Where The Civil War Began - Charleston SC


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Published: March 20th 2012
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The low country of Georgia and South Carolina is replete with saltwater marches, swamps and tidal basins. These obstacles have caused nightmares for road builders over the years. Getting from point A to Point B is not going to get you there in a straight line nor to take you along the Atlantic Coast. The drive from Savannah GA to Charleston SC was uneventful – just the way I like it. (Informational) Irene, my GPS, is working splendidly. Just before I reached the SC state line, I noticed my gas tank was less than half full. That’s not panic time here along the populated east coast, but SC gas was really cheap compared to FL. I filled up the tank, emptied the bladder and stretched the legs. I’m sure glad I did – the gas went up 15-20 cents in NC. I guess Murphy was taking a snooze!

I arrived at the Lake Aire RV Park in Hollywood SC on Tuesday afternoon. After I got settled in, I headed for the Charleston Visitor Center about fifteen miles away in downtown Charleston. The young lady who assisted me was very helpful, and the lobby has some local historical information. I learned
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The Historic District - Charleston SC
that the Visitor Center is located on “Museum Mile” - a corridor for 3 or 4 blocks on either side of Meeting Street containing most of the historical attractions and museums of Charleston. There are plenty of public parking decks sprinkled throughout the historic district; but, notice, I did say parking decks – low-clearance parking decks that will not accommodate my pick-up truck. Not a problem. I used the Visitor Center lot which has a large surface lot next to the deck and walked to the sites I wanted to visit.

My first stop on Wednesday morning was the riverfront. Unlike Savannah, which has quaint businesses and restaurants across the street from the riverside plaza; Charleston has houses overlooking the riverfront. Don’t get me wrong, the houses are splendid and the plaza was clean and well-landscaped; however, most of the people had a mission – jogging, walking the dog, going to work or being a tourist. The Savannah riverfront had a laid back ambiance about it that was missing in Charleston. After walking along the riverfront for about a mile, I set out for Rainbow Row and Cabbage Row. My assistant at the Visitor Center had enlightened me about
Anyone Got Some Rotten Eggs?Anyone Got Some Rotten Eggs?Anyone Got Some Rotten Eggs?

The Powder Magazine - Charleston SC
these attractions. Neither really has a specific starting/stopping point, but both areas have a high saturation of historic dwellings representative of the types found throughout Charleston. These areas definitely are worth seeking out when in Charleston.

As I worked my way back to the Visitor Center, I stopped at three of the historic sites on my list that happened to be in Museum Mile. The Powder Magazine was my first stop. The colonists first recorded their concerns about the safe storage of their gunpowder in 1702. In 1712, the magazine was completed making it the oldest public building in South Carolina. It served the colonists well, protecting their valuable commodity from pirates, American Indians and marauding Spaniards. In front of the museum is the first pillory I have seen in my travels. The historically significant museum is nice and the artifacts are interesting, but I have to put it on my “B” list. Allow about 20-30 minutes.

My next stop was The Old Slave Mart Museum. For many years during the Colonial era, slaves were sold in the open public square after slave ships docked. Many Americans are not aware that the United States constitution contained a provision
To the Highest Bidder Goes The SpoilsTo the Highest Bidder Goes The SpoilsTo the Highest Bidder Goes The Spoils

The Old Slave Mart Museum - Charleston SC
that banned the importation of African slaves after 1808 which, some contend, legitimized the institution of slavery by our forefathers. That point resurfaces later in this blog. In Charleston, enslaved African Americans were customarily sold on the north side of the Old Exchange Building. An 1856 city ordinance prohibited this practice of public sales, resulting in the opening of the Old Slave Mart and a number of other sales rooms, yards, or marts. Between then and the end of the Civil War, the domestic slave trade flourished. The Old Slave Mart Museum focuses on the history of this particular building and the slave sales that occurred there. No photography is allowed inside, but this museum is still a “must see” for those who want to understand the history of our country.

My last stop of the day was the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon. This magnificent three-level building has witnessed an extraordinary amount of South Carolina history. On the first level was the exchange and customs house which now houses collections from the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in one wing and from the South Carolina State DAR in the other wing. The Great Hall
The Great HallThe Great HallThe Great Hall

Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon - Charleston SC
on the second floor hosted the protest of the Tea Act in 1773, the election of the delegates to the Continental Congress in 1774 and the ratification of the Constitution in 1788. When George Washington toured the colonies in 1791 to celebrate the new country, he was honored with an elaborate ball. The basement houses the provost dungeon. Originally the area was used to house goods in transit but, during the British occupation of Charleston, a jail was constructed to detain and control many of the patriot citizens whose homes had been seized for officer quarters. Definitely put this site on the “A” list.

I dedicated all of an overcast, threatening Thursday to learning about the beginning of the Civil War. The controversy over slavery predates the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Indeed, the Articles of Confederation adopted by the New England Confederation in 1643 provided for the return of fugitive slaves. Unsuccessful attempts were made to standardize fugitive slave policies among the states in 1784 and 1787. Article Four, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution which deals with extradition also held that, "No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another,
Original Fort Was Much Taller Than TodayOriginal Fort Was Much Taller Than TodayOriginal Fort Was Much Taller Than Today

Fort Sumter National Monument - Charleston SC
shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, But shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due. " This clause was superseded by the 13th Amendment which was ratified on December 6, 1865.

When our forefathers could reach no agreement about the issue of slavery, they essentially had put off resolution of the issue for future generations. The Supreme Court decided in 1842 that state authorities could not be forced to act in fugitive slave cases, but that national authorities must carry out the national law. That decision was followed by legislation in Massachusetts (1843), Vermont (1843), Pennsylvania (1847) and Rhode Island (1848), forbidding state officials from aiding in enforcing the law and refusing the use of state jails for fugitive slaves. Demands from the South for more effective Federal legislation resulted in passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850; however, because the law was viewed as harsh, the number of abolitionists increased and the operations of the Underground Railroad became more efficient. Indeed, new personal liberty laws were enacted in Vermont (1850), Connecticut (1854), Rhode Island (1854), Massachusetts (1855),
Battle-Worn Fort Sumter Flag April 12-13, 1861Battle-Worn Fort Sumter Flag April 12-13, 1861Battle-Worn Fort Sumter Flag April 12-13, 1861

Fort Sumter National Monument - Charleston SC
Michigan (1855), Maine (1855 and 1857), Kansas (1858) and Wisconsin (1858).

The south contended that passage of the Constitution had been accomplished because slavery was duly recognized as an institution and, had slavery not been so recognized, the Constitution would not have been passed. The South Carolina Secession Declaration states in part, “The right of property in slaves was recognized by giving to free persons distinct political rights, by giving them the right to represent, and burthening them with direct taxes for three-fifths of their slaves; by authorizing the importation of slaves for twenty years, and by stipulating for the rendition of fugitives from labor.”

The election of anti-slave President Abraham Lincoln in November 1860, with no support from southern states, proved to be a last straw for the South. On December 20, 1860, South Carolina voted for succession stating in part, “We maintain that in every compact between two or more parties the obligation is mutual; that the failure of one of the contracting parties to perform a material part of the agreement, entirely releases the obligation of the other…. Thus the constituted compact has been deliberately broken and disregarded by the non-slaveholding states, and the consequence
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Fort Sumter National Monument - Charleston SC
follows that South Carolina is released from her obligation."

At the time of South Carolina’s succession, there were four military installations protecting Charleston Harbor – Fort Sumter at the harbor entrance, Castle Pinckney on Shute’s Folly Island, Fort Moultrie on Sullivans Island and Fort Johnson on James Island. The only site with significant manpower was Fort Moultrie. Six days after South Carolina’s succession, Fort Moultrie’s commander decided that the fort was not defensible and moved his troops to a more fortified Fort Sumter. By January 1, 1861, South Carolina volunteers occupied Castle Pinckney and Forts Johnson and Moultrie, and batteries were being erected around the harbor. South Carolina demanded Federal troops vacate Charleston Harbor but President James Buchanan refused. Later that month, Confederate cannon turned back an unarmed resupply ship destined for Fort Sumter. Tensions were high by the time of Lincoln’s inauguration on March 4, 1861.

On April 4, another relief expedition, accompanied by warships, was sent to Fort Sumter. On April 11 Federal troops on Fort Sumter were ordered to surrender. At 4:30 AM on April 12, Confederate cannon opened fire. About 2:00 PM on April 13, some 34 hours after the bombardment had begun, Federal
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Fort Sumter National Monument - Charleston SC
troops had agreed to a truce. The long dreaded Civil War had begun.

My first stop was the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center to purchase my ticket for the ferry ride to Fort Sumter National Monument. (An aside: On-street parking near the Visitor Center is $1.00 per hour. Patriots Point, home to Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, also is an embarkation point for the Fort Sumter ferry. If you do plan to visit Patriots Point, you could do both for a single $5.00 per day parking fee.) Until recently, I was not aware (actually, had forgotten) that Fort Sumter was on an island at the entrance to Charleston Harbor and, indeed, the only access is by boat. Visiting Fort Sumter – hmmm? If you’ve never seen a Civil War era fort – probably. If you have seen such a fort and time (allow about four hours with the ferry ride and all) or money (the fort is free, but the concessionaire’s ferry is $17.00) is a consideration – probably not. If, like me, you just need to be there to absorb the history – definitely.

The skies had changed from mostly cloudy with intermittent sprinkles to mostly
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Fort Moultrie National Monument - Sullivan's Island
clear, sunny skies during my visit to Fort Sumter so off I go to Fort Moultrie National Monument. The two forts lie about a mile apart (by sea, har-har matey) but the drive is over ten miles. Fort Moultrie is unique in that its longevity dates from pre-Revolutionary War days to the Cold War and the monument has been constructed to demonstrate the differences in the three forts than have stood at the site. The first fort, constructed of two palmetto log walls 16 feet apart with sand filling the void between the walls, was not yet complete when British warships attacked on June 28, 1776. The attack was repelled, and the yet nameless fort was named in honor of the commander of the day – William Moultrie. Fort Moultrie I (the 1st) was destroyed by a hurricane in 1804.

By 1807, when Congress funded the Second American System, many of the other first system forts were in need of repair. Fort Moultrie II was complete in 1809. Between 1809 and 1860 little changed at Fort Moultrie II. The armament was modernized, but the biggest defensive change at Charleston Harbor was the addition of Fort Sumter. After the Civil
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Fort Moultrie National Monument - Sullivan's Island
War, the lessons learned were incorporated into Fort Moultrie II.

In 1885, President Grover Cleveland appointed Secretary of War William C. Endicott to lead a review of the costal defenses and to submit recommendations for improvement. The resulting system was named for Endicott and was reflected in the construction of Fort Moultrie III. As technology changed and air and submarine warfare became available, costal defenses as we knew them became less important. Instead of placing defensive armament in one position, Fort Moultrie III grew and became the Fort Moultrie Reservation with emplacements covering much of Sullivans Island. With the advent of nuclear weapons and guided missiles, Fort Moultrie became obsolete.

Today, Fort Moultrie has been restored to reflect its past. From the emplacements made of palmetto log and smooth-bore cannon to the improvements made for protection from rifled cannon after the Civil War to the harbor defense of the early twentieth century to the World War II era, Fort Moultrie is not merely a slice of history (ala Fort Sumter) but is a costal defenses handbook from the military history of the United States. Which should I see? Both, but…. For those who need a “been there, done
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Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens - Mount Pleasant SC
that” list to tell their friends about, Fort Sumter. For those who want to learn of our country’s history, Fort Moultrie. Might I suggest (especially to those short of time or money), spend a couple of hours each at the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center and at Fort Moultrie. There’s half a day, you’ll really learn a lot and save some money – both are free.

Another way to save some money, in my opinion, is to avoid the Boone Hall Plantation – especially in March. There were no leaves on the live oak trees lining the “spectacular approach to this home,” the Butterfly Pavilion is a seasonal attraction and the collection of “antique roses that date back more than 100 years” were not yet in bloom. Shame on me for not think of the seasonal effects on the aforementioned; however, shame on them for not saying that only the first floor of this huge mansion is open for public viewing (the upper floors are a private residence) and for not saying that the centerpiece of “America’s oldest working plantation” was built in 1936. Careful reading of the brochure (which is distributed after the admission price has been paid)
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Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens - Mount Pleasant SC
reveals that what is listed on the National Register of Historic Places is “Slave Street” – nine (of twenty-seven) original slave cabins.

The portion of the house that was open was impressive. The docent was superb. The tram tour was nice and the driver informative; however, there are only seats for about 25-30 passengers and, if you miss one trip, be prepared to stay put for 30 minutes for the tram to return for the next tour or you will go to the back of the line – no number-taking or reservations. Walking around the grounds was okay, but not very pretty given the season. The best parts of Boone Hall Plantation are the one-woman presentation at the Gullah Theater, “Exploring the Gullah Culture,” and Slave Street. The Gullah Culture presenter was totally awesome! On the surface, the slave cabins all look about the same. Absorbing Slave Street requires taking the time to listen to each of the audio presentations and to read the placards. If you miss the slavery component of Boone Hall, in my opinion, you’ve wasted your money. Boone Hall edges up to my “B List” only because of the slavery presentations. It might get a
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Charles Pinckney National Historic Site - Mount Pleasant SC
higher rating in a different season but at $20.00, I think even then it would be overpriced.

Virtually across the road from Boone Hall Plantation is the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site. The house is situated on the Snee Farm property, which Pinckney owned, but is not the house where Pinckney lived (it disappeared sometime in the early 1800s). It is unlike most “residences” of famous Americans in that there is virtually no furniture. Instead, there are framed informational placards applauding Pinckney’s accomplishments. Had I not visited the site, I would not have known that Pinckney was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and was a major contributor to the structure and the wording of the Constitution. For that, I will remain eternally grateful. Beyond slapping me up beside the head with a bunch of enlightenment, visiting the site accomplished nothing more than a Google search would accomplish. If you decide to visit Boone Hall Plantation, you might as well visit the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site – at least this one is free! I’ll put the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site on my “B List” because it's quite a ways out of town.

On
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USS Laffey - Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum - Mount Pleasant SC
Sunday, I set out for Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum across the bridge in Mount Pleasant SC. Patriots Point is home to the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, the destroyer USS Laffey and the submarine USS Clamagore. It’s hard to miss the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown from anywhere along the Charleston waterfront. My first stop (first come, first serve) was the USS Laffey. The first USS Laffey (DD-459) was sunk off Guadalcanal in 1942. The second USS Laffey (DD-724) was commissioned on February 8, 1944. While operating off Okinawa on April 16, 1945, the USS Laffey was attacked by some 22 Japanese bombers and kamikazes. Five kamikazes and three bombs struck her and two bombs scored near misses. Of her 336 man crew, 32 were killed and 71 were wounded. A documentary video of about thirty minutes is shown. The video is awesome – don’t miss it. How that ship didn’t sink is beyond me!

The 888-foot aircraft carrier USS Yorktown was next. Commissioned on April 13, 1943, the Yorktown earned a Presidential Unit Citation (the highest unit award) and eleven battle stars in WW II action. During WW II she carried a crew of 380 officers, 3,088 enlisted
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USS Yorktown - Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum - Mount Pleasant SC
men and an air group of 90 planes. In the 1960s, she served as an anti-submarine carrier in Vietnam. She was featured in two movies – the 1944 Academy Award-winning documentary motion picture “The Fighting Lady” and the 1970 feature film “Tora! Tora! Tora!” - and recovered the crew of Apollo 8 in 1968. The submarine USS Clamagore was closed for maintenance.

Both vessels depict life on board a navy warship – the dentist’s office, the ice cream parlor, the barber shop, the brig (militarese for jail) – and demonstrate the difference of rank – crews’ berths, officers’ dining room and captain’s quarters. The ship is a 24-hour operation (“It’s lunch o’clock somewhere”), and many facets of feeding up to 13,872 meals a day are displayed – the butcher shop, the vegetable preparation area, the bakery, massive freezers and walk-in refrigerators; and the serving lines and dining areas. Each has unique features – the guns on the destroyer and the aircraft on the carrier. But the carrier has several unique features – the aircraft launching and retrieval systems being the most obvious. Along one of the passageways, there is a “Merchant Seaman Casualty List of World War II” listing
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Outside The Charleston Museum - Charleston SC
the names of over 5700 men. On the main hanger deck there is the Medal of Honor Museum. It describes the history and evolution of the nation’s highest award for bravery and has a searchable database of Medal recipients. Once again, if you have toured a naval warship, this might be a “B List” item. If not, it’s an “A” for sure.

My final stop in Charleston was at the research home of the H.L. Hunley. The Hunley, a Confederate States of America submarine, was invented and built by Horace Lawson Hunley in Mobile AL and launched in July 1863. It is credited with being the first submarine to sink an enemy vessel - the USS Housatonic, which was on blockade duty at Charleston Harbor, on February 17, 1864. The Hunley actually sank three times. The first sinking on August 29, 1863 was during a training exercise and caused the deaths of five crewmen. The second sinking occurred on October 15, 1863 and killed all eight of her second crew, including Horace Hunley himself. Soon after the successful attack on the Housatonic and for unknown reasons the Hunley sank for the third and final time.

The date and
Movie Prop Of H.L. Hunley InteriorMovie Prop Of H.L. Hunley InteriorMovie Prop Of H.L. Hunley Interior

H.L. Hunley Civil War Submarine Museum - Charleston SC
discoverer of the Hunley is disputed. One claim was made in 1970, and the other was in made in 1995. Regardless, the Hunley was raised in 2000 and now sits in a 90,000-gallon tank of fresh water at Clemson University's Warren Lasch Conservation Center on Charleston's old Navy base in North Charleston SC. The fresh water bath will help preserve the Hunley by leaching salt out of its iron hull. From Monday-Friday, marine archeologists are trying to discover why she sank and to determine the steps necessary for her preservation. The center is open for tours on Saturday and Sunday only. Unfortunately, no photographs are allowed in the Hunley display area, but the visitor center is superb. Two videos are available for viewing and movie props and mock-ups are available as well as informational placards, pictures and artifact displays. Anybody with an interest in naval warfare, inventions, archaeology or history should enjoy this museum.

Charleston, what do I say? Charleston is nice, but it is metropolitan. I guess I was expecting more of a “sitting on the front porch in my rockin’ chair with a glass of sweet tea” atmosphere, but Charleston is hustle and bustle. Even on Rainbow
Looking Out Over the RiverLooking Out Over the RiverLooking Out Over the River

The Historic District - Charleston SC
Row and Cabbage Row, the tourists seemed to “need to get somewhere else quickly.” I even had to remind myself to “slow down and absorb” when I was visiting the attractions. Charleston should be on everyone’s places to see list. There is some phenomenal history in this (not quaint) city. The people are friendly and the city is easy to navigate. It just lacks the ambiance of St. Augustine FL and Savannah GA. I’m sure glad I came here for a week, but Charleston probably won’t make my “must return” list.


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The Historic District - Charleston SC
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The Historic District - Charleston SC


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