Palmetto Knights, headquartered in Columbia, SC and supporting the greater Southeastern region of the USA, is a non-profit organization dedicated to a holistic and inclusive approach to the research, training, demonstration and competition in various forms of historic martial arts both domestic and international.
Steeped in Tradition:
Being headquartered in South Carolina, we wanted to pay homage to this great state and embrace the rich martial tradition present here.
Most individuals are familiar with the South Carolina state flag that features a white Palmetto Tree and crescent moon.
However, before this final version was solidified as the state flag, in 1775, Colonel William Moultrie was asked by the Revolutionary Council of Safety to design a flag for the South Carolina troops to use during the American Revolutionary War. Moultrie’s design had the blue of the militia’s uniforms and the crescent.
This flag was flown in the defense of a new fortress on Sullivan’s Island, when Moultrie defeated a British fleet that hadn’t lost a battle in a century.
However, there is evidence to suggest that this “moon” is really a symbol of a piece of neck armor known as a gorget. In Moultrie’s time, the gorget was little more than a decorative piece, but some were worn. Several units even had tin versions of the liberty gorget fashioned to their caps.
As armored fighters, we too wear gorgets as protection and sought to maintain this wonderful connection to the brave souls who fought to make this nation free.