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.