The Battle of Sullivan's IslandThe Palmetto PatriotsOne might ruminate that 1100 men equipped with 30 artillery pieces defending an unfinished fort would be no match for three thousand men and nine warships armed with 270 guns. In contrast, on June 28, 1776 during the Revolutionary War, American forces achieved a decisive victory against the British, and the signing of the Declaration of Independence occurred days later. The Patriots, under the leadership of Colonel William Moultrie, built a fort with the indigenous Sabal (cabbage) Palmetto and took advantage of the British's poor planning and lack of integration for a decisive American victory. Because of this battle, the Palmetto tree was added to the South Carolina state flag in 1861 and to this day, June 28, 1776 is referred to as South Carolina's Independence Day. The sources used in this analysis of the battle they all come from American Internet sites, some of which originate from South Carolina. The Sources seem to glorify the American victory and favor the patriots. The Charleston setting, along with the original colonies, was growing tired of British taxation. In September 1774, five representatives from Charleston traveled to Philadelphia to attend the First Continental Congress. On April 19, 1775, the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War took place during the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Throughout the fall of 1775, Charleston's Patriots drove off the last of the British ships and prepared defensive positions for the coming war (Stokley, 1886). The weather in June 1776 was hot and muggy on the South Carolina (SC) coast. South Carolina's coasts are extremely fertile and green with plenty of foliage for cover and hiding. Any large ship at... middle of paper... historians consider the Battle of Sullivan's Island to be the first significant American victory over the British during the Revolutionary War. This American victory was dangerous for South Carolina and the American Revolutionary cause. Defeat would give British troops control over the vital port of Charleston and access to the entire state of South Carolina. Works Cited HIGHWAYS ONLINE. (1996). Battle of Sullivan's Island. Retrieved from US-History: http://www.us-history.com/pages/h1277.htmlStokley, 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#creditsUS Wars. (2012). The Battle of Sullivan's Island. Retrieved from USWars.net: http://www.uswars.net/revolutionary-war-battles/760628-sullivans-island/