Sullivans Island in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
British Attack
June 28, 1776
Confident of victory, British Admiral Peter Parker led his fleet of nine warships in an attack on the palmetto log fort, June 28, 1776. Parker’s ships anchored only 400 yards from here, firing thundering broadsides in the nine-hour battle.
The fort walls of spongy palmetto logs and sand absorbed hundreds of projectiles fired by the fleet’s nearly 300 heavy guns. Inside the fort, Colonel Moultrie’s 400 patriots concentrated the return fire of their 31 cannon on the largest ships, inflicting heavy damage and casualties.
The battle ended as darkness fell – the crippled fleet pulled up anchor and drifted out of range on an ebbing tide. Charleston’s defenders celebrated victory in the first major seacoast engagement of the Revolution.
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Next to a portrait of Adm. Parker: Admiral Peter Parker commanded the British naval force, sent to restore the king’s authority to South Carolina. Despite his defeat by the patriots, Parker was knighted and later became Admiral of the Fleet.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1964.
Location. 32° 45.491′ N, 79° 51.464′ W. Marker is on Sullivans Island, South Carolina, in Charleston County. Marker can be reached from Poe Avenue, on the left when traveling west. Marker is located in front of Fort Moultrie. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Sullivans Island SC 29482, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Charleston Surrenders (here, next to this marker); Palmetto Fort (here, next to this marker); Revolutionary War Artillery (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Moultrie II (within shouting distance of this marker); 1860 Flanking Caponniere (within shouting distance of this marker); The Hunley Recovery Project (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Discovering the Hunley (about 300 feet away); H.L. Hunley Disappears (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sullivans Island.
More about this marker. A picture at the top of the marker includes the caption “A participant in the battle, Lt. William Elliot, Royal Navy, painted this scene of Parker’s fleet bombarding Fort Moultrie. The action shown occurred toward the end of the battle, after the tide had turned the ships’ starboard sides toward the fort.”
A map at the bottom of the marker has a caption of “After the battle, a British officer produced this map of the attack. It shows the fleet positioned off Sullivans Island. The British planned to attack by land and sea, but failed at both.
Also see . . . Fort Moultrie. National Park Service website. (Submitted on August 7, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 7, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 514 times since then and 6 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 7, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.