bar. So formidable an armament would have alarmed us, had we not been conscious of the justice of our cause; but trusting that the Almighty would support and protect us in this glorious struggle for liberty, the most righteous of all contests, we were resolved to make the most vigorous opposition in our power. We had information two days before that they were in at Bull’s, so that their arrival was not altogether unexpected. As we were ignorant of the mode of attack intended by the enemy, General Armstrong ordered some breastworks to be thrown up at such places as he thought they would most probably attempt to land, little thinking they would bend their whole force against Sullivan’s Island fort. So great a number of vessels, as you may suppose, could not get over the bar immediately, nor did they until Sunday, the 9th, on which day Generals Howe and Lee arrived here. Lee immediately saw the defenceless state our town was in, and the impossibility of keeping it, if attacked in such a situation. He accordingly the next day drew up all the men in town, in number about one thousand, told them the absolute necessity of some breastworks being thrown up round the town, pulling down the houses on the wharves, &c. The people expressed the greatest alacrity in doing it immediately—old and young, high and low, rich and “poor, white and black, one with another, set about the work, and for several days were constantly employed in making such preparations for a defence of the town as were thought necessary, the enemy all the while lying within twelve miles of the town. On the 10th, their last and largest vessel, the Bristol, of fifty guns, came over the bar, having previously taken out all her guns and stores, and that night a very smart gale of wind came on, which lasted two days, and drove off the vessel that had her stores’ on board, who never could beat up again till Tuesday, the 25th, when she and the Experiment (another fifty-gun ship) appeared off the bar, and both came over the next day. During the interval, the enemy landed their troops, in number about two thousand effective men, on Long-Island, which is at the back of Sullivan’s, with intent, we supposed, either to attack us in front and rear at the same time, (which certainly was a very good plan, if they could have effected it,) or to land on the main, get possession of Haddrell’s Point, and by that means cut off the retreat from Sullivan’s, if they silenced the fort; and on Friday last, the 28th, they convinced us that the former was their scheme, for at three-quarters of an hour after ten o’clock in the morning, their Bomb-ketch began to play on the fort at Sullivan’s, to divert their attention while the ships advanced to make their attack, and at half-past eleven o’clock the following ships were all engaged: the Bristol, of fifty guns, Experiment fifty, Solebay twenty-eight, Syren twenty-eight, Active thirty-six, Acteon thirty-six, Sphinx twenty. The Sphinx had her bowsprit shot away the first shot that was fired at her, which sent her out of the line; the Acteon was driven ashore by another shot, as it is said; but that is of no consequence, for she could not be got off, and the next morning the enemy set her on fire, leaving almost all her stores on board, some of which, however, we have got, and shall get most of her guns; the ketch was totally disabled, after discharging about twenty shells, by one bursting, which split the bed of the mortar. The five first vessels continued a very heavy cannonade, one of the most fierce ever known, without ten minutes’ intermission in the whole, in which, by the most moderate calculation, they could not have fired less than twelve thousand times, till nine o’clock at night, when they ceased, lying the whole time within four hundred yards of the fort; and about three o’clock next morning they very quietly retired to their former station. The Bristol has lost her mizzenmast, and her mainmast is also much disabled.

Monday morning, five sailors, who deserted from the Bristol, gave us the following intelligence, viz: The Commodore was wounded in the breech; Captain of the Bristol, his arm shot off, forty-four men killed, and thirty wounded; Experiment, Captain and fifty-seven men killed, and thirty wounded; Solebay, three or four killed; they can say nothing as to the killed and wounded of the other vessels. The Captain of the Bristol sailed for England on Sunday, to carry them the good news, I suppose. Our whole loss at the fort was ten killed, three of whom by their own imprudence, and twenty-two wounded. The fort is as good as ever it was. The conduct of Colonel Moultrie, his officers and men, merits the highest applause, and reflects the greatest honour on them. Lee was present almost the whole fire, and declares both officers and men behaved with the greatest coolness and intrepidity; they behaved as well as ever men did—as well as men could do. Unfortunately for us nearly all the ammunition at the fort was expended by three o’clock, and it was some time before they could even get a small supply; if we had had double the quantity there, in all human probability neither of those fifty-gun ships would have got off; as it is, the Experiment has three or four ports knocked into one, and is otherwise terribly shattered. It is astonishing, and almost incredible to think, that a palmetto log fort, with twelve guns, (those were all they could bring to bear on the vessels,) and three hundred men, should make such havock with so formidable a fleet of British vessels. At the time of attacking the fort, their troops endeavoured to land on the Island, and were twice repulsed by Thompson’s Rangers, about three hundred men. Be assured the foregoing account is true in every particular. There are many other circumstances of the spirit and bravery of individuals, which would appear still more incredible for young soldiers, that I have not time to relate. I expect in about ten days we shall have another brush with them, and doubt not but through the Divine favour we shall be equally successful.*

* WHITEHALL, (LONDON.) August 24, 1776.—Captain Hope arrived on Wednesday evening last from South-Carolina, with despatches from Commodore Sir Peter Parker and Lieutenant-General Clinton.—[Gazette.]

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM SIR PETER PARKER TO MR. STEPHENS, SECRETARY OF THE ADMIRALTY, DATED WITHIN CHARLESTOWN BAR, JULY 9, 1776.

It having been judged advisable to make an attempt upon Charlestown in South-Carolina, the fleet sailed from Cape-Fear on the 1st of June, and on the 4th anchored off Charlestown Bar. The 5th, sounded the bar, and laid down buoys preparatory to the intended entrance of the harbour. The 7th, all the frigates and most of the transports got over the bar into Five-Fathom Hole. The 9th, General Clinton landed on Long-Island with about four or five hundred men. The 10th, the Bristol got over the bar with some difficulty. The 15th gave the Captains of the squadron my arrangement for the attack of the batteries on Sullivan’s Island, and the next day acquainted General Clinton that the ships were ready. The General fixed on the 23d for our joint attack, but the wind proving unfavourable prevented its taking effect. The 25th, the Experiment arrived, and the next day came over the bar, when a new arrangement was made for the attack; the 28th, at half an hour after nine in the morning, informed General Clinton, by signal, that I should go on to the attack. At half an hour after ten made the signal to weigh, and about a quarter after eleven the Bristol, Experiment, Active, and Solebay, brought up against the fort. The Thunder, bomb, covered by the Friendship armed vessel, brought the angle of the bastion to bear northwest by north, and Colonel James (who has ever since our arrival been anxious to give the best assistance) threw several shells a little before and during the engagement, in very good direction. The Sphinx, Acteon, and Syren, were to have been to the westward, to prevent fire-ships or other armed vessels from annoying the ships engaged to flank the works, and, if the Rebels should be driven from them, to cut off their retreat if possible. This last service was not performed, owing to the ignorance of the pilot, who ran the three frigates aground. The Sphinx and Syren got off in a few hours, but the Acteon remained fast till the next morning, when the Captain and officers thought proper to scuttle and set her on fire. I ordered a Court-Martial on the Captain, officers, and company, and they have been honourably acquitted. Captain Hope made his armed ship as useful as he could on this occasion, and he merits everything that can be said in his favour. During the time of our being abreast of the fort, which was near ten hours, a brisk firing was kept up by the ships, with intervals, and we had the satisfaction, after being engaged two hours, to oblige the Rebels to slacken their fire very much. We drove large parties several times out of the fort, which were replaced by others from the main. About half an hour after three, a considerable reinforcement from Mount-Pleasant hung a man on a tree at the back of the fort; and we imagine that the same party ran away about an hour after, for the fort was then totally silenced, and evacuated lor near one hour and a half; but the Rebels, finding that our Army could not take possession, about six o’clock a considerable body of people re-entered the fort, and renewed the, firing from two or three guns, the rest being, I suppose, dismounted. About nine o’clock, it being very dark, part of our ammunition expended, the people fatigued, the tide of ebb almost done, no prospect from the eastward, and no possibility of our being of any further service, I ordered the ships to withdraw to their former moorings. Their Lordships will see plainly by this account, that if the troops could have co-operated on this attack, his Majesty would have been in possession of Sullvan’s Island. But I must beg leave to be fully understood, lest it should be imagined that I mean to throw the most distant reflection on our Army. I should not discharge my conscience were I not to acknowledge that such was my opinion of his Majesty’s troops, from the General down to the private soldier, that after I had been engaged some hours, and perceived the troops had not got a footing on the north end of Sullivan’s Island, I was perfectly satisfied that the landing was impracticable, and that the attempt would have been the destruction of many brave men, without the least probability of success; and this, I am certain, will appear to be the case when General Clinton represents his situation. The Bristol had forty men killed and seventy-one wounded; the Experiment twenty-three killed and fifty-six wounded, and both of them suffered much in their hulls, masts, and rigging; the Active had Lieutenant Pike killed, and six men wounded, and the Solebay had