William Moultrie 1730-1805
Revolutionary War General and Governor of South Carolina
One of the most distinguished families of colonial times was the Moultries of South Carolina. They included leaders in government, medicine and the military. Most prominent was the Revolutionary War hero General William Moultrie. ■ William Moultrie was born December 4, 1730, in Charleston. He was the third of five sons born to John Moultrie, M.D. who was graduated in medicine from the University of Edinburgh. Dr. Moultrie was born and reared in Fifeshire, Scotland, and emigrated to the American colonies in 1728. He was a founder of the Charleston St. Andrew's Society and served as its president (1760-71). John, Jr., the eldest of the Moultrie brothers, also received his M.D. from the University of Edinburgh. ■ Although for generations many of the members of this family had been doctors, William preferred the military. He was appointed a captain in the militia to protect the frontier from the Cherokees. This experience proved valuable at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. He was given command of a regiment and assigned to fortify Sullivan's Island to protect Charleston from Imminent invasion by a British assault force of 50 ships. Captain Moultrie drove them off. ■ The fort was named Moultrie in his honor, and he was promoted to brigadier general. General Moultrie was cited by Congress and fought with distinction during the rest of the war ■ After the war, he served in the South Carolina senate and was governor for two terms. He was a member of the state convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution. His two-volume Memoirs of the American Revolution is excellent research material on the war. He died in Charleston on September 27, 1805.