Thank you, Mr. Troiani, for granting permission to use your digital prints, of Revolutionary War art, in the development of our website. DON TROIANI is a traditional academic realist painter, well known throughout the world, for his extremely accurate historical military paintings, mostly of the Civil War and American Revolution.

You may visit his web site, and art, from our web site “Links” page.

The Moultrie flag is also known as the Fort Moultrie flag, Liberty flag or Crescent flag. The flag was used June 1776, by Colonel William Moultrie, in the heroic defense of Fort Sullivan (now Fort Moultrie), on Sullivan’s Island, in Charleston Harbor. It was the first American Revolution flag used in the South, and consisted of a dark blue field with a white crescent in the upper right-hand (dexter) corner.
The blue corresponded to their uniform, the silver crescent appeared as a badge worn on their caps. The cause for which they fought—liberty—was emblazoned on the crescent.

The South Carolina Naval Ensign – Although no original of this flag exists, the flag of the South Carolina Navy was depicted in the background of a 1776 English mezzotint of “Commodore Hopkins, Commander-in-Chief of the American Fleet”, by Thomas Hart, 22 August 1776. It depicts two ships, each flying an ensign. One ship flies the New England Pine Tree ensign with the mottos “Liberty Tree” and “An Appeal to God”. The second ship flies an ensign with a rattlesnake, similar to the Gadsden Flag, running diagonally across thirteen stripes, with the motto “Don’t Tread Upon Me”. In a letter from Paris to the Ambassasor of the King of the Two Sicilys dated October 9, 1775, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams wrote: “. . .Some of the States have vessels of war distinct from those of the United States. For example, the vessels of war of the State of Massachusetts Bay have sometimes a Pine Tree; and those of South Carolina a rattlesnake, in the middle of thirteen stripes. . .”

The Gadsden Flag was created by South Carolina general and congressman Christopher Gadsden (1742-1805) to be flown on the flagship of the American Navy. It was first flown on the ship of Commodore Esek Hopkins, first commander of the US Navy. It was the first flag carried into battle by US Marines. The Gadsden flag is a historical American flag with a yellow field depicting a rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. Positioned below the rattlesnake are the words “DONT TREAD ON ME”.

The Flag of the Second South Carolina Regiment, Continental Line.” The colors are listed as “Blue field, yellow letters, green wreath, red ribbon, red and blue flags within.” The motto in the center reads “VITA POTIOR LIBERTAS,” with the year “1775” just above the ribbon.

“This flag with the motto ‘Liberty rather than life,’ was carried by men who meant it. Sgt. Jasper, who had saved the Crescent Flag at Sullivan’s Island, fell carrying this at Savannah. Col. Moultrie first led this regiment, and Francis Marion, the ‘Swamp Fox,’ commanded it at Savannah.”

This flag is listed as “The Eutaw Standard of Colonel William Washington’s Third Regiment Dragoon Cavalry,” and is described as being “all crimson.” The narrative of the flag says:

“Colonel Washington spent an hour with the fair Jane Elliott before the campaign through Eutaw and the Cowpens. She [said she] would await news of the triumph of his flag. ‘But I have no flag,’ he said. ‘Then I’ll give you one!’ she replied, and cut a square of brocade from a curtain. It later flew at their wedding.”