Collection Spotlight

The 2nd South Carolina Flag

VITA POTIOR LIBERTAS | Liberty Rather Than Life

Carried by the 2nd South Carolina Regiment during the Revolutionary War, this historically important flag will be the signature object in a new exhibition marking the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution, opening at the South Carolina State Museum this summer. Discover more about the 2nd South Carolina Regiment, the creation of the flag and explore its meaning in this collection spotlight.

2nd SC Regiment Flag, 1776. Silk; Embroidered. Collection of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History and the South Carolina State Museum.

The Flag Comes Home

The 2nd South Carolina flag is set to return home to the Palmetto State this Spring, after being in the care of the Smithsonian for several years. It will be the first object guests will see in the upcoming exhibition, American Battleground: South Carolina’s Revolution, opening June 27, 2026, at the South Carolina State Museum.

This exciting new exhibition is the first completed under the State Museum's Reimagine the Experience project, which aims to renew more than 150,000 square feet of gallery space and feature more of the Museum's extensive collection.

Gallery rendering by G&A.

The 2nd South Carolina Regiment

The 2nd South Carolina Regiment, which included Francis Marion among its commanders, successfully defended Charles Town at the Battle of Sullivan's Island on June 28, 1776. This date is now celebrated as "Carolina Day" each year to commemorate the victory of Patriot forces over the British.

Blue silk fabric with an embroidered emblem in the center. The emblem sits upon a small patch of green grass and includes a collection of military and symbolic items: a tan drum with a crescent moon, a red cap on a pole, and draped flags or fabric in light blue and tan. The phrase “Vita Potior Libertas” is faded, but almost legible around the enter motif. The word “Potior” is circled in gray.

On July 1, 1776, three days after the Battle of Sullivan’s Island, Susannah Elliott, the wife of Maj. Barnard Elliott, presented two flags to the Second Regiment: one blue and one red. The regiment carried the flags during the defense of Charleston in May 1779.

Capture the Flag

On Oct. 9, 1779, British troops captured the blue flag of the Second South Carolina Regiment during the Battle of Savannah. British commander Col. Augustine Prévost took the flag back to England, where it was passed down through several generations before being jointly purchased by the South Carolina State Museum and the Smithsonian Institution in 1989.

The flag rotates between the South State Museum and the Smithsonian Institution and is returning to South Carolina this summer after “resting” in storage and undergoing conservation at the Smithsonian.

A indigo-blue silk flag in poor condition featuring a detailed, hand-embroidered central emblem. The emblem sits upon a small patch of green grass and includes a collection of military and symbolic items: a tan shield with a crescent moon, a red cap on a pole, and draped flags or fabric in light blue and tan.

The Flag in Detail

The flag includes many historically important elements that later became popular and well-known symbols of South Carolina. It features an embroidered "II REGT" in the upper left corner and a center emblem surrounded by a wreath of acorns and small flowers.

The emblem sits upon a small patch of green grass with a collection of military and symbolic items: a tan drum with a blue crescent moon, a red liberty cap on a pole, and draped flags or fabric in light blue and tan.

Let's take a closer look!

Vita Potior Libertas

Though the embroidery is now faded, the center emblem of the flag includes the Latin phrase, "Vita Potior Libertas," which means "Liberty Rather Than Life."

The South Carolina Crescent

The drum featured in the center emblem is thought to be the first example of a crescent shape appearing on a South Carolina flag. Today, the crescent is featured on the South Carolina State Flag and is a popular icon included on state-themed souvenirs, artwork and more.

Oval brass buckle with a worn gold-toned surface, featuring an engraved monogram topped by a small crown motif. The buckle is photographed upright against a plain light gray background.

A True Blue for South Carolina

In 2018, the State of South Carolina established a Flag Study Committee to reasearch and develop an official version of the artwork featured on the state flag. The committee sampled the specific shade of blue (Pantone 282) from the 2nd South Carolina Regiment flag to create their proposed design options.

Plan Your Visit & Save the Date

You can see this amazing piece of South Carolina history in person when the new exhibition, American Battleground: South Carolina's Revolution, opens on June 27, 2026.

Plus, save the date for opening day and enjoy extra activities, including demonstrations, hands-on crafts, gallery talks and more.

More exciting information about the 2nd South Carolina Regiment flag will be coming soon!

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