10 things you didn't know about the Battle of Sullivan's Island

On June 28, 1776, just days before our Founding Fathers drafted the Declaration of Independence, a significant battle was waged off Sullivan's Island.

Had no idea? Don't worry, you're not alone.

Here's a quick primer on the Battle of Sullivan's Island (the source of Carolina Day) and why it's often forgotten.

1 Sullivan's Island was the first battle in the Revolutionary War in which the Patriots successfully repulsed a British sea and land invasion. The victory gave the needed morale boost to encourage the Colonies to sign the Declaration of Independence, according to National Park Service historian Rick Hatcher III.

2 During the Battle of Sullivan's Island, Francis Marion, also known as the Swamp Fox, was third in command at Fort Sullivan. The movie "The Patriot" was based on him.

3 Isle of Palms was called Long Island at the time. A developer changed the name to Isle of Palms in 1953 because Long Island was a Yankee name, Hatcher said.

4 The British planned to attack Fort Sullivan from the sea and land and then take Charleston. They hoped to march onto Sullivan's Island by crossing Breach Inlet from Long Island.

5 Geography played a big role in the battle. Breach Inlet was between 7 and 8 feet deep, but the average British soldier was between 5 feet 4 and 5 feet 6 inches tall. Soldiers weren't able to wade across it. Ships tried to pass around Sullivan's Island to hit the fort on its backside but ran aground in the shallow water and never made it, Hatcher said.

6 Accounts vary, but the Patriots were definitely outmanned and outgunned. At Breach Inlet, British Maj. Gen. Henry Clinton had as many as 2,000 men while William "Danger" Thomson had about 780 men, a mix of rangers, soldiers, Native Americans and North Carolina troops. They fought for 10 days before the June 28 battle for the fort, which was built to house 1,000 but held just 344. Hatcher said he's heard that the Red Coats fired 7,000 cannon balls and used 34,000 pounds of gunpowder. The Patriots had 31 cannons and 28 rounds of ammo. Just 25 of the cannons could be aimed at the ships, Hatcher said.

7 No one drowned at the inlet. Doug MacIntyre, who started the Friends of Danger historical preservation group, said it was thought that British soldiers drowned trying to cross from Long Island to Sullivan's Island. However in historical accounts, Clinton said he never crossed that day because he didn't have enough boats and he didn't know until the day of the battle that the creek was too deep to walk across, according to "Victory on Sullivan's Island" by David Lee Russell.

8 Fort Sullivan (now Fort Moultrie) survived numerous cannon strikes because the balls bounced off the spongy palmetto logs. The logs for Fort Sullivan were harvested from Dewees Island, Long Island and Mount Pleasant. They were stacked on top of one another like Lincoln logs two layers deep with sand between each row. The British were successful in firing all guns in unison just once. The strike, called a broadside, shook the palmetto fort's wall, and if there had been more the fort may have fallen, Hatcher said.

9 South Carolina's flag made in 1861 after the state seceded was based on the blue flag that flew over the fort during the Revolutionary War.

10 The Revolutionary War's centennial was in 1876, not long after the end of the Civil War. Hatcher said remembrances of our independence battles were concentrated in the North, one of the reasons why the beach battle and other Southern fights for independence from the King of England are sometimes overlooked.

Carolina Day events

The public is invited today to join The Palmetto Society, the South Carolina Historical Society, and dozens of other historic organizations at White Point Garden in Charleston.

9:30 a.m.: Worship service at St. Philip's Church

10:30 a.m.: Organizations assemble in Washington Park for parade

11 a.m.: Procession from Washington Park to White Point Garden

11:30 a.m.: Wreath-laying ceremony and performance by the Charleston Community Band, to be followed by remarks by historian Douglas Bostick

Noon: Ringing of church bells

The entrance fee at Fort Moultrie and the visitor center is waived for today. It is located at 1214 Middle St., Sullivan's Island. Extended hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

7 p.m.: Historian Doug MacIntyre will speak on the battle of Breech Inlet and patriot leader Col. William "Danger" Thomson. The event is outdoors. Visitors are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket and insect repellent.