▁that ▁the ▁Indians ▁wel com ed ▁the ▁colon ists , ▁in ▁the ▁hope ▁they ▁might ▁provide ▁defense ▁against ▁the ▁constant ▁ra ids ▁by ▁the ▁sla ving ▁West o ▁Indians ▁from ▁Georgia ▁( origin ally ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Er ie ). ▁The ▁original ▁settlement , ▁which ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁an ▁un organ ized ▁manner , ▁built ▁fort ifications ▁early ▁on ▁due ▁to ▁fear s ▁of ▁an ▁invasion ▁by ▁the ▁Spanish . ▁In ▁ 1 6 8 0 , ▁the ▁settlement ▁was ▁re located ▁to ▁the ▁Char l eston ▁pen ins ula , ▁in - between ▁the ▁Ash ley ▁and ▁Cooper ▁rivers . ▁The ▁ ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁settlement ' s ▁location ▁has ▁been ▁preserved ▁as ▁a ▁state ▁historic ▁site ▁known ▁as ▁Charles ▁Tow ne ▁Land ing . ▁▁ ▁A ▁few ▁sk irm ishes ▁took ▁place ▁there ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution ▁during ▁which ▁time ▁parts ▁the ▁area ▁faced ▁occupied ▁by ▁British ▁forces , ▁specifically ▁at ▁R ant ow les ▁Creek , ▁where ▁William ▁Washington ▁defeated ▁caval ry ▁forces ▁under ▁Ban ast re ▁Tar leton , ▁and ▁at ▁Old ▁St . ▁Andrew ' s ▁Pres by ter ian ▁Church ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 7 8 0 ▁Sie ge ▁of ▁Char l eston ▁conducted ▁by ▁the ▁British . ▁Th ous ands ▁of ▁slaves ▁escaped ▁to ▁British ▁lines ▁and ▁some ▁fought ▁with ▁the ▁British , ▁qual ifying ▁for ▁freedom ▁and ▁ev acu ation ▁with ▁their ▁troops ▁when ▁the ▁British ▁with d rew ▁from ▁the ▁col ony . ▁▁ ▁For ▁much ▁of ▁its ▁history , ▁West ▁Ash ley