It was Sunday, July 21, 1776.
George Washington finally had a victory to give his army.
News had reached New York that American troops at Sullivan’s Island had repelled a British fleet trying to force its way into Charleston Harbor. In a July 21 letter to John Hancock, Washington said the success gave him “the highest Satisfaction.”
Then the danger off New York returned to the page.
At 2 p.m., Washington added that “Ten Ships were seen in the Offing, coming in.” He believed they were part of Admiral Howe’s fleet.
The contrast could not have been sharper. One British attack had failed in the South. More ships that Washington believed belonged to Howe were appearing before New York.
Washington turned the Charleston victory into an order for his own men. They must meet the coming attack with “a determined Resolution to conquer or die.”
The DX Brief
- Washington told Congress that the victory at Sullivan’s Island gave him “the highest Satisfaction.”
- At 2 p.m., he reported that 10 ships had appeared in the offing and were likely part of Admiral Howe’s fleet.
- Washington announced the Charleston victory to the Continental Army in his July 21 orders.
- He urged his officers and soldiers to imitate and even surpass the South Carolina defenders.
- Washington warned that failure after such an example would bring “a double share of Shame and Infamy.”
- He demanded clean weapons, preserved health, exact discipline, obedience and vigilance.
- Washington ordered 150 men with one day of provisions to travel by water to Kingsbridge.
- He excused men assigned to fatigue duty from alarm posts unless a real alarm sounded.
Victory reaches New York
The Battle of Sullivan’s Island had taken place on June 28, but reliable news needed weeks to reach Washington.
His first response to Hancock was brief. Washington joined Congress in celebrating the success and promised a fuller reply the next day.
Before he finished the letter, a new report arrived.
Ten ships had appeared in the offing, the stretch of distant water visible from shore. Washington believed they belonged to Admiral Howe’s growing fleet.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, British warships had already forced their way past American batteries and up the Hudson. The arrival of more vessels meant the threat around New York was still expanding.
Washington received victory and warning in the same letter.
What Charleston had proved
The Sullivan’s Island victory gave Washington more than good news. It gave him an example.
A small American force under Col. William Moultrie had defended an unfinished fort built from palmetto logs and sand against a powerful Royal Navy squadron. The flexible logs absorbed British cannon fire while the defenders returned deliberate shots at the ships.
The British bombardment lasted about 10 hours. British casualties exceeded 200, while the Americans lost 12 killed and 26 wounded, according to the National Park Service account. The 28-gun frigate Actaeon ran aground, and its crew later abandoned and burned it.
Washington’s orders carried the preliminary figures available in New York, but the lesson did not depend on the first casualty totals.
The Royal Navy had attacked an unfinished fort held by recently raised troops and failed.
That was the message Washington wanted his army to hear.
A determined resolution to conquer or die
Washington’s July 21 orders called the victory a “glorious Example” for the officers and soldiers defending New York.
He hoped they would “imitate, and even out do” the South Carolina troops when Britain made the same attempt against them.
Washington then raised the stakes.
With such an example before them, he wrote, the army would carry “a double share of Shame and Infamy” if it failed to act with courage or “a determined Resolution to conquer or die.”
The order did not end with rhetoric. Washington told the men to keep their arms ready for action, protect their health through cleanliness and care, remain exact in discipline, obey their superiors and stay vigilant on duty.
Charleston had shown what brave men could do. Washington wanted preparation worthy of that bravery.
Victory still required work
The rest of the General Orders showed how Washington intended to turn inspiration into readiness.
He approved 20 lashes for William Baker, who had left camp for several days without permission. Washington released Sgt. Ballard after finding that he had issued an unauthorized pass through ignorance rather than design, but warned that future violations would bring severe punishment.
Washington also ordered 150 men to assemble at 6 a.m. with their arms and one day of provisions. They would travel by water to Kingsbridge and relieve a working party already strengthening the northern defenses.
At the same time, he tried to reduce unnecessary strain. Men assigned to fatigue duty would not have to report to their alarm posts that day unless a real alarm sounded.
The pattern was consistent. Washington praised zeal, punished neglect, controlled movement through the camp and tried to preserve the men doing the army’s hardest labor.
The victory in Charleston mattered only if the army in New York could reproduce its courage without abandoning discipline.
Why it mattered
July 21, 1776, gave Washington a way to make a distant victory serve an immediate danger.
The defenders of Sullivan’s Island had shown that a smaller American force could withstand the Royal Navy when men held their positions, conserved ammunition and used their defenses well.
Washington delivered that example just as 10 more ships appeared offshore.
He did not promise that New York would be easy to defend. He told the army that Charleston had removed an excuse for failure.
The men still had to build works, guard passes, keep their weapons ready and obey orders. But they now knew that British ships could be repelled.
On July 21, Washington turned victory into a standard.
The next British attack would test whether his army could meet it.
Tomorrow on Road to Independence
July 22, 1776: Washington told Congress that Lord Howe’s commission was designed to deceive Americans, while Congress debated prisoner exchanges and continued work on the Articles of Confederation.
Follow the full Road to Independence series here.
Provided by Dallas Express
