 Hogun participated in a council of war on April 20 , 1780 . Several members of the South Carolina Privy Council , a part of the civilian government , threatened to block the Continental Army 's attempts to withdraw from Charleston , if the council of war voted to do so . Although the defending army had only eight to ten days worth of provisions , Lincoln bowed to pressure from civil authorities and delayed evacuation . On April 26 , another council of war at which Hogun was present determined that the British presence on all sides of the city prevented the army 's escape . For the next two weeks , the British and Patriot forces exchanged artillery and rifle fire at all times of day , and the British bombardment whittled down the American breastworks . 
