A mere 230 years ago today, Col. William Moultrie and his garrison of outmanned and outgunned South Carolinians set South Carolina free. They defeated the British in Charleston Harbor and in the process created South Carolina's Independence Day.

At 7:30 p.m. today the National Parks Service will commemorate the anniversary of the battle of Sullivan's Island at Fort Moultrie. An iron fence around Gen. Moultrie's grave will be unveiled and Dr. Marty Matthews will make remarks and a living history program is presented by the 2nd South Carolina Regiment.

Each June 28 Charleston's Palmetto Society heralds Carolina Day. It comes barely a week before the nation celebrates national Independence Day and Carolinians put a lot of stock in both celebrations.

Col. Moultrie had to do some sizing up. This is how he assessed the mismatch, as reported several years ago in The Post and Courier: "A rich and powerful nation, with numerous fleets, and experienced admirals sailing triumphant over the ocean; with large armies and able generals in many parts of the globe: This great nation we dared to oppose, without money; without arms; without ammunition; no generals; no armies; no admirals; and no fleets; this was our situation when the contest began."

The South Carolinians smashed the British fleet. Fort Moultrie was built of spongelike palmetto logs that proved to be a blessing, standing fast against the British onslaught, absorbing each blow of cannon shot. The battle, which occurred six days before the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, was the first decisive victory of the Revolution for the American cause and a source of rejoicing throughout the nation. The event is known in history as the Battle of Sullivan's Island, and the anniversary of the contest is known as Carolina Day.

It also is a celebration of the brave feat of Sgt. William Jasper, for whom Jasper County is named. Jasper hurtled the palmetto logs and retrieved the fallen South Carolina flag, restoring it to a prominent spot on the fort during the battle.

For a long time the holiday lost its status. However, several years ago the Palmetto Society of Charleston began work to restore the celebration of Carolina Day.

Carolina Day will only be celebrated properly when it becomes a statewide event. So celebrate Wednesday, if by nothing more than flying the Palmetto State flag, a flag all South Carolinians can honor.