Celebration marks Carolina Day in Charleston

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) _ A procession through the streets of Charleston and wreath laying at the city’s Battery are part of the observance of Carolina Day. Thursday marks the 236th anniversary of the Battle of Sullivans Island. During the fight, patriots manning guns at Fort Moultrie turned back a British fleet trying to invade Charleston. British guns could not penetrate the walls of Moultrie which were built of spongy palmetto logs that absorbed the impact of cannon balls. The victory came just days before the Declaration of Independence, and was considered a boost for the American cause. The memory of the battle lives on through South Carolina’s nickname as the Palmetto State, and the palmetto tree that graces the state flag.