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4

THE ATTEMPT on CHARLESTON.

Their idols are silver and gold: the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, 5 but they see not: they have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not": they have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not": neither speak they through their throat. They that make 6 them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.

7

O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: he is their help and their 8 shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord: he is their 9 help and their shield. Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord he is their help and their shield.

DEFINITIONS, &c.-In the delivery of Sent. 5th, be careful to end each of the members in the same manner; i. e. all with the bend or all with partial close. (See exercises at the beginning of Part 3.) I prefer the bend.

SECT. XCIII. THE ATTEMPT ON CHARLESTON.

1 IN consequence of some disturbances this year in South Carolina, in favor of the ministry, Sir Peter Parker was dispatched with nine ships of war, and with a large land force, commanded by Clinton and Cornwallis, to make an attempt on Charleston, the capital.

2

Before the ships could be brought to pay their respects to the town, they must, it seems, pass a little fort on Sullivan's 3 Island. This, however, being defended only by raw militia, 4 was hardly looked on as an obstacle. Happily for America, the command of the fort had been committed to General Moultrie; for the chief in command, Gen. Charles Lee, though otherwise brave, was ever in the frights at the thought of a British man-of-war; and, for a general, much too free in 5 lending his fears to others. For, while Moultrie was showing him the fort, and in the language of a fiery patriot, was boasting what handsome resistance he hoped it would make'; Lee, with infinite scorn replied, "Pshaw'! a mere slaughterhouse'! a mere slaughter-house'! a British man-of-war will 6 knock it about your ears in half an hour!" He even proposed 7 to abandon the fort!-The courage of one man saved Charles

ton, and perhaps the state: that fortunate man was John 8 Rutledge, Esq., governor of South Carolina. He insisted

THE ATTEMPT ON CHARLESTON.

66

83

that the fort should be defended to the last extremity. 9 Moultrie was called in. 10" Well, General Moultrie," said Governor Rutledge, "what do you think of giving up the 11 fort?" Moultrie could scarcely suppress his indignation. 12" No man, sir," said he to Lee, can have a higher opinion of the British ships and seamen than I have'; but there are others who love the smell of gunpowder as well as they do; and give us but plenty of powder and ball, sir, and let them come 13 on as soon as they please.' His courage was quickly put to the test; for about ten o'clock, on the 28th of June, in the glorious 1776, Sir Peter Parker, with seven tall ships formed his line, and bearing down within point-blank shot of the 14 fort, let go his anchors and began a tremendous fire. At every thundering blast he fondly hoped to see the militia take to the sands like frightened rats from an old barn on 15 fire. But, widely different from his hopes, the militia stood their ground, firm as the black-jacks of their land; and levelling their four-and-twenty pounders with good aim, they bored the old hearts of oak through and through at every 16 fire. Their third broadside carried away the springs on the cables of the commodore's ship; which immediately swung 17 around right stern upon the guns of the fort. "Hurra! my

brave fellows," was instantly the cry along the American battery, "look handsomely to the commodore! now, my boys, 18 for your best respects to the commodore!" Little did the commodore thank them for such respects; for in a short time he had sixty of his brave crew lying lifeless on his decks, and 19 many more below, severely wounded. At one period of the

action, the quarter-deck was cleared of every soul except Sir 20 Peter himself. Nor was he entirely excused; for an honest cannon-ball by way of a broad hint that it was out of character for a Briton to fight against liberty, rudely snatched away a part of his silk dress.

DEFINITIONS, &c.—Define disturbances, South Carolina, ministry, (cabinet of England,) despatched, make an attempt, (attack,) capital, pay their respects, (to attack,) fert, raw, (undisciplined, inexperienced as soldiers,) militia, obstacle, chief in command, (the superior officer,) boasting, handsome, (considerable,) resistance, infinite scorn, (with all the scorn he could express,) last extremity, (it is the usage of war, that if a fort resists until actually taken possession of by the enemy, the defenders may be put to death. this is the last extremity,) suppress, put to the test, (tried,) line, (of battle,) point-blank, (in gunnery, beyond a certain distance the muzzle of a gun

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THE ATTEMPT ON CHARLESTON.

must be elevated above the object somewhat, or the ball will fall short: the greater the distance, the more must it be elevated: when near enough to fire with a level gun, it is at point-blank distance,) hearts of oak, (ships,) springs, (an instrument to hold the cable at a given length,) quarter-deck, (that part of a vessel which is exclusively occupied by the principal officers,) action, (battle,) rudely.

SECT XCIV.—THE ATTEMPT ON CHARLESTON, CONT. NUED. 1 THE Americans stood the fire like SALAMANDERS, for the neighboring shores were lined with thousands of their dearest 2 relatives, anxiously looking on! The British tars, poor fellows! had no sisters, mothers, nor wives, spectators of their strife, but fought, notwithstanding, with their wonted heroism. 3 Long accustomed to mastery in battles with the French, and greatly outnumbering the fort both in men and guns, they counted on certain victory; and though dreadfully handled, yet scorned to yield. Immense were the exertions on both sides; and while the powder of the fort lasted, the conflict 4 was awfully grand. From ships to fort, and from fort to ships again, all below seemed one stream of solid fire: all above, one vast mountain of smoke darkening the day; while unintermitted bursts of thunder deafened all ears, and far around shook both land and sea.

5 The heroes in the fort won immortal honor. One brave 6 fellow, Sergeant Jasper, observing the flagstaff shot away, jumped down from the fort on the beach, in the hottest fury of the battle, and snatching up the flag, returned it to its place: streaming defiance, with a "Hurra! my boys: Liberty 7 and America forever!" Governor Rutledge rewarded him 8 with a sword. Another sergeant, M'Donald, while roaring away with his 24-pounder, was terribly shattered by a can9 non-ball. When about to expire, he lifted up his dying eyes

and said, "My brave countrymen, I die, but do not let the cause 10 of Liberty die with me." Now louder and louder, peal on peal, the American thunder burst forth with earth-trembling crashes; and the British ships, after a long and gallant struggle, hauled off with a good fortnight's worth of work for surgeons, carpenters, and riggers.

11

Sir Peter was so dumb-founded by this drubbing, that it took him full eight-and-forty hours to recover his stomach 12 for his beef and pudding. So wonderfully had it let him

THE SONG OF MOSES AND ISRAEL.

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down, that even his black pilots grew impudent upon him. 13 For as he was going out over the bar he called to Cudjo, (a black fellow, a pilot who was sounding the depth of the water,) and said, "Cudjo, what water have you got there?" "What water, massa? what water? 15 Why, salt water, 16 be sure, sir! Sea water, always salt water: ain't it, mas

14

sa ?"

17 "You saucy rebel, I knew it was salt water; I only wanted to know how much water you have there."

18

"How much water here, massa! how much water here! 19 My conscience, massa! where I going to get quart pot for measure him?”

20

This was downright impudence; and Cudjo richly deserved a rope's-end for it; but Sir Peter, a good-natured man, was so tickled with the idea of measuring the Atlantic ocean with a quart pot, that he broke into a hearty laugh, and ordered Cudjo a handsome reward.

DEFINITIONS, &c.—Define salamanders, lined, (standing all along,) relatives, tars, notwithstanding, wonted, mastery, (victory,) outnumbering, handled, (beaten, cut up,) yield, (i. e. victory,) exertions, lasted, (held out,) grand, unintermitted, deafened, won, flagstaff, jumped, defiance, sword, crashes, hauled off, (drew off, retired,) surgeons, riggers, dumb-founded, (confounded,) drubbing, stomach, impudent, bar, (sandbar,) sounding, downright, rope's-end, (the instrument for flogging sailors,) tickled, measuring

SECTION XCV.-THE SONG OF MOSES AND ISRAEL.

THEN sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto 1 the Lord: I will sing unto the Lord", for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the

sea.

The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my 2 salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him a habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt his name.

3 The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name. 4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. 5 The depths have covered them: they sank to the bottom as a stone.

6 Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

And in the greatness of thine excellency, thou hast over7 thrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble. With the 8 blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together: the floods stood upright as a heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

The enemy said, I will pursue: I will overtake: I will 9 divide the spoil: my lust shall be satisfied upon them: I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.

10

Thou didst blow with thy wind'; the sea covered them. 11 They sank as lead in the mighty waters. Who is like unto 12 thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious 13 in holiness, fearful in praises: doing wonders? Thou didst stretch out thy right hand'; the earth swallowed them.

Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people whom thou 14 hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.

15 The people shall hear and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. The dukes of Edom 16 shall be amazed: the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them: all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall fall upon them: by the 17 greatness of thine arm, they shall be as still as a stone till thy people pass over, O Lord: till the people pass over whom thou hast purchased.

DEFINITIONS, &c.-Define habitation, chariots, captains, (commanders, leaders,) depth, (deep waters,) dashed, excellency, (of power,) consumed, stubble, blast, congealed, lust, blow, (what other meaning has this word?) swallowed, redeemed, amazed, dukes, purchased. Who was Pharaoh ? What Palestina? Edom?

1

SECTION XCVI.-MONEY.

WHAT a useful thing is money! If there were no such thing 2 as money, we should be much at a loss to get any thing we might want. The shoemaker, for instance, who might want 3 bread and meat for his family, would have nothing to give in

exchange but shoes. He must therefore go to the baker, 4 and offer him a pair of shoes for as much bread as they are worth; and the same, if he went to the butcher. The baker, 5 however, might not happen to want shoes just then, but