South Carolina Forts

American Forts: East

SOUTH CAROLINA

Last Update: 02/DECEMBER/2011

Compiled by Pete Payette - Š2011 American Forts Network

Fort Randall
(1860's), Little River
A CSA battery at Tilghman's Point on Little River Neck. Union forces attempted to take the battery in 1863 but were unsuccessful.

Fort Euhanie
(1716 - unknown), Yauhannah
A fortified trading post established by the SC colonial government, located at "Great Bluff". The site has been excavated.

Camp Myrtle Beach
(Myrtle Beach State Park)
(1942 - 1944), Myrtle Beach
The 312-acre state park was taken over by the Army in early 1942 as a coastal defense shore patrol base camp. Several of the still extant 1930's C.C.C.-built buildings were converted to Army use (barracks and supply). The park was returned to the state in March 1945.

Huntington Beach Radar Station
(Huntington Beach State Park)
(1942 - 1945), Huntington Beach
A WWII anti-aircraft spotting station and an SCR-271 early warning radar was located here near the former Brookgreen/Atalaya estate (built 1932). The state park was created in 1960.

Snow's Island Camp
(1781), near Johnsonville
Patriot leader Francis Marion, the "Swamp Fox", established a secret base here to harrass the British army. Also known as Marion's Camp (1). The British located and destroyed the camp in March 1781, but Marion and his men continued operations elsewhere. Located on the Great Pee Dee River at the convergence of the Lynches River and Muddy Creek.

Winyah Bay Blockhouse
(1526), near Georgetown
The first Spanish colonization attempt north of Mexico landed on Cabo de San Nicolás (present-day Winyah Bay), but did not settle here. Spanish documents of the period place the landing at 33 degrees, 30 (or 40) minutes north latitude, within a present-day 30 minute margin of error. A fort or blockhouse was possibly built here as the two ships were repaired after running aground on sand bars. Meanwhile, the bulk of the 600 colonists, led by Lucas Vásquez de Ayllón, headed 40-45 Spanish leagues southwest by land towards Sapelo Sound, Georgia, in order to find a suitable settlement site. They most likely settled on St. Catherines Island. (please see GEORGIA)

Fort Winyah (1)
(1715 - 1716), near Brown's Ferry ?
A SC colonial militia fort located on the south side of the Black River, northwest of Georgetown.

Georgetown Fort (1)
(1780 - 1782, 1794), Georgetown
An unnamed British earthwork fort, attacked by Patriots under Francis Marion in January 1781. Exact location undetermined.
NOTE: Georgetown was occupied by the British from July 1780 until the summer of 1782.

An unnamed and incomplete American earthwork battery (1794) was also located in the vicinity.

Fort Winyaw (2)
(1810 - 1814), Georgetown
An American brick and tabby fort located on Blythe's Point. It was in ruins by 1826. A lighthouse was built here after 1857.

Winyah Bay Civil War Defenses
(1862 - 1865), near Georgetown
(Fort) Battery White a ten-gun CSA earthwork located on Mayrant's Bluff at the present-day Belle Isle Gardens Yacht Club condo complex, four miles south of town. Captured by the Union in February 1865. Restored in 1961. Two 10-inch guns still remain at the preserved earthworks. 1929 U.D.C. monument on site. Restricted public access, since 1974 a private gated community.
CSA earthwork batteries were also located on South Island and Cat Island (1861 - 1862), near Quarantine, armed only with "Quaker Guns" (blackened logs). Both islands are presently part of the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center Heritage Preserve. Public access restricted.
Camp Marion (2) a CSA camp in the area.
The Georgetown Lighthouse (1801, rebuilt 1868) located on North Island was used by the Confederates as a lookout post. Captured by the Union Navy in May 1862.

Georgetown Battery (2)
(1898 - 1899), near Georgetown
In 1898 two 7-inch BL seige howitzers were temporarily emplaced in sandbag revetments near the ruins of CSA Fort White. Two 5-inch BL rifles were emplaced inside the ruins. All four guns were later replaced with four 12-pdr guns, and all were removed in 1899.

Battery Warren
(Francis Marion National Forest)
(1863 - 1865), near Honey Hill
A CSA battery on the Santee River below Echaw Creek. Traces still remain along a one mile trail.

Bulls Island Fort ? ?
(Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge - Bulls Island Unit)
(1707 ?, 1780's ?, 1862), Bulls Island
Ruins still remain of a Martello-type (?) circular stone fort, located on Old Fort Road at the mouth of Jacks Creek at Bull Harbor. Bulls Bay was once a haven for pirates in the early 1700's. The SC colonial militia had a lookout posted here in 1707 against pirate activity, one of six such posts on the outlying barrier islands. The island was later used as a supply base by the British Navy during the American Revolution. The tower was probably built, or at least used by, the Confederates in the Civil War. The Union Navy destroyed the CSA fort and magazine in December 1862. The island became part of the Cape Romain NWR in 1936. Public day-use access by passenger ferry (fee) from Garris Landing on Sewee Bay. The fort ruins are about a 2.5 mile hike from the dock on the island.

Fort Corner
(no date), Fort Corner
The name most likely is linked to the prominent Fort family of Berkeley County and not a military construction.

Ford's Fort
(1715 - 1716), Berkeley County
A settlers' fort during the Yamassee War, located somewhere along the Wando River.

Hasel's Fort
(1715 - 1716), Berkeley County
A settlers' fort during the Yamassee War, located somewhere along the Cooper River.

Mepkin Plantation Fort
(1715 - 1716), Mepkin
A settlers' fort during the Yamassee War, built by James, Peter, and Thomas Colleton.

Wantoot Plantation Fort
(1715 - 1716), near Moncks Corner
A settlers' fort during the Yamassee War.

Mulberry Plantation Fort
(1715 - 1716), near Moncks Corner
A settlers' fortified brick home during the Yamassee War, built by Thomas Broughton. The later brick mansion (1725 ?) was built over the original loop-holed cellar foundations.

Moncks Corner Redoubts
(1780 - 1781), Moncks Corner
British troops built redoubts here and at Biggin Bridge (location ?). Patriot forces captured the works in 1781.

Fort Wassamassaw
(1715 - 1716), Berkeley County
A settlers' fort during the Yamassee War, located somewhere near the Wassamassaw Swamp at the head of the Ashley River.

Col. George Chicken's Fort
(1715 - 1716), Berkeley County
A settlers' fort during the Yamassee War, located somewhere northeast of Summerville.

Edisto Fort
(1715 - 1716), near Givhans
A SC colonial militia fort at Givhans Ferry on the east bank of the Edisto River, guarding the backdoor to Charleston during the Yamassee War. Located on James Rawlings' plantation, near today's Givhans Ferry State Park.

Camp David Hunter
(1875), Summerville
A summer encampment for three Coast Artillery companies from Charleston.

Camp Marion (3)
(1898), Summerville
A Spanish-American War training camp for northern troops moved south. Location undetermined.

Pond's Fort
(1715 - 1716), Dorchester County
A settlers' fort during the Yamassee War, located somewhere on the east-side of the Ashley River.

Fort Dorchester
(Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site)
(1697 ? - 1720's ?, 1775 - 1782), near Summerville
A tabby fort was originally built sometime between 1697 and 1719 for the town's protection. A brick powder magazine enclosed by a tabby wall was built in 1757. It was fortified during the American Revolution, and changed hands several times. The current fort remains are mostly from the 1775 work. The brick bell tower on site is from 1751. The British garrisoned Old Dorchester from April 1780 to December 1781. The town declined after the war and was largely abandoned by 1788.

Richard Godfrey's Fort
(1715 - 1716), Middleton Place Gardens
A settlers' fortified home used by the SC colonial militia during the Yamassee War. The Middleton Place Plantation manor was later built in 1738.

St. Giles Plantation Fort
(1715 - 1716), Dorchester County
A settlers' fort during the Yamassee War. Undetermined location.

(see pages 2 and 3 for Greater Charleston area fortifications)

Thomas Elliott's Fort
(1715 - 1716), Rantowles
A settlers' fortified home located on Rantowles Creek, used by the SC colonial militia during the Yamassee War.

Rantowles Area Defenses
(1863 - 1865), Rantowles
Several CSA batteries were located on the western outskirts of Charleston:
Rantowles Station Battery, at the old railroad station, south of Wallace Creek.
Rantowles Battery, in the old village, north of Wallace Creek.
Battery Bulow (?), on Rantowles Creek at Bulow Landing.
Stono Ferry Batteries, two works on the Stono River at the present-day Links at Stono Ferry Golf Course. Possibly still exists.
Camp Evans (date ?), a CSA camp at Church Flats along the Stono River, near Stono Ferry.
Warren Batteries, three works near Warren Crossroads along present-day SC 165.

Parker's Ferry Earthworks
(1782), near Jacksonboro
Patriot earthworks protected the ferry and a supply depot here. Earthworks still exist along the western bank of the Edisto River. A marker is located about 3.5 miles north of town. The last battle of the American Revolution along the eastern seaboard occurred here along the Edisto and Combahee Rivers in August 1782.

John Jackson's Fort
(1715 - 1716), Jacksonboro
A settlers' fort during the Yamassee War. The town was then known as Pon Pon.

Willtown Fort
(ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve)
(1715 - 1716), Willtown Bluff
A SC colonial militia fort on the Edisto River at the old Willtown (New London) settlement (founded 1682). Attacked by Apalachee Indians in 1715. Used as a base for SC colonial patrol boats in 1716.

Botany Bay Island Post
(Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area)
(1862 - 1865), Botany Bay Island
A Union occupied island after the capture of Port Royal Sound. Bleak Hall Plantation was here at the time. Part of the island is currently under conservation easement with The Nature Conservancy.

Edisto Island Post
(1862 - 1865), Edisto Island
A Union occupied island after the capture of Port Royal Sound.

Fort Drayton
(St. Helena Sound Heritage Preserve)
(1861 - 1865), Otter Island
A CSA earthen fort with a wet moat, originally named Fort Heyward. It was captured by the Union after the Confederates abandoned it in December 1861, after the fall of Port Royal, and was renamed. Part of the wooden palisade also still exists. Public day-use visitation is allowed, boat access only.

Fenwick Island Post
(ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve)
(1861 - 1865), Fenwick Island
A Union occupied island after the capture of Port Royal Sound.

Chapman's Fort
(ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve)
(1860's), near Airy Hall ?
A CSA fort on the Ashepoo River.

Camp Chehaw
(ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve)
(1860's), Colleton County
A CSA cavalry encampment on Chehaw Neck along Chehaw Road near old Ballouville.

Barton's Post or
(1781), Colleton County
A battle/skirmish occurred here in April 1781. Undetermined location (near Red Hill ?).

John Woodward's Fort
(ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve)
(1715 - 1716), near Ritter
A SC colonial militia fort during the Yamassee War, located on the west bank of the Ashepoo River south of town.

NEED MORE INFO:
Towns:

Greater Charleston Area I - page 2 | Greater Charleston Area II - page 3
Port Royal Sound Area - page 4 | Interior South Carolina - page 5

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