Episode 313: The 1775 Debut of the South Carolina Flag

In the autumn of 1775, rebellious South Carolinians raised a distinctive new flag over a waterfront fort just seized from British hands. Their commanding officer later described the creation of the state’s enduring banner in his memoir, but did not recall the date of its unveiling. Across Charleston Harbor, however, two British naval officers witnessed the flag’s debut and recorded a surprising detail regarding its appearance.