The Palmetto Log Fort: The Story and What Is True

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The Palmetto Log Fort is a story from Fort Moultrie, Sullivan's Island, Charleston County. The South Carolina Encyclopedia says spongy palmetto logs in the Sullivan's Island fort absorbed British cannonballs without shattering in the battle of June 28, 1776.

WhereFort Moultrie, Sullivan's IslandCharleston County, Lowcountry
KindHistorynot a ranking
Sources3named, linked below
CheckedOct 262026

Collected 0 of 21All legends

A story with a documented core.

No. 18 of 21

The Palmetto Log Fort

The legend says British cannonballs just bounced off or sank into the soft palmetto logs of a half-built fort and the Americans won because of the trees.

What The Record Shows

The South Carolina Encyclopedia says spongy palmetto logs in the Sullivan's Island fort absorbed British cannonballs without shattering in the battle of June 28, 1776. Its Moultrie Flag entry adds that the flagstaff was cut down by artillery and Sergeant William Jasper retrieved the colors and replanted them on the ramparts. It calls the British defeat the patriot cause's first major victory. an unofficial summary of an NPS podcast said the logs alone did not win the battle; we did not read that on a page.

Sources: South Carolina Encyclopedia – Palmetto; South Carolina Encyclopedia – Moultrie Flag; South Carolina Encyclopedia – Jasper, William.

A note: The NPS Fort Moultrie Through Time page that was read does not mention the 1776 fort.

See The Place

Fort Moultrie, Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park: https://www.nps.gov/fosu/learn/historyculture/fort-moultrie-through-time.htm.

FAQ

Is the story of The Palmetto Log Fort true?

The South Carolina Encyclopedia says spongy palmetto logs in the Sullivan's Island fort absorbed British cannonballs without shattering in the battle of June 28, 1776.

Is this a legend?

It is a story with a documented core. The facts are listed on this page with their sources.

Where do these facts come from?

From the named sources listed on this page: South Carolina Encyclopedia – Palmetto; South Carolina Encyclopedia – Moultrie Flag; South Carolina Encyclopedia – Jasper, William.

Sources

Read on October 26, 2026. Stories are for fun; the facts come from these sources. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.

Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “The Palmetto Log Fort”, itssouthcarolina.com/things-to-do/south-carolina-legends/palmetto-log-fort-1776/ (updated 2026-10-26). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.