America250: Fort Johnston Snipers — May 1776

May 1776 — Southport. 🇺🇸

The British came back for Fort Johnston. Big mistake.

Patriot riflemen hiding in the fort’s ruins sniped the British fleet for DAYS. Their shots struck the armed transport Sovereign — and flew clean through to the Glasgow Packet behind her, killing two British sailors and wounding two more.

General Clinton was furious. He landed ten companies of redcoats to hunt the snipers down. They found nothing but horse tracks.

So Clinton did the only thing he could: he ordered Fort Johnston demolished.

Southport’s first fort died twice — and the Patriots made the British pay both times.

#America250 #RevolutionaryWar #SouthportNC #BrunswickCounty #NCHistory #CarolinaAfterDeadline