South Carolina’s Civil War Landmarks

Fort Sumter Civil War Landmarks Fort Moultrie Tours Submarine Hunley

Get in on the adventure and experience the landmark Civil War historic sites of South Carolina. Explore the H.L. Hunley Confederate Submarine, the first submarine built in the world. Tour the site of the opening battle of the American Civil War at legendary Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. Visit historic Sullivan's Island to see Fort Moultrie, the site of the American colonists’ first decisive victory in the Revolutionary War. It’s all waiting for you in lovely Charleston, South Carolina.

Fort Sumter, South Carolina. The Fort Sumter story begins with the fort being built as protection for the United States after the attacks of the War of 1812, but the fort will go down in history as site of the Battle of Fort Sumter, the opening battle of the American Civil War. A timeline for the Battle of Fort Sumter begins on April 12, 1861 when the Confederate forces opened fire on the Federal fortification. Fort Sumter fell to the Confederate troops after nearly two days of fighting and it took the Union nearly four years to recapture Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter is a National Monument administered by the National Parks Service. For a map of Fort Sumter, tours and pictures of Fort Sumter, SC, visit www.nps.gov/fosu.  [Top]

Fort Moultrie Tours. Located on Sullivan's Island near Charleston, South Carolina, the image of Fort Moultrie, SC occupies a special place in American and South Carolina history. The original Fort Moultrie was constructed of palmetto logs and was the site the first big victory over the British Navy in the Revolutionary War, which the American Colonists won after a 9-1/2 hour battle for Sullivan's Island. The South Carolina flag symbol of the palmetto takes its meaning from Fort Moultrie, and the palmetto is still the symbol of South Carolina, which refers to itself as “The Palmetto State.” Fort Moultrie Tours are part of the Fort Sumter National Monument. For photos and info on Fort Moultrie in South Carolina and Fort Moultrie tours, visit www.nps.gov/fosu/historyculture/fort_moultrie.htm.  [Top]

Civil War Submarine Hunley. The H.L. Hunley Confederate Submarine Museum in Charleston, SC holds a special place in history for American Civil War buffs and naval history buffs alike. The H.L. Hunley Confederate Submarine holds the distinction of being the first submarine to sink another boat in a naval battle. Unfortunately for the Hunley submarine, the decisive blow also caused fatal damage to the Hunley submarine and sank the Confederate submarine to the bottom of the ocean. Led by best-selling writer Clive Cussler, the legendary Civil War submarine was discovered after years of searching. For more details about the CSS Hunley confederate submarine, visit www.hunley.org.  [Top]