The bells of Charleston, like the bells of London Town, have a peculiar
interest. St. Michael's bells and clock were brought from England in
1764. When the British evacuated Charleston in 1782 they took the bells
with them. A Mr. Ryhineu bought them in England and returned them. They
were rehung in November, 1783. During the Civil War, St. Michael's
steeple was the target for Federal artillery and fleet guns. In 1861 the
bells were taken to Columbia, S.C., where two of them were stolen, and
the rest injured by fire when the city was burned. Those left were again
sent to England, and recast in the original moulds. In March, 1867, they
once again rang out from the spire.
St. Phillip's Church stands in the old part of the town. During the
Civil War its bells were cast into cannon. For a long time its steeple
was used as a lighthouse. It is the center of forgotten things.
The bells of St. Matthew's are modern and speak of a new order, but all
the bells are the voice of the town. They speak for her silences, which
are eloquent.