Toward the latter part of the day, the hopes of the assailants were raised by the slackening of the American fire. It looked as if the fleet was about to prevail, and the faces of the spectators in far away Charleston paled with anxiety. But Colonel Moultrie never dreamed of yielding. He filled his pipe again, and sent word to General Lee that his ammunition was low, and that he must have more at once. At that time only enough was left for the musketry, in case the British landed.

Moultrie had asked for ammunition earlier in the day. Now, when he saw how bravely his men were fighting while he hobbled painfully about, it is not strange that he lost patience and used some vigorous language, because his request for a time was unheeded. When he first applied to Lee, the general was not inclined to grant his request, replying that if the ammunition was expended he should spike his guns and retreat. Governor Rutledge, who was in Charleston, forwarded five hundred pounds of powder to Moultrie with the request that he should not be quite so free with his cannon, and two hundred pounds were received from a schooner lying at the back of the fort.

During the afternoon some re-enforcements were sent by Lee with orders to support the advance guard under Thompson, at the east end of the island. A little later, General Lee went over to Moultrie and sighted several of the cannon. Struck with the skill and courage of the patriots, he said with a smile:

"I don't think I am needed here, colonel; I will go back to town and tell the folks how well you are getting along."

Lee took his departure. The day was very long, but when the sun went down, and darkness crept over the harbor and city, the firing still continued. The thousands that were gazing in the direction of the combatants could see only the red flash of the ships' broadsides and the answering crimson jets from the walls of the fort, and could hear after long intervals, the resounding boom of the cannon.

It was nine o'clock when Admiral Parker, who was slightly wounded, decided to withdraw. The ships slipped their cables, and the expedition against Charleston was abandoned. The British had lost two hundred and five men killed and wounded, while of the Americans ten were killed, and twenty-nine wounded. Three of the vessels had grounded on a sand-bank. Two of them were got off during the night, and the third was fired and abandoned by the crew. While she was burning, a number of Americans boarded her, captured her colors, fired some of the guns at Parker's squadron, filled three boats with her sails and stores, and got safely away before she blew up.

Nothing could be more complete than was the triumph of the Americans. The key to the south, as it may be called, had been held against the utmost efforts of the British army and fleet, and that section of our country was safe for the time. General Lee wrote to Washington that he was "enraptured" by the coolness and bravery of the defenders under twelve hours' fire. Had Colonel Moultrie been a young and vain man he would have been ruined by the praises he received. The fort was named for him, his regiment was presented with two beautiful banners, and congratulations poured on him from every quarter. All Charleston flocked to the fort after the

1776.]

departure of the fleet.

General Lee admitted his mistake as to the strength of the defenses. He reviewed the regiment on the 30th of June, the date of the presentation of colors by the ladies of Charleston. Governor Rutledge visited the garrison on the 4th of July, and expressed the gratitude of South Carolina. Congress, at a later date, voted its thanks to Lee, Moultrie and Thompson, and to the officers and soldiers under their command. Governor Rutledge offered Sergeant Jasper a sword and a lieutenant's commission, but he modestly declined the latter. Although South Carolina was somewhat slow at the beginning in entering upon the struggle for independence, yet none of the states was more ardent than she when the time for fighting came. She hesitated at no sacrifice or risk, and her brave sons stood shoulder to shoulder in battle with the patriots of New England and the Middle States. The defense of Charleston was one of the most gallant achievements of the Revolution. You can readily see that the victory was far-reaching in its results, for while it inspirited the colonies from one end of the country to the other, it gave the British a most striking example of the bravery and determination of the people that were fighting for liberty. It was evident that no single victory and no single army was sufficient to conquer the Americans.

CHAPTER II.

1776. THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

LL this time the Continental congress was in session. The crisis was so grave that the statesmen assembled in the old Independence Hall in Philadelphia felt that they ought not to adjourn. They had appointed Washington commander-in-chief,

had divided the colonies into military divisions, and in short, had done their utmost to help forward the struggle, and to sustain the great and good man entrusted with the leadership of the armies.

John Penn John Hancock John Hart

Gran Servis Trefferson Shit Langston Lewis Morris Abra Clark Casar Rooney Arthur Middleton Fres Sophinson Cartery Braxton James Wilson

50

I have already told you that during the early days of the Revolution the expectation was quite general that there would be no independence of the colonies. The injustice of England had driven our ancestors into rebellion, but they hoped to compel the mother country to grant them their rights, so that they might still remain loyal subjects of the king.

The time had now come, however, when it was plain that such hope was a delusion. The morose, bigoted monarch, George III., had pronounced them rebels, and had made vast preparations to force them into submission. A number of the colonies. had made declarations that paved the way for what was to come. You have been told of the resolutions adopted at Mecklenburg, North Carolina. It is claimed that others of similar import were passed elsewhere at a still earlier date, but the great and all important one was that which was put forth by the Continental congress.

During the early days of June, the question of declaring the complete independence of the colonies was introduced into congress by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, who offered the following resolutions, which were seconded by John Adams of Massachusetts:

"That these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown; and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.

"That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign alliances.

"That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective colonies for their consideration and support."

Congress saw the momentous importance of the step, and moved carefully. Action on the resolution was postponed until the 10th. That day it was again voted that nothing should be done with the first resolution until Monday, the 1st of July. Since there could be no doubt what the final action would be, a committee was appointed to prepare a declaration embodying the first resolution. The next day a committee was appointed composed of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and R. R. Livingston.

If you will recall the military situation at that particular date, you will see under what discouraging surroundings our republic was born. Every thing had gone wrong with the Continental army which invaded Canada; a letter was received from Washington giving a gloomy account of the outlook at New York; and the British expedition against Charleston was known, but news of its defeat had not yet reached Philadelphia.

On Monday, July 1st, congress, as agreed upon, considered the question of independence. John Adams, who had seconded the resolution of Lee, was the first speaker. He strongly favored the step, and was replied to by Dickinson of Pennsylvania, who though an eloquent and ardent patriot, saw, just then, “as through a glass darkly," believing that the hour had not yet come for taking the important step.

When ready for the vote, a singular condition of affairs became apparent. Nine of the colonies were ready to commit themselves, but four were not. The delegates from