Bluffton in Beaufort County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
The Burning of Bluffton
Photographed by Glen Umberger, May 18, 2022
1. The Burning of Bluffton Marker, Side One
Bluffton, an antebellum planters' summer village, was virtually abandoned by its seasonal and year-round inhabitants when Federal forces captured Beaufort and Port Royal in November 1861. Confederate forces used it as an outpost to watch Port Royal Sound and the Charleston & Savannah RR. Early on June 4, 1863, an expedition of some 1,000 Federals landed at Hunting Island Plantation, then marched to Bluffton.
Confederate pickets raised the alarm but could not offer immediate resistance and the Federals surprised a small Confederate force camped on the May River. A brief skirmish ended when shells from a Federal gunboat drove the Confederates away. Federal infantry then burned some 40 houses and other outbuildings, about two-thirds of the village. The Charleston Mercury called the Federal raid on Bluffton "an outrage."
Erected 2015 by South Carolina Department of Archives and History; sponsored by Lowcountry Civil War Round Table. (Marker Number 7-43.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is June 4, 1863.
Location. 32° 14.068′ N, 80° 51.68′ W.
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Regionally, this marker is in the Lowcountry and on the Sea Islands. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Town of Bluffton, South Carolina (here, next to this marker); Campbell Chapel A.M.E. (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Bluffton United Methodist Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Town of Bluffton, South Carolina
Photographed by Glen Umberger, May 18, 2022
2. The Burning of Bluffton Marker, Side Two
Credits. This page was last revised on May 30, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 29, 2023, by Glen Umberger of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 2,511 times since then and 401 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 29, 2023, by Glen Umberger of Bluffton, South Carolina. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
