Photo Information

Originally a Confederate fortress, Fort Pulaski was hit by Union cannon fire during the Civil War. The breach in the building's southeast wall led to the Union's takeover, led by Maj. Gen. David Hunter, who immediately ordered the release of slaves in that area. Fort Pulaski is located approximately 15 minutes east of Savannah and is one of many historic fortifications in the Lowcountry.

Photo by Special to The Boot

Military roots run deep in Lowcountry's history

29 Aug 2005 | Cpl. Matt Barkalow Marine Corps Training and Education Command

The area between Charleston and Savannah, known as the Lowcountry, is rich in history and heritage. Over the years, there have been various people and groups that have made their mark in making the Lowcountry what it is today. One such group of people are the service members that have given their effort, time and sometimes their lives, in order to protect these areas.

According to Dr. Stephen Wise, curator for the Parris Island Museum, the Lowcountry's military presence is among one of the most significant in the nation, both in numbers and impact.

"This area is among the top in the nation for high military presence," Wise said. "The military has been the economic cornerstone of the Beaufort area since the late nineteenth century."

Early European Settlement
According to information from Wise, the island was inhabited by the Native American Escamacus tribe for more than 4,000 years until the Spanish and French arrived. The Spanish and French fought each other and the Escamacus for possession of  the area now called Parris Island and its nearby waterways, leaving behind artifacts such as cannon balls, arrow tips from Spanish crossbows and samples of wood used to build forts.

Revolutionary War Era
During the American Revolution, inhabitants of Parris Island supported the Patriot cause and served as members of the local militia. In 1779, they were called upon to defend Beaufort in the Battle of Port Royal Island, also known as Gray's Hill, according to museum records. The hard-fought battle successfully prevented the British from capturing the port.
Other major battles fought around the Lowcountry during the Revolutionary War were the British attack on Americans at Coosawatchie and the 1779 swamp march to Savannah.

Civil War Era
According to Wise, Parris Island helped with the Union's war efforts by becoming a massive Federal military base from which attacks were launched against Charleston, Savannah and Florida.

Among those involved in the fight for the Union was the 1st South Carolina Regiment, the first African-American regiment.

In April 1862, Union troops directed rifled cannon fire to the southeast wall of Fort Pulaski, about 15 minutes east of Savannah, causing a breach of the fort. After capturing the fort, Union Maj. Gen. David Hunter ordered the release of area slaves, many of whom were recruited by the 1st South Carolina Regiment, according to the Fort Pulaski portion of the National Park Service's Web site, www.nps.gov.

Another area fort, Fort James Jackson, also near Savannah, is one of only eight forts built prior to 1812 still standing in the United States, according to the Coastal Heritage Society Web site at www.chsgeorgia.org. It served as headquarters for the Confederate Savannah River defenses during the war. However, in December 1864, fearing an attack from the North, the Confederate soldiers abandoned the fort and tossed all ammunition and other equipment into the water. Troops from the 29th Ohio and 28th Pennsylvania regiments entered the fort the next morning and raised the Stars and Stripes over the parade ground.

Post Civil War to 1930s
After the Civil War, the Lowcountry saw an upstart of new military installations built for the protection of local waterways and towns from Spanish invasion during the Spanish-American War.

Construction of Fort Fremont on St. Helena Island began in 1895 to protect ports from potential Spanish threats, according to information from www.co.beaufort.sc.us. Fort Fremont had a total of six guns and 108 soldiers by the early 1900s. However, not a single shot was fired from the fort in battle.

According to the same Web site, Fort Screven on Tybee Island, 15 miles southeast of Savannah, was established in 1898 to also serve as coastal fortification and was armed with 20 guns. The fort was active in the Spanish-American War as well as both World War I and World War II.

In 1907, a fire spread through downtown Beaufort, engulfing many stores, restaurants, offices and residences in flames. A squad from Fort Fremont was called in to assist in putting out the fire and serving as guards to prevent looting.

Just hours after the fires were put to rest, an African-American man named William Bennett was shot and killed while looking at the devastation near the old People's Bank downtown. It caused an uprising in the city and a company of troops from Fort Screven came in to preserve order in the city and assist with relief efforts from the fire.

By 1910, however, the relationship between soldiers at Fort Fremont and locals became sour. Violence had erupted between artillerymen and African-American civilians involving the sale of illegal liquor by the locals. There were several fights and gunfights. One of the soldiers killed during a brawl with locals was Pvt. Frank Quigley, whom many Beaufort locals were social with from his participation in a local baseball team. It is rumored that Quigley is the ghostly Land's End Light, a ghost story told and experienced by many locals.

During this time, Parris Island had become the site for an officer's training school, a recruit depot and a disciplinary barracks.

World War II to Present
During World War II, Parris Island's Page Field was upgraded to a Marine Corps Air Station, according to Wise.

Installations outside Parris Island also became important during that time. Marine Corps Defense Battalion training took place at Camp McDougal on Hilton Head Island. The Coast Guard used Hilton Head as a training ground for horse and dog specialists for beach patrols. Beaufort also supported a Naval Air Station, which is known today as Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.

Currently, Parris Island continues to train Marines, and MCAS Beaufort continues to provide support in times of war, with constant deployments and training operations.

Marines at both installations number in the thousands and contribute to the local economy and social environment.

Marine Corps Training and Education Command