Yorktown Battlefield

Yorktown was the only appropriate place to end this trip. When you are taking a travel class focusing on the Southern Theater during the American Revolution, ending in Yorktown is a no brainier. At the time the Siege of Yorktown occurred, the American Revolution had been on going for 7 years. Both the British and Patriots had seen decisive victories. Following the bloody Battle of Guilford Courthouse, British General, Cornwallis needed to find a port in order to replenish supplies. In 1781, Cornwallis brought his troops to Yorktown. This fatal move eventually led to the surrender of the British and allowed the American cause to prevail.  

 Above: Map highlighting other major battles occurring

 in the Southern Theater. All of these battles paved the way

for the victory at Yorktown. 

Patriot hopes for victory at Yorktown relied on both the use of the French navy and the strategic placement of land troops. Under the command of French Admiral de Grasse, thirty-four French naval ships headed for the coast of Virginia. When they reached the coast of Yorktown, the fight with the British fleet began. The French fleet defeated the British in only a few hours.  British Admiral, Thomas Graves was forced to abandon Cornwallis and return to New York.

Above: Map highlighting the Naval Battle. 

 

American troops were under the command of General George Washington and French General Comte de Rochambea. On October 14th, American forces were able to capture the last two major British defense. Between the French and American forces, the Patriots had almost 19, 000 troops fighting on their side. The British had a mere 9, 000 troops. Cornwallis was trapped. The British troops surrendered two days later. The Siege of Yorktown was the last major battle of the American Revolution. Peace negotiations began shortly after the American victory. 

Above: Picture of the Yorktown Battlefield (facing the visitor's center).

 

Above: Cannons on display at the Battlefield.

 

One of my favorite parts of Yorktown was seeing the Surrender Field. In general, I love the irony in the story of the British surrender. Allow me to briefly explain this anecdote. The Battle of Charleston occurred in the Spring of 1780. Unlike Yorktown, this siege was a British victory. American troops requested to surrender with full military honors. The British disrespectfully denied this request. When Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, he made the same request. The Americans denied his request. The British were forced to surrender at Yorktown with the same honor received by the Americans at Charleston.  In more than one aspect, Yorktown redeemed the American cause.

Above: Picture of the Surrender Field

Above: Display of Washington's Victory Announcement.

Above: Cornwallis admits defeat

Above: Display of flags. French (furthest away), 

the American (middle), and the British.

Fort Moultrie

Fort Moultire

I have a confession to make, prior to taking this course, I had never heard of General William Moultrie or Fort Moultrie. Who knows, maybe I was taught the material, but I certainly did not retain the information. It could be as something as simple as not being in class that day, or skipping the  required readings for something less important, like binge watching something on Netflix. Whatever the case is, I am so grateful I had a chance to learn the history of Fort Moultrie. 

Above: Fort Moultrite Visitor Center Sign

 Above: Backside of Fort Moultrie. I tried so hard to capture a photo with the flag blowing, 

but the wind just would not cooperate. Oh well, this Fort has seen worse struggles.

Fort Moultrie has had a place in a number of major conflicts, including: the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, and World War II.  However, for the purposes of this post, I really want to focus on the role of Moultrie during the Revolution (I mean after all, that is what the course was focusing on).

 Above: You can see Fort Sumter from Fort Moultrie. 

Above: What a fine looking group of people. 

 

Fort Moultrie was a huge deal during the American Revolution. Located on Sullivan Island, in the Charleston Harbor, the Fort was a necessity for the Patriots. As South Carolina was fighting for Independence, Charleston became the center of Revolutionary conflict. The Patriots knew keeping Charleston in their hands was a critical in winning the War. As a way of fighting off British attacks, the Patriots assembled Fort Moultrie.

 Above: Map showing the location of 

Sullivan Island in relation to Charleston.

Key Revolutionary War Patriot, General William Moultrie oversaw the building of the Fort. Construction began in December 1775. Both soldiers and slaves made the fort using palmetto logs and sand. Fort Moultrie saw its first battle of the Revolution on June 28th, 1776 when ten British war ships attacked Sullivan Island. At the time of the attack, the backside of the Fort was not complete.

Above: Model demonstrating how palmetto logs and 

sand were used in the construction of the fort.

Despite not having a completed Fort, the Patriots were still able to withstand British attack. Because of this decisive victory, the British did not take control of Charleston until 1780. Without the victory of the men who fought at Fort Moultrie, the British may have taken control of Charleston in 1776. If this would have happened, it may have drastically changed the outcome of the Revolutionary War.

 Above: Backside of Visitor's Center (as seen from the fort). 

 

Despite a cheesy outdated video, the Visitor Center does an excellent job explaining the history of the Fort. Not only does the Museum  explain the history of the Fort, they elaborate on the various phases of Fort Moultire. If you are ever in Charleston (which you need to make a point to go), visiting Fort Moultrie is a must.

   

Charleston, South Carolina

I have always wanted to visit Charleston, South Carolina. I thought after today I would be able to cross it off my bucket list. However, I was completely wrong. There is so much to do and see in the beautiful seaport town of Charleston. Needless to say, my bucket list has been updated to say "spend at least a week in Charleston".

Picture of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. Taken from the boardwalk. 

Maybe it is because I am bias, but being near the water was one of my favorite parts of the day. Going to the pier is a must see if you are in Charleston. I mean seriously, there is a gorgeous water view, delicious local restaurants, and historical sites. What else could you ask for?  Being near the ocean, the palm trees, and smelling the salt water in the air made me feel a little closer to home. We even had the opportunity to see dolphins in the water. The dolphins were sneaky and went underwater before I could capture a picture, but it was still really neat to see. 

We were able to view the water from a boardwalk area. The ocean alone was beautiful, but the area surrounding the walking path was scenic on its own. The walking area had two fountains nearby that provided a nice breeze from the sun. There were also palm trees in the area that really helped put on the finishing seaport touches.

 Above: One of the fountains near the water.

Above: The shady walkway near the water. 

There is more than just beautiful scenery near the pier. You can also see a few historical sites from the water. For starters, if you turn away from the water (I know it’s hard, why would you ever want to look away, but trust me) and face the street you are able to see the backside of the United States Custom House. The front side of the United States Customs House is located on East Bay Street. Looking at the architecture of the infrastructure makes you feel like you are looking back in time. The Custom House has been in use since its completion in 1879.

Above: Back of the United States Custom House

From the water, you are also able to see Castle Pinckney. For six weeks during the Civil War, this area was used as a Prisoner of War camp. The Castle is located one mile off the shore of Charleston. The area was originally a fort used in the 1797. Like many forts, it was designed to protect the city from a naval attack.

Above: Castle Pinckney 

 

Saying Charleston is a phenomenal city is an understatement. If you have not had the chance, you must make a point to visit this lovely city. If you have been there, chances are, you are ready to go back.

The Circus Museum

The Ringling Museum is located in Sarasota, Florida, and is by far one of my favorite places in the Sunshine State.  The Museum was originally the home of John and Mabel Ringling. The Ringlings played a critical role in the history of Florida, and the development of the Sarasota area. The Museum curators work to preserve the legacy of the Ringlings. The estate covers 66 acres, and consist of three main parts, the Ca’d’zan, the Museum of Art, and the Circus Museum.

Ca’d’zan means “House of John”, and the picturesque mansion was the winter home of John and Mabel. The manor is often referred to as the " last Gilded Age mansion”. The home features Venetian Gothic architecture, and captures the elegance of the Roaring Twenties.  

 Front view of the Ca'd'zan

 Back view

Among their many interest, John and Mabel were art connoisseurs. For the majority of his life, John dedicated a great deal of time in building his extensive art collection.  When John died in 1936, he bequeathed his collection to the State of Florida. The Art Museum displays John’s collection, and other collections that have been acquired over the years. Over 31 galleries are on display at the Art Museum.  John Paul Ruben was a favorite of the Ringlings, and the museum has an extensive collection of Ruben’s paintings. The Art Museum also has a breath taking courtyard displaying awe-inspiring statues. 

Front view of the Courtyard

 Back view of the Courtyard

All parts of the Ringling Museum are gorgeous, and a must see if you are ever in the area. Because of my peculiar fascination with circus history, I will be spending the remainder of my blog focusing on the circus part of the Ringling Museum. 

By the end of the Gilded Age, the name “Ringling” had become a household name in America. This was because of  the circus created by John, and his four brothers. The Ringling circus was founded in 1880 by, John, Alfred, Otto, Al, Alf T., and Charles Ringling.  The Ringling Brothers’ circus began as a family owned business, and the brothers made sure their circus upheld their founding family values. Inspiration for starting the circus came from the brothers attending a circus with their father. Following the family outing, the brothers were inspired to start their own circus. Their circus was a grassroots business, and began in the family back yard. After playing for a season in their back yard, they eventually arranged to rent out the town hall of their hometown. As with many cities during this time, the small Midwest town of Baraboo, Wisconsin was desperate for the entertainment the Ringling circus provided. In 1882, after their back yard season, the Ringlings literally decided to take their show on the road.

The Ringling circus began to travel all over the contiguous United States and each brother played a distinct role in the management of the circus. Alfred, the oldest brother, became in charge of organizing entertainment acts, and costumes. Otto was the frugal one in the family, and was in charge of finances. Alf used his charisma for public relations, and was in charge of advertising for the circus. Charles was responsible for the orchestra and synchronizing music with various circus acts. John coordinated the circus routes, and determined where the circus would stop. In 1890, when the circus switched from wagon to rail, John managed railroad routes for the circus. 

In an indirect way, all of the exhibits at the Circus Museum pay tribute to one of the Ringling brothers. The museum has an abundant display of various circus costumes, and pictures of numerous circus acts. In the interactive center, there are clips of famous circus performances (I will spend more time on the interactive center in a little bit, there is actually a lot of fun things there). There is a great display of circus posters, and clips of newspapers advertising the circus. Some of the newspaper articles and posters include information about the financial side of the circus. Clips of music used in the circus are located through out the different displays. The Museum includes information on the circus switching from wagon to rail; furthermore, some copies of circus routes are on display. There is even a former circus wagon cart on display. 

"Wisconsin" , a former circus wagon. 

 Picture of the calliope. The Calliope is able to produce 

music by sending steam through the large whistles. 

One of the coolest features of the Circus Museum is the “World’s Largest Miniature Circus”. The circus model is 3,800 square feet, and took over 50 years to build. The model is mind-blowing, and covers every imaginable detail of the circus.  On the outskirts of the miniature circus, there is a timeline of circus history. The timeline emphasizes major events, changes, and people in the circus. I have a few pictures of the incredible miniature circus, but they do not do the work of art justice. If you have time, you should watch this short video to see the full model. 

I truly love all parts of this Museum, and picking a favorite part is like choosing a favorite child (or at least what I would imagine choosing a favorite child to feel like). However, I can say without hesitation, that the interactive center is filled with fun activities. The interactive center gives you a chance to walk a tight rope (trust me, it is not as easy as it looks), stand by a fierce faux tiger, and practice your equestrian acts on a steel horse. You can even make an appearance in your very own circus poster, and learn how to properly apply your clown make-up (you know, just in case this whole grad school thing does not work out). 

 Just practicing my equestrian skills. 

 My Mom, fearless facing the tiger. 

 My Dad and me making a guest appearance on a circus poster. 

Because, after all, it is not a family outing without a little bit of cheesiness.

 

Just like the circus, this museum is a must see for ladies, gentlemen, and boys and girls of all ages.