When the British left Charleston--or Charles Town, as the name of the place stands in the early records--after occupying it during the Revolutionary War, they took with them, to the horror of the city, the bells of St.Michael's, and the church books.

The silver, however, was saved, having been concealed on a plantation some miles from Charleston.

Later the bells were returned.
Pre-Revolutionary Charleston was divided into two parishes: St.
Michael's below Broad Street, and St.Philip's above.

Under governmental regulation citizens were not allowed to hold pews in both churches unless they owned houses in both parishes.

St.Michael's, being nearer the battery, in which region are the finest old houses, had, perhaps, the wealthier congregation, but St.Philip's is, to my mind, the more beautiful church of the two, largely because of the open space before it, and the graceful outward bend of Church Street in deference to the projecting portico.
When the Civil War broke out St.Philip's bells were melted and made into cannon, but those of St.Michael's were left in place until cannonballs from the blockading fleet struck the church, when they were taken down and sent, together with the silver plate, to Columbia, South Carolina, for safe-keeping.