Moultrie Flag
 | |
| Name | Liberty flag |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 10:19 |
| Adopted | June 14, 1776 |
| Design | White crescent, and the word LIBERTY, in dark blue |
The Moultrie Flag, also known as the Liberty Flag, was a key flag flown in the American Revolutionary War.
History
The Liberty flag was designed, by commission, in 1775 by Colonel William Moultrie, to prepare for war with Great Britain.
It was flown by his troops in the successful defense of Sullivan's Island against the British fleet in June 1776.
Fighting back stridently during a ten-hour bombardment and siege, Moultrie's forces (primarily the 2nd South Carolina Regiment) eventually led the British to withdraw entirely, saving Charleston.
During the battle, the flag was actually shot away, but Sergeant William Jasper ran out in the open and hoisted it again, apparently rallying the troops until a new stand could be provided. This dramatic event, along with the pivotal role of the battle itself, earned the flag a place in the hearts of the people of South Carolina,[1] as well as cementing it as a symbol of liberty in the South, and the new nation in general.
It therefore became the standard of the South Carolina militia, and when the war officially ended with the liberation of Charleston, on December 14, 1782, it was presented by General Nathanael Greene's "Southern Continental & Militia Army", as the first American flag to be displayed in the South.[2]
Historians are divided on the identity of the symbol in the top left corner of the flag. Originally thought to be a crescent moon, it may actually be a gorget, which is armor worn around the neck.
Heritage
Iconic to the state as a symbol of freedom and the Revolution, eventually this was used as the foundation for the state's own flag. The fort was renamed Fort Moultrie,[3] and the flag is sometimes referred to as the Fort Moultrie Flag. It is occasionally rendered with the word LIBERTY separately in white, along the lower center of the flag.
In addition to being the basis for South Carolina's flag, it is the official flag of Moultrie County, Illinois.[4]
The reraising of the flag was commemorated on a 2016 quarter-dollar coin.