Word: fleeting
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...fears with an already wavering public. Washington's aides would neither confirm nor deny the dramatic rumor that Sir William Howe has thus far delayed his attack only because he is expecting the imminent arrival (probably this week) of his brother Admiral Lord Howe with another vast fleet-about 150 vessels and some 10,000 men. Also expected are the Hessian mercenaries whom King George is known to have hired. As Washington has said, "We may expect a very bloody summer in New York...
...point of tediousness, heavy-browed and large-nosed, he is known in the Navy as "Black Dick" Howe, partly because his face has darkened from 30 years of quarter-deck weather, partly because an air of somber resolution has surrounded him ever since he boldly pursued the French fleet among the rocks of QuiberonBay...
...bitter ten-hour action, Moultrie and 435 men inflicted heavy losses upon a strong British naval squadron under the command of Commodore Sir Peter Parker (two ships of the line, six frigates, the bomb ketch Thunder and more than 30 other vessels). This forced Parker's fleet and several thousand British regular troops under Major General Sir Henry Clinton to give up a combined land-and-sea attack on Fort Sullivan near Charles Town...
...informed by three lately deposed Royal Governors that large Loyalist forces were ready to fight for the King-originally planned to launch their southern campaign near Wilmington, North Carolina. General Clinton arrived off Cape Fear with a small force in mid-March. But Commodore Parker's larger supporting fleet was delayed for two months, partly because of bad winds. By the time the two joined in May, the main Loyalist forces in North Carolina, some 1,800 kilt-wearing Scots colonials led by Allan Macdonald, had been long since routed by Patriot militia in the battle of Moore...
...seamen on an undefended island northeast of Sullivan's Island and separated from it by a shallow passage known as "the Breach." The original plan called for a wading infantry attack on Sullivan's Island and a simultaneous naval assault. Parker accordingly anchored most of his fleet, including the flagship Bristol and the Experiment, both of 50 guns, only a few hundred yards from the fort and proceeded to pound it with broadside after broadside. At the same time, the bomb ketch Thunder anchored farther south and arched explosive 10-inch mortar shells into Moultrie's position...