Fort Pulaski - Part III

When we came back down to the parade ground we found a guy sitting next to the wall with a map spread out in front of him.  The map was a nautical map of the area's waterways including the Atlantic, the Savannah River, and several other smaller bodies.

He had a number of routes and notations marked on the map.  Abigail asked him where we were located, so he showed her Cockspur Island on the map.

He then proceeded to explain the different places on the map and how they were relevant to the purpose of the fort and the battle to take control of the fort.  He did a great job answering the questions of two very young children.

This room served as Colonel Olmstead's quarters when the Confederates occupied the fort.  He surrendered to the Union attackers on April 11, 1862.

 This room was the commanding officer's quarters when the Union troops held the fortifications.  According to the signs "Colonel Brown's wife added a woman's touch in these harsh surroundings by acquiring furniture confiscated from Southern homes in Bluffton, South Carolina," located just north of the border.

 This was the Federal medical dispensary where medicine was stored and wounded men were treated.

 Federal Officer's Mess.

When we wandered into the Federal Officers' Quarters we found a fire going as staff were awaiting the arrival of a group.  The signage explained that "[t]he officers' casemates were more comfortable than those of the enlisted men, still there was a great scarcity of furniture.  After several expeditions to Southern homes at Bluffton, South Carolina--miles by boat--the quarters were useful and attractively furnished."

 Soldiers reported to the guardroom for two-hour shifts.  They would be on-shift for two and then off for four hours in a cycle that lasted for the whole day.

 Here you can see the drawbridge mechanism.  As is typical of a defensive structure, raising the drawbridge was the easy part, involving releasing brakes.

"To lower the drawbridge, four men inserted bars in the drums at either end of the crankshaft and wound the iron balls back into place.  As the bridge went down, the portcullis withdrew into its slot above the door."

Though the visitor center was closed there was a well-stocked bookstore inside the fort.

 The entrance of the fort looks quite impressive and defensible from inside.

 As I left the fort it was quiet so I was able to grab a couple 360° shots without interference.

I took my shots just in time as I went to leave the demilune I ran into a large school group just entering the area for a field trip.  I'm quite glad that local kids get to take field trips like this, but I'm just as glad when I'm not touring a fort along with dozens of rowdy kids.

Though we still had a ways to drive we decided to explore just a bit more of the island before we left.  I'll cover that in my next post.

~Matt