On this day 250 years ago in Charlestown harbor, South Carolina, at 4:00 a.m., the HMS Tamar and HMS Cherokee drifted close to the USS Defense. Both British ships commenced to fire broadside shots at the Defense for three hours. The Defense managed to sink the last hulk and then withdrew from the area. The Tamar sent an armed boat to the hulk and set it on fire. It then towed the hulk away from the channel.

The HMS Tamar shot over 100 rounds at the Defense but only struck her three times. Fort Johnson fired three shots at the two British vessels, striking the sails of the British ships.

The Charles Town District Regiment of Militia was called out during the naval battle and remained on station for several hours in anticipation of a land assault that never came.

Sources: Lipscomb at 17; Parker at 93-94; https://revolutionarywar.us/year-1775/ [note I am quoting directly from these sources]