They also fired in small volleys, four cannon at a time. The next battle of the American Revolutionary War is the Battle of Camden. Experiment was also badly damaged with 23 sailors killed and 56 wounded. The map shows the positions of the British ships, the landing site north of Charleston on the Ashley River, the British camps, the barracks, and the American Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island, site of the battle. Despite the failure to suppress the American defenders in Fort Sullivan, three British ships still attempted to force the passage through the harbor. Lee observed that this was "certainly a droll way of proceeding; to communicate his full plan to the enemy is too novel to be credited. The Siege of Charleston. [45] However, all three ships grounded on an uncharted sandbar, and the riggings of Actaeon and Sphinx became entangled in the process. At worst, capture of a port would allow a British base from which the Regulars and smaller numbers of Loyalists could conduct raids inland. [22] The gun platforms were made of planks two inches thick and fastened with wooden spikes. Map of A sketch map of the Charleston Harbor area showing the first British siege of Charleston in 1776, also known as the Battle of Sullivan's Island (June 28, 1776). June 28-29, 1776 at Sullivan's Island, South Carolina Save The Battle of Sullivan's Island (aka Battle of Fort Sullivan), took place near Charleston, South Carolina, during the first British attempt to capture the city from American rebels. After much delay off the coast of North Carolina, the combined British force arrived off Charleston on June 4, 1776. However, the inexperienced defenders fired on the boat sent to deliver it (which was flying a truce flag), and it was not delivered until the next day. It took place near Charleston, South Carolina, during the first British attempt to capture the city from American rebels. In a daring surprise attack, Washington crossed the Delaware River on Christmas, and surprised German mercenaries garrisoning Trenton, New Jersey in support of the British. Some historians label the successful defense of Charleston Harbor in June of 1776 as the first major American victory of the American Revolution. Clinton had initially intended to land in North Carolina to link up with a force of American Loyalists, but the Patriots' decisive defeat of several hundred Loyalists at the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge in February of 1776 meant that a major landing in North Carolina was impracticable. [23], Square-shaped Fort Sullivan consisted only of the completed seaward wall, with walls made from palmetto logs 20 feet (6.1 m) high and 16 feet (4.9 m) wide. [5], The plan was beset by difficulties from the start. The Battle of Sullivan's Island or the Battle of Fort Sullivan was fought on June 28, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War. When General George Washington arrived to New York City following the expulsion of British forces from Boston in March of 1776, he dispatched Lee, a former British Regular, to assume overall command of the Patriot defense of Charleston. Each year local events include a parade in downtown Charleston and reenactments at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island. Proof of above statement: Monument at Windsor Hill Plantation Big 1780 map of Charleston SC harbor from Revolutionary War 1863 Charleston Harbor Civil War Battle Map We don't accept government funding and rely upon private contributions to help preserve George Washington's home and legacy. [9] New York was at that time extremely tense; Patriot forces were beginning to disarm and evict Loyalists, and the British fleet anchored there was having difficulty acquiring provisions. Facts about the Battle of Charleston (First) Armies - American Forces was commanded by Brig. He met with the royal governors of North and South Carolina, Josiah Martin and William Campbell, and learned that the recruited Scottish Loyalists had been defeated at Moore's Creek Bridge two weeks earlier. All Rights Reserved. This strategy failed due to the spongy nature of the palmetto wood used in its constructions; the structure would quiver, and it absorbed the cannonballs rather than splintering. Spend the day with us! Garrison Cannon at the Battle of Fort Sullivan, Charleston, June 28, 1776. After the battle, the leaders of South Carolina and Georgia urged the American forces, led by Maj. Gen. Charles Lee, attack Saint Augustine and take East Florida from the British. This Destructive War: The British Campaign in the Carolinas, 1780-1782. The battlefield in which the British and American Forces fought during the Battle of Sullivan’s Island was located near Charleston, South Carolina. Bearss, Edwin C. The Battle of Sullivan's Island and the Capture of Fort Moultrie. It came to be known as the Moultrie flag or Liberty Flag. [46] Thunder's role in the action was also relatively short-lived; she had anchored too far away from the fort, and the overloading of her mortars with extra powder to increase their range eventually led to them breaking out of their mounts. Historic map of The Battle of Trenton. He headed for Charleston, saying "[I] confess I know not whether I shall go to or from the enemy. He began reinforcing positions on the mainland in case the British were intending to launch an attack directly on Charleston. Fort Sullivan, commanded by Colonel William Moultrie, dominated all of the narrow entrance channels through the sand bar at the mouth of Charleston Harbor. [30] With the fort on Sullivan's Island only half complete, Admiral Parker expressed confidence that his warships would easily breach its walls. [39], General Clinton encountered the first major problem of the attack plan on June 17. "[52] Admiral Parker eventually sought to destroy the fort's walls with persistent broadside cannonades. The Battle of Sullivan’s Island occurred on June 28, 1776 in the Revolutionary War in which Patriot and British forces fought on Sullivan’s Island near Charleston, South Carolina. My product's interface is intuitive and easy-to-use. Discover the Home of George and Martha Washington. New York: Savas Beatie, 2010. Moultrie’s decision to concentrate firepower on the British flagship resulted in significant damage and injured Parker. The American guns, meanwhile, damaged many British ships. [56] Patriots in small boats sailed out to the burning ships, and fired some of their cannons at the British ships, took what stores and loot they could, and retreated shortly before the ship's powder magazine exploded. [54], The British did not attempt to take the fort again. The Patriots won the first battle of Charleston (South Carolina) on June 28, 1776. Facing a withering barrage of grape shot and rifle fire, Clinton abandoned the attempt. The Battle of Sullivan’s Island or the Battle of Fort Sullivan was fought on June 28, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, also known as the American War of Independence. [34], General Lee responded to the British landing with several actions. [61] The site was turned over to the National Park Service in 1960, and is now part of Fort Sumter National Monument.[62][63]. Each of these ships began to fire upon the fort when it reached its position, and the defenders returned the fire. [16] That same day, Clinton began landing 2,200 troops on Long Island. The shot also tore off part of his britches, leaving his backside exposed. 28 June 1776. Clinton reported that this meant that Admiral Parker would have "the glory of being defeated alone. With the tide on the ebb the Bristol let go astern her small bower in order to prevent her swinging round with the tide, but at about 4pm the fort s renewed fire parted the spring on her cable and the pennant ship swung around to her best bower, allowing the rebels to rake her again and again. [12] Clinton also received pleas for assistance from the royal governor of Georgia, James Wright, who had been arrested, and then escaped to a navy ship. [14] Parker had sent out some ships on scouting expeditions up and down the coast, and reports on the partially finished condition of the Charleston defenses were sufficiently promising that the decision was made to go there. Shifting their focus to the southern colonies, the British first captured Savannah, GA in 1778 before mounting a major expedition against Charleston, SC in 1780. Clinton’s command would soon support the successful British campaign to capture New York City, but its attempt to capture Charleston had failed. Charleston Expedition of Clinton in 1776. [60] In 1876, to celebrate the centennial, companies from Savannah, Augusta, Macon, Columbia, New York and Boston were invited to Charleston. [31], The British fleet was composed of nine man-of-war ships: the flagship 50-gun Bristol, as well as the 50-gun Experiment and frigates Actaeon, Active, Solebay, Siren, Sphinx, Friendship and the bomb vessel Thunder, in total mounting nearly 300 cannon. "[23] The attack was originally planned for June 24, but bad weather and contrary wind conditions prompted Parker to call it off for several days. Patriot Battles: How the War of Independence Was Fought. As a defeat, it was the biggest loss of troops suffered to the revolutionary army in the war wherein the losses consisted essentially of the major part of the forces available to the revolutionaries. [24] General Lee, when he had seen its unfinished state, had recommended abandoning the fort, calling it a "slaughter pen". American use of a fortification on Sullivan’s Island played a critical role in the victory, as the fort dominated the narrow channel into Charleston Harbor and prevented any British ships from entering. The walls were filled with sand, and rose 10 feet (3.0 m) above the wooden platforms on which the artillery were mounted. The British had tried to approach Charleston by water and had failed to reach the city proper. From the mansion to lush gardens and grounds, intriguing museum galleries, immersive programs, and the distillery and gristmill. Active and Solebay reported 15 casualties each. The British force under Clinton and Parker consisted of a mix of regiments that had been evacuated from Boston and others newly arrived from Europe. [47] Owing to shortage of gunpowder, Moultrie's men were deliberate in the pace of their gunfire, and only a few officers actually aimed the cannons. © 2021 Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. Siege of Charleston, (1780) during the American Revolution, British land and sea campaign that cut off and forced the surrender of Charleston, S.C., the principal port city of the southern American colonies. The year and date that the Battle of Sullivan’s Island took place on June 28, 1776. [26] Lee did make plans for an orderly retreat to Haddrell's Point. Arriving there in early June, troops were landed on Long Island (now called Isle of Palms), near Sullivan's Island where Colonel William Moultrie commanded a partially constructed fort, in preparation for a naval bombardment and land assault. The British organized an expedition in early 1776 for operations in the rebellious southern colonies of North America. [55] A painting of this event (pictured above) depicts Jasper's actions. [citation needed], Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War, South Carolina Rangers (3rd South Carolina Regiment), South Carolina Artillery Regiment (4th South Carolina Regiment), American Revolutionary War §Early Engagements, British and Continental Forces Attack on Fort Sullivan, South Carolina 28 June 1776, "National Park Service: Fort Sumter National Monument", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Sullivan%27s_Island&oldid=1000331528, Battles in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War 1775–1779, Battles of the American Revolutionary War in South Carolina, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2012, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 30 Transports carrying the invasion force, Detachment of South Carolina local Militia (50 men), This page was last edited on 14 January 2021, at 17:48. Date of the Siege of Charleston: April and May 1780. Later it would also have to pass the northern end of James Island, where Fort Johnson commanded the southeastern approach to the city. However, Lee sent more ammunition and gunpowder over from the mainland, and the defenders resumed firing at the British ships;[51] Lee even briefly visited the fort late in the day, telling Colonel Moultrie, "I see you are doing very well here, you have no occasion for me, I will go up to the town again. At the start of 1776, the patriots were in control. [18] These forces were further augmented by the arrival of Continental regiments from North Carolina and Virginia (1,900 troops), as well as militia numbering 2,700 from Charleston and the surrounding backcountry. 1 See answer hhernande0140 is waiting for your help. [58], Admiral Parker and General Clinton engaged in a war of words after the battle, each seeking to cast the blame on the other for the expedition's failures. Discover what made Washington "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen". [16] President Rutledge refused, and specifically ordered Colonel Moultrie to "obey [Lee] in everything, except in leaving Fort Sullivan". The Battle of Sullivan's Island or the Battle of Fort Sullivan was fought on June 28, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War. Counting casualties, Parker reported 40 sailors killed and 71 wounded aboard Bristol, which was hit more than 70 times with much damage to the hull, yards, and rigging. The British, following the collapse of their northern strategy in late 1777 and their withdrawal from Philadelphia in 1778, shifted their focus to the American Southern Colonies. Tuscaloosa, AL: The University of Alabama Press, 2003. The 1776 Siege of Charleston also provided valuable military experience for Francis Marion and Thomas Sumter, who would later play critical roles as partisan fighters during the long, bitter campaign for the Carolinas from 1780-1781. It is also sometimes referred to as the First Siege of Charleston, owing to a more successful British siege in 1780. New York City was in American hands. [10] Despite this, Clinton made no secret that his final target was in the south. The stunning victory at Fort Sullivan, renamed Fort Moultrie in honor of its commander, certainly provided a vital morale boost to the Patriot cause, especially when compared to Washington’s serious setbacks in and around New York City later that year. Who won the battle of Charleston 1776? Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, 1968. Tuscaloosa, AL: The University of Alabama Press, 1977. Lee wrote from Wilmington on June 1 that the fleet had sailed, but that he did not know whether it was sailing for Virginia or South Carolina. British Forces was commanded by Gen. Augustin Prevost and consisted of about 900 Soldiers. June 28, 1776 SEO SOCIAL PLATFORMS This battle was the greatest loss of manpower and equipment of the war for the Americans. Quoted in John S. Pancake, This Destructive War: The British Campaign in the Carolinas, 1780-1782 (Tuscaloosa, AL: The University of Alabama Press, 2003), 23. Decisive Patriot victory against British Navy at Charleston SC on June 28, 1776 led directly to Declaration of Independence becoming adopted on July 4th, 1776! Finally, on June 28th, the British fleet attempted to force the entrance to Charleston Harbor. A small American Patriot force defending Charleston under the overall command of Major General Charles Lee successfully repelled a combined British assault force of 2,900 soldiers and seamen under Major General Sir Henry Clinton and Commodore Peter Parker on June 28, 1776. [49] One round hit her quarterdeck, slightly wounding Parker in the knee and thigh. On June 28,1776, Sir Henry Clinton sent British troops aboard the ship Thunder to attack the Continental Army at fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island. Sullivan’s Island was a large island commanding the entrance to Charleston harbor. Our Digital Encyclopedia has all of the answers students and teachers need. [13], Parker's fleet had an extremely difficult crossing. Charleston SC Revolutionary War Maps (1776 Defense of Charleston) Revolutionary War Battle Map of Charleston SC Harbor showing Downtown Charleston, Fort Sullivan (later named Fort Moultrie), Sullivans Island, James Island, Fort Johnson, local area rivers plus more. By May 8, only a few yards separated the armies. [55] The British troops were reembarked on their transports, and on July 21 the British fleet withdrew northward to help the main British army in its campaign against New York City. Finding conditions unsuitable for their operations, General Henry Clinton and Admiral Sir Peter Parker decided instead to act against Charlestown. Charleston would defend itself against a strong British invasion force. [40] He considered using boats to ferry the troops across, but the Americans, with timely advice from General Lee, adopted a strong defensive position that was virtually impossible to bombard from ships or the Long Island position. Although Clinton was not blamed by the government, popular opinion held him responsible, and Parker was lauded for his personal bravery. By naval gunfire the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia to organize their rebellion and there were still many who! 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