Travel With The Thayers: # 76 Fort Sumter

# 76 Fort Sumter

Tuesday October 29, 2019

We arrived early at Patriots Point for our tour to Fort Sumter.

At Patriots Point you can go on the USS Yorktown, an aircraft carrier, or the USS Laffey, a destroyer.

The USS Clamagore, a submarine, scheduled to be sunk to create a reef is currently there.

The Yorktown has several planes also on display on its deck and many exhibits aboard. Ashore a visitor can explore Vietnam era helicopters, a river patrol boat, Naval support camp and Civil Way era cannon. A Naval Museum can be found there too.

Of course, there was a lovely gift shop. We were tempted to buy Derrille an Enterprise baseball cap.

Birds searched for food on the banks. I think they are Ibis or small white herons. A pelican preened on a post. The sea grasses swayed with the waves on this gray, cloudy day.

We left port going around and almost under the bow of the Yorktown. Vert impressive from the water looking up! The ferry ride took 35 minutes to get out to the Fort Sumter.

They have an interesting system. Only a specific number of visitors can be in the Fort. Different tour companies have time slots. The ferry docks at the Fort and you walk across the causeway to the island. Passengers disembark and have one hour to explore the fort.

NOT ENOUGH TIME. It takes almost an hour to explore the outside of the fort, and then they have an excellent museum. We could have made two trips to the fort to see all we wanted to see.

Fort Sumter was built out in the harbor to protect Charleston, SC. After the War of 1812 several forts were built to protect our country. These special forts combined high walls and heavy masonry. The work started in 1829 but was incomplete when SC withdrew from the Union. The first battle at the fort began April 12, 1861. After supply lines were cut the Union surrendered the next day. The second battle, September 8, 1863 was a failed attempt by the Union to retake the fort. Although in rubble it remained in Confederate hands until General Sherman marched through in February 1865. If you are a history buff, this could be an interesting place to explore.

This island was built on 50,000 tons of granite shipped in from New York and New England beginning in 1829. The rock was allowed to settle before fort construction began. Hope you can read the story here.

When you enter the fort, a Ranger gives a 10-minute orientation to the fort. I think this is Ranger John, who gave an outstanding talk about the fort. I could have listened to him all day. Very interesting!!!

This is one Battery Huger was build across the parade grounds during the Spanish American War and now dominates the interior. Unfortunately I can't remember the significance of the black paint. Other than the black made a very imposing impression, and it may be help preserve the battery.

This is another five-sided fort. We have seen a few on this trip, with more to come.

The information on the gorge side wall, the one facing the ocean and vulnerable to attack told how after the wall was crumbled Confederate Soldiers and slaves reinforced the rubble with sandbags and cotton bales creating an earthwork that made the fort stronger than ever. The powder magazines were pointed out inside the fort.

The interior of the fort. The original walls originally stood 3 stories high. During the battles the fort's bombardment reduced it to rubble. The fort ruins remains to remind us of its history. Its structure today looks little like the impressive structure built here originally.

This flag flies over the fort today.

The Museum houses the original flag that flew over Fort Sumter. This is where Francis Scott Key wrote our National Anthem.

The museum held an extensive display of documents that we would have liked to read carefully, but time didn't allow.

This Gold Star Memorial stands proudly in front of the USS Yorktown.

After a busy morning we checked Google for a place to eat. The Pickled Palate looked like an inviting place to eat. When we arrived we questioned our choice but decided to go in anyway.