The History of the First West India RegimentEllis, A. B. (Alfred Burdon)
History
The History of the First West India Regiment
Ellis, A. B. (Alfred Burdon)
Great Britain. Army. West India regiment, 1st
After their repulse from the Ebenezer Redoubt, the enemy retired, and, a
few days afterwards, the siege was raised, the Americans crossing the
Savannah at Zubly's Ferry and taking up a position in South Carolina,
while the French embarked in their fleet and sailed away. During the
assault the French lost 700 and the Americans 240 killed. The British
loss was 55, four of whom belonged to the South Carolina Regiment, who
were killed in the redoubt, where also Captain Henry, of that corps, was
wounded.
According to the "Journal of the Siege of Savannah," p. 39, the garrison
of the redoubt in the Ebenezer Road was as follows:
28 Dismounted Dragoons.
28 Battalion men of the 60th Regiment.
54 South Carolina Regiment.
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110
In the same work is the following: "Two rebel standards were once fixed
on the redoubt in the Ebenezer Road; one of them was carried off again,
and the other, which belonged to the 2nd Carolina Regiment, was taken.
After the retreat of the enemy from our right, 270 men, chiefly French,
were found dead; upwards of 80 of whom lay in the ditch and on the
parapet of the redoubt, and 93 were within our abattis."
The strength of the South Carolina Regiment at the termination of the
siege was: 1 colonel (Colonel Innes), 1 major, 4 captains, 7
lieutenants, 3 ensigns, 15 sergeants, 7 drummers, and 216 rank and file.
Nothing of note took place in Georgia and South Carolina till January,
1780, when Sir Henry Clinton arrived in the Savannah River with a force
destined for the reduction of Charlestown. He had sailed from New York
on the 26th of December, 1779, and, having experienced bad weather, put
into the Savannah to repair damages. Sir H. Clinton selected a portion
of General Prevost's force at Savannah to take part in the coming
operations, and among the corps so selected was the South Carolina
Regiment, which is shown in the return of troops at the capture of
Charlestown as "joined from Savannah."
On the 10th of February, the armament sailed to North Edisto, where the
troops disembarked, taking possession of the island of St. John next day
without opposition. On the 29th of March, the army reached Ashley River
and crossed it ten miles above Charlestown; then, the artillery and
stores having been brought over, Sir H. Clinton marched down Charlestown
Neck, and, on the night of the 1st of April, broke ground at 800 yards
from the American works. The garrison of the city consisted of 2000
regular troops, 1000 North Carolina Militia, and the male inhabitants of
the place.
On the 9th of April, the first parallel was finished, and the batteries
opened fire; and Charlestown finally capitulated, after an uneventful
siege, on the 12th of May. In the "Return of the killed and wounded"
during the siege, the South Carolina Regiment is shown as having had
three rank and file wounded.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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