Towards the latter end of 1777[errata 1], he was appointed third Lieutenant of the Bristol, of 50 guns, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Peter Parker, who sailed from Portsmouth, on the 26th Dec., with a squadron of ships of war, and a fleet of transports, having on board a large body of troops, under the command of Earl Cornwallis, destined for an attack on Charlestown, in South America.
Early in May[errata 2] Sir Peter arrived off Cape Fear, where he was joined by General Clinton, and a reinforcement of military. It was the beginning of June before the fleet crossed the bar, having been delayed a considerable time in bringing the heavy ships to an easy draught of water; it was then found necessary, before they could advance higher up, to possess themselves of Sullivan’s Island, which lay about six miles below the town, and was strongly fortified. The Americans had long exerted their utmost ability and ingenuity to put this place in a formidable state of defence; they had expended considerable sums of money in the erection of fortifications; and it was garrisoned by 300 men. On the morning of the 28th June, the General and Commodore having finally settled their plan, the Thunder-bomb took her station, covered by an armed ship, and began to throw shells into the fort; at the same time the Bristol, Experiment,[errata 3] and Solebay, brought up and opened a most furious cannonade. The Sphynx, Syren, and Actaeon, owing to the unskilfulness of their pilots in coming up to their stations, ran upon some shoals and stuck fast; the two first were with much difficulty hauled off, but not until it was too late for them to be of any service. It being found impossible to save the Actaeon, she was ordered to be scuttled and burnt.
The springs of the Bristol’s cables being cut by the shot, she lay for some time exposed to a dreadful raking fire. Captain Morris, her commander[1], was severely wounded in several places, notwithstanding which he refused to quit the deck, until a shot took off his arm, when he was obliged to be carried below, and soon after expired. The firmness with which the enemy stood to their guns, added to their constant and deliberate fire, made great havock on board the ships. The Bristol’s quarter-deck was once entirely cleared, except-
- ↑ Father of the present Vice-Admiral Sir James Nicoll Morris.
- ↑ Correction: 1777 should be amended to 1775: [[See William Chambers|detail]]
- ↑ Correction: May should be amended to May 1776
- ↑ Correction: Experiment, should be amended to Experiment, Active,
