William Moultrie, 1730—1805, American Revolutionary general, b. Charleston, SC. He had fought against the Native Americans (1761) and served in the colonial assembly before the advent of the American Revolution.

In the war his gallant defense of a small fort on Sullivans Island (later named Fort Moultrie) prevented (1776) Sir Henry Clinton and Sir Peter Parker from taking Charleston, South Carolina. Even Moultrie's skill failed to prevent the fall of Savannah, Georgia to the British in 1778. He was captured in the fall of Charleston to the British in 1780.

After the war he served as governor of South Carolina (1785—87, 1795—97). He wrote "Memoirs of the Revolution as Far as It Related to the States of North and South Carolina" (1802).

Four years later the British captured him, and until 1782 he remained their prisoner.

He was elected to the South Carolina Senate in 1787 and was again elected Governor in 1792. During his second term as Governor he established the Orphan House opened in Charleston, increased cultivation of cotton leading to large cotton exports and recruited privateers for an expedition to Louisiana to regain lands in North America for France. Moultrie retired from public office in 1794.

Moultrie also had a distinguished military career. He was promoted to brigadier general and was second in command of Charleston's defenses. He was taken prisoner when Charleston fell in 1780. In 1802 he published Memoirs of the American Revolution as two volumes of letters and accounts of the American Revolution in the Carolinas and Georgia.

He died on September 27, 1805 in Charleston and is buried there. Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island and Lake Moultrie in northern Berkeley County were named for him.

Chs Town, November. 13th, 1779.

Sir:

I received yours yesterday, and inform you that the command of the Continental Troops cannot devolve upon Colo. Garden, no more than Colo. Garden can be tried by the Continl. Articles, should he disobey Genl. Lincoln's orders, or any superior officer's order belonging to the Continent, as the State has absolutely refused to put their Militia under the Continental Articles, when doing duty with us. I will show you only one absurdity: Can Colo. Garden issue an order to try any Continl. Soldiers, when he is not liable to be tried by the same law, these several reasons will inform you are not to give up the command to Col. Garden, but that you should form separate camp. Remember me to my Brother Tom.

I am, your most obedt. humbl. servt.,

WILLM. MOULTRIE

(No. 3 From Documentary History of the American Revolution, by Gibbes, Volume 3, p. 2)

The state flag of South Carolina was officially adopted in 1861. It has a white crescent moon and a white palmetto tree on a blue ground. Three white crescent moons (on a blue background) were first used on a South Carolina banner protesting the Stamp Act in 1765.

In 1775, Colonel William Moultrie designed a banner for South Carolina troops; it had a white crescent moon on a blue field. Col. William Moultrie chose the blue which matched the color of their uniforms and a crescent which reproduced the silver emblem worn on the front of their caps. When South Carolina seceded from the Union, the palmetto tree was added to the flag. The palmetto tree was chosen because this tree had helped South Carolinians defeat the British in a battle at Sullivan's Island (during the Revolutionary War). Under the direction of Colonel Moultrie, the South Carolinians built a fort out of palmetto wood, and when the British fired cannonballs at the fort, instead of knocking the fort down, the soft palmetto wood just absorbed the cannonballs.

He was elected Colonel of 2nd Regiment (Regulars) of South Carolina in June, 1775, by First Provincial Congress and commissioned by Council of Safety, 1775 and was in command of forces on Sullivan’s Island, June 28, 1776, when British were defeated. Fort Moultrie was named in honor of him and he received appreciation from Continental Congress. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1776.

Moultrie defeated Provost’s attempt on Charles Town in fall of 1779 and took part in defense of Charles Town in 1780. He was the Incorporator of a company for inland navigation between Santee and Cooper rivers in 1786. He served as Lieutenant Governor, 1784-85; Governor, 1785-87,1792-94; member of state convention to ratify federal Constitution, 1788; South Carolina Treasurer, 1804.

He was the author of Memoirs of the American Revolution (1802) in two volumes. He designed the flag used at Battle of Sullivan’s Island and retrieved by Sergeant Jasper. Moultrie died in 1805 in Charleston.