Though they strove again, these minions of Germaine and North and Gower, They could never make the weakest of our band before them cower; Neither England’s bribes nor soldiers, force of arms nor titles splendid, Could deprive of what our fathers left as rights to be defended. And the flame from Concord, spreading, kindled kindred conflagrations, Till the Colonies United took their place among the nations. [Illustration: MONUMENT AT CONCORD.] _BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SULLIVAN._ [Illustration: WILLIAM MOULTRIE.] [Illustration: PLAN OF FORT ON SULLIVAN’S ISLAND.] The Provincial Congress of South Carolina, in 1775, appointed a Committee of Safety to sit during its own recess, and to this it delegated full power. The Committee fitted out a vessel, which captured an English sloop, laden with powder, lying at St. Augustine. The royal governor of the State sent couriers to intercept the vessel, but they failed. The powder was brought to Charleston, and part of it was used by Arnold in the siege of Quebec. Later in the year Colonel Moultrie took possession of a small fort standing on Sullivan’s Island, in Charleston Harbor. The governor fled to the frigate _Tamar_, and the Committee of Safety took charge of affairs. Fort Johnson, on James’s Island, was seized and armed. Guns were mounted on Haddrell’s Point, and a fascine battery made on Sullivan’s Island. Between these two the _Tamar_ and her consort were obliged to leave the harbor. Colonel Moultrie was now ordered to build a strong fort on Sullivan’s Island, and over three hundred guns were mounted on the various fortifications. Colonel Gadsden was placed in command, and every preparation made for a vigorous defence. [Illustration: SOUTH CAROLINA FLAG.] [Illustration: SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, AND THE BRITISH FLEET AT THE TIME OF THE ATTACK.] The Continental Congress knew that a combined naval and land attack would be made on Charleston; and in April Brigadier-general Armstrong was sent there to take command, but was superseded, on the fourth of June, by Major-general Charles Lee, who had been sent by Washington. He worked hard for the defence of the city, and was supported with ardor and enthusiasm by the people. Troops flocked in until there were between five and six thousand men in arms, including the Northern troops that had come with Armstrong and Lee. They were disposed at Fort Johnson, on James’s Island, under Gadsden; a battery on Sullivan’s Island, under Thomson; in the fort on the same island, under Moultrie; and at Haddrell’s Point, under Lee. The British arrived on the fourth of June, but it was not until the twenty-eighth that they were ready to attack. During the interval they had constructed batteries on Long Island, to silence that of Thomson on Sullivan’s Island and cover the landing of the storming-party of Clinton’s troops.