for the most part, the justified distrust—­with which experience and practice regard inexperience.  Some seamen of American birth, who had been serving in the Bristol, deserted after the fight.  They reported that her crew said, “We were told the Yankees would not stand two fires, but we never saw better fellows;” and when the fire of the fort slackened and some cried, “They have done fighting,” others replied, “By God, we are glad of it, for we never had such a drubbing in our lives.”  “All the common men of the fleet spoke loudly in praise of the garrison,”—­a note of admiration so frequent in generous enemies that we may be assured that it was echoed on the quarter-deck also.  They could afford it well, for there was no stain upon their own record beyond the natural mortification of defeat; no flinching under the severity of their losses, although a number of their men were comparatively raw, volunteers from the transports, whose crews had come forward almost as one man when they knew that the complements of the ships were short through sickness.  Edmund Burke, a friend to both sides, was justified in saying that “never did British valour shine more conspicuously, nor did our ships in an engagement of the same nature experience so serious an encounter.”  There were several death-vacancies for lieutenants; and, as the battle of Lake Champlain gave Pellew his first commission, so did that of Charleston Harbour give his to Saumarez, who was made lieutenant of the Bristol by Parker.  Two years later, when the ship had gone to Jamaica, he was followed on her quarter-deck by Nelson and Collingwood, who also received promotion in her from the same hand.

The attack on Fort Moultrie was not resumed.  After necessary repairs, the ships of war with the troops went to New York, where they arrived on the 4th of August, and took part in the operations for the reduction of that place under the direction of the two Howes.

* * * * *

The occupation of New York Harbour, and the capture of the city were the most conspicuous British successes of the summer and fall of 1776.  While Parker and Clinton were meeting with defeat at Charleston, and Arnold was hurrying the preparation of his flotilla on Champlain, the two brothers, General Sir William Howe and the Admiral, Lord Howe, were arriving in New York Bay, invested not only with the powers proper to the commanders of great fleets and armies, but also with authority as peace commissioners, to negotiate an amicable arrangement with the revolted Colonies.

Sir William Howe had awaited for some time at Halifax the arrival of the expected reinforcements, but wearying at last he sailed thence on the 10th of June, 1776, with the army then in hand.  On the 25th he himself reached Sandy Hook, the entrance to New York Bay, having preceded the transports in a frigate.  On the 29th, the day after Parker’s repulse at Fort Moultrie, the troops arrived; and on July 3d, the date on which