Page 63 - JM Book 9/2020

Early that morning, a signal gun had been fired from one of the British ships that alerted the warships to begin their advance toward Fort Sullivan on Sullivan’s Island. Shortly after eleven-thirty, the heavy cannons on the British ships began firing on the fort, which was defended by only thirty-one cannons.
The British strategy was to bombard Fort Sullivan with heavy cannon fire from their ships, while the Redcoats attacked the fort from Long Island, which is located a short distance north of Sullivan’s Island.
While British warships were shelling the fort, Colonel William Moultrie ordered his men to direct the fort’s cannons on the two largest warships. The officers and men were amazed how much damage their cannons were able to inflict on the ships and crew.
Meanwhile, three British ships tried to attack the fort from the sides, away from where the patriots had set up their cannons. However, all three ships got
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