James Island in Secessionville in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Riversville / Battle of Secessionville
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 6, 2013
1. Riversville Marker
Riversville
Riversville, an antebellum village of fourteen acres, with seven lots on Savannah (later Secessionville) Creek, was established here in 1851 by Constant H. Rivers (1829-1910), who believed that the sandy soils and marsh breezes of James Island would protect inhabitants from the "malarious gases" common to the coast during the summer months.
(Reverse text)
Battle of Secessionville
The village, renamed Secessionville by early 1861, gave its name to the battle fought nearby on June 16, 1862, in which Confederates repulsed numerous Federal assaults on an earthwork built across the peninsula and crushed Union hopes for an early occupation of Charleston. A water battery overlooking the marsh to the northeast was one of several earthworks built here in 1862 and 1863.
Erected 1999 by Chicora Foundation, Inc. (Marker Number 10-34.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Settlements & Settlers • War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1740.
Location. 32° 42.365′ N, 79° 56.339′ W. Marker is in Secessionville, South Carolina, in Charleston County. It is on James Island. Marker is on Fort Lamar Road, on the left when traveling east
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Battle of Secessionville (approx. 0.4 miles away); Secessionville (approx. 0.4 miles away); Battery Number 5 (approx. 0.9 miles away); Battery Reed (approx. 0.9 miles away); Redoubt Number 3 (approx. 1.4 miles away); Hunter's Volunteers (approx. 1.8 miles away); Mosquito Beach (approx. 1.9 miles away); Battery Haskell (approx. 2.3 miles away).
Also see . . .
1. Brigadier General Henry Washington Benham. USA. He disobeyed orders and was subject to a court martial after the battle of James Island in June 16, 1862, at which he was in immediate command under Gen David Hunter (Submitted on April 8, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)
2. Nathan George "Shanks" Evans , CSA. He was placed in command of the First Military District which included Secessionville, just days before the battle there, but played little part in it. (Submitted on April 8, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)
Photographed By Mike Stroud, April 6, 2010
2. Riversville / Battle of Secessionville Marker
Photographed By Mike Stroud, April 6, 2010
3. Riversville Marker, looking east, where the paved road ends
Photographed By Mike Stroud, April 6, 2010
4. Battle of Secessionville Marker
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 6, 2013
5. Riversville / Battle of Secessionville Marker
Photographed By Mike Stroud, April 6, 2010
6. Riversville / Battle of Secessionville Marker, looking back west along Fort Lamar Road
The U.S. Army Center for Military History
7. Nathan George "Shanks" Evans , CSA
Civil War glass negative collection, Library of Congress
8. Brigadier General Henry Washington Benham. USA
Photographed By Mike Stroud, April 6, 2010
9. Nearby Battle of Secessionville Markers
Photographed By Mike Stroud, April 6, 2010
10. Battle of Secessionville , Fort Lamar , earthworks defense
Photographed By Mike Stroud, April 6, 2010
11. Confederate earthworks, as mentioned, part of Fort Lamar
Photographed By Mike Stroud, April 6, 2010
12. Fort Lamar earthworks
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 8, 2010, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 2,699 times since then and 69 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on August 6, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 8, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 5. submitted on August 6, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. submitted on April 8, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.
