Carolina Day in South Carolina Date in the current year: June 28, 2025

The Battle of Sullivan’s Island, also known as the Battle of Fort Sullivan, was fought near Charleston, South Carolina, on June 28, 1776. During the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War, the British Army was primarily engaged in the siege of Boston. Seeking a new base of operations where they could exert greater control, the British planned a naval expedition to the southern colonies.

The expedition arrived in North Carolina in May 1777. However, Admiral Sir Peter Parker and General Henry Clinton deemed the conditions there unsuitable for their operations. They then decided to capture Charleston (then known as Charlestown), a major center of commerce in the American South.

British troops arrived in South Carolina in early June and landed on Long Island, near Sullivan’s Island where Patriots had partially constructed a fort of palmetto logs and sand to guard Charleston from a possible attack. The British attack was originally planned for June 24 but was postponed due to bad weather and unfavorable winds.

The British land assault failed when the channel between the two islands proved too deep to wade, and American defenses blocked any attempt at an amphibious landing. The British fired at the fort from their ships, but the soft palmetto logs absorbed the shots without cracking. During the daylong battle, the fort’s defenders inflicted heavy damage on the British fleet with careful fire, forcing it to withdraw. Following this defeat, the British expeditionary force retreated to New York and did not return to South Carolina for three years.

Following the Patriots’ victory, Fort Sullivan was renamed Fort Moultrie in honor of Colonel William Moultrie, whose leadership was instrumental in defending the fort successfully. The Liberty Flag, designed by Moultrie and flown by his troops during the Battle of Sullivan’s Island, was eventually used as the basis for the flag of South Carolina.

The first Carolina Day celebration was held in 1777. At that time, the holiday was known as Palmetto Day or Sergeant Jasper’s Day, in honor of an American soldier who recovered and raised the Liberty Flag after it was shot down by the British. The first recorded use of the name “Carolina Day” was in 1875. The holiday remained popular until the mid-20th century, but it has become less popular since then.

Since the mid-1990s, local historical groups have tried to reinvigorate Carolina Day celebrations to remind the public of South Carolina’s role in the American Revolution. While these attempts have not helped the holiday regain its former popularity, Carolina Day remains an official holiday in South Carolina, though not a nonworking day. At noon on June 28, “Three Blind Mice” is traditionally played at St. Michael’s Anglican Church in Charleston to mark the occasion.