3. 2013. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, William Moultrie was commissioned to design a flag to signal South Carolina troops. Moultrie called it a Crescent. This version is actually what most people believe. Crescent is Gorget. The palmetto tree is a much more known symbol in the state today than the crescent. ... Stroup tells us that some people believe the crescent to be an homage to the gorget, a piece left over from the era when armor was in use. South Carolina State Flag Simplistic Proposal. Your email address will not be published. South Carolina Public Radio News and Talk, South Carolina Public Radio News and Music. The canton contains a white crescent (gorget). A gorget, which debuted on medieval battlefields to protect the wearer’s throat, is actually what is represented on the South Carolina state flag—not a crescent moon. Name: The Palmetto State: Use: Civil and state flag: Adopted: January 28, 1861: Design: White color palmetto tree on an indigo background field. South Carolina Focus is a production of South Carolina Public Radio. South Carolina’s “palmetto flag” was officially made the state banner in 1861. South Carolina’s “palmetto flag” was officially made the state banner in 1861. Colonel William Moultrie designed the crescent flag on blue because it was the same color as the soldier’s uniforms during the Revolutionary War in 1775. These neck plates supported the weight of the plate armour worn over it, and many were equipped with straps for attaching the heavier armour plates. South Carolina’s new flag design seemed like a fine idea — right up until everyone actually saw it. Fortunately, one of the original flgas (and perhaps THE original state flag) still exists from the 1860’s. As it turns out, people hate it. But a lot of people will tell you that it’s not a moon at all– but a crescent-shaped piece of armor worn across the throat called a “ gorget.” Some argue that the gorget symbol was worn on the hats of soldiers as a way of paying tribute to the days of wearing body armor. Crescent is Gorget Posted on May 14, 2011 ... South Carolina’s “palmetto flag” was officially made the state banner in 1861. It, of course, remains the state's flag today. Both men say they don't mind if people call it a moon (as if they could stop it), but more important is the history the symbol represents. Historian Rodger Stroup says flag originated with Col. William Moultrie, who took the blue of his soldiers' coats and the crescent shape from their hats to fashion a signal to let the city of Charleston know if and when the British were coming during the Battle of Sullivan's Island prior to the Revolutionary War. The crescent does resemble the necklace/ ornamental collar worn by … But that's not the way that we know Moultrie viewed it." Bull’s own family crescent includes the gorget symbol and it was he who commissioned William Moultrie as an officer of the 2nd South Carolina regiment. But that tree…well, if you look at this image and then scroll up to the cover image for this post, you’ll see a difference. Governor by King George in 1755, and who personally designed the uniforms of a newly-reorganized South Carolina militia in 1760, adding the gorget symbol to their caps. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, William Moultrie was commissioned to design a flag to signal South Carolina … S.C. Colonial/Rev. | South Carolina Focus. Your email address will not be published. The word gorget means a piece of armor worn around the throat in battle. Over the past fifteen years, I have seen many, many organizations in South Carolina refer to the crescent on the state flag as having been a depiction of a "gorget," a relic of medieval neck armor that, by the time of the American Revolution, had evolved into an officer's symbol of rank. Troops wearing the crescent symbol on their caps built a fort of palmetto logs overlooking the city’s harbor entrance on Sullivan’s Island, and their famous victory over the British on June 28, 1776 was largely attributed to the soft palmetto core that absorbed and smothered English cannonballs. The proposed 2020 official South Carolina state flag design. Some confusion has been caused by the fact that the crescent on the state flag was tilted in the 1890’s to resemble the moon. Any resemblance to Islamic symbolism in our state flag is coincidence - there was no Islamic influence whatsoever in its design. Required fields are marked *, Charleston Footprints And it's ancient origins are in a moon. The design under consideration (bottom) was brought forth by a panel of historians. SC was became the eighth state in the United states on May 23, 1788. From what I have found, there seems to be little doubt that it is the “gorget.” The motif was derived from the throat plate of the medieval knight in armor, and during the 18th century became popular with King George II as a military symbol worn around the necks of English officers. The exact nature of the crescent which adorns the corner of the South Carolina state flag has been the subject of debate for years. The state flag derives from a flag designed by Colonel William Moultriein 1775 with a blue ground and crescent based on the uniforms of the Second South Carolina Regiment, who wore a crescent with the tips pointing up on their hats. One of South Carolina’s staunch loyalists was William Bull, who was named Lt. It looks familiar with its indigo background and crescent in the upper left corner. He quotes Moultrie's diary, which says the design is simply a crescent, which is fellow historian Eric Emerson's view. Moultrie called it a Crescent. "There's just some myths in history that just have legs and keep going on and on...it does, it looks like a moon. S.C. lawmakers need a little longer to figure out what South Carolina’s state flag should look like. People routinely call it a moon, which Emerson understands, but doesn’t technically agree with. On South Carolina's 230th birthday, learn the Revolutionary War history behind the state flag. In 1775, Colonel William Moultrie was asked by the Revolutionary Council of Safety to design a flag for the South Carolina troops to use during the American Revolutionary War.Moultrie's design had the blue of the militia's uniforms and a crescent taken from their cap insignia. In the 2001 North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) flag survey of United States and Canada flags, the flag of South Carolina was ranked 10th out of 72. War Flags 2. United States of America The moon shape mark is … Ironically, this flag was stolen from the state capitol in Columbia in 1865 by Iowa troops under Sherman, who burned and ransacked that city. Last modified: 2015-04-25 by rick wyattKeywords: united states | moultrie | south carolina | Links: FOTW homepage |search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors image by Randy Young, 31 January 2001 1. Through the 19th century, the crescent on the state flag also appeared wit… A gorget for an officer of the South Carolina Infantry Regiment The crescent, positioned over in the top left corner , seems to welcome the comparison of a moon shining over a palmetto tree . Created by Col. William Moultrie, the flag features a palmetto tree, which became a beloved icon of the state. But a lot of people will tell you that it’s not a moon at all, but a crescent-shaped piece of armor worn across the throat called a “ gorget.” The gorget is a valid guess because of similarity, but the upturned tips were where the chain was attached and placed around the neck. The state flag of South Carolina features a crescent in the upper left quadrant which now resembles a crescent moon, but which some historians have suggested may have once represented a gorget. With the secession crisis of 1860-1861, these symbols are finally encoded as the official flag of the Republic of South Carolina after its secession from America in December, 1860. Greg Biggs, 26 July 2007 The crescent, which they insist is not a moon, was angled the right way. -- Dr. Eric Emerson, Director and State Historic Preservation Officer the S.C. Department of Archives and History. (original post)Moultrie designed the flag. South Carolina 5. (Source: South Carolina State Flag Study Committee) The color looked right. A gorget for an officer of the South Carolina Infantry Regiment The crescent, positioned over in the top left corner , seems to welcome the comparison of a moon shining over a palmetto tree . They really, really hate it. Thus far, no offering from Iowa, so the old flag remains in limbo. Historical flags 4. This chain of evidence far outweighs anything that can be offered in opposition to this theory, and why I firmly stand by the research that proves the crescent comes from the gorget. Moultrie Flag. The word gorget means a piece of armor worn around the throat in battle. It is still kept at the Historical Society of Iowa, which should be willing to give back the property of a sister state (after all Iowa, wasn’t the Union “preserved” by those troops?) Liberty at Bottom - Wrong! But a lot of people will tell you that it’s not a moon at all, but a crescent-shaped piece of armor worn across the throat called a “ gorget.” Then there's the gorget argument. Moultrie is credited with designing a crescent flag as a symbol of his troops in 1775, and he later wrote that it conformed to the crescent symbol worn on their caps. 1860’s Flag. Bull Family Crest. In fact, South Carolina hasn’t had an official flag for 80 years. The crescent and tree symbolize the defense of Charleston in 1776, shortly after the colony of South Carolina had declared its independence from England. The reason for the redesign is that there is no official state flag. It was first flown at Fort Johnson.. The other choice seems to make a lot of sense too, though. The Crescent on South Carolina's Flag: Is it a Moon or Not? By Ed Mitchell. The flag of the U.S. state of South Carolina has existed in some form since 1775, being based on one of the first Revolutionary War flags. There is much debate as to what the crescent in the upper left corner was originally meant to symbolize. But what about that crescent shape in the corner? But, as Stroup points out, a glance at the dictionary definition of "crescent" tells one that a crescent is a quarter, or three-quarter, moon. "Gorget Distilling’s name has a unique tie to both South Carolina and the birth of our country as a nation. South Carolina's flag was ranked as the 10th best designed state or provincial flag in North America by the North American Vexillological Association in 2001. Most Medieval versions of gorgets were simple circular neck protectors that were worn under the breastplate and backplate set. Is it a moon, as many people say? Description 2. Stroup tells us that some people believe the crescent to be an homage to the gorget, a piece left over from the era when armor was in use. Colonial and Revolutionary War Flags 3. 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