“A fort made of palmetto tree logs defended Charleston from British attack in 1776.” Remember that as we approach Palmetto Fort. It stands as a testament to South Carolina’s resilience.
Palmetto Fort is located in Christ Church Parish. It sits in Hamlin Sound, Charleston County. This historic artillery battery was built in late 1861. Palmetto Fort marked the easternmost end of the Christ Church Parish defense line.
Charlestonians never forgot the British. They traveled past unfortified Cole Island during the American Revolution. The British went up the Stono River. They seized Charleston.
Fort Palmetto was built on Cole Island during the War of 1812. Its purpose was to prevent the British from repeating their earlier success.
When the Civil War began, Confederates put gun positions on Cole Island. They aimed to stop the Union from encircling Charleston. Some original gun positions are still visible. Palmetto trees and vegetation are now claiming them.
From this island, Robert Smalls played a daring role. Smalls was a slave on the ship Planter. He loaded cannons from Cole Island. He sailed to Charleston. There, he escaped to the Union naval blockade. He brought the ship, cannons, fellow slaves, and their families.
The Union later occupied Cole Island. The 54th Massachusetts Regiment spent a night on Cole Island. This was before their attack on Fort Wagner, featured in the movie Glory.
At the end of the Civil War, Palmetto Fort had some serious firepower. The battery mounted one nine-inch gun. It also had two rifled thirty-two pounders. The earthen redoubt is about 160 feet long. Its width is 80 feet. A 15-foot high parapet wall stands strong. A powder magazine rises about 25 feet.
Palmetto Fort earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
Today, Palmetto Fort is part of Fort Palmetto Park. This park is within the Oyster Point community. The Town of Mount Pleasant opened it in 2015.
The palmetto tree became a symbol of resilience and victory. This happened after the Revolutionary War. South Carolinians celebrate Carolina Day every year. It marks the anniversary of the battle. In Charleston newspapers, it was once called Palmetto Day. Charitable societies and militia groups also took the tree’s name. The Palmetto Guard was one example.
In January 1861, South Carolina made its first official flag law. It featured the same symbols we see today. A crescent sits in the top left corner. It was a symbol used by Moultrie’s 2nd South Carolina Militia during the Revolution. The palmetto tree in the center stands for the fort’s resilient logs.
The Palmetto Guard enthusiastically joined the attack on Fort Sumter. This occurred on April 12, 1861. They were stationed on Morris Island. When U.S. troops evacuated Fort Sumter, the Palmetto Guard raised its flag. It showed a green/brown tree and a red star. The palmetto symbol became fully integrated into the Confederacy.
So remember Palmetto Fort. It stands as a reminder of Charleston’s history. It embodies the spirit of resilience.