jul 1, 1779 - Skirmish at Port Royal Island (2nd)

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By July 1, Brig. Gen. Augustine Prevost had only evacuated a small part of his forces to Beaufort and did not have enough men to occupy the town. Two hundred British troops constructed a crude defensive position on Edisto Island to thwart any attack of the retreating men.
Col. Daniel Horry (SC Light Dragoons) kept an eye on the enemy at Port Royal Island but he did not have enough men to attack. By July 6th, the remainder of Brigadier General Prevost's army arrived in Beaufort. Most of the troops were kept on board ships in the harbor and the only men allowed to go ashore were to get water and firewood. They kept the ships well offshore after dark to avoid the possibility of snipers.
On July 7, the SC 1st Regiment under Col. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney was ordered to Port Royal Ferry to reinforce Col. Horry. Prevost's ships began shuttling troops to St. Helena Island. Maj. Gen. Benjamin Lincoln thought that there was still a chance that the British would attempt to take Beaufort or sail around and attack Fort Moultrie in Charles Town Harbor.
By July 17, only the 71st Regiment of Foot was left near Beaufort. The Hessians were located further down at Mile End, a narrow neck of land located at present-day Parris Island. In mid-July, Lt. Lewis Ogier of Col. Horry's Light Dragoons met a party of Loyalists driving 300 head of cattle to Prevost's army. Lt. Ogier attacked and drove them into the river, and captured most of the cattle.

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