Tag: Sullivan’s Island (Charleston SC)

Wikipedia says: Sullivan’s Island is a town and island in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States, at the entrance to Charleston Harbor.

The island was known as O’Sullivan’s Island, named for Captain Florence O’Sullivan, who was stationed here as a lookout in the late 17th century. O’Sullivan was captain of one of the ships in the first fleet to establish the colonial settlement of Charles Town. In 1671, he became surveyor general. He appears in the earliest record of Irish immigration to the Carolinas, mentioned as being taken on “at Kingsayle (Kinsale) in Ireland”.

Sullivan’s Island was used as a quarantine station for enslaved Africans, who were housed in various “pest houses” on the island and checked for communicable diseases before they were transported to Charleston for sale at public auction. Sullivan’s Island was the port of entry for over 40% of the estimated 400,000 enslaved Africans transported to Colonial America, making it the largest slave port in North America. It is estimated that more than half, if not all, of all African Americans have ancestors who passed through Sullivan’s Island.

Fort Moultrie

On June 28, 1776, an incomplete fort was held by South Carolinian forces under Colonel William Moultrie against an invasion by a British force under the command of Henry Clinton sailing with Commodore Sir Peter Parker’s Royal Navy fleet. The British cannonade proved to have no effect on the sand-filled palmetto log walls of the fort; the only fatalities were the result of those shots that carried over the walls.

During this battle, a flag designed by Moultrie flew over the fortress; it was dark blue with a crescent moon on it bearing the word “liberty”. When this flag was shot down, Sergeant William Jasper reportedly picked it up and held it aloft, rallying the troops until a new standard could be provided. Because of the importance of this pivotal battle, that flag became symbolic of liberty in South Carolina, the South, and the nation as a whole.

The Battle of Sullivan’s Island was commemorated by the addition of a white palmetto tree to the flag used to rally that day, known as the Moultrie Flag. This was used as the basis of the state flag of South Carolina. The victory is celebrated and June 28 is known as Carolina Day.