Harbor Defense 1809-1860

Harbor Defense 1809-1860 (HMLCX)

Location: Sullivans Island, SC 29482 Charleston County
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Country: United States of America
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N 32° 45.571', W 79° 51.487'

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Inscription

Fort Moultrie III and the War of 1812

The War of 1812 saw Fort Moultrie III armed with 12-, 18-, and 24-pounder smoothbore cannon on garrison carriages designed to fire through embrasures in the parapet wall. British warships blockaded Charleston, but never came within range of Moultrie's guns.

Troubles with Britain caused Congress in 1807 to authorize a "second system" of forts on the Atlantic coast to guard harbors, river outlets, and seaports. Fort Moultrie III, completed in 1909, protected Charleston harbor.

Forts such as Moultrie were designed to defend against wooden sailing vessels armed with smoothbore cannon.

The fort had a hot shot furnace for heating solid shot. A red hot cannonball lodged in a ship's timbers could start a disastrous fire.

After the War of 1812, America updated its coastal forts. In the 1830s and 40s we modified Fort Moultrie's parapet, bricked up the embrasures, and replaced its old cannon with 18-, 24-, and 32-pounder cast iron guns. At that time the entire fort looked about as this northwest bastion does now.

(Diagram at the bottom lists the ranges of the various guns, but the text has faded)
Details
HM NumberHMLCX
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Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Friday, October 3rd, 2014 at 11:25pm PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)17S E 606961 N 3625204
Decimal Degrees32.75951667, -79.85811667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 32° 45.571', W 79° 51.487'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds32° 45' 34.26" N, 79° 51' 29.22" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)843
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 1201 Middle St, Sullivans Island SC 29482, US
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