South Carolina State Flag

History of the South Carolina State Flag:  The state flag of South Carolina is closely aligned with South Carolina's important role in the Revolutionary War. In 1775, Colonel William Moultrie designed the militia flag for South Carolina. He chose navy blue to match the soldiers' uniforms and a moon crescent, similar to the symbol on the soldiers' caps. This flag was first flown at Fort Johnson, where Colonel Moultrie defeated the British, saving Charleston from British rule for the following four years. When the South Carolina seceded from the United States in 1860, the General Assembly legislature voted on a flag. They chose the Moultrie Flag (as it was known) but added the palmetto tree in the center. The palmetto tree signifies the defense of the fort at Sullivan Island by Colonel Moultrie against the British in June, 1776. British ships launched cannonballs at Sullivan's Island, but the cannonballs did not break through the wall because it was made of hard Palmetto tree logs. The South Carolina militia defeated a British fleet that hadn't lost a battle in a century. When South Carolina rejoined the United States in 1868, they kept their Confederate State flag as their state flag. This is the current design of their state flag. Description of the South Carolina State Flag:  The flag of South Carolina is a field of navy with a moon crescent in the upper hoist and a palmetto tree, the state tree, centered.