Near Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Holding the Fort
Photographed by Craig Swain, May 3, 2010
1. Holding the Fort Marker
Daily dispatches from Fort Sumter in 1863 tell of the struggle:
August 14 - A force of 470 laborers and mechanics has been engaged, in two reliefs, day and night, upon the defenses of the fort...
August 18 - The enemy opened fire with rapidity at 5 a.m. and continued till 7 p.m. Eight hundred and seventy-six shots and shells were fired; 452 struck outside, 244 inside, and 180 passed over.
August 24 - Force of 210 negros engaged all night in strengthening western magazine.... The flag-staff was shot away twice. The whole garrison worked all night.
September 4 - There is now not a single gun en barbette .... The northeastern and northwestern terre plein have fallen in... The greater portion of southern wall is down. The eastern wall is very nearly shot away....
Erected by Fort Sumter National Monument, South Carolina - National Park
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is February 17, 1863.
Location. 32° 45.157′ N, 79° 52.493′ W. Marker is near Charleston, South Carolina, in Charleston County. It can be reached from Fort Sumter Ferry Terminal. Located at Fort Sumter National Monument and only reached by boat. See links below for more information about access to the site. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Charleston SC 29412, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Historic Charleston and in the Lowcountry. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. 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 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: 15-Inch Rodman (a few steps from this marker); Arming the Fort (a few steps from this marker); Mining Casemate (a few steps from this marker); 8-Inch Columbiad (a few steps from this marker); 42-Pounder, Banded and Rifled (a few steps from this marker); Fort Sumter Today (a few steps from this marker); 10-Inch Mortar, Model 1819 (a few steps from this marker); Fort Sumter 1861-65 (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Charleston.
More about this marker. On the upper right is a photo showing the fort in 1861. Confederates pose on the terreplein of the gorge, April 15, 1861, unaware of the long years of war and the terrible siege that lay ahead. Across the center of the marker
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 4, 2013
2. Holding the Fort Marker
Also see . . . Fort Sumter. The National Park Service web site offers many documents detailing the fort's history and role IN history. (Submitted on May 11, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
Photographed by Craig Swain, May 3, 2010
3. Markers and Cannons in Front of the Right Flank Casemates
Photographed by Craig Swain, May 3, 2010
4. Walls of Fort Sumter
The walls of Fort Sumter, particularly where brick is exposed, show the signs of wartime damage, repairs, and renovations over the years. In some sections, metal debris remains in the walls.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 11, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,252 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on May 11, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2. submitted on August 4, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 3, 4. submitted on May 11, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.
