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Photo by Natalie Caula Hauff
Park Ranger and archaeologist Ashley Chapman shares the findings of recent excavations at Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site.
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Photo by Jonathan Sharpe
The Revolutionary War exhibit at the South Carolina Military Museum features weapons, uniforms and flags from the fight for independence.
Learn more about South Carolina’s vital role in the American Revolution at these historic sites and museums.
Fort Moultrie National Monument
On paper, it looked like certain defeat for the colonists: An armada of well-armed British warships arrayed against the only defense Patriots could provide for Charleston Harbor—a hastily constructed garrison made of sand and palmetto logs on the tip of Sullivan’s Island. But the British were about to learn about the resolve and ingenuity of South Carolinians.
For nine hours, British ships assaulted the fort, firing broadsides and launching bombs, but their cannonballs were either absorbed in the sand or deflected by the spongy palmetto logs. Patriot troops under the command of Col. William Moultrie returned fire, making every shot count in order to conserve precious supplies of powder and shot. At the end of the battle, the heavily damaged British fleet withdrew to New York.
The legend of William Jasper was born during the battle when he single-handedly raised the garrison flag that had been felled by a British broadside. Retrieving the banner, he tied it to a pole used to clean cannons and affixed the flag—a field of solid indigo surrounding a white crescent adorned with the word “Liberty”—to a parapet where it flew for the rest of the battle. Jasper received South Carolina president John Rutledge’s personal sword for his valor. Today, a monument dedicated to the defenders of Fort Moultrie, better known as the Sgt. Jasper Monument, is located at White Point Garden at the tip of the Charleston peninsula.
Following the battle, the Patriots renamed the garrison Fort Moultrie in honor of their commander. The flag they fought under became an important state symbol and served as the basis of the current state flag, which features a palmetto tree in honor of the victory at Sullivan’s Island.
The original Fort Moultrie was later replaced with a brick fortress that played a pivotal role in the Civil War and is now the centerpiece of the Fort Moultrie National Monument. Although much of the site is dedicated to the Civil War, visitors can still learn about the heroism of South Carolina patriots by taking self-guided tours of the grounds and visiting the on-site museum.
Fort Moultrie National Monument is part of the National Park Service complex in Charleston Harbor that also includes Fort Sumter. Fort Moultrie is located at 1214 Middle St., Sullivan’s Island. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for New Year’s, Thanksgiving and Christmas days. For more information, visit nps.gov/fosu.
The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon
The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, built in the 1770s as the Customs House for the Port of Charleston, houses a fascinating museum operated by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Docents provide guided tours of the three-story building, which houses a wonderful collection of stories and artifacts from the Colonial and Revolutionary War period. Each Fourth of July, there is a special reenactment of the reading of the Declaration of Independence that took place from the Exchange steps in 1776.
The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon is located at 122 East Bay St., Charleston. The Exchange is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children 7–12 and $5 for college students with ID. Children under 6 are admitted free. For more information, visit oldexchange.org or call (843) 727-2165.
Charles Pinckney National Historic Site
Snee Farm, Charles Pinckney’s coastal plantation, provides an opportunity to learn about Colonial culture during and after the Revolution. Pinckney was a principal author and signer of the Constitution, and this preserved coastal plantation serves to remind visitors of his life of public service.
Charles Pinckney National Historic Site is located 1254 Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant. The site is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for New Year’s, Thanksgiving and Christmas days. For more information, visit nps.gov/chpi or call (843) 881-5516.
South Carolina Military Museum
The South Carolina Military Museum tells the story of our state’s citizen soldiers, from the 1670s up to the present day, and features an extensive collection of weapons, uniforms and flags from the American Revolution.
The museum’s Revolutionary War exhibit tells the forgotten stories of the conflict, such as the heroism of African-American patriot Oscar Marion and the real meaning of the crescent shape on the state flag.
The origin of the South Carolina state flag dates to the 1760s and the French and Indian War. The rich, blue color of the material was the result of boiling the fabric with wild indigo plants found in the Carolinas. The Revolutionary War version of the flag, also known as the Moultrie Flag, consisted of the indigo blue background and a silver crescent modeled on a military gorget, not, as many people believe, a Carolina crescent moon. The gorget was a metal ornament worn around the neck as a symbol of military authority. After Col. William Moultrie’s successful defense of Charleston Harbor in June 1776, the banner became a popular symbol of the Revolution.
The South Carolina Military Museum, located at 1225 Bluff Road in Columbia, just behind the Columbia National Guard Armory, is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission and parking are free. For more information, visit scmilitarymuseum.com or call (803) 299-4440.
South Carolina State Museum
Among the permanent displays at the S.C. State Museum is a life-sized replica of a wall at Fort Moultrie, detailing how the Revolutionary War garrison built from sand and palmetto logs survived the nine-hour assault during the Battle of Sullivan’s Island. A related exhibit explores how the flag that flew over the fort served as the basis for the current S.C. state flag.
The South Carolina State Museum, located at 301 Gervais St. in Columbia, opens at 10 a.m. Monday–Saturday and noon Sunday. Closing times are 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday; 8 p.m. Tuesday; and 6 p.m. Saturday. General admission is $8.95 for adults, $7.95 for seniors, $6.95 for children ages 3–12. For more information, visit scmuseum.org or call (803) 898-4921.
South Carolina State Parks
Several South Carolina State Parks have Revolutionary War roots and wonderful South Carolina stories to tell. For more information on these locations, visit southcarolinaparks.com.
Andrew Jackson State Park: Andrew Jackson State Park near Lancaster is located at the boyhood home of the seventh president of the United States. At the age of 13, Jackson served as a lookout and messenger for Patriot militia units in the Carolinas. His Revolutionary War exploits are told through exhibits at the park’s Andrew Jackson Museum and during a variety of living history programs.
Hampton Plantation State Historic Site: This 18th-century plantation near McClellanville served as a refugee camp for women and children during the Revolution. Francis “Swamp Fox” Marion also staged operations from the lands surrounding this location.
Landsford Canal State Park: During the Revolutionary War, this crossing over the Catawba River was used by American and British soldiers en route to battles across the state. Today, it is a popular location for nature hikes, fishing and canoeing.
Musgrove Mill State Historic Site: This serene state park near Clinton was the site of a Patriot victory over British Loyalists on Aug. 19, 1780. At the park’s visitor center, guests can watch a light-table narrative of the battle before exploring the battlefield trail that runs along the scenic Enoree River.
Kings Mountain State Park: Kings Mountain State Park is located adjacent to the Kings Mountain National Battlefield and is a beautiful location for campers and RVs during Upstate festivities like Revolutionary War Weekend. Camping reservations are recommended.
Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site: Once a thriving trading port on the Ashley River, Dorchester was abandoned at the start of the American Revolution. The small fortress overlooking the river was briefly commanded by Francis “Swamp Fox” Marion and later by British troops. Ongoing archaeological studies continue to provide a richly detailed picture of what life was like in Colonial South Carolina in the years leading up to the war.
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Reliving the American Revolution – Explore the journey to independence at South Carolina’s top Revolutionary War living history events.
Digging up the past – Learn more about the state’s forgotten past at Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site.
Saluting our citizen soldiers – The South Carolina Military Museum features military artifacts from the Revolution to modern-day conflicts.