The Battle of Sullivan’s Island
The Palmetto Patriots
One would ruminate that 1100 men equipped with 30 pieces of artillery defending an un-finished fort would be no match for three thousand men and nine war ships armed with 270 cannons. Contrarily, on 28 June 1776 during the Revolutionary War, the American Forces proved a decisive victory against the British, and the signing of the Declaration of Independence was days later. The Patriots, under the leadership of Colonel William Moultrie, made a fort of the indigenous Sabal (cabbage) Palmetto Palm tree and took advantage of the British’s poor planning and lack of integration for a decisive American victory. Due to this battle, the Palmetto Palm tree was added to South Carolina’s state flag in 1861, and to this day, 28 June 1776 is termed South Carolina’s Independence Day. Sources used in this Battle Analysis are all from American internet sites, with some originating from South Carolina. The Sources seem to glorify the American Victory and favor the Patriots.
The Setting
Charleston, along with the original colonies was growing tired of British taxation. In September 1774, five representatives from Charleston traveled to Philadelphia to participate in the First Continental Congress. On 19 April 1775, the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War took place during the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Throughout the fall of 1775, Patriots in Charleston drove out the last British ships and prepared defensive positions for the impending war (Stokley, 1886). The weather in June of 1776 was hot and muggy on the South Carolina (SC) coast. The SC coastlines are extremely fertile and green with lots of foliage for cover and concealment. Any large vessel at...
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... historians regard the Battle of Sullivan’s Island as the first significant American victory over the British during the Revolutionary War . This American victory was perilous to South Carolina and the American Revolutionary cause. Defeat would have given British troops control over the vital port of Charleston and access to the entire state of South Carolina.
Works Cited
ONLINE HIGHWAYS. (1996). Battle of Sullivan's Island. Retrieved from U-S-History: http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1277.html
Stokley, J. (1886, April 17). Fort Moultrie and the Battle of Sullivans Island. Retrieved from Charleston County Public Library: http://www.ccpl.org/content.asp?id=15742&catID=6047&action=detail&parentID=5748#credits
US Wars. (2012). The Battle of Sullivan's Island. Retrieved from USWars.net: http://www.uswars.net/revolutionary-war-battles/760628-sullivans-island/
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Eastby, Allen G. "Battle of Brandywine: Setback for the Continental Army." Military History 12 1998: 58-64. ProQuest. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
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Alastar Packer "Siege of Charleston in the Revolutionary War - Alastar Packer." 2012. 31 Mar.
The Battle at Elkins Ferry was a confrontation initiated by confederate forces ending in a decisive victory for the Union. The Battle at Elkins Ferry was a defeat that weakened the confederate forces attempting to cross the Little Missouri River. This battle was important in the outcome of the skirmish and the conquering of Elkins Ferry.
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