photo by Monica Kreber

The Thomson Park dedication, held on June 18, kicked off with a fife and drum ensemble, with reenactors in American Revolution garb.

photo by Monica Kreber

Wreaths were contributed to the unveiling of the three exhibits: one showing British General Clinton’s actual map to show the overall plan to attack the island; the second to commemorate the 10 days of fighting; and the third to show the diversity of men who served on Sullivan’s Island.

photo by Monica Kreber

Two Fort Sumter Guards prepare the American and South Carolina State flags in preparation of the Presentation of Colors at the beginning of the ceremony last Saturday.

At 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 18, a crowd had assembled at the Breach Inlet on Sullivan’s Island, armed with lawn chairs and bottled water. A nearby “band” played the fife and drum as everyone found a place to sit. Three exhibits were displayed to commemorate the American patriots’ successful defense of Sullivan’s Island against a British attack from Long Island (now Isle of Palms) on the other side of the inlet. Reenactors walked around in their American Revolution attire, tending to flags, muskets and two sets of cannons.

The crowd gathered to celebrate and honor the memory of William “Danger” Thomson, now the namesake for Thomson Park, which was dedicated at the Breach Inlet Saturday morning. Doug MacIntyre, chair of Thomson Park and board member of the Fort Sumter-Fort Moultrie

Historical Trust, organized Thomson Park via private donations, and led the park’s dedication ceremony.

“We love our American heritage,” he said. “We have people here from as far as Ohio.” MacIntyre said the park should remind people of a “nearly-forgotten” historical event that occurred on Sullivan’s Island at the beginning of the American Revolution.

“We’re here to commemorate an important event that occurred early in the Revolution, even before the Declaration of Indpendence,” he said.

At that time, MacIntyre told the crowd, some 780 men dug into the dunes at the Breach Inlet and built fortifications out of palmetto logs.

“They were defending the army against some three thousand men from Great Britain,” he said. “The battle actually began 235 years ago, on this very date.”

The Americans fought for 10 days, on sandbars and in the marshes, creeks, and the Isle of Palms. On June 28 (now called Carolina Day) the British launched simulatanous attacks at the Breach Inlet, and three miles away on the other side of the island.

William Moultrie and William Thomson were colleagues, MacIntyre said, were together at the Breach Inlet when the Royal Navy came to attack the island.

"They saw the ships in the ocean and they knew the game was on," MacIntyre said.

At the end of the day, Sullivan's Island celebrated two simultaneous victories against the British.

Thomson's men fired a 18-pounder from a cannon into the water at the Inlet, where the the British were trying to cross.

"You can imagine what the men in their boats did: they scattered, and they elected to retreat," MacIntyre said. "It was over."

As part of the ceremony during the dedication, Thomson's seventh great-granddaugther, 9-year-old Ellie Fletcher of Mount Pleasant, led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. David Ruewer, publisher of Patriots of the American Revolution magazine, re-enacted the persona of William Thomson, giving the crow more detail on his life and legacy.

"Inspired by David and others who worked tirelessly to preserve the heritage, I want to dedicate this park to the men and women who sacrifced in that epic struggle," MacIntyre said. "We commemorate the fight at Breach Inlet, Thompson Park, and share the nearly-lost history of the battle at Sulllivan's Island."

MacIntyre said the park is completely paid off from private donations.

"Everything you see here has been paid for," he said. "This is a done deal, we have no debt...but for a few dollars more, we'll add a bike rack and some benches."

MacIntyre called dedicating the park a "privilege and honor" as he passed the audience onto Sullivan's Island Mayor Carl Smith, who spoke on behalf of the island.

"Doug is proof that one man can make a difference," Smith said. "I can't thank Doug enough."

Smith said people now have a new reason to come to the inlet -- to recall the "second half" of the story.

"Ten days from now it'll be Carolina Day, and what a wonderful day that is," he said, "and this is the beginning of it."

(Reach Monica Kreber at news@moultrienews.com.)