the meantime, the transports having on board a great part of the
army, sailed under convoy on the 10th of February from Savannah to
North Edisto Sound, where the troops disembarked on the 11th, on St.
John's Island, about thirty miles below Charleston. Thence, Sir Henry
Clinton set out for the banks of Ashley River opposite to the city,
while a part of the fleet proceeded round by sea, for the purpose of
blockading the harbor. The advance of Sir Henry was slow and cautious.
Much time was consumed by him in fortifying intermediate ports, to
keep up a secure communication with the fleet. He ordered from
Savannah all the troops that could be spared, and wrote to Knyphausen,
at New York, for reinforcements from that place.

General Lincoln [now in command at Charleston] took advantage of this
slowness on the part of his assailant, to extend and strengthen the
works. Charleston stands at the end of an isthmus formed by the Ashley
and Cooper Rivers. Beyond the main works on the land side he cut a
canal, from one to the other of the swamps which border these rivers.
In advance of the canal were two rows of abatis and a double picketed
ditch. Within the canal, and between it and the main works, were
strong redoubts and batteries, to open a flanking fire on any
approaching column, while an inclosed hornwork of masonry formed a
kind of citadel. A squadron commanded by Commodore Whipple, and
composed of nine vessels of war of various sizes, the largest mounting
forty-four guns, was to co-operate with Forts Moultrie and Johnston,
and the various batteries in defence of the harbor. They were to lie
before the bar so as to command the entrance of it. Great reliance
also was placed on the bar itself, which it was thought no
ship-of-the-line could pass.

Governor Rutledge, a man eminent for talents, patriotism, firmness and
decision, was clothed with dictatorial powers during the present
crisis; he called out the militia of the State, and it was supposed
they would duly obey the call. Large reinforcements of troops also
were expected from the North. Under all these circumstances, General
Lincoln yielded to the entreaties of the inhabitants, and, instead of
remaining with his army in the open country, as he had intended, shut
himself up with them in the place for its defence, leaving merely his
cavalry and two hundred light troops outside, who were to hover about
the enemy and prevent small parties from marauding.

It was not until