the
troops on that side of Cooper River.

[Sidenote: April 20.]

Upon this change of situation, Lincoln called another council of war.
Notwithstanding the multiplied difficulties attending an evacuation of
Charleston, he appears to have been still inclined to it. But a number
of fortunate circumstances must have concurred to render a retreat
possible; and the attempt was effectually prevented by the opposition
of the civil government. The opinion seems to have prevailed, that the
escape of the garrison would be followed by the destruction of the
town, and the ruin of its inhabitants.

The council advised that a capitulation should be proposed, and that
the town should be surrendered on condition that the garrison should
be at liberty still to bear arms, and that the inhabitants should be
secured in their persons and property. These propositions being
rejected, hostilities recommenced.

The besiegers had completed their second parallel, and had begun the
third, when Colonel Henderson made a vigorous sally on their right,
which was attended with some success. That this was the only sortie
made during the siege, is to be ascribed to the weakness of the
garrison. General Lincoln deemed it necessary to reserve all his
strength to man his lines in the event of an assault, or to force a
retreat, should he determine to evacuate the city.

In this state of things, General Du Portail, who had been directed to
join the southern army, was conducted by secret ways into the town. He
perceived the impossibility of defending the place, and repeated the
proposition for attempting a retreat. This proposition was again
rejected; and it only remained to defer the surrender as long as
possible, in the vain hope that some fortunate occurrence might bring
relief.

[Sidenote: The garrison of fort Moultrie surrender themselves
prisoners of war.]

Every day diminished this hope, and added to the difficulties of the
besieged. The admiral took possession of Mount Pleasant, which induced
the immediate evacuation of Lamprere's point; soon after which the
garrison of fort Moultrie, amounting to about two hundred men,[22]
surrendered themselves prisoners of war. On the same day, the cavalry
which had escaped the disaster at Monk's corner, and had been
reassembled under the command of Colonel White, of New Jersey, was
again surprised and defeated by Lieutenant Colonel Tarlton at
Lanneau's ferry.

[Footnote 22: After the fleet passed the fo