Fort Moultrie Liberty 35;5 Flag – Printed

Fort Sullivan Liberty and Crescent flagThe Liberty flag was designed by Colonel William Moultrie in 1775, in preparation for war with the British. The design consists of a solid blue field with a white crescent in the canton (upper hoist-end corner) and the word ;Liberty; inscribed inside the crescent shape. Colonel Moultrie was inspired by a flag that dated back to 1765 and the Stamp Act riots. South Carolinians protested the Stamp Act while flying a blue flag with three crescents in the canton. The South Carolina regiments that defended the fort under the command of Colonel Moultrie wore blue uniforms and crescent pins on their hats, so the flag was designed to honor his men and commemorate the Stamp Act protest, thus continuing to use the crescent as a symbol of resistance against tyranny. It is not completely clear what the crescent shape was. Some say it is a gorget which is a piece of armor made to protect the throat, while others say it is a crescent moon, but all written references from that time describe it simply as a ;crescent;. This flag was flown above Fort Sullivan on Sullivan;s Island as the British fleet attacked in June 1776. Since Sullivan;s Island was positioned at the entrance to Charleston Harbor, Fort Sullivan played a crucial role in protecting the harbor as well as the City of Charleston, so it was important for the South Carolinians to hold the position. If the fort fell, Charleston Harbor and the city would be controlled by the British. The fort was only partially finished when Colonel Moultrie took command, so the walls were hastily finished using palmetto logs which because of their ;spongy; texture repelled the British cannonballs. During the battle, the flag was shot down, but Sergeant William Jasper bravely ran out and hoisted it again under fire thus rallying the troops to continue their stand against British advance. Because of the fortress walls built with Palmetto logs remaining intact along with the defenders firing back at the British ships during the ten-hour bombardment, Moultrie;s forces finally compelled the British to withdraw. British warships did not return to South Carolina again until 1780. Because of the heroic defense by the men, and the pivotal impact of the battle, the British were denied control of Charleston Harbor, The flag became a symbol of affection for the Patriots in South Carolina. The Fort was renamed Fort Moultrie and the flag became known as the Fort Moultrie flag. It was also the basis for South Carolina;s state flag as the Palmetto tree was added to the blue field beside the Crescent in recognition of the key role that the Palmetto logs played in the successful defense of the fort. The Fort Moultrie flag is also the flag of Moultrie County, Illinois.This flag is a reproduction that closely resembles the Fort Moultrie Liberty flag. The exact size and materials are not the same as the original. It is made of printed polyester, a very lightweight material, and will fly nicely in light breezes. The artwork is visible on both sides of the flag and the lettering reads correctly from one side only.One solid piece of printed, hemmed fabricVery lightweight printed polyester that will fly nicely in the slightest breeze.Bright colors4 rows of stitching on the fly end to prevent premature frayingReinforced header with brass grommetsFlag size: 3; x 5;