council he took over the defense of Charleston officially and began to examine the defenses. During this process he had some defenses torn down, some built up, and others moved to better effect a defense in Charleston. His biggest issue was with the fortification on Sullivans Island that Col. Moultrie and the 2nd South Carolina along with slaves and other workers were trying to finish with work around the clock under the direction of French engineer Baron Massenbourg . When Lee went to Sullivans Island he found the fort unfinished and his mind undependable. He went so far as to utter a now famous description of the fort as a “slaughter pen” and wanted to remove the troops and cannon from Sullivans Island to be disbursed in other defense positions in the harbor. This idea was floated to Gov. Rutledge and his council where the answer came back a resounding no to leaving the fortification on Sullivans Island. You must remember the Continental Army was still in its infancy and it needed the state's support to exist. The states wrote the checks for the army under the Articles of Confederation, but they did not give up their rights. So the first political question came up to General Lee: should he try to order the troops off the island or should he give in to local authorities? General Lee chose to give in to Gov. Rutledge, but with strings. He ordered as many troops off the island as he could without alarming the local government and removing as much powder as he could also. Thus if the British were able to overrun the island and fortification Lee would limit his initial losses in men and material. Another concern for Lee was the plan for evacuation of the fortification and other island defenses if the British were able to land successfully on the island. While all of this political move and counter move was happening in the city the British Fleet was making preparations for their attack on Charleston just outside of the harbor, but still visible to the Patriots.
General Lee found out that there were not enough boats that could be left on standby ready for an evacuation of the Sullivan's Island or any plans for doing so. As a result Lee ordered a floating bridge from Mount Pleasant be built using barrels as the floating bases for boards to be put across for the troops to escape or reinforce as needed. This bridge was not stable or safe and troops asked to cross over it refused on the grounds they were in fear for their lives.
Another defense position that Lee found on Sullivan's Island was a small fortification being built by a French engineer who had donated his services to the American cause, Captain Ferdinand de Braham that would play a major role in the battle. This fortification was made out of palmetto logs, sand, and some say tabby structure was located on the North East side of the island and it was guarding Breach Inlet which stands between Sullivans Island and Long Island (later renamed Isle of Palms). The purpose of this fortification originally was to prevent small British ships from entering the harbor through Breach Inlet thus getting behind Sullivans Island and making their way into the harbor proper. The ships that could get through this breach would have to be very shallow drafted ships to make it clear and were not considered much threat from this point, however a defensive position was placed there for safety sake. This position was commanded by Col. William Thomson of the 3rd South Carolina Ranger Regiment. This regiment was formed for the defense of the backcountry of South Carolina by the men of this region. It was formed as a mounted regiment that would fight on foot so that its members could carry a fight to the natives, Loyalists, or other threats with all the speed they could muster. This regiment was accompanied by a detachment of the 4rth South Carolina lead by a Lt. Mitchell (the artillery regiment) to man the 18lb and 6lb guns, Col. Clark with his 1st North Carolina Regiment, Col. Daniel Horry with South Carolina militia, a company of Catawba Indians and other local tribes which had joined this company lead by Captain Boykin, and a company of riflemen calling themselves the Raccoon Company lead by Captain Allston bringing the total to around 750 men at this point. The men at this position also had a 6lb cannon and an 18lb cannon for the defense of Breach Inlet. Fortifications of some type were built to shield the men and the cannon from the expected British attack by ship. This position was referred to as the “Advance Guard” by the Patriots. Just a quick note this position was built before the British landed on Long Island as a deterrent to ships so please keep this in mind as we look at events as they unfold.
On June the 8th the entire British Fleet had entered the outer parts of Charleston Harbor and was resting in Five Fathom Hole. It was at this point that General Clinton sent a message to the defenders of Charleston to surrender. This was rejected by Gov. Rutledge without any discussion and thus the stage was set for the Battle of Sullivan's Island in Charleston Harbor.
On June the 9th the British started to land in large numbers on Long Island and began to set up camp and to put pickets across Breach Inlet from the Patriot Advance Guard position on Sullivans Island. The two enemies were now separated by Breach Inlet which the Americans knew to be at least seven feet deep at low tide and which the British were about to learn the same.
According to Chief Justice of South Carolina at the time of the attack William Henry Drayton through his noted that his son John Drayton published at the time of the British attack on Charleston was defended by “6,500 men coming from 1,400 Continentals from North Carolina; 500 Continentals from Virginia; 1,950 Continentals form South Carolina; 700 Charleston militia; 1,972 Parish militia.” It will become very interesting to see how very few of these troops though never fired a shot in the battle to defend Charleston.
The British finalize their plans; Battle of Sullivan's Island part 6
At the start of June, General Clinton and Admiral Parker had made their way to Charleston harbor with their combined task force of navy and army personnel. This was an impressive force with over 50 ships of all sizes and descriptions preparing for their attack on Charleston. The fleet included 52 ships including HMS Bristol (Flagship, 50 guns), HMS Experiment (50 guns), HMS Actaeon, HMS Active, HMS Solebay, HMS Syren, HMS Sphinx, HMS Friendship, HMS Lady Williams, bomb vessel HMS Thunder, transports, supply ships and others with totaling around 300 heavy navel guns. The ground component of the task force was divided up into 2 brigades. The First Brigade was commanded by Lt. Col James Webster with the Light Infantry Companies of the 4th, 15th, 28th, 33rd, 44th, 46th, 54th, 57th, and the 28th and 37th full regiments of the line.
The Second Brigade was commanded by Col. Charles Earl Cornwallis with the 15th, 33rd, 46th, 54, 57th Regiments of the Line, the 1st Royal Marine Regiment, and the 84th also referred to as the “Young Highlanders” or “Royal Highland Emigrant Regiment”, a provincial regiment that was supposed to come to full strength in North Carolina until the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge ended that hope with the defeat of the Scottish provincial recruits there. The British Army had committed over 2,800 men to this expedition, first against New Bern in North Carolina and now against Charleston in South Carolina, once the North Carolina expedition was cancelled. The artillery component of the army was manned by the Number 1, 2, and 4 companies of the Royal Artillery manning ten guns.
With this combined task force, Admiral Parker and General Clinton along with their staff went over possible plans of attack to take Sullivans Island and to seal Charleston Harbor off to the outside World with a mighty blow from the King’s Army and Navy. As early as middle May Admiral Parker had been getting reports from the ships he had sent to Charleston Harbor to gather intelligence about the harbor and its defenses that the harbor was being fortified. In these reports he received information about Fort Johnson and other works being built up by the rebels. The one that got the most attention was the fortification being built on Sullivans Island, where it was being reported that a substantial fortification was being built there to control the northern entrance to the harbor. Clinton and Parker agreed that if Sullivans Island could be taken that they could shut down Charleston Harbor to all trade and could tie down a large rebel force that would have to either try to remove the British from Sullivans Island if they took it or would have to act as a holding force to prevent the British from attacking other points on the coast from a base on Sullivans Island. The key to this is, understanding that taking Charleston was never an option for the British. They did not have the manpower to take Charleston proper nor the ability to raise Loyalists to come to their aid in the initial fight in trying to take the town proper. One of the key advisers for this plan of shutting down the harbor was Royal Gov. Lord Campbell who was able to with two Royal ships the HMS Tamer and HMS Cherokee to prevent shipping in the harbor until he left in the fall of 1775. If the British were able to accomplish this it would have been a major blow to the commerce of the Patriots but also the production and distribution of war material.
The initial plan was being ironed out once the British Fleet moved into Five Fathom Hole in Charleston Harbor, a safe part of the harbor out of range of Patriot artillery and summer storms on the open sea. Admiral Parker wanted to do a combined attack with the Royal Navy and Royal Army affecting a “coup de main” against the unfinished fortifications on the island. To accomplish this he was going to use the heavy artillery of the fleet to reduce the fort while General Clinton used the flat boats of the fleet to land on the Northern side of the island during the naval bombardment. After the army landed in the small boats under Parker's plan they were to fight their way across the island to the back of the fort and gain entrance from the unfinished part of the fort. Thus taking control of the fort and sealing off the harbor for the British. General Clinton had another idea of how to take the fortification on Sullivans Island. His plan was to land his men on Long Island and have them charge over from Long Island to Sullivan's Island across Breach Inlet which according to his intelligence or lack thereof was only 18 inches deep at low tide. Thus he would be able to deploy his field artillery to cover his advance against the rebels across the inlet as his troops splashed across the water and towards the unfinished fort. This would reduce the risk of boats overturning in the surf full of troops during an attack and would allow his men to first disembark from the fleet with little trouble and allow organization on the beach before the attack. Once across the inlet as with Parkers' plan they would head to the back of the unfinished fort and take it from the rear. The plus and the minus of each plan were discussed by the staff of each officer and by the two primary officers at some length once the fleet was anchored in the harbor. The final decision was made to go with Clinton’s plan of landing at Long Island and attacking from a base camp there.
On June the 9th the plan was put into action as General Clinton with elements of his army began to land on Long Island securing it against no resistance and establishing a temporary camp there to prepare for the assault against Sullivans Island.
South Carolina’s Navy at the Battle of Sullivan's Island part 7
South Carolina Navy Jack
Defence in action by Conner
On September the fifth, 1775 the South Carolina Provincial Congress ordered three ships for the defense of Charleston Harbor. The ships would provide the backbone for the newly formed South Carolina Navy. This was a time period where each state still provided for its own defense with assistance from other states. As a result each state provided its own army and navy, thus the South Carolina Navy was born in Charleston to defend the harbor. The South Carolina Navy went into action with three ships at first the Defence, Hibernia, and Hawke with a forth Prosper coming on line in December of 1775. These ships provided escort, helped with troop movements, patrolled the South Carolina coast looking for prize opportunities, and helped to secure the harbor. On November the 12th, 1775 the Defence got into the first naval fight of the short history of the South Carolina Navy when it was trying to sink old hulks as obstacles near Hog Island channel to block British ships from attempting to enter the harbor through this channel. The SC Navy Defence traded shots with the HMS Cherokee and HMS Tamar for three hours as she helped place the hulks for sinking in the channel. Fort Johnson with the First South Carolina tried to join the battle but the distance was too far for its cannons and it stopped firing after the shots fired were not able to reach its targets. These are the same ships that Royal Gov. Campbell was on trying to keep royal control over South Carolina through. The exchange caused no real harm to either of the forces with Defence taking three minor hits, but it did show South Carolina was not ready to back down.
Defence vs Tamar and Cherokee by Conner
On January 10th, 1776 the Defence was the ship selected to carry the troops selected to form the battery on Sullivans Island to the island. After she got the men and material off board safely she then stayed near the island to provide protection to the workforce as they began to build the first primitive battery on the island.
Also in the spring of 1776, the Defence and a newly commissioned ship in the South Carolina Navy the Comet began patrolling the coast of South Carolina collecting some prizes for the new navy. This was accomplished while they were also watching out for the British Fleet that was rumored to be heading from Boston to the South. In late May, both of the ships returned to Charleston at different times bringing with them captured prizes. Defence was able to bring her prize into the port safely while Comet ended up with her prize grounded as two British ships gave chase.
This action in late May ended the open ocean role of the South Carolina Navy as the British Fleet blockaded the harbor on June 2nd. Upon their arrival they closed up the harbor until the battle was decided. The new role of the fleet was to help with troop movements around the harbor, to become floating batteries, and to refit while they were in port if supplies were available. Two of the ships that would play a role in the defense of Sullivan's Island would be the Defence and Prosper.
The unified defence plan of Charleston which included the harbor and the town called for the navy to place the Defence and the Prosper in key positions in the harbor to offer support to the main two forts. The Prosper would be placed close to James Island near Fort Johnson and the Defence would be placed near Hog Island channel to offer support to the battery on Haddrell's Point and the fort on Sullivan's Island.
Thus, once the Royal Navy shows up outside the harbor, the unified defence plan is put into action and the South Carolina Navy gets ready for action.
Thomas Sumter; Part 8 Battle of Sullivan's Island
Thomas Sumter was from the High Hills of the Santee near present day Sumter, South Carolina. He was born in Virginia but immigrated to South Carolina after he made a name for himself fighting in the French and Indian War against the Cherokee as part of the Virginia Militia as a sergeant. He even went to England after the war as an escort for Indian chiefs the British wished to impress. Upon his return he bought land in the High Hills and opened a store, mill, and farm in 1764. As he began to amass wealth over time in the High Hills, he started to resent the taxes he was paying and as a result, he turned to the Patriot cause.
He was elected to the South Carolina Provincial Congress along with a neighbor by the name of Francis Marion in 1774 that first met on January 11th, 1775. While a member of the Provincial Congress he voted for many acts to distance South Carolina from England, he was considered a radical by many who were at the meetings. Also during this time period Thomas Sumter became a Captain in the local militia of the High Hills area. As a Captain he and his company participated in the Snow Campaign of December 1775 along with others such as Andrew Pickens, and Lt. Col. William Thomson with the #rd South Carolina Rangers under the command of Col. Richard Richardson with a total force of 4500 men from South and North Carolina which sought out to destroy Tory strongholds and gathering points in the backcountry of South Carolina. During the Snow Campaign, Sumter was second in command to Col. Richardson and through this opportunity his leadership showed through as the Patriots smashed the Tories in the backcountry.
As a result of the name he made for himself in the Snow Campaign in February 1776 Thomas Sumter was appointed Lt. Colonel of a new regiment that was being formed in South Carolina. The new regiment would be called the 2nd South Carolina Rifle Regiment and would be made up of recruits from the Northwestern part of the state. They were to be primarily a sharp shooting regiment hence the name rifle regiment; instead of muskets they were issued rifles when possible as their primary weapon. Their name would later be changed to the 6th South Carolina, a fact which will help the reader at a later date. They became an active regiment on March 25th, 1776 in Charleston after Sumter began recruiting for the regiment in the backcountry.
The 2nd South Carolina Rifles at the Battle of Sullivan’s Island under the command of Lt. Col. Sumter was stationed at Haddrell’s Point on Mount Pleasant on June 6th, 1776. They were being used as a ready reserve force with other regiments to meet the British if they should try to land on Mount Pleasant, but could also be ferried over to Sullivan’s Island if needed.
So on June the 6th we Find Thomas Sumter not yet the “Gamecock” he would become, eagerly waiting with his men to see what the British next move was to be.
General Clinton on Long Island; Battle of Sullivan's Island Part 9
On June the 9th, 1776 General Clinton and his advance force of between 500-700 men landed on Long Island. When they set foot on Long Island they were the first British troops to try to bring the British Southern Strategy to life. As they landed they began to secure the island and to prepare for their assault against Sullivan’s Island across Breach Inlet at low tide as they planned to board their ships.
As the troops fanned out across the island they found no resistance to their landing and securing the island for the Crown. General Lee of the patriot forces in Charleston upon hearing of the British initial landings late in the day sent orders to General Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island to send over troops to harass the landing. Since General Moultrie did not receive the orders till after 8PM he decided that it would be best to wait until the next morning on the 10th before sending troops over to Long Island. During the night of the ninth the troops of the Fifth South Carolina under Col. Isaac Huger and the Sixth South Carolina under Thomas Sumter rifle regiments left their camps at Haddrell’s point on Mount Pleasant and went over to Sullivan’s Island to prepare to go attack the British on Long Island on the morning of the tenth. However General Lee had a change of heart and cancelled the previous orders to send troops over to Long Island and had them return to Haddrell’s point instead on the tenth.
On the tenth of June the British threat to Charleston had become all too real to the local government and military officials. On this date the South Carolina government ordered buildings destroyed at the port to make way for artillery placements and for other obstructions that could slow the British if they were to reach the city of Charleston. The town was in uproar and all those who could leave and had not done so on this date made their exit. Rutledge and the Council of Safety had declared martial law and it was in effect in full force now in Charleston. Also General Lee was at this point making a mad dash tour of the defenses of Charleston to try to make them as ready as possible for the coming British attack. His biggest concern was still the fort on Sullivan’s Island where he was trying to convince the locals to abandon at this point. Also riders were sent out to hurry along any other regiments that were on the road to Charleston to make all speed to its defense such as the 8th Virginia under the command of Col. Muhlenberg.
Once the British Army and the British Marines finished securing the island they started to prepare for the rest of the army to land on Long Island. The main force landed between June 16th and 18th riding in long boats through the surf with men, cannon, and other military supplies. This build up was watched very carefully by the Patriots at Breach Inlet at the Advance post under the command of Lt. Col. Thompson. As the British began the buildup of troops and stores they began to send observation parties to different parts of the island to observe Patriot movements and defenses. Once such a party was assigned getting intelligence back to General Clinton about the Patriot defenses across the Breach where they reported back that they had two cannon and defensive land works up across Breach Inlet. This Patriot force directly across from the British at Breach Inlet guaranteed there would be no walk in the park as the British splashed across the inlet at low tide as planned.
The Royal Artillery had landed its cannon and were no doubt preparing to provide cover fire for the troops as they dashed through the inlet and raced across Sullivan’s Island to take the unfinished fort as the Royal Navy pounds the fort with its big guns.
All was going according to plan for Clinton and Parker as the troops on Long Island prepared for the assault under Clinton and the Fleet under Parker was making ready for a massive bombardment with some of the Royal Navy's biggest cannons. Then the unthinkable happened to the entire operation. While doing the last minute reconnaissance of the inlet and the surrounding area it was found that the key information that the entire plan was based on was entirely and wholeheartedly wrong. To Clinton’s disbelief it was accurately discovered that Breach Inlet was not 18 inches deep at low tide, but instead seven to ten feet in certain points at low tide. If as the British planned to dash across the inlet on foot their men would be swallowed up in their heavy uniforms with their equipment. Also to make matters worse it was also discovered that very fast currents with a terrible undertow were present at the inlet making navigating it in a boat very difficult in good conditions, but under enemy fire even that more difficult.
So now the entire operation was up in the air, as Clinton with his top commanders Lord Cornwallis and General Vaughn began to develop a plan B on how to best take the fort on Sullivan’s Island with Admiral Parker. Also keep in mind that the entire expedition against Charleston is on a time table, because General Howe was expecting Clinton and his forces to return to him soon for Howe’s planned conquest of New York.
At this point the geography of Sullivan’s Island and Long Island that Clinton found so horrifying should be explained in some detail so that it is easier to understand the decisions made by the British in Formulating plan B. Long Island has the Atlantic Ocean on its east shore, Hamlin Creek which was navigable by ships to its west coast, Spence’s Inlet to its north coast which ships could pass through to Hamlin Creek, and Breach Inlet to the South divided it from Sullivan’s Island. Between Sullivan’s Island and Long Island is a small piece of land called Green Island just to the west of Long Island before you reach Breach Inlet. It would also play a role in the upcoming battle as an artillery placement area for the British. Sullivan’s Island has the Atlantic Ocean to its east coast, with Hamlin Creek boarding its west shore, Breach Inlet to the north, and Charleston Harbor proper to its south. Also between the southern part of the island and the mainland of Mount Pleasant was a cove that could hold ships of various sizes. The main land of Mount Pleasant was separated from the islands of Long, Green, and Sullivans by Hamlin Creek and a vast area of salt marsh and pluff mud which is a substance that smells awful and has the same consistency as quicksand.
With this new correct intelligence in mind; Clinton and Parker have to come up with a new plan of attack on Sullivan’s Island. While they were formulating a new plan the Patriots in Charleston were using this time to try to hurriedly finish their defenses with every precious moment the British were giving them.
Clinton’s Decision on Long Island; Part 10 Battle of Sullivan's Island
On June 18th, Clinton was sitting on Long Island trying to figure out how to attack the rebels on Long Island with boats instead of dashing across the inlet at low tide on foot. The fact that the inlet was seven feet deep at low tide, instead of eighteen inches deep at low tide was a fact that totally scrapped the plans of Parker and Clinton for a joint attack. Now Clinton was trying to come up with a feasible new plan that would not risk his entire force in attacking Sullivan’s Island. He also knew that he and his force would soon be expected to report back to General Howe to help in the planned invasion of New York. The key question is what he could do now to deploy his troops to secure Sullivan’s Island with the smallest risk.
This was still going to be a joint army and navy operation with the main objective being the capture of Sullivan’s Island, but the question now is how to best pull it off with the clock ticking to get the mission accomplished. With the new intelligence in hand, Clinton had several factors to look at to make the new plan of attack. The first of these factors being the intelligence of the area that his forces would be landing on. Clinton knew the northern end of the island had heavy surf which would make landing difficult at best under the best conditions. Landing in open boats full of men and their equipment at the northern end of the island that was guarded by two artillery pieces and dug in infantry would be suicide. His boats full of men would have to pass this rebel position to attack Sullivan’s Island at a different landing area exposed to artillery and rifle fire as they rowed past to a different landing site further south on the island. The second would be the location of the rebels on the island so as to discern where to best land his troops against the least resistance. By now the information he had was of the position across Breach Inlet, the unfinished fort at the southern end of the island, and a new earth work being built halfway across the island manned by in his estimation thousands of troops. The third would be the rebel’s response time to his landing so as to get his troops ashore before the rebels could mass to meet the British as they came ashore. The fourth would be how many men he could land at one time on shore and start their attack on the fort as the Navy bombarded it. The answer to that question is that at the absolute most he could get at one time were seven hundred men on shore and then the boats would have to leave to get a second wave, leaving those troops exposed until the second wave could be rowed back. The fifth question being; how to best use his artillery assets and the Royal Navy to cover his landing in open boats. On land he had six cannon, four mortars and at sea he had three warships with HMS Ranger being on the Atlantic side and HMS Lady Williams and another sloop being on Hamilton Creek with sixteen cannon among them. The problem with his artillery being that he could gain no advantage against the dug in rebels across the inlet even with placing artillery on Green Island and an oyster bank for better angles to fire at them. Also the Royal Navy could do no better because of the limited movement on the creek.
The more Clinton and his staff went over the options of attack the less Clinton liked his chances at getting across to Sullivan’ Island from Long Island. He and his staff even started looking at trying to land on the main land at Mount Pleasant to try to differentiate rebel attention from the main action by the Royal Navy hoping to cause the rebels to abandon the fort and leave the island without a direct assault. This plan was also difficult because of the marshes and pluff mud that surrounds Mount Pleasant on the coast. Time and again Clinton sent letters to Admiral Parker and aides to try to come up with a plan of coordinated attack. This occurred for several days until Clinton decided on a course of action that finalized the plan of attack on Sullivan’s Island.
He decided that the army would wait and seek whatever opportunities that came available to them during the naval bombardment of the fort. In other words, if he could attack he would, but he would give no formal plans of how or where until he saw how the bombardment was going. He did ask for the Royal Navy to get some ships behind the fort in the cove behind Sullivan’s Island to cover his boats from that side if practical, to cover his amphibious force better. Thus he shifted the success of the operation to the Royal Navy and their ability to rain down lead on the fort and destroy it from the sea which Admiral Parker took on with pleasure.
Thus on June 21st the Royal Crown has a new plan of attack and are waiting to spring it on the rebels who have been bringing in more troops and quickly building up their defenses as the British were debating on how to redesign their attack against Charlestown.
The last preparations of the Patriots; Part 11 Battle of Sullivan's Island
By June 18th General Lee knew that Clinton had landed on Long Island with several thousand troops and was planning to attack Charlestown at either Sullivan’s Island or the main land at Mount Pleasant. As a result of this development, General Lee tried to desperately finish the fortifications on Sullivan’s Island and to send more troops to Mount Pleasant to assist with its defense since its coast line could be attacked at several different points. On June 15th Lee had appointed General Armstrong the overall commander of the Patriot forces on Mount Pleasant and Sullivan’s Island and had sent a letter to Col. Moultrie for him to report to Armstrong directly to help unify the available forces in this area of the Charlestown defenses. To help defend Mount Pleasant General Lee and General Armstrong had agreed to pull troops from Col. Thomson’s command at the advanced post since they felt his area was smaller to defend and that the troops could be put to better use on Mount Pleasant. These troops could also be sent back to Sullivan’s Island if they were needed in an attack if enough boats were available or the bridge that Lee had ordered built between Sullivan’s Island and Mount Pleasant could be completed between the cove that separated them on the southern part of the island.
General Lee had ordered the construction of a floating bridge between the island and mainland on June the 10th. The purpose of the bridge was the movement of troops to Sullivan’s Island and for an escape route if needed. However you must remember that Lee did not want to defend Sullivan’s Island even calling the unfinished fort a “slaughter pen” and had come in direct conflict with Gov. Rutledge over it. Lee did back down and left Col. Moultrie and Col. Thomson on the island, but with as limited an amount of men and powder as he could. The bridge was Lee’s top concern in letter after letter to Moultrie, Armstrong, Rutledge, and others about its completion being vital for an escape route for the troops if the British began to overrun the island. This obsession with an escape route seemed to make the South Carolinians cautious of Lee and his plans. There was such a concern about Lee ordering the troops off of the island, that Gov. Rutledge sent a letter to Moultrie telling him to only leave his post if he ordered it and him alone. Please remember that when Rutledge gave Lee control of the South Carolina troops on June 9th that it was before the Declaration of Independence and Lee was in South Carolina to help coordinate the troops and had no real power unless the state gave it to him. The state did so, but they could also remove the South Carolina troops at their pleasure from his command at a moment’s notice, an item that would become a hindrance to all later in the American Revolution. The bridge took hours of manpower and material to try to build that could have been used finishing other fortifications around the harbor. Instead man and material was poured into its construction at the insistence of Lee. After two weeks of construction being ordered, the Patriots tried to send Col. Horry’s regiment across it on the 25th and they refused to go across because they were in fear of their lives. The work continued on the bridge after this to make it more stable, but it was not resolved before the battle. As a result, the main way of moving troops from the mainland to the island would continue to be the limited number of boats that were available. So if assistance was needed quickly or an evacuation of the island ordered it would take precious time.
In the meantime another concern for Lee was the amount of powder that Col. Thomson and his troops were used to keep HMS Lady Williams and HMS Raven at bay on Hamlin Creek. The two Royal Navy ships were trying to sound the creek to check for depths and Col. Thomson let loose his 18 lb cannon on them to keep them at bay and even according to his men hitting the British ships a couple of times before they withdrew back up the creek on June 22nd. This exchange of cannon fire caused alarm in Charlestown as they felt it might signal the start of the battle. Once Lee found out what the cause of the firing was, he sent a letter to tell those on Sullivan’s island to save the powder they did have for the real attack. The day after this exchange of cannon fire occurred the last of the Continental troops arrived in Charlestown that would participate in the battle with the entrance of Col. Muhlenberg and his 8th Virginia who were sent to Mount Pleasant.
Lee continued to grow frustrated with the leadership of Moultrie on the island for Lee in letters worried Moultrie was not pushing hard enough for the completion of the bridge or the fortifications. When Moultrie is asked if he can hold his position he says he can, but Lee is not satisfied and on the 27th orders Col. Nash of the 1st North Carolina to report to him on the 28th. His purpose was to give orders to Nash to take command of the unfinished fort on Sullivan’s island. However on the morning of the 28th Nash hears cannon fire as he was making his way to Lee’s headquarters and returns to his command to prepare for the battle which has now begun on Sullivans Island.
The fortifications on Sullivan's Island the morning of June 28th, 1776; Part 12 Battle of Sullivan's Island
The fort had 31 cannons mounted on the morning of June 28th, 1776 ranging from 9 pounders to the large 26 pounders. About half of the fort was completed with the side facing Northeast and northwest till not yet finished. These would be the sides opposite the entrance to Charlestown Harbor. The fort was designed to hold one thousand men, but on the morning of the 28th the unfinished fort had four hundred and twenty four men of the Second South Carolina, a twenty man detachment of the Forth South Carolina Artillery Regiment, plus the workers who had begun the daily working on the fort under the direction of the Continental Engineers Baron Massenborg and DeBrahm.
Below is a replica of a section of fort's wall at the SC State Museum in Columbia, SC
We find Major Francis Marion of the Second South Carolina in command of half of the cannon inside the fort going about his daily duty of inspecting the men and fort waiting to see when the British would attack.
Over the fort flew an indigo blue flag with a white crest moon in the top left corner. A debate about the rest of the makeup of the flag still goes on today. The debate centers on the word “LIBERTY” and if the word was on the flag or not. If it was on the flag the word “LIBERTY” was on the bottom of the flag or inside the crest moon. Moultrie describes the word “LIBERTY” inside the crescent moon and that’s good enough for us since he would have had to okay the design and making of the flag.
At the Advance Guard we find Moultrie and Thomson with his Third South Carolina, South Carolina Militia, a detachment of North Carolina Continentals, and the Raccoon Company of Rifle men behind a sound dug in position totaling around seven hundred and seventy men with an eighteen pound cannon and six pound cannon covering Breach Inlet. At 10:30AM this morning, the battle began with a signal cannon fired from the HMS Bristol fired to begin the British assault on Sullivan's Island. Thus we find Moultrie jumping in the saddle riding hard and fast back the three miles to his command and his destiny on this June day.
June 28th, 1776 Battle of Sullivan's Island; Part 13 Battle of Sullivan's Island
On the morning of June 28th, 1776 we find Col. Moultrie with Col. Thomson at the advance guard going over the situation there, when they hear a cannon fired and start to see the British Fleet making preparations to weigh anchor. Once they realize what was happening, Moultrie jumps on a horse and begins his short three mile ride to the unfinished fort at the other side of the island where Lt. Col. Isaac Motte and Major Francis Marion were sounding to quarters inside the fort to prepare for the British fleet. When Moultrie left Thomson he left him in charge of the Third South Carolina Regiment, a detachment of the Fourth South Carolina Artillery manning the two guns, South Carolina Militia, the First North Carolina Continentals under the command of Colonel Clark, a group of Catawba Indians, and the Raccoon Company of Riflemen totaling around 770 men with two pieces of artillery an 18 pounder and six pounder dug in. At the fort, the Second South Carolina and a detachment of the Fourth South Carolina Artillery Regiment totaling around 435 men were now at their guns reading for action as Moultrie rode up to the fort.
On Mount Pleasant, at Haddrell’s Point, General Armstrong was at full alert waiting to see if Clinton on Long Island was going to assault Sullivan’s Island or at Mount Pleasant so he had his troops consisting of South Carolina Militia, the Fifth South Carolina under Col. Isaac Huger, Sixth South Carolina under Lt. Col. Thomas Sumter, North Carolina Continentals, and the Eighth Virginia totaling around sixteen hundred troops. They were placed near the fortification at Haddrell’s point and at other points where Clinton could possibly make an attempt of landing at. At this point reinforcements were sent to Sullivan’s Island because General Lee wanted to make sure the main land was protected first and of his worries of the fort being undependable as discussed before. If Lee was to order Armstrong to send troops to Sullivan’s Island they would have to be carried over in boats as the bridge that General Lee had long sought was not deemed safe for usage.
On James Island, Fort Johnson, was manned by the First South Carolina commanded by Christopher Gadsden. They were now at battle station inside the fort and at the new battery built a little ways from the fort covering the harbor.
In the town proper of Charlestown General Lee had the rest of the South Carolina Militia, North Carolina Continentals, and the Fourth South Carolina under the command of Lt. Col. Owen Roberts prepared to defend the city proper against any attack there.
The South Carolina Navy was in port for the most part with its sailors being distributed among the new fortifications in Charlestown and along with its powder and guns. The big exception to this was the Defence, the hero from the Battle of Hogg’s Island which was stationed in the cove behind the fort, placed there in the original defense plans of Charleston Harbor by the Patriots. Its purpose was to try to prevent the British ships from getting behind the fort if possible.
General Clinton was on Long Island with his First Brigade under the command of Cornwallis and his Second Brigade under the command of Vaughn. They had procured as many boats as possible for their amphibious assault across Breach Inlet and were now prepared to go over once the fleet began its bombardment. They had fitted some of the boats with 3 pound cannon to help with the keep the Patriots busy as they rowed across the inlet. Also HMS Lady William and HMS Raven were moving up Hamlin Creek to in range of the Advance Guard to give cover to the boats as they made their attempt across the inlet with HMS Ranger on the Atlantic side also trying to maneuver into range.
The Royal Navy under the command of Admiral Parker had fired the signal shot from the HMS Bristol at 10:30 AM and was now trying to move from Five Fathom Hole to within range of the fort. This process took over an hour for the first shot as the effort did not occur until 11:30 AM when HMS Thunder began to fire thirteen inch mortar shells towards the fort. As the bombardment began in earnest from the rest of the fleet joining in General Lee’s nightmare of British ships getting behind the fort on Sullivan’s Island began to come to fruition. HMS Actaeon, HMS Syren, and HMS Sphinx began to maneuver towards the cove behind the fort. We can only imagine the fear that the Patriots had as they had no real way to stop these British ships as they moved closer and closer towards their objective of cutting off the fort and firing at it from three sides with the British heavy navel guns. When the times are their darkest, that's when the Lord always seems to shine through. At this point the three ships which were now almost at a point of cutting off the fortran hard ground in the harbor unable to free themselves for some time and totally removing themselves from influencing the battle. As these ship’s crews worked feverishly to free their ships from the sand bar, the bombardment continued with HMS Bristol, HMS Experiment, HMS Solebay, and others pounding the fort with their heavy guns.
With the bombardment going in full force, General Lee was in Charlestown desperate for information to figure out the plan of the British attack. We recall he never wanted to defend Sullivan’s Island for which the British would have been grateful for since their main objective was the island in order to close the harbor to shipping. With this in mind Lee is now waiting to see where the British blow will come with their infantry on Long Island destined to try to make an attempt somewhere to gain a foothold. With Clinton’s plan not being clear to Lee and the fact he felt that the fort could not withstand the bombardment of the Royal Navy he did not send powder or troops to the island when the fight first began as he felt they could be lost when the island.
To the surprise of General Lee the fort was doing just fine with the troops inside it very well protected by their sixteen foot high walls that were filled with eight feet of sand in the finished sections. The cannon balls that the British were firing were doing little damage to the fort proper because of their range they were firing from, because of fear of grounding and the fact that palmetto logs are flexible enough to withstand the force of impact without splintering or breaking. As the Patriots returned fire they were starting to inflict damage on the fleet but with their limited powder supply they could not fire without the possibility of running out of powder so they fired very slowly to conserve powder. At this point when the firing was the most it was now time for Clinton to, as he put it, find some way for the army to assist in the assault with no clear point of attack in place.
General Clinton now decided it was time for the army to make its amphibious assault attempt across the inlet. Under the cover of HMS Lady Williams, HMS Raven, and HMS Ranger the special units of the 15th, 28th, 33rd, 37th, 46th, 54th, and 57th regiments of foot began to land in the boats for their dash across the inlet in boats. What a far cry this was from the original plan of splashing across the inlet at low tide. HMS Lady Williams and HMS Raven moved past the troops loading on the boats to take up position to cover them and to bring their cannons into range of the Patriot advance guard. Also at this point the Royal Artillery that Clinton had brought with him to the island began to fire from Long Island, Green Island, and an oyster bank where they had placed some cannon at. As the navy moved into position Thomson’s eighteen pound cannon roared into action and began to fire at these two ships in Hamlin Creek to great effect, causing damage to the ships and fear among the sailors. At this point in the cannon duel, Clinton chooses to send his boats loaded with troops to start across the inlet. The ships which had been sent to cover the landing were trying to counter the Patriot artillery when they went aground trying to maneuver in the creek. This no left Clinton's exposed troops to the mercy of the Patriots whose dug-in position had given them ample protection from the British army and navy. Once the British troops came into range of the patriot’s cannon they began to fire grape shots from their eighteen pounder and six pounder leaving the exposed troops in an awful fire. With the Royal Navy unable to cover the landings anymore and with his troops defenseless to the patriot cannon fire he calls the boats back to Long Island to await further developments. With this, the land battle part of Sullivan's Island ended with the hope of the British now relying on the Royal Navy’s cannon to force the Patriots out of their fortifications and into the open.
At the height of the battle between the fort and the British Navy one of the greatest stories of South Carolina heroism in the American Revolution occurs. The flag staff of the fort was cut in half by a cannon fired by the British. This was important because once a force lowered its flag it showed they were not going to continue the fight. At this moment a sergeant in the Second South Carolina by the name of William Jasper saw what had happened and grabbed the flag and an artillery staff placed the flag on the staff and stood fully exposed to British fire at the top of the wall until a makeshift flagpole could be made to place the flag on so that the British and those watching from elsewhere knew the fort was fighting on.
Around 4PM General Lee decided to go to Sullivan’s Island to see for himself how the fort was holding up. He finally arrives at the fort at 5PM from Charlestown at the same time two hundred pounds of desperately needed powder arrives from the South Carolina Naval ship Defence. Also around 5PM the 8th Virginia arrived at the advance guard with a detachment of South Carolina troops to bolster the troops there under Thomson. After a short inspection of the fort and talking with Moultrie and his staff, Lee returns to Charlestown in order to hurry powder and other supplies to the fort.
By nightfall, no advantage had been gained by Parker or Clinton on Sullivan’s Island. Parker had failed to destroy the fort on the island and Clinton had not obtained a foot hold on it for his troops. The fleet had taken a beating from the slow and steady fire from the fort and needed time for repairs. Also the three ships which had grounded in the inner harbor two had managed to get free with HMS Actaeon still not able to free herself. The British Army was on Long Island secure from counter attack, but was also smarting from their attempted attack across the inlet. Also the time was drawing near for the British to sail north to join Howe on his New York Campaign. With little chance of success now possible the British after a few days decided it was best to sail north to join Howe without any more loss of men or ships.
Thus the Patriots of South Carolina gained the first major victory of the American Revolution even before the Declaration of Independence was signed.
After Action Report for the Battle of Sullivan's Island Part 14
Once the totals of wounded came back to their proper commands the battle did not seem like a costly one with the numbers lost considering the amount of shots fired. The British lost 94 killed and 182 wounded with severe damage to several of their ships including the loss of the HMS Actaeon due to not being able to refloat it after being caught on the sand bar that would later play even a greater role in United States History when Fort Sumter was built upon it. Also the last Royal Governor of South Carolina, Lord William Campbell would receive a wound that would cause great pain for him for several years until his death in England.
On the Patriot side 12 were killed and 72 wounded from the two fortifications on Sullivan's Island. Moultrie would go to become the hero of the battle with the fort being named for him, Fort Moultrie. Admiral Parker and General Clinton would for years after the battle continue their war for who was at fault for the failed attack.
The end result of the battle would be that the British were able to sail away with their pride hurt, but their Navy and Army still intact for the campaign in New York that General Howe was about to launch. The New York Campaign would enable these British troops to redeem themselves and they will redeem themselves in that campaign. For South Carolina it gave them a two and a half year breathing room from British assault, but the war did not leave South Carolina or her borders for long.
In fact, several days after the Battle of Sullivan's Island, the Cherokee Nation took up the war cry and started burning farms and killing people along the border for their protector, King George. This is where our next series of articles begins, the war with the Cherokees.
This series was supposed to take us three weeks to complete, HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!
We enjoyed doing this first series and we hope that you will continue to come back for the series that will follow.
Historical Writing Feedback - Battle of Sullivan's Island Report
Areas of Strength:
• Your detailed chronological organization effectively tells the story of this important battle, particularly in how you build tension leading up to June 28th. The way you break down the British strategic planning and Patriot preparations helps readers clearly understand the sequence of events.
• You demonstrate strong research and historical detail, especially in your coverage of key figures like Colonel Moultrie, General Lee, and Admiral Parker. Your inclusion of specific troop numbers, weaponry details, and geographic descriptions shows thorough understanding of the battle's context.
• Your explanation of the geography and terrain's impact on military strategy is excellent, particularly in how you describe Breach Inlet's depth being "seven to ten feet in certain points at low tide" rather than the expected 18 inches, which forced the British to change their entire attack plan.
Areas for Growth:
• Consider adding more analysis of the battle's broader significance in the American Revolution. While you mention this was "the first major victory" before the Declaration of Independence, you could expand on how it specifically impacted the larger war effort.
• The narrative sometimes includes excessive detail that could be condensed. For example, the multiple descriptions of bridge-building attempts could be streamlined into one clear explanation of why troop movement between locations was challenging.
• Your conclusion could be stronger by drawing more explicit connections between this battle and future events. While you mention the Cherokee uprising, a clearer transition would help readers understand the continuing storyline.
General Feedback on Writing Mechanics:
• Watch for consistency in spelling and capitalization of proper nouns. For example, "Charlestown" appears as both "Charlestown" and "Charleston" throughout the text.
• Consider breaking up some longer paragraphs to improve readability. Several sections, particularly in Parts 11 and 13, contain dense paragraphs that could be more digestible if divided.
• Add citations for your sources to strengthen the academic quality of this historical report and allow readers to verify specific details and quotes you've included.
AI rewrite
Battle of Sullivan’s Island Part 1
Sullivan’s Island is located at the northeast entrance to Charleston Harbor, adjacent to the main shipping channel used by large vessels entering the port. Its geographic position makes it an ideal site for a fort to safeguard the northern side of the harbor. From this location, all ships must come within range of its cannons before entering the harbor. On the southern side of the harbor lies Fort Johnson, which protects the southern entrance to the harbor on James Island. This fort had been operational intermittently for years, defending against threats from the French and the Spanish. In 1775, there was no fortification on Sullivan’s Island, as there was no pressing need for one until the Colony decided to join the other colonies in breaking away from Britain. In January 1775, a Provincial Congress was convened in South Carolina, voting to sever ties with England and forming a rebel government in Charleston. Consequently, the Royal Governor, Lord William Campbell, escaped capture by boarding a Royal Navy ship in the harbor for protection.
In the harbor, Lord Campbell attempted to maintain Royal control in South Carolina by encouraging Loyalists to rise against the rebels and corresponded with General Howe in Boston and Lord North in London, requesting troops to reclaim Charleston for the crown. In his letters, he claimed that a substantial Loyalist presence remained in the colony, awaiting support from Royal Troops. For months, Lord Campbell sent letters to London and tried to secretly contact Loyalists in the interior of the colony. However, neither Loyalist support nor Royal Troops materialized, leading him to leave with the Royal Navy in the fall of 1775, resulting in the last Royal presence in the colony departing with him.
Lord North
While this unfolded in South Carolina, General Howe and General Washington were locked in a stalemate in Boston. In March 1776, Howe left Boston with the British army and Loyalists. During this stalemate in New England, Lord North, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, and Lord Germain, Secretary of State for the American Department, devised a strategy to reclaim the colonies, starting with the South and then moving northward to regain control. This plan was based on intelligence from Royal Governors Campbell of South Carolina and Josiah Martin of North Carolina, who argued that if Royal troops arrived in the Carolinas, a significant number of Loyalists would rise in support of the King. This would allow Royal troops to secure an area, enabling Loyalists to hold it while the British moved to subdue the next colony. If successful, the rebellion could be swiftly quelled, restoring His Majesty's authority.
Battle of Sullivan's Island Part Two
Lord Dartmouth and Lord Germain, with the approval of King George III and Prime Minister Lord North, decided on a course of action to retake control of the rebellious colonies through a Southern Strategy. Major General William Howe was instructed to send troops, including the 15th, 37th, 53rd, 54th, and 57th Regiments of Foot, under Lord Cornwallis's command, along with any additional troops from the Americas, to the Cape Fear area in North Carolina. Once in North Carolina, they aimed to reclaim the colony for royal control and turn it over to the Loyalists, as both Royal Governors Martin and Campbell claimed that Loyalists were ready to rise if they felt secure and supported by the crown in the South. Interestingly, both governors had been ousted by colonists in North and South Carolina without any resistance from the Loyalists they claimed would assist. The starting point for the North Carolina campaign would be the former royal capital of SouthPort on Cape Fear. After reestablishing royal control in SouthPort, the army could begin to move into the countryside to quell the rebels. General Howe designated Major General Henry Clinton to lead the expedition south, accompanied by Governors Martin and Campbell to reclaim their respective colonies. The command structure of the Royal Army included Major General Cornwallis leading the first brigade and Major General John Vaughan leading the second brigade.
The naval component of this joint army and navy operation was Admiral Peter Parker. His primary role was to provide support to the army as they landed and to safeguard the transport ships en route to North Carolina from Ireland. Admiral Parker commanded over 50 ships, including nine ships of the line, with two fifty-gun ships in the fleet. He departed from Ireland in December 1775 with his transports to initiate the retaking of the colonies in the South.
On January 20, 1776, Clinton left Boston with a small force from the 4th and 44th Regiments of Foot Light Companies, along with the 84th, to rendezvous with Admiral Parker on the coast of North Carolina at Cape Fear. On March 12, 1776, Clinton arrived off the coast of North Carolina at Cape Fear, where he learned from locals of the defeat of the Loyalist force that was to assist him in retaking the colony. This Loyalist force, numbering over 1500 men under Donald McDonald, was defeated by a Patriot force led by Colonel Richard Caswell at the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge on February 27, 1776. This defeat had completely routed the Loyalists in North Carolina, pushing them into hiding and making them unreliable for assistance to Clinton's force on the coast.
On May 3, 1776, Admiral Peter Parker arrived in Cape Fear with part of his fleet, which had begun to arrive in late April, continuing over the next two weeks. The fleet had been delayed on their Atlantic crossing due to storms, resulting in staggered arrivals in Cape Fear.
Admiral Parker
Once all key figures were in Cape Fear, General Clinton and Admiral Parker held a meeting to discuss the prospects of reclaiming North Carolina for the crown. They concluded that North Carolina was not an appropriate target at that time due to the resources available to the crown and the lack of Loyalist support. The next decision was whether to abandon the mission or target a different colony. The only viable options for conquest were Virginia to the north or South Carolina to the south of Cape Fear.
Charleston, being the third-largest and wealthiest port in the colonies, was producing war materials for the rebels in New England. With its naval stores and prime harbor, the two commanders quickly decided to target Charleston. Capturing it would disrupt the rebel supply line and provide a strategic base for the next domino to fall in the Southern Strategy. General Howe had previously informed Clinton that his services would not be required in Howe’s summer campaign for New York after his expulsion from Boston in March, and Howe was now in Halifax. Intelligence had been gathered about an unfinished fort guarding the northern entrance to Charleston Harbor from British ships. Reports indicated an unfinished fort on Sullivan’s Island at the northern entrance and Fort Johnson at the southern entrance on James Island. These two coastal defenses were the only barriers preventing the British from entering the harbor and Charleston. Admiral Parker believed, based on information from his scout ships, that he could neutralize the unfinished fort on Sullivan’s Island with his fleet, allowing the British to take control of the northern entrance to the harbor and block the port while the army moved in to secure key points on the mainland from a stable base on Sullivan’s Island.
Thus, on May 30, 1776, the British Empire set its sights on Charleston, with the fleet departing Cape Fear for the journey southward. The fleet consisted of 52 ships, including HMS Bristol (Flagship, 50 guns), HMS Experiment (50 guns), HMS Actaeon, HMS Active, HMS Solebay, HMS Syren, HMS Sphinx, HMS Friendship, HMS Lady Williams, bomb vessel HMS Thunder, transport ships, supply ships, and others, totaling around 300 heavy naval guns. The army aboard the transports included the Light Infantry companies of the 4th “The King’s Own” and 44th, Grenadiers, the 15th, 28th, 33rd, 37th, 46th, 53rd, 54th, 57th, 84th “Royal Highland Emigrants” of foot, Royal Artillery with 20 heavy field guns plus several 3-pounders, Royal Engineers, totaling 2200 Royal Army personnel and 700 Royal Marines, making a total of 2900 soldiers and marines. This large force was advancing on Charleston like a hurricane, eager to unleash its fury on the colonists who had rebelled against their king’s rule.
However, Charleston was aware of the British approach and was preparing a grand reception for the British Empire as it attempted to reassert its control over these rebellious colonists. The city, renowned for its hospitality, was in no mood to welcome them back warmly; instead, it was preparing a reception the British Empire and the world would not soon forget.
Battle of Sullivan's Island Part Three
As the British fleet began to weigh anchor and set sail for Charleston Harbor, the Patriot forces were readying their defenses. This preparation had begun in January 1775 when the colony voted to leave the British Empire and establish its own government. After sending five representatives to the Continental Congress in September 1774 in hopes of repairing the relationship with the mother country, the Congress was unable to resolve the issues, and all hope was lost when news reached South Carolina of the Battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts in May 1775. Once the South Carolinians knew that a shooting war was imminent, they began to strengthen their defenses and recruit troops.
The first troops raised to confront the British Empire in South Carolina were the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th South Carolina Regiments. The first two were line regiments, with the third designated as a ranger regiment to control the inland region, and the fourth as an artillery regiment. Additionally, in the fall of 1775, South Carolina began to take control of key military sites in the harbor and the city. This included Fort Johnson on James Island, the powder magazine in downtown Charleston, and other strategic points in the harbor. Other critical locations included Haddrell Point and the waterfront of Charleston, where cannons were placed to defend the city and to dislodge Governor Campbell from the harbor, where he continued to govern from two British warships. The Patriots also began to mount artillery on Sullivan’s Island. By fortifying Sullivan’s Island, it caused the governor and British fleets to retreat before damage could be inflicted in the late fall of 1775. Meanwhile, militias in the outer parishes of South Carolina started drilling and preparing for the British assault.
As the South Carolina Provincial Government readied for the expected British attack, merchants in Charleston worked tirelessly to produce goods. These goods were for the war effort in the North and for new trade routes that opened after South Carolina left the Empire. Workshops and docks were operating at full capacity, bringing in much-needed war materials and profit for local merchants. Ships from various nations were quickly in and out of Charleston harbor, moving valuable cargo to and from the Caribbean and other global points. This preparation for war and profit continued until John Rutledge's return in February 1776 from the Continental Congress, bringing word of a British fleet heading south from New England. In February 1776, the first meeting of the General Assembly occurred, and John Rutledge was elected as President of South Carolina.
The election of John Rutledge marked a pivotal moment in strengthening Charleston's defenses. In addition to Rutledge's election in February, the Continental Congress began to take the threat of a British invasion of the South seriously and appointed General Charles Lee as Commander of the Southern Theater of operations. General Lee established his headquarters in Williamsburg, Virginia, believing that either Virginia or South Carolina would be the target for British forces in the South. In March 1776, President Rutledge ordered a fort to be constructed on Sullivan’s Island to protect the northern approach to the harbor. He assigned this task to Col. William Moultrie and his command, the 2nd South Carolina.
Gov John Rutldege
Battle of Sullivan's Island Part 4: Charleston Prepares for War
The pre-Revolution defenses of Charleston primarily included Fort Johnson on James Island, the town militia, and parish militia. The only other military structures in the area were the Powder Magazine in Charleston and the tabby fort at Dorchester, 30 miles upriver. These defenses were not designed to withstand a major power attack alone; they were meant to delay attackers until the British Fleet and Army could come to Charleston's rescue. As long as South Carolina had the crown's protection, it could defend itself against Native Americans, but not much more. Additionally, with the crown's protection, colonists were reluctant to bolster defenses, as that would require public spending and taxes, which they opposed.
Fort Johnson had been guarding the harbor since 1704, protecting against the persistent Spanish threat from Florida and the French threat from the Caribbean. It had been strengthened in 1759 during the French and Indian War. The Powder Magazine was built in 1713 to store gunpowder for the colony. By the time of the revolution, it had fallen out of service but was used by the patriots as a meeting point and storage for incoming troops and munitions. The Powder Magazine can still be visited today in downtown Charleston. The fort at Dorchester was built in 1757 to protect the town from potential French and Indian attacks during the French and Indian War. Its location on the Ashley River made it the first obstacle for the two main river transport systems from the interior of South Carolina to Charleston: the other being the Cooper River. This fort was constructed using tabby walls on a bluff overlooking the river. In 1775, a powder magazine was built of brick in the middle of the fort for storing extra powder, either for Charleston's defense or as a forward storage area for the interior of the colony by the Patriots. This site can also be visited today to see the fort, a church site, and remnants of the Powder Magazine.
These defensive positions around Charleston were in poor condition in 1775 when South Carolina decided to rise up alongside the other colonies against their King. By 1775, the Powder Magazine and the fort at Dorchester were largely abandoned. Fort Johnson was in somewhat better shape but maintained only a minimal state of readiness by the British.
This was the state of defense in Charleston when the decision was made to join the other colonies. As soon as it became clear that armed revolt was on the horizon, the colonists began constructing fortifications throughout the harbor for protection against the new threat: the British.
This began to change once the South Carolinians organized a patriot government. In September 1775, they seized control of Fort Johnson and began arming it with new cannons while repairing the ones the British had disabled before abandoning the fort. The strengthening of Fort Johnson was assigned to the First South Carolina Regiment. During this period, the fort at Dorchester also received a new powder magazine. Four 18-pound guns were placed on Haddrell’s Point in present-day Mount Pleasant to guard the Cooper River entrance to Charleston within the inner harbor. This construction around Charleston helped convince Governor Lord Campbell and the two British ships in the harbor, HMS Tamar and HMS Cherokee—where he was trying to instigate an uprising among Natives and Tories—that it was time to leave before being caught in a trap.
One of the first actions on Sullivan’s Island involved Col. Moultrie of the 2nd South Carolina ordering men from both the 1st and 2nd SC to send a combined force of 225 men to the island on January 10, 1776, to build a fascine battery at the tip of the island, guarding the harbor entrance. A fascine battery is primarily made out of sticks tied together, providing limited protection against artillery barrages. In March 1776, Col. Moultrie was ordered to Sullivan’s Island to construct a more substantial fortification capable of withstanding the Royal Navy. This fort was built from sand and palmetto logs sourced from across the harbor. To transport the palmetto logs to the island, they were tied together in rafts and floated to the island's beaches, then dragged to the construction site by animals and manpower. The fort was designed to have 16-foot-thick walls, 500 feet in perimeter, and walls 10 feet higher than the gun placements. The palmetto trees formed an inner and outer wall with sand in between for maximum protection for the guns and their crews inside the fort.
In addition to Fort Johnson on James Island, another battery was established on James Island with twelve cannons in an inner defense position in case the British Fleet got past Fort Johnson. This second battery on James Island was also manned by the 1st South Carolina Regiment.
In the city, defenses such as redoubts, fortifications, and batteries were constructed to repel the British if they managed to breach the outer harbor defenses. One significant fortification was established at Gadsden’s Wharf, one of the largest private wharves in North America and manned by the 4th South Carolina. Its owner, Christopher Gadsden, was a member of the 1st and 2nd Continental Congress and a Lt. Colonel in the 1st South Carolina Regiment. He is also famous for the Gadsden Flag, which he designed featuring a yellow background, a coiled snake, and the words “Don’t tread on me.” These city fortifications primarily rose on the Cooper River side of Charleston, where most of the industry was located at the time.
Christopher Gadsden
During the spring of 1776, Charleston harbor was alive with the sounds of construction and troops drilling, driven by the looming threat of a British fleet. Troops began arriving from Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia to aid in defending Charleston. Along with these troops came Continental Officers such as General John Armstrong, General Charles Lee, and others to help build and lead Charleston's defense.
The Final Touches to the Charleston Defense: Part 5 - Battle of Sullivan's Island
William Moultire
At the end of May 1776, the British fleet began its movement down the coast from North Carolina into South Carolina, heading toward Charleston. They did not attempt to conceal their movements as they proceeded southward, staying close to the coast. Consequently, the Patriots were able to send riders to the capital with updates on the size of the British fleet and its location along the coast. Governor Rutledge noted examples of this coastal watch program in his written exchanges with Patriot officers in the harbor, such as Colonel Moultrie and Brigadier General John Armstrong, who had been appointed the head of the defenses of Charleston. General Armstrong, an experienced soldier from Pennsylvania, had earned praise during the French and Indian War as a commander of Pennsylvania troops. He was also an engineer who began organizing and constructing the defenses of Charleston. The information gathered and shared by these men indicated that the British fleet consisted of around forty ships, detailing their locations as they passed various parishes and safe harbors, such as Bulls Bay near Georgetown, north of Charleston.
As news of the impending British fleet movement spread, many people began to flee Charleston, heading inland to find safer locations for their families. By early June, Charleston began to resemble a military post rather than one of the busiest commercial harbors in North America, with most foreign and commercial vessels departing for safer harbors in the Caribbean and Savannah to await the outcome of the impending battle. At the start of June, Governor Rutledge ordered all outlying Parish militias to assemble and report to Charleston with urgency. This call to the countryside was led by local and backwoods militia, who began to report to the capital in support of its defense. For many of these militiamen, it was their first time in Charleston, where they were welcomed by the Low Country rice gentry, who had previously looked down on their unrefined cousins from the woods, including the Scotch-Irish, Dutch, and German settlers. One can imagine the scene on the roads leading to and from Charleston, with townsfolk heading inland in their buggies and carts laden with valuables, while the backwoods men, clad in buckskin shirts and carrying hunting rifles, passed each other on the roads.
Starting on June 1st, as the fleet was sighted approaching Charleston, every slave and able-bodied man began working around the clock on the city’s defenses. This effort involved building or completing fortifications on James and Sullivan’s Islands, the town itself, and other strategic points in the harbor.
By June 7th, most of the British fleet had moved into Charleston Harbor, heading toward an anchorage known as Five Fathom Hole in the outer harbor. From this position, they could clearly observe the fortifications on James and Sullivan’s Islands and began to finalize their plan of attack on Charleston without fear of Patriot interference.
On June 8th, General Charles Lee arrived in Charleston from Williamsburg, Virginia, with troops from Virginia and North Carolina, taking command of its defense from General John Armstrong, who became second in command. This change in leadership occurred with the British positioned in the outer harbor, poised to attack at any moment when the tides and winds favored them. Charles Lee, born and raised in England, came to the American cause with extensive military experience, having served in the British Army during the French and Indian War as a lieutenant and captain with the 44th Regiment of Foot. He also worked as a soldier of fortune for the King of Poland before moving to America in 1773 to settle in Virginia. His military expertise was highly regarded by Patriots from New England to the South. With his arrival, the defenders of Charleston felt more confident, knowing they had a commander with significant knowledge and experience.
Gen Charles Lee
Once General Lee met with Governor Rutledge and the Council, he officially took over the defense of Charleston and began assessing the fortifications. During this process, he ordered some defenses to be torn down, others to be built up, and some to be repositioned to enhance the city’s defense. His primary concern was the fortification on Sullivan’s Island, which Colonel Moultrie and the 2nd South Carolina, along with slaves and other workers, were working tirelessly to complete under the direction of French engineer Baron Massenbourg. Upon visiting Sullivan’s Island, Lee discovered the fort was unfinished and deemed it unreliable. He famously described the fort as a “slaughter pen” and proposed removing troops and artillery from Sullivan’s Island to redistribute them to other defensive positions in the harbor. This idea was presented to Governor Rutledge and his council, who responded with a firm rejection of the notion to abandon the fortification on Sullivan’s Island. It’s important to understand that the Continental Army was still in its infancy and relied on state support to function. The states funded the army under the Articles of Confederation but did not relinquish their rights. Thus, the first political dilemma arose for General Lee: should he attempt to order the troops off the island or acquiesce to local authorities? General Lee chose to yield to Governor Rutledge, but with conditions. He ordered as many troops off the island as possible without alarming the local government while also removing as much gunpowder as he could. This way, if the British managed to overrun the island and fortifications, Lee would limit his initial losses in men and material. Another concern for Lee was the evacuation plan for the fortification and other island defenses if the British successfully landed on the island. While these political maneuvers unfolded in the city, the British fleet prepared for their attack on Charleston just outside the harbor, still visible to the Patriots.
General Lee discovered that there were insufficient boats available for a standby evacuation of Sullivan’s Island or any plans for such an event. Consequently, he ordered a floating bridge to be constructed from Mount Pleasant, utilizing barrels as floating bases to support boards across which troops could escape or reinforce as needed. This makeshift bridge was unstable and unsafe, leading some troops to refuse crossing it out of fear for their safety.
Another defensive position that Lee found on Sullivan’s Island was a small fortification being constructed by French engineer Captain Ferdinand de Braham, who volunteered his services to the American cause. This fortification, made of palmetto logs, sand, and possibly tabby, was located on the northeast side of the island, guarding Breach Inlet, which separates Sullivan’s Island from Long Island (later renamed Isle of Palms). Originally, this fortification aimed to prevent small British ships from entering the harbor through Breach Inlet and getting behind Sullivan’s Island, allowing them access to the harbor itself. The vessels that could navigate this breach had to have a shallow draft and were not seen as significant threats; however, a defensive position was established there for safety. This position was commanded by Colonel William Thomson of the 3rd South Carolina Ranger Regiment, formed for the defense of South Carolina's backcountry. It was a mounted regiment that fought on foot, enabling its members to respond swiftly to threats from natives, Loyalists, or others. This regiment was accompanied by a detachment from the 4th South Carolina, led by Lieutenant Mitchell (the artillery regiment), to man the 18lb and 6lb guns; Colonel Clark with his 1st North Carolina Regiment; Colonel Daniel Horry with South Carolina militia; a company of Catawba Indians and other local tribes led by Captain Boykin; and a company of riflemen known as the Raccoon Company led by Captain Allston, bringing the total to around 750 men. This position also had a 6lb cannon and an 18lb cannon to defend Breach Inlet. Various fortifications were constructed to shield the men and cannons from the anticipated British ship attack. The Patriots referred to this position as the “Advance Guard.” It’s worth noting that this position was established before the British landed on Long Island as a deterrent against ships, so this context is important as events unfold.
On June 8th, the entire British fleet had entered the outer parts of Charleston Harbor, resting in Five Fathom Hole. At this point, General Clinton sent a message to the defenders of Charleston demanding surrender. This was promptly rejected by Governor Rutledge without further discussion, thus setting the stage for the Battle of Sullivan's Island in Charleston Harbor.
On June 9th, the British began landing large numbers of troops on Long Island, establishing their camp and positioning pickets across Breach Inlet from the Patriot Advance Guard position on Sullivan’s Island. The two enemies were now separated by Breach Inlet, which the Americans knew to be at least seven feet deep at low tide, a fact the British were about to discover.
According to Chief Justice of South Carolina at the time, William Henry Drayton, his son John Drayton published that the British attack on Charleston was defended by “6,500 men coming from 1,400 Continentals from North Carolina; 500 Continentals from Virginia; 1,950 Continentals from South Carolina; 700 Charleston militia; and 1,972 Parish militia.” It will be particularly interesting to see how many of these troops never fired a shot in the battle to defend Charleston.
The British Finalize Their Plans: Battle of Sullivan's Island Part 6
At the start of June, General Clinton and Admiral Parker arrived in Charleston Harbor with their combined task force of naval and army personnel. This impressive force included over 50 ships of various sizes and descriptions, preparing for their attack on Charleston. The fleet comprised 52 ships, including HMS Bristol (Flagship, 50 guns), HMS Experiment (50 guns), HMS Actaeon, HMS Active, HMS Solebay, HMS Syren, HMS Sphinx, HMS Friendship, HMS Lady Williams, the bomb vessel HMS Thunder, transports, supply ships, and others, totaling around 300 heavy naval guns. The ground component of the task force was divided into two brigades. The First Brigade was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James Webster, consisting of Light Infantry Companies from the 4th, 15th, 28th, 33rd, 44th, 46th, 54th, 57th, and the 28th and 37th full regiments of the line.
The Second Brigade was commanded by Colonel Charles Earl Cornwallis, comprising the 15th, 33rd, 46th, 54th, and 57th Regiments of the Line, the 1st Royal Marine Regiment, and the 84th, known as the “Young Highlanders” or “Royal Highland Emigrant Regiment,” a provincial regiment that was supposed to reach full strength in North Carolina until the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge ended that hope with the defeat of the Scottish provincial recruits there. The British Army committed over 2,800 men to this expedition, initially directed against New Bern in North Carolina and then against Charleston in South Carolina once the North Carolina expedition was canceled. The artillery component of the army was manned by the Number 1, 2, and 4 companies of the Royal Artillery operating ten guns.
With this combined task force, Admiral Parker and General Clinton, along with their staff, reviewed possible attack plans to take Sullivan’s Island and seal Charleston Harbor off from the outside world with a decisive blow from the King’s Army and Navy. As early as mid-May, Admiral Parker had been receiving reports from ships sent to Charleston Harbor to gather intelligence about the harbor and its defenses, indicating that the harbor was being fortified. Among these reports, one fortification on Sullivan’s Island drew the most attention, where it was reported that substantial defenses were being constructed to control the northern entrance to the harbor. Clinton and Parker agreed that if Sullivan’s Island could be captured, they could shut down Charleston Harbor to all trade, tying down a large rebel force that would either have to attempt to remove the British from Sullivan’s Island or act as a holding force to prevent the British from attacking other coastal points from a base on Sullivan’s Island. It's critical to understand that taking Charleston was never a feasible option for the British; they lacked the manpower to seize the city itself and could not rally Loyalists to assist them in the initial fight. One key adviser for the plan to shut down the harbor was Royal Governor Lord Campbell, who had used two Royal ships, HMS Tamer and HMS Cherokee, to disrupt shipping in the harbor until his departure in the fall of 1775. If the British succeeded in this endeavor, it would deliver a significant blow to Patriot commerce and the production and distribution of war material.
The initial plan was refined once the British fleet moved into Five Fathom Hole in Charleston Harbor, a safe area out of range of Patriot artillery and summer storms at sea. Admiral Parker wanted to execute a combined attack with the Royal Navy and Royal Army, executing a “coup de main” against the unfinished fortifications on the island. He intended to use the fleet's heavy artillery to bombard the fort while General Clinton utilized the fleet's flatboats to land on the northern side of the island during the naval bombardment. After landing, the army was to fight their way across the island to the rear of the fort and gain entrance through the unfinished section. Thus, they would take control of the fort and seal off the harbor for the British. General Clinton envisioned another strategy for taking the fortification on Sullivan’s Island: he planned to land his men on Long Island and have them charge from there across Breach Inlet, which, according to his intelligence (or lack thereof), was only 18 inches deep at low tide. This would allow his field artillery to cover their advance against the rebels across the inlet while his troops splashed through the water toward the unfinished fort. This approach would minimize the risk of boats capsizing in the surf during the attack, enabling his men to disembark from the fleet with little trouble and organize on the beach before launching their assault. Once across the inlet, as with Parker’s plan, they would advance to the rear of the unfinished fort and capture it. The pros and cons of each strategy were discussed extensively by the officers and commanders once the fleet anchored in the harbor. The final decision was made to proceed with Clinton’s plan of landing at Long Island and attacking from there.
On June 9th, the plan was put into action as General Clinton and elements of his army began landing on Long Island, securing it without resistance and establishing a temporary camp to prepare for the assault against Sullivan’s Island.
South Carolina’s Navy at the Battle of Sullivan's Island: Part 7
Defence in action by Conner
On September 5, 1775, the South Carolina Provincial Congress ordered the construction of three ships for the defense of Charleston Harbor. These vessels would serve as the backbone of the newly formed South Carolina Navy. During this period, each state was responsible for its own defense, with assistance from others. Consequently, a South Carolina Navy emerged in Charleston to protect the harbor. The South Carolina Navy initially operated with three ships: the Defence, Hibernia, and Hawke, with a fourth ship, Prosper, joining in December 1775. These vessels provided escort services, assisted with troop movements, patrolled the South Carolina coast for prize opportunities, and helped secure the harbor. On November 12, 1775, the Defence engaged in its first naval battle, attempting to sink old hulks as obstacles near Hog Island channel to prevent British ships from entering the harbor. The SC Navy Defence exchanged fire with HMS Cherokee and HMS Tamar for three hours while placing the hulks in the channel. Fort Johnson with the First South Carolina attempted to join the battle, but the distance was too great for its cannons, leading it to cease firing after its shots failed to reach the targets. The exchange caused minimal harm, with Defence taking three minor hits, but it demonstrated that South Carolina was not willing to back down.
Defence vs Tamar and Cherokee by Conner
On January 10, 1776, the Defence was designated to transport the troops selected to form the battery on Sullivan’s Island. After safely unloading the men and supplies, it remained near the island to provide protection as the workforce began constructing the first primitive battery on the island.
In the spring of 1776, the Defence and a newly commissioned ship, the Comet, began patrolling the South Carolina coast, capturing some prizes for the nascent navy while also monitoring rumors of the British fleet heading south from Boston. In late May, both ships returned to Charleston at different times, each bringing captured prizes. The Defence successfully brought its prize into port, while the Comet's prize ended up grounded as two British ships pursued it.
This late May engagement marked the end of the South Carolina Navy's open ocean operations, as the British fleet blockaded the harbor on June 2nd. Upon their arrival, they effectively closed the harbor until the outcome of the battle was determined. The new role of the fleet involved aiding troop movements around the harbor, acting as floating batteries, and refitting in port if supplies allowed. Two ships that would play significant roles in the defense of Sullivan's Island were the Defence and Prosper.
The unified defense plan for Charleston, which encompassed the harbor and the town, called for the navy to position the Defence and Prosper strategically in the harbor to support the two main forts. The Prosper would be stationed near James Island close to Fort Johnson, while the Defence would be positioned near Hog Island channel to support the battery at Haddrell's Point and the fort on Sullivan's Island.
Thus, once the Royal Navy appeared outside the harbor, the unified defense plan was activated, and the South Carolina Navy prepared for action.
Thomas Sumter; Part 8 Battle of Sullivan's Island
Thomas Sumter was born in Virginia but moved to the High Hills of the Santee, near present-day Sumter, South Carolina. He gained recognition for his role in the French and Indian War, fighting against the Cherokee as a sergeant in the Virginia Militia. After the war, he traveled to England as an escort for Indian chiefs whom the British sought to impress. Upon returning, he purchased land in the High Hills and established a store, mill, and farm in 1764. As he accumulated wealth, he grew resentful of the taxes he was paying, which ultimately led him to support the Patriot cause.
In 1774, Sumter was elected to the South Carolina Provincial Congress alongside his neighbor, Francis Marion. The Congress first convened on January 11, 1775. During his time as a member, Sumter voted for numerous measures aimed at distancing South Carolina from England and was viewed as a radical by many attendees. He also became a Captain in the local militia, leading his company in the Snow Campaign of December 1775. Alongside figures like Andrew Pickens and Lt. Col. William Thomson, Sumter's company participated in efforts to dismantle Tory strongholds in South Carolina's backcountry. His leadership during the Snow Campaign earned him recognition, as the Patriots successfully defeated the Tories.
Following his success, Sumter was appointed Lt. Colonel of a newly formed regiment in February 1776, designated as the 2nd South Carolina Rifle Regiment. This regiment, composed of recruits from the northwestern part of the state, specialized in sharp shooting and was equipped with rifles instead of muskets when available. Later, the regiment was renamed the 6th South Carolina. They became operational on March 25, 1776, in Charleston after Sumter began recruiting in the backcountry.
On June 6, 1776, Sumter and the 2nd South Carolina Rifles were stationed at Haddrell’s Point on Mount Pleasant in preparation for the British forces that might attempt to land there. They were part of a reserve force ready to assist at Sullivan’s Island if necessary.
On June 6, we find Thomas Sumter, not yet the “Gamecock” he would soon become, eagerly waiting with his men to see the British's next move.
General Clinton on Long Island; Battle of Sullivan's Island Part 9
On June 9, 1776, General Clinton and his advance force of 500-700 men landed on Long Island. This marked the first British attempt to implement their Southern Strategy. Upon landing, they began securing the island in preparation for an assault on Sullivan’s Island across Breach Inlet at low tide.
As the troops spread out, they encountered no resistance while securing the island for the Crown. General Lee, commanding the Patriot forces in Charleston, sent orders to General Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island to dispatch troops to disrupt the British landing. However, as Moultrie did not receive the orders until after 8 PM, he opted to wait until the following morning, June 10, to send troops over to Long Island. During the night, troops from the Fifth South Carolina under Col. Isaac Huger and the Sixth South Carolina under Thomas Sumter moved from Haddrell’s Point to Sullivan’s Island to prepare for an attack on the British the next day. However, General Lee later canceled the orders for the attack, and they returned to Haddrell’s Point.
On June 10, the British threat to Charleston became increasingly tangible for local government and military leaders. The South Carolina government ordered the destruction of buildings at the port to facilitate artillery placements and obstructions to slow the British advance. The town was in chaos, and those who could leave did so. Rutledge and the Council of Safety declared martial law in full effect in Charleston. Meanwhile, General Lee was hastily inspecting Charleston's defenses, particularly concerned about Sullivan’s Island, where he urged locals to abandon the fort. Riders were dispatched to expedite the arrival of other regiments, like the 8th Virginia under Col. Muhlenberg.
Once the British Army and Marines secured Long Island, they prepared for the rest of their forces to land between June 16 and 18, using longboats to transport men, cannons, and supplies. This buildup was closely observed by the Patriots at Breach Inlet under Lt. Col. Thompson. As the British gathered troops and resources, they sent reconnaissance parties to assess Patriot defenses. One party reported that the Patriots had two cannons and defensive works across Breach Inlet, indicating that the British would face significant resistance.
The Royal Artillery landed its cannons to provide cover fire for the troops as they planned to storm Sullivan’s Island and capture the unfinished fort. Everything seemed to be going according to plan until critical intelligence revealed that Breach Inlet was not 18 inches deep at low tide, but instead 7 to 10 feet deep in certain areas. This discovery meant that the British troops, burdened by their heavy uniforms and equipment, would struggle to cross the inlet. Additionally, they faced strong currents and undertows, making navigation hazardous, especially under fire.
With this new information, Clinton, along with his commanders Lord Cornwallis and General Vaughn, began to devise a Plan B to capture the fort on Sullivan’s Island, keeping in mind the impending timeline to assist General Howe with the planned invasion of New York.
To understand the decisions made by the British, it is crucial to explain the geography of Sullivan’s Island and Long Island. Long Island has the Atlantic Ocean on its eastern shore, Hamlin Creek on its western side, Spence’s Inlet to the north, and Breach Inlet to the south, separating it from Sullivan’s Island. A small piece of land called Green Island lies between the two islands and would play a role in the forthcoming battle as an artillery placement area for the British. Sullivan’s Island, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Hamlin Creek to the west, Breach Inlet to the north, and Charleston Harbor to the south, also featured a cove that could accommodate ships of varying sizes. Mount Pleasant was separated from the islands by Hamlin Creek and expansive salt marshes.
With accurate intelligence now in hand, Clinton and Parker had to formulate a new plan to attack Sullivan’s Island. Meanwhile, the Patriots in Charleston used this time to hastily bolster their defenses.
Clinton’s Decision on Long Island; Part 10 Battle of Sullivan's Island
On June 18, Clinton was on Long Island attempting to devise a strategy for attacking the rebels without risking his entire force by crossing the inlet on foot. The previously discovered depth of seven feet at low tide completely undermined the plans for a joint assault. Now, Clinton sought a feasible plan to secure Sullivan’s Island with minimal risk.
This operation remained a joint Army and Navy initiative focused on capturing Sullivan’s Island, but the critical question was how to execute it effectively given the time constraints. Clinton considered several factors:
Intelligence of the landing area: The northern end of the island had heavy surf, making landings difficult. Landing at this location, which was defended by artillery and infantry, would be disastrous.
Rebel positions: Clinton had intelligence regarding the fort at the southern end of the island and a new earthwork being constructed halfway across the island, manned by thousands of troops.
Rebel response time: He needed to land his troops quickly before the Patriots could mobilize.
Troop deployment: He could only land about 700 men at a time, leaving them vulnerable until a second wave could arrive.
Artillery and naval support: Clinton had six cannons and four mortars on land, and three warships at sea, but they faced limitations in providing adequate support against the entrenched rebels.
As Clinton and his staff explored their attack options, the odds of successfully crossing to Sullivan's Island from Long Island diminished. They even considered landing on the mainland at Mount Pleasant to distract Patriot forces. However, marshes and pluff mud complicated this plan.
After several days of deliberation, Clinton resolved that the Army would wait for opportunities during the naval bombardment of the fort. He would only attack if conditions permitted, entrusting the success of the operation to the Royal Navy's bombardment.
By June 21, the British Crown had devised a new attack plan, poised to spring it on the rebels, who were reinforcing their defenses.
The Last Preparations of the Patriots; Part 11 Battle of Sullivan's Island
By June 18, General Lee was aware that Clinton had landed on Long Island with thousands of troops and was preparing to assault Charleston, either at Sullivan’s Island or Mount Pleasant. In response, General Lee worked urgently to complete the fortifications on Sullivan’s Island and to send reinforcements to Mount Pleasant due to its vulnerability.
On June 15, Lee appointed General Armstrong as the overall commander of the Patriot forces on both Mount Pleasant and Sullivan’s Island, instructing Col. Moultrie to report directly to Armstrong to unify their defenses. To bolster Mount Pleasant, Lee and Armstrong agreed to reallocate troops from Col. Thomson’s command at the advanced post, believing they would be better utilized there. Those troops could later be redirected to Sullivan’s Island if necessary.
Lee had ordered the construction of a floating bridge between the island and the mainland on June 10, aimed at facilitating troop movements and providing an escape route if required. However, Lee's reluctance to defend Sullivan’s Island, referring to the unfinished fort as a "slaughter pen," created conflict with Gov. Rutledge. Ultimately, Lee allowed Col. Moultrie and Col. Thomson to remain on the island, but with minimal resources. Lee consistently emphasized the importance of completing the bridge as a vital escape route, raising concerns about his cautious approach.
The bridge construction consumed manpower and materials that could have been used for other fortifications. After two weeks, when Col. Horry’s regiment attempted to cross on June 25, they refused due to fears for their safety. Work continued to stabilize the bridge, but it remained incomplete before the battle, leaving limited boat transport as the primary means of moving troops.
In the meantime, General Lee was also concerned about the gunpowder used to deter British ships from Hamlin Creek. Col. Thomson’s troops fired upon HMS Lady Williams and HMS Raven, causing alarm in Charleston. Once Lee learned of this, he instructed Sullivan’s Island troops to conserve their powder for the impending battle. The day following the cannon fire, the last of the Continental troops, including Col. Muhlenberg and his 8th Virginia, arrived in Charleston.
Lee's frustration with Moultrie grew as he worried about the pace of fortification completion. When Moultrie assured him he could hold his position, Lee remained dissatisfied. On June 27, he ordered Col. Nash of the 1st North Carolina to report to him on June 28, intending to assign him command of the unfinished fort on Sullivan’s Island. However, on the morning of June 28, Nash heard cannon fire while en route to Lee’s headquarters, prompting him to return to prepare for the battle that had now begun on Sullivan’s Island.
The Fortifications on Sullivan's Island: The Morning of June 28th, 1776; Part 12 – Battle of Sullivan's Island
On the morning of June 28th, 1776, the fort was equipped with 31 cannons, ranging from 9-pounders to the large 26-pounders. Approximately half of the fort was completed, with the northeastern and northwestern sides still unfinished. These sides faced away from the entrance to Charlestown Harbor. The fort was designed to accommodate one thousand men, but on that morning, it housed 424 men from the Second South Carolina, a 20-man detachment from the Fourth South Carolina Artillery Regiment, and workers directed by Continental Engineers Baron Massenborg and DeBrahm.
Below is a replica of a section of the fort's wall at the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, SC.
Major Francis Marion of the Second South Carolina was in command of half the cannons inside the fort, diligently inspecting the men and fortifications as they awaited the British attack.
Flying over the fort was an indigo blue flag with a white crescent moon in the top left corner. A debate continues today regarding the flag's design, particularly the presence of the word “LIBERTY.” If it was included, it would have appeared at the bottom of the flag or within the crescent moon. Moultrie described the word “LIBERTY” inside the crescent moon, lending credibility to its inclusion since he would have approved the flag's design and creation.
At the Advance Guard, Moultrie and Thomson commanded the Third South Carolina, South Carolina Militia, a detachment of North Carolina Continentals, and the Raccoon Company of Riflemen. They were positioned in a well-fortified location with around 770 men, an 18-pound cannon, and a 6-pound cannon covering Breach Inlet. At 10:30 AM, the battle commenced with a signal cannon fired from HMS Bristol, marking the beginning of the British assault on Sullivan's Island. Moultrie quickly mounted his horse and rode hard for three miles back to his command and destiny on that June day.
Below is a replica of a section of fort's wall at the SC State Museum in Columbia, SC
June 28th, 1776: Battle of Sullivan's Island; Part 13 – Battle of Sullivan's Island
On the morning of June 28th, 1776, Colonel Moultrie and Colonel Thomson at the Advance Guard reviewed the situation when they heard a cannon fire and observed the British Fleet preparing to weigh anchor. Realizing the impending attack, Moultrie mounted a horse for the short three-mile ride to the unfinished fort where Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Motte and Major Francis Marion were calling the men to quarters in preparation for the British fleet. Moultrie left Thomson in charge of the Third South Carolina Regiment, a detachment of the Fourth South Carolina Artillery manning two guns, South Carolina Militia, the First North Carolina Continentals under Colonel Clark, a group of Catawba Indians, and the Raccoon Company of Riflemen, totaling around 770 men with two artillery pieces: an 18-pounder and a 6-pounder.
At Mount Pleasant, General Armstrong was on high alert, monitoring if Clinton on Long Island would attack Sullivan’s Island or Mount Pleasant. His troops included South Carolina Militia, the Fifth South Carolina under Colonel Isaac Huger, the Sixth South Carolina under Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Sumter, North Carolina Continentals, and the Eighth Virginia, totaling around 1,600 troops. They were stationed near the fortifications at Haddrell’s Point and other potential landing sites for Clinton. Reinforcements were sent to Sullivan’s Island as General Lee prioritized protecting the mainland, expressing concerns about the fort's reliability. Any troops sent to Sullivan’s Island would need to be transported by boat, as the bridge General Lee sought was deemed unsafe.
On James Island, Fort Johnson was manned by the First South Carolina under Christopher Gadsden, stationed at battle stations inside the fort and at a new battery nearby covering the harbor.
In Charlestown, General Lee organized the remaining South Carolina Militia, North Carolina Continentals, and the Fourth South Carolina under Lieutenant Colonel Owen Roberts to defend the city against any attacks.
The South Carolina Navy was primarily in port, with sailors distributed among the new fortifications in Charlestown, except for the Defence, a hero from the Battle of Hogg’s Island, stationed in the cove behind the fort as a part of the original defense plans for Charleston Harbor. Its purpose was to prevent British ships from getting behind the fort if possible.
General Clinton was on Long Island with his First Brigade, commanded by Cornwallis, and his Second Brigade, commanded by Vaughn. They had procured as many boats as possible for their amphibious assault across Breach Inlet and were prepared to launch the attack once the fleet began its bombardment. Some boats were fitted with 3-pound cannons to keep the Patriots occupied as they crossed the inlet. Additionally, HMS Lady William and HMS Raven were moving up Hamlin Creek to provide cover for the boats during their crossing, with HMS Ranger attempting to maneuver into range on the Atlantic side.
The Royal Navy, under Admiral Parker, fired the signal shot from HMS Bristol at 10:30 AM and was maneuvering from Five Fathom Hole to within range of the fort. This process took over an hour, with the first shot fired at 11:30 AM when HMS Thunder began launching thirteen-inch mortar shells towards the fort. As the bombardment intensified, General Lee's worst fears of British ships encircling the fort on Sullivan’s Island began to materialize. HMS Actaeon, HMS Syren, and HMS Sphinx maneuvered towards the cove behind the fort. The Patriots faced the daunting reality of being unable to stop these British ships as they approached their objective of attacking the fort from three sides with heavy naval guns. During the darkest moments, the crews of the three ships worked frantically to free their vessels from the sandbar, while the bombardment continued with HMS Bristol, HMS Experiment, HMS Solebay, and others bombarding the fort with heavy artillery.
With the bombardment in full swing, General Lee was in Charlestown, desperate for information to determine the British's attack plan. He had never intended to defend Sullivan’s Island, which the British would have appreciated since their main objective was the island to close the harbor to shipping. Lee was waiting to ascertain where the British infantry on Long Island would attempt to land. Uncertain of Clinton’s strategy and believing that the fort could not withstand the Royal Navy's bombardment, he initially refrained from sending powder or troops to the island, fearing they might be lost along with it.
To General Lee's surprise, the fort was holding robustly, with troops well-protected behind the 16-foot high walls filled with 8 feet of sand in completed sections. The British cannonballs caused minimal damage due to the range from which they were fired, compounded by fears of grounding and the fort's palmetto logs, which were flexible enough to absorb impact without splintering. As the Patriots returned fire, they began inflicting damage on the fleet, but with limited powder supplies, they fired cautiously to conserve their resources. At this critical juncture, Clinton realized it was time for the army to assist in the assault despite no clear point of attack being established.
General Clinton ordered the army to attempt an amphibious assault across the inlet. Under the cover of HMS Lady Williams, HMS Raven, and HMS Ranger, special units from various regiments began loading into boats for the crossing. This was a stark contrast to the original plan of splashing across the inlet at low tide. HMS Lady Williams and HMS Raven positioned themselves to cover the troops and bring their cannons into range of the Patriot advance guard. Meanwhile, the Royal Artillery began firing from Long Island, Green Island, and an oyster bank where they had stationed cannons. As the navy moved into position, Thomson’s 18-pound cannon roared to life, effectively targeting the British vessels in Hamlin Creek, causing damage and instilling fear among their crews.
As the cannon duel raged, Clinton made the decision to send his boats loaded with troops across the inlet. However, the ships assigned to cover the landing ran aground while attempting to maneuver in the creek, leaving Clinton's exposed troops vulnerable to Patriot fire. Once the British troops were within range of the Patriots' cannons, they unleashed grape shots from their 18-pounder and 6-pounder, inflicting severe damage. With the Royal Navy unable to provide support for the landings and the British troops defenseless against the Patriot cannon fire, Clinton ordered the boats to return to Long Island to await further developments. The land battle at Sullivan's Island effectively ended, leaving the British relying on the Royal Navy's artillery to force the Patriots out of their fortifications.
At the height of the battle, one of the most heroic stories of South Carolina during the American Revolution unfolded. A cannon fired by the British severed the fort's flagstaff, a significant event since lowering a flag indicated surrender. At that moment, Sergeant William Jasper of the Second South Carolina saw the flag fall, rushed to retrieve it, and with an artillery staff, hastily reattached it to the flagpole. He stood fully exposed to British fire at the top of the wall until a makeshift flagpole could be erected, signaling to both the British and onlookers that the fort continued to resist.
Around 4 PM, General Lee decided to visit Sullivan’s Island to assess the fort's condition personally. He arrived at the fort at 5 PM, coinciding with the arrival of 200 pounds of urgently needed powder from the South Carolina naval ship Defence. Also at approximately 5 PM, the 8th Virginia arrived at the advance guard with a detachment of South Carolina troops to reinforce Thomson’s men. After a brief inspection of the fort and discussions with Moultrie and his staff, Lee returned to Charlestown to expedite the delivery of powder and supplies to the fort.
By nightfall, neither Admiral Parker nor General Clinton had gained any advantage on Sullivan’s Island. Parker had failed to destroy the fort, and Clinton had not established a foothold for his troops. The fleet had suffered damage from the steady fire from the fort and required time for repairs. Of the three ships that grounded in the inner harbor, two managed to free themselves, while HMS Actaeon remained stuck. The British Army on Long Island was secure from counterattack but also reeling from their failed assault across the inlet. Time was running short for the British as they prepared to sail north to join Howe in his New York Campaign. With minimal prospects for success, the British ultimately decided it was best to depart for the north to join Howe without incurring further losses.
Thus, the Patriots of South Carolina achieved a significant victory in the American Revolution, even before the Declaration of Independence was signed.
After Action Report for the Battle of Sullivan's Island: Part 14
Once the totals of the wounded were reported back to their respective commands, the battle appeared less costly than anticipated given the volume of fire exchanged. The British sustained 94 killed and 182 wounded, suffering severe damage to several ships, including the loss of HMS Actaeon, unable to refloat after being stuck on the sandbar that would later play a greater role in U.S. history when Fort Sumter was built upon it. Furthermore, the last Royal Governor of South Carolina, Lord William Campbell, sustained an injury that would cause him great pain for several years until his death in England.
On the Patriot side, 12 were killed and 72 wounded from the two fortifications on Sullivan's Island. Moultrie emerged as the hero of the battle, with the fort being named Fort Moultrie in his honor. Admiral Parker and General Clinton would spend years arguing over who was responsible for the failed attack.
The outcome of the battle left the British to sail away with their pride wounded, but their Navy and Army remained intact for General Howe's upcoming campaign in New York. For South Carolina, this victory provided a two-and-a-half-year reprieve from British assaults, but the war would not remain absent from South Carolina's borders for long.
In fact, just days after the Battle of Sullivan's Island, the Cherokee Nation raised the war cry, burning farms and attacking settlers along the border in support of King George. This marks the beginning of our next series of articles, the war with the Cherokees.
