C H A 
tors, and one member to Congrefs. It contains by the 
slate cenfus 66,986 inhabitants. 
CHAR'LESTON, the metropolis of South Carolina, 
in the United States of America, fituated in the diftriCl 
of the fame name, and on a tongue of land formed by 
the confluent Areams of Afliley and Cooper, which are 
ihort rivers, but large and navigable. Thefe waters 
unite immediately below the city, and form a fpacious 
and convenient harbour; which communicates with the 
ocean juft below Sullivan’s Ifland; which it leaves levels 
miles fouth-eaft of Charleftown. In thefe rivers the tide 
rifes about iix feet and a half; but uniformly ten or 
twelve inches snore during a night tide: this fait is cer¬ 
tain, but the caufe unknown. The continual agitatiois 
which the tides occafion in the waters furrounding 
Charlefton, the refrefliing fea-breezes which are regularly 
felt, and the frnoke arifing from fo many chimneys, ren- 
der this city more healthy than any part of the low coun¬ 
try in the fouthern Hates. On this account it is the refort 
of great numbers of valetudinarians from the Weft Indian 
illands, and of the rich planters from die country,who come 
here to fpend the fickly months, as they are termed, in 
quell of health and of the locial enjoyments which the city 
affords. And in no part of America are the focial blel- 
fings enjoyed more rationally and liberally than here. 
Unaffeiled hofpitality; affability; eafe of manners and 
addrefs; are charaCteriftics of the people of Charlefton. 
Infpeakingof the capital, it ought to be obferved, for 
the honour of the people of Carolina in general, that 
when in common with the other colonies, in the contell 
with Britain, they refolved againll the ufe of certain lux¬ 
uries, and even neceflaries of life; yet thofe articles 
which impi-ove the mind, enlarge the underllanding, and 
•correCl the tafte, were excepted; and the importation of 
books was permitted as before. 
The land on which the town is built, is flat and low, 
and the water brackilh and unwholefome. The llreets 
are pretty regular, and open beautiful profpefls, and 
have fubterranean drains or fhores to cany off filth, and 
keep the city clean and healthy. The houfes are of 
brick, with tiled roofs. The buildings in general are 
elegant, and molt of them are neat, airy, and well fur- 
nilhed. The public buildings are, an exchange, aftate- 
houfe, an armory, a poor-houfe, and an orphan’s-houfe. 
Here are feveral refpe&able academies. Part of the old 
barracks has been handfomely fitted up, and converted 
into a college; and there are a number oflludents. Lit¬ 
tle attention is paid to the public markets ; a great pro¬ 
portion of the moll wealthy inhabitants having planta¬ 
tions from which they receive fupplies of almolt every 
neceflary of life. The country abounds with poultry 
and wild ducks. Their beef, mutton, and veal, are not 
generally of the bell kind; and few filh are found in the 
market. In 1787, it was computed that there were 1600 
houfes in the city, and 15,000 inhabitants; and what 
evinces the healthinefs of the place, upwards of 200 of 
the white inhabitants were above fixty years of age. By 
the cenfus of 1791, there were 16,359 inhabitants. This 
city has often fuffered much by fire, the lall and moll 
deltruClive happened as late as June, 1796. 
Charlefton was incorporated in 1783, and divided into 
three wards, which chofe as many wardens, from among 
whom the citizens eleCt an intendant of the city. The 
intendant and wardens form the city-council, who have 
power to make and enforce bye-laws for the regulation 
of the city. The value of exports from this port, in the 
year ending November 17 87, amounted to 505,27 91.19s. 5ft. 
ilerling. The number of veflels cleared from the cuftom- 
houfe the fame year, was 947, meafuring 62,118 tons; 
735 of thefe, meafuring 41,531 tons, were American ; 
the others belonged to Great Britain, Ireland, Spain, 
France, and the United Netherlands. In 1794, the value 
of exports amounted to 3,84.6,392 dollars. It is fixty 
miles fouth-wellby fouth of George-town; 150 ealt by 
fouth of Augufla; 497 fouth by weft of Richmond; 630 
C H A 115 
fouth-weft by fouth of Wafhington city; 763 fouth-weft 
by fouth of Philadelphia; and mo fouth-weft of Bol¬ 
ton. The light-houfe lies inlat. 32. 41. 52. N. White 
Point at the fouth end of the town, lat. 32.44. 30. N. 
Ion. 80. 39.45. W. Knoxville, the capital of the ftate 
of Tenneflee, is much nearer to this than to any lea-port 
in the Atlantic Ocean. Charlefton was befieged by the 
Britilh army, the latter end of March, 1780, and fur- 
rendered on the 13th of May, with 6000 troops, pri- 
foners of war. 
CHAR'LESTO WN, a townfhip in Montgomery coun¬ 
ty, New York, on the fouth fide of Mohawk river, about 
thirty-two miles weft of ScheneClady. 
CHAR'LESTO WN, a townlhip in Mafon county, 
Kentucky, fituated on the Ohio at the mouth of Lau¬ 
ren’s creek. It contains but few houfes, and is fix miles 
north of Waftiington, and fixty north-eaft of Lexington. 
Lat. 38. 43. N. 
CHAR'LESTO WN, a townlhip in Chefter county, 
Penniylvania. 
CHAR'LESTO WN, a poll town in Chelhire county, 
New Hamplhire, on the eall fide of Connecticut river, 
thirty miles fouth of Dartmouth college ; upwards of fe- 
venty north of Northampton, 116 north-well of Rollon, 
120 well by north of Portfmouth, and 431 north- 
north-eaft of Philadelphia. It was incorporated in 1753, 
and contains 100 houfes, a congregational church, a 
court-boufe, and an academy. The road from Bofton 
to Quebec partes through this town. Lat. 43. 16. N. 
Ion. 72. 19. W. 
CHAR'LESTOWN, the principal town in Middle- 
fex county, Maffacluilefts, called Milhawun by the abo¬ 
riginal inhabitants, fituated north of Bofton, with which it 
is connected by Charles-river bridge. The town, properly 
focalied, is built on a peninfula, formed by Myllic river 
on the eall, and a bay letting up from Charles-river on the 
weft. It is very advantageoUrty fituated for health, na¬ 
vigation, trade, and manufactures-of almoft all the vari¬ 
ous kinds. Bunker’s, Breed’s, and Cobble, hills, which 
overlook the town, are celebrated in the hiftory of the 
American revolution. The fecond hill has upon its fum- 
mit a monument ereCted to the memory of major-gene¬ 
ral Warren, near the fpot where he fell. All thefe hills 
afford elegant and delightful profpects of Bofton, and 
its charmingly variegated harbour, of Cambridge and 
its colleges, and of an extenfive traCl of highly cultivated 
country. It contains within the neck or parilh aboul 
250 houfes, and about 2000 inhabitants. The only- 
public buildings of confequence are a handfome congre¬ 
gational church, with an elegant fteepie and clock, and 
an alms-houle, very commodious, and pleafantly fitu¬ 
ated. Before the delrruCtion of this town by the Bri¬ 
tilh, who burnt it to the ground on the 17th of June, 
1775, feveral branches of manufactures were carried on 
to great advantage, fome of which have been fince revi¬ 
ved ; particularly the manufacture of pot and pear! allies, 
fhip-building, rum, leather in ail its branches, filver, 
tin, brafs, and pewter. This town is a port of entry in 
conjunction with Bofton. At the head of the neck there, 
is a bridge over Myllic river which conneCls Charleftown. 
with Malden. 
CHAR'LESTOWN, a town in Berkley county, Vir¬ 
ginia, fituated on the great road leading from Philadel¬ 
phia to Winchefter; eight miles from Shepherdflown, 
and twenty from Wincheller. 
CHAR'LESTOWN, atownfhip in Wafliington coun¬ 
ty, ftate of Rhode Ifland, having the Atlantic ocean on 
the fouthward, and feparated from Richmond on the 
north by CharJes-river. Some of its ponds empty into 
Pawcatuck river, others into the fea. It is nineteen 
miles north-weft of Newport, and contains 2022 inhabi¬ 
tants. A few years ago there were about 500 Indians in 
the ftate; the greater part of whom refided in this town- 
fhip. They are peaceable and well difpofed to the go¬ 
vernment, and lpeak the Englilh language^ 
CHAR'LESTOWN, 
