r brave
commander, Moultrie himself, are unknown. But while all honor is due to
the band of raw provincials who at this critical moment--one week before
the Declaration of Independence was signed--withstood the enemy, and for
the moment saved the province, the steady, obstinate valor shown by the
seamen of kindred race, who contended with them, was no less brilliant,
and was even more severely tested. The loss of the fort was thirty-seven
killed and wounded; that of the _Bristol_ alone was one hundred and
eleven out of a crew of three hundred and fifty; and during much of the
action, which lasted thirteen hours, she was powerless to return the
raking fire of the enemy, in consequence of shot severing the ropes that
kept her broadside in position. Saumarez was here for the first time
engaged, and had two narrow escapes. Once, when pointing a gun, a
cannon-ball entering the port swept away seven of the eight men who
served the piece; and somewhat later another ball struck off the head of
a messmate by whom he was standing, covering him with blood.

In this, his maiden action, Saumarez gave full proof of the steady
courage which ever distinguished him; and it is worthy of passing remark
that, in the doggedness of the fighting and the severity of the
slaughter, the battle was typical of a great part of his after
experience. Several death vacancies resulting among the officers, he was
promoted to be lieutenant a fortnight later; and when the _Bristol_ went
north he was again actively engaged in the operations on Long Island,
and along the East and Hudson rivers, up to the evacuation of New York
by the Americans. His conspicuous activity at length obtained for him
the command of a galley, with which he was sent to Rhode Island in
February, 1778. The judgment of the illustrious Rodney, as well as the
repeated efforts of the Americans to regain control of Narragansett Bay,
may be cited against the opinion expressed by Bancroft, that the seizure
of this important naval centre by the British was a mistake. The tenure
of the island, however, depended upon the control of the surrounding
waters, and upon the active destruction of the American means of
transport. Saumarez's galley was one of the force stationed in the
eastern, or Seakonnet, passage; and in the five months thus employed it
is recorded that he was forty-seven times under fire.

Sullivan was at this time preparing for his attack upon the British
lines, expecting co-ope