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have been in the power of thofe whofe minds were not invigorated by fome animating principle, to have gone through the fatigues, wearineffes, and watchings of fuch a tedious journey.

The firft object of our forces, after paffing the bar, was the back of a fort which had been lately erected, though not yet quite furnished nor rendered altogether complete, upon the fouth west point of Sullivan Iland. This fort commanded the paffage to Charleftown, which lay farther weft by fix miles diftance; and though it had been but lately conftructed, was properly confidered the key of that harbour. It was faid that it was reprefented to our offi cers as in a more imperfect state than it was found; but fuppofing it had been more perfect than it was, he could not imagine that a raw militia could have been able to have defended it any length of time against the great weight of metal and the force of fire from our fhips, even excluding the co-operation of the land forces. So impartial were our people in their judgment concerning their own prowefs, and the force and valour of their enemies. The colonifts had confidered the danger before they engaged in it, and knew the opinion which the British forces had of their courage; they were determined for once to put the British intrepidity to trial, and fhew them a fpecimen what a militia, animated by the fpirit of liberty, could do.

8

Our troops were landed on Long Island, which lies nearer, and to the eastward of Sullivan's, being feparated only by fome fhoals, and a creek called the Breech, which are deemed paffable at low water, the ford being reprefented to our people as only 18. inches in depth in that ftate. The Carolinians had. pofted fome forces within a few pieces of cannon near

the

the north-east extremity of Sullivan's Island, at the distance of two miles from the fort, where they had thrown up works to prevent the paffage of the royal army over the breach. General Lee was encamped with a confiderable body of forces upon the continent at the back and to the northward of the island, with which he had a communication open by a bridge of boats, and could by that means at any time march the whole or any part of his forces to fupport that poft which was opposed to our men's paffage from Long Ifland. The latter is a naked burning fand, where the troops fuffered greatly from their expofure to the intenfe heat of the fun. Both the fleet and army were greatly diftreffed through the badnefs of the water: that which is found upon the fea coaft of Carelina being very brackish. Nor were they in better. condition with refpect to the quantity or quality of their provifions. Tho' the greateft difpatch was neceffary on account of thefe inconveniences, yet fuch delays. occurred in carrying the defign into execution, that it was near the end of the month before the attack on Sullivan's ifland took place; a feafon which was applied by the provincials with great diligence for compleating their works. Every thing being at length fettled between the commanders by fea and land, the Thunderer bomb, covered by the armed fhip, took her flation in the morning, and began the attack by throwing fhells at the fort as the fleet advanced. About eleven o'clock the Bristol, Experiment, Active, and Solebay, brought up directly against the fort, and began a moft furious and inceffant cannonade.-The.. Sphynx, Acteon, and Syren, were ordered to the weftward, to take their station between the end of the and and Charlestown, with a defign to explode the works

'works of the fort, and, if poffible, to cut off the communication between the island and continent, which would of courfe cut off the retreat of the garrifon, as well as all fuccours for its affiftance. There was alfo another intention in this pofition of the fhips, namely, to prevent any attempt of sending the fhips to interrupt the attack. This part of the defign was rendered unfortunate by the ftrange unfkilfulness of the pilot, who entangled the frigates in the fhoals called the Middle Grounds, where they all ftuck faft; and tho' two of them were in fome time got off with danger and difficulty, it was then too late, and they were in no condition to execute the intended fervice. The Acteon could not be got off, and was burnt by the officers and crew the next morning, to prevent her materials and ftores from becoming a prey to the

énemy.

Whilft a continued cannonade from the fhips feemed fufficient to shake the firmnefs of the bravest foe, and daunt the courage of the braveft foldiers, the return made from the fort was equally terrible, and could not fail of calling for refpect, as well as of striking terror into every British feaman,

In the midst of that dreadful roar of artillery, they ftood to their guns with the greatest firmness and conftancy, and fired with fuch deliberation and coolness. that they feldom miffed their aim. The fhips fuffered prodigiously; they were almoft torn to pieces, and the flaughter was dreadful. Scarcely was ever British valour put to fo fevere a trial, nor ever did our army in any engagement of the fame nature, meet with fo rude an encounter. They began now to find that Sullivan fort was not fo eafily taken as they apprehended, and that the cowards in Carolina had chang

ed their character. The fprings of the Bristol's cable were cut off by the shot, and fhe lay for fome time exposed as a mark to the fire of the fort, and was moft terribly raked. Captain Morris, who had fhewn much bravery, was covered with wounds, though he ftill kept his flation, and refused to retire, until his arm being flot off, he was carried away in a condition that did not afford a poffibility of his recovery.The quarter-deck of the Briftol was once cleared of every perfon except the Commodore, who flood alone a spectacle of firmnefs and intrepidity, which has been never excelled, and feldom equalled. The others on that deck were either carried down to have their wounds dreffed, or were killed in the conflict. Captain Scott, of the Experiment, had his own fhare of his danger or glory, who, befides the lofs of an arm, received fo many other wounds, that his life was at firft defpaired of. Our fleet thought once that they had filenced the fort, and concluded that the day was their own, and that the forces on fhore might have taken poffeffion thereof, but in this they were mistaken; for this filence proceeded from the want of ammunition which the provincials had to carry from the continent. It feems indeed extraordinary that a detachment of land forces was not ready to take the advantage of the filence of the fort, and improve this opportunity. The reafons of this have never been fufficiently cleared up by any well-authenticated accounts fome have blamed the commander in chief for not co-operating with the fleet, whilft others have attempted to fhew that it was impoffible for the land forces to afford them any affiftance. To fet forth the bravery of our feamen, it was ftrongly afferted at home, that they drove the Americans from the fort;

but

but this does not at all appear to have been the cafe.--For the garrifon received the thanks and praife of the Americans, as well as of General Lee, which is a proof that they did not believe that they abandoned the fort, deferted the guns, or were changed, though they might be, and certainly were, reinforced.

During this very fevere and hot conteft, the feamen looked often and impatiently towards the eaft to fee the land forces advance from Long Island, to draw the rebels from the fort and entrenchments. In thefe hopes they were grievously disappointed. What was the reafon of this inaction of the land forces has never been fully explained. The papers published by au thority are fo totally defective and unfatisfactory up, on this point, that it is impoffible to learn any thing from them to clear up this matter. The Gazette upon this occafion is the moft jarring and inconfiftent account that ever was given of any tranfaction of fuch a nature, and it is impoffible to form any other conclufion from that paper, than that it was compɑsed to throw mift and darkness upon the fubject.-From the day that the action at Bunker's-hill happened till this prefent time, the method of literary compo· fition, as well as the art of war, feems to have forsaken the British miniftry and officers; for in their account of the various tranfactions of this unhallowed war, there appears to be nothing but confufion, inconfiftency, and want of method,

The Gazette fays, that the King's troops were. ftopped by an impracticable depth of water, where they expected to have paffed almoft dryfhod. This is fuch an imputation upon the character of the officers, and particularly the commander in chief, as fets

them