Charleston Trip

Fort Sumter from Fort Moultrie

A little over a week ago we visited Charleston, South Carolina, to do some filming at the 150th anniversary of the firing on Fort Sumter. We left Friday morning, and after picking up Stephen Breagy arrived there in the afternoon. We started by visiting Fort Moultrie while we were waiting for the ferry. The boat ride is about 15 minutes out to the small island from which the fort guarded the harbor. Fort Sumter was destroyed by bombardment when the North was attempting to retake Charleston later in the Civil War. Of the original three stories only one remains. A gun position was also built on the spot during a later war, which now has a museum. Many of the fort's original cannon remain in position. At the fort there were several reenactors who demonstrated musket firings and a cannon loading drill. We returned after getting a lot of good footage.

Fort Sumter

Gun at Fort Sumter

Saturday we got up early to go to Fort Moultrie again. Moultrie was originally a log fort built during the American Revolution, and was rebuilt after the War of 1812. When South Carolina seceded, the Federal troops in the area were in Fort Moultrie, but later moved to Sumter because it was more defensible, even though it was uncompleted. Later the fort was improved and modernized at several other times. Today, different parts of the fort are restored to represent different times in its history.

Fort Moultri

Before returning home we stopped by the H. L. Hunley. The Hunley was the first submarine to sink a ship, and was built during the Civil War by the Confederates to break the Union blockade. It sank on the way back to shore after its successful attack, and the cause is unknown to this day. A few years ago the wreck was discovered and raised along with many artifacts. Unfortunately we were not able to see the actual ship, but we hope to at a later time.

Full scale replica of the Hunley

View more pictures here.