Charleston and Fort Sumter National Monument

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Charleston is sometimes referred to as “The Holy City” because of the five church spires that rise above its skyline. I had hoped that we would attend a service on this Sunday morning but we weren't proactive enough to find out times and locations. So instead, we took the shuttle downtown and found a cute little breakfast place called, “Sweetwater Cafe”. It was so much better than the highly acclaimed, “Toast” that we had gone to yesterday. First, there was no forty minute wait out on the sidewalk and second, we got a nice, cozy window seat instead of being crammed into a tiny dark corner.  They also had really good food and friendly service. I got to introduce Alyssa to grits, one of my favorite breakfast foods.

It was pretty chilly and starting to rain by the time we walked to the ferry terminal for Fort Sumter. I had bought a cheap, ill-fitting black beanie when we discovered how frigid it was in Chicago. The remainder of the trip we have used it to store our camera zoom lens in. Now even though my coat had a hood, I was forced to borrow the hat back for the day.

We found semi-dry chairs on the covered top deck of the ferry because we like being outdoors but it was pretty freezing. An audio presentation provided background information on Fort Sumter on the way over to the island as well as commentary on the passing scenery. A young Mennonite family sat in front of us, they and their two little kids clad only in dress clothes. I wished that I had something to share with them.

Fort Sumter National Monument

Though there is little left of its original fifty foot walls, Fort Sumter still has much to explore. We had an excellent ranger that was willing to give us a tour, even though it was pouring rain. He explained the different types of cannons that were used during the attack as well as how to load and fire them. For us, some of this was a refresher course, having learned it at Colonial Williamsburg.

Fort Sumter Ferry and cannons

We walked around the remains of the fort, looking at restored cannons, officers quarters, the battery and more.  It was amazing to realize that we were standing where Union soldiers had fought hold the fort almost 154 years ago. For 34 hours the duel went on. *“More than 43,000 shells or 7 million pounds of metal, were hurled at Sumter. Land and sea forces used traditional smoothbore guns and new rifled weaponry to pound the fort.”

8 Inch (200 lb) Parrott Cannon

Battery at Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter officers quarters

When the rain had pretty well soaked us, the tour moved indoors. There we found informative displays outlining the Civil War in detail. The more I read, the more I realized how little I really knew.

Artillery used in the Civil War

One plaque that was posted carried a quote by Abraham Lincoln that had both of us a little shocked. I'm wondering how many of you are familiar with the following quote.

While trying to both stay warm and absorb all that we had heard, touched and seen, we boarded the ferry once more. And then, stiff and chilled, we caught a ride on the local free trolley, back to our hotel shuttle pick up spot.

*quoted from a plaque above the artillery display