Bicentennial reconstruction of Fort Moultrie, interior, from a distance with a container ship visible in the background. Page 45, Image 10 of collection. Original is 35mm B/W negative.
Bicentennial reconstruction of Fort Moultrie, exterior from a distance with brick fort and spire of Stella Maris Catholic Church in the background. Page 45, Image 13 of collection. Original is 35 mm B/W negative.
Oil painting by Lt. William Elliott depicts the abortive attack on Fort Moultrie during the American Revolution. Plate on painting reads: "Charlestowne South Carolina. The abortive attack of Fort Moultrie 26th June, 1776, by a British naval force under Commodore Sir Peter Parker consisting of HMS's Bristol, Active, Experiment, Solebay, Actaeon, Syren, Sphinx, and bomb vessel Thunder. Lt. Wm. Elliott RN, Fl 1784-1792, Hon. Exhibitor at the Royal Academy."
The 2nd South Carolina Continental Regiment Order Book, 1777, is a bound volume written for the 2nd South Carolina Continental Regiment (commanded by Colonel Motte). The volume includes an alphabetical list of soldiers serving in the Regiment compiled from the order book by John Bennett (1915), military orders from numerous generals, information on soldiers accused and punished for crimes (such as lashes) for theft, drunkenness, violence, mutiny, and desertion. Also included are references to “divine services” or public worship for the soldiers, and requests for military clothing and other items. Locations mentioned include Fort Moultrie, Fort Johnson, Sullivan's Island, the Charleston Battery, and Haddrell's Point. Persons referenced include General Francis Marion, Henry Laurens, Lt. Col. Isaac Huger, Captain Richard Shubrick and General William Moultrie.
The General William Moultrie and General Benjamin Lincoln Order Book, 1779 is a bound volume kept by Thomas Hall, captain in the 2nd South Carolina Regiment containing general orders (May 15-Sept.27) given by General William Moultrie in Charleston, South Carolina, and orders (Nov. 6-Dec. 31) given by General Benjamin Lincoln. Orders pertain to paroles, appointments, court martial records (with sentences including lashings and executions for crimes such as desertion, mutiny, and treason), officers, rations for women, and other matters.
A letter from Benjamin King (Ft. Moultrie, 1826) describes the wreck of the ship Harvest off the coast of North Carolina in which Lieutenant Benjamin Grimke and his infant daughter were drowned, but which his wife and King survived; with details on their shipwreck on Boddy's Island, wreckers salvaging the ship, burial of the dead and travel to Roanoke.
Letter from William Gill, James Johnson, William Greu, and Isaac A. [Kerlark?], the committee of the Temperance Society of 'F' Company, 2nd Regiment of Artillery, stationed at Fort Moultrie, to Thomas S. Grimke, President of the South Carolina Temperance Society regarding becoming an auxiliary organization.
Letter from J.F. Heilman, President of the Charleston Temperance Society, to Thomas S. Grimke, President of the South Carolina Temperance Society, in reference to a newly formed Temperance Society of 'F' Company, 2nd Regiment of Artillery, stationed at Ft. Moultrie.
The Account of Enslaved Persons and Various Stories, 1831-1844, is kept by or for a member of the Ball family. The first half of the account book contains various lists of enslaved men, women and children owned by John Ball at Comingtee/Stoke, Kensington and Midway Plantations in Berkeley County, South Carolina. These lists include enslaved persons given first or second quality blankets, cloth, clothes and osnaburg fabric as well as lists of pregnant enslaved women or enslaved infants given clothes.
The second half of the book contains stories retold by various persons on topics such as an eyewitness account of the Steamship Pulaski Disaster in 1838, stories of enslaved persons including the execution of an enslaved man, stories about the family of George Chicken, eyewitness accounts of the British occupation in Charleston during the Revolutionary War, numerous ghost stories and an account of the first settlers of Charlestown.
Bicentennial reconstruction of Fort Moultrie, interior with cannons and Seatrain Lines container ship visible in the background. Page 45, Image 9 of collection. Original is 35mm B/W negative.
This is the order book associated with the 4th South Carolina Regiment, which was established in November 1775 and formed part of the U.S. Continental Army between June 18, 1776 and January 1, 1781, when it was disbanded following the British capture of Charleston. It also contains orders relating to the 1st and 2nd South Carolina Regiments from September 15, 1775 onward, beginning with the capture of Fort Johnson. It discusses the allocation of men and material to various fortifications around the Charleston area, including Fort Sullivan, Fort Johnson, and the Grand Battery. The book accompanied Captain Barnard Elliott (d. 1778), who was reassigned from the 2nd to the 4th Regiment in November, 1775. Considerable reference is made to war plans, military discipline, including courts-martial, and camp life.
A detailed account of the Battle of Fort Sumter from the Confederate perspective, including the lead-up to the battle and the eventual surrender. The pamphlet also describes the battle from an alternate viewpoint on Cummings' Point and an account of an attempt to intercept Union steamer ships.
Carl Smith and his wife, Stephanie, moved to Sullivan's Island in 1972 and immediately fell in love with it. Though an architect by profession, Carl soon became involved in island politics. His first involvement was on the Board of Adjustment, now known as the Board of Zoning Appeals. In those days there were basically no ordinances protecting historic structures on the island. However, there was the long established requirement for a minimum half acre lot size, something that Carl considers one of the most important aspects in protecting the island's character. In 1987 Carl was elected to Sullivan's Island Town Council. He was a council member during the destruction of Hurricane Hugo. He describes the devastation of the storm and the residents' return to the island. Hugo led to many changes, including the establishment of the island's first disaster plan. In the mid 90's Carl made his first run for mayor, but was defeated then and in 2001. His first successful bid for mayor came in 2005, and he ran unopposed in 2009. Carl feels that there were three issues that defined his time as Mayor of Sullivan's Island, in addition to his strong advocacy for preservation of the island's character. The first was that of the fate of the Ben Sawyer Bridge and the island's connection to the mainland. The second was the way in which water and sewer were handled on the island rather than being shipped to Mt. Pleasant. The third was the new Sullivan's Island Elementary School, a facility that Carl felt was ill-conceived and over-built. A referendum on the school was never allowed by Town Council, but the write-in vote on Carl's behalf in the mayoral election of 2013 was considered by many a referendum on the school. There are other accomplishments that Carl remembers with pride during his time as mayor including initiating an architectural survey of the island, designing the town sign at the entrance to the island, recovering and rehabilitating the old bandstand from Ft. Moultrie, erecting the monument in the historic town cemetery, and preserving the historic character of the Devereaux mansion gatehouse. Finally, Smith details his reasons for leaving the island.
A postcard of the Post Chapel in Fort Moutlrie on Sullivan's Island. Back of the postcard reads, "Fort Moultrie on Sullivans island, has figured extensively in history. During the Civil War, the Fort was abandoned, when Charleston Harbor was evacuated in 1865. It is now a modern Coast Atillery Headquarters."
A postcard of the Post Chapel in Fort Moutlrie. Back of the postcard reads, "Fort Moultrie on Sullivans island has figured extensively in history. During the Civil War, the Fort was abandoned, when Charleston Harbor was evacuated in 1865. It is now a modern Coast Atillery Headquarters."
A postcard of the Parade Ground of Fort Moultrie. The back of the postcard reads, "The parade ground of Fort Moultrie, situated on Sullivan's Island was first called Fort Sullivan and later named after General Moultrie. It was originally built of palmetto logs and sand, and here Sergeant Jasper amidst shot and shell, jumped over parapets onto the beach, rescued the flag and put in place again."
A postcard of Fort Moultrie near the Charleston Harbor on Sullivan's Island. The back of the postcard reads, "This fort is built on the site of the palmetto log and sand bag fort which repulsed the British fleet on June 28, 1776."
A postcard of the entrance of Fort Moultrie and the Grave of Osceola. Back of the postcard reads, "Osceola, a famous chief of the Seminole Indians, was born in Florida in 1803. His wife was seized as a slave in 1835, and he began a war which carried on until he was captured. He died in Fort Moultrie in 1837. Fort Moultrie, on Sullivan's Island, has figured extensively in history. During the Civil War the Fort was abandoned, when Charleston Harbor was evacuated in 1865."
A postcard of the entrance to Fort Moultrie. The back of the postcard reads, "Fort Moultrie successfully defended the Harbor against the British Fleet under Sir Peter Parker. Th[illegible] shows the old guns left from past [illegible]ave of Osceola, famed Indian chief, [illegible] the modern coast artillery head-q[uarters]."
A postcard of Osceola's grave and entrance to Fort Moultrie. The back of the postcard reads: "Fort Moultrie successfully defended the harbor against the British fleet under Sir Peter Parker. It is now a modern Coast Artillery Defense and Army Post."
A postcard of the Post Quearters and Parade Ground of Old Fort Moultrie. Back of the postcard reads, "Fort Moultrie on Sullivans Island has figured extensively in history. During the Civil War, the Fort was abandoned, when Charleston Harbor was evacuated in 1865. It is now a modern Coast Atillery Headquarters."
A postcard of Oceola's [sic] gravestone at the enterence of Fort Moultrie. The grave reads, "Patriot and Warrior Died at Fort Moultrie January 30th, 1838." The back of the postcard notes that it was "Made in Germany no. 1938."
A postcard of the highway entrance to Fort Moultrie. The back of the postcard reads, "Shown in this view are the old guns left from past days, the grave of Osceola, famed Indian chief, and the road to the modern coast artillery headquarters. This Fort successfully defended the Harbor against the British Fleet under Sir Peter Parker."
Caption: 'Bombardment of Fort Sumter, as sketched from Morris Island, Charleston Harbor, S.C.' Identified in image: Mortar Battery, Fort Johnson; James Island; City; Castle Pinckney; Fort Sumter; Mount Pleasant; Floating Battery; Mortar Battery; Fort Moultrie; Enfilading Battery; Iron Battery; Sand-bag cover for reserve; Traverse behind Trapier Battery and Magazine covered with sand bags.
Doris Dayhoff was born in a house on Sullivan’s Island on March 5th, 1928. During this interview, she recounts her early childhood growing up on the island. Her father worked as a tugboat captain and an oysterman. Her mother was postmistress at the Atlanticville Post Office. The family home was at Station 26 ½ and Myrtle Avenue on the marsh side of the island, locally referred to as “the back beach.” Property research indicates the land was originally part of a “King’s grant” in the Colonial era. Dayhoff helped her father with his oyster business, selling pints of fresh oysters for only 25 or 50 cents each. Dayhoff attended elementary school on Sullivan’s island. For high school, Dayhoff first attended Memminger on the Charleston peninsula, though she attended and graduated from the newly opened Moultrie School. Much of her time was spent on the beach with friends, and in this interview Dayhoff recounts an instance when one of her friends nearly drowned. Dayhoff also recalled how, despite there being only a few stores on the island, one store operated a delivery service for the residents of the island, including going to the house of customers to take their order. Dayhoff was in high school when World War II started. She described the island’s initial reaction to Pearl Harbor. Like most all the other girls on the island, Dayhoff was recruited during the war to go to the local USO clubs as a volunteer to dance with the servicemen. Dayhoff recounted how some of the airmen would later fly over the beach and dip their wings to say good-bye to the girls as they flew off to war. Dayhoff described the stresses of living on the island during World War II, including blackouts, rationing, and evidence of U-Boat activity. A GI from Ft. Moultrie eventually asked Dayhoff to marry him, which she did. Doris describes in detail the origins of Sullivan’s Island Baptist Church, which she has attended for 68 years. Dayhoff discusses the changes the island has undergone in her lifetime, including the island demographics shift, the accretion of land and increased traffic on the island.
At one time there were so many Schirmers living on Sullivan's Island that the area around Station 19 and the Coast Guard Station earned the nickname, 'Schirmerville.' Ruth DeHaven is a member of that family that can trace its connection with the island back to the marriage of John Elias Schirmer to Helena Sass around 1800. Ruth's father as a young man would canoe to the island with his friends to spend time at a house called the 'Helluvajoint.' As a child, Ruth and her family would pack as many as eight or nine people into their car and as soon as school was out in the spring, drive to Sullivan's Island where they would stay until school started in the fall. Ruth goes on to detail many of the summertime activities she and her family engaged in, including fishing and crabbing on the rocks (jetties), shrimping in the creek, and swimming. After supper the adults usually turned to card games, often joined by 'Vincie' Coste, head of the Coast Guard Station. Other memories revolved around the Coast Guard including the bells that marked the hours, rescues of those in distress, and watching practices with breeches buoys. When the red hurricane flags went up, everyone plus dogs, chickens and goats loaded up the car and headed for Charleston. Ruth also covers relations with Ft. Moultrie, tensions during World War II, internment of German-Americans, disputes over which chickens laid which eggs, and lemon meringue pies. Her family was also close by when a runaway ship hit the Grace Memorial Bridge sending a car with five passengers to their death in 1946. The interview closes with Ruth's impression of the changes that have occurred on the island.
