[Charleston] Friday, February 9, 1776.
Col. [Christopher] Gadsden presented to the Congress an elegant standard, such as is to be used by the commander in chief of the American navy; being a yellow field, with a lively representation of a rattle-snake in the middle, in the attitude of going to strike, and these words underneath, "DON'T TREAD ON ME!"
Ordered, That the said standard be carefully preserved, and suspended in the Congress room.
1. Provincial Congress of South Carolina, 21-24.