Military Defence of the State of South Carolina - 1860's dated Unissued Defence Bond - Charleston, South Carolina

Unissued Bond for the "Military Defence of the State". Charleston, S.C. State of South Carolina. Rare! Charleston is the most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, serving as the county seat of Charleston County and as the primary city within the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city is situated just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline, located on Charleston Harbor, which is an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean formed by the merging of the Ashley, Cooper, and Wando rivers. According to the 2020 census, Charleston had a population of 150,277. The population of the Charleston metropolitan area in 2020, which includes Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties, was 799,636 residents, making it the third-largest in the state and the 74th-largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States.

Founded in 1670 as Charles Town in honor of King Charles II, Charleston was established at Albemarle Point on the west bank of the Ashley River (now known as Charles Towne Landing) but was moved in 1680 to its current location, which became the fifth-largest city in North America within a decade. Throughout the colonial era, it remained unincorporated; governance was managed directly by a colonial legislature and a governor appointed by Parliament. Election districts were organized based on Anglican parishes, and certain social services were overseen by Anglican wardens and vestries. Charleston adopted its current spelling upon its incorporation as a city in 1783. The population growth in the interior regions of South Carolina led to the relocation of the state government to Columbia in 1788, yet Charleston continued to be among the ten largest cities in the United States through the 1840 census.