Crescent Moon over Carolina

The first and only book-length biography of William Moultrie

Crescent Moon over Carolina examines the life of Major General William Moultrie (1730-1805) who is best remembered for his valiant defense of an unfinished log fort on Sullivan's Island at the entrance to Charleston harbor against a determined British naval attack on June 28, 1776. While the Continental Congress in Philadelphia considered a draft of the Declaration of Independence, Moultrie and his garrison of South Carolinians proved that untested, but courageous, American soldiers could stand firm and prevail against British might.

C. L. Bragg combines a scholarly survey of lowcountry South Carolina culture, the American Revolution, and the early political history of the state and the United States. Bragg also brings to light primary sources that are published here for the first time—revealing documents that provide fresh insight into the political and cultural values of Moultrie and his fellow South Carolinians.