Near Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Blockade Runners

Photographed by Craig Swain, May 3, 2010

1. Blockade Runners Marker

Inscription. The Union Navy blockaded Charleston Harbor from 1861-65, but blockade runners continued to slip in and out, carrying cargo crucial to the economic and military survival of the South. Using neutral ports like Bermuda and Nassau, blockade runners brought food, medicine, weapons, ammunition, and manufactured goods from Europe. They left primarily with cotton, but also carried diplomats, dispatches, and various products and valuables.

The risk of capture or sinking by Union warships was great, but so were the rewards. One voyage could bring a profit of $100,000. Despite the blockade, seventy-five percent of the runs were successful.

Erected by Fort Sumter National Monument, South Carolina - National Park Service - U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, US Civil • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1899.

Location. 32° 45.131′ N, 79° 52.445′ W. Marker is near Charleston, South Carolina, in Charleston County. It can be reached from the 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

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least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Ironclads Attack (a few steps from this marker); Controlling the Harbor (a few steps from this marker); H.L. Hunley (a few steps from this marker); Star of the West (within shouting distance of this marker); 6.4-Inch (100-Pounder) Parrott (within shouting distance of this marker); The Columbiad (within shouting distance of this marker); 8-inch (200 Pounder) Parrott (within shouting distance of this marker); Night Attack (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Charleston.

More about this marker. At the bottom of the marker is a line drawing of a blockade runner. Mary Bowers (1864), a typical blockade runner, was powered by steam and sail. With a long, low profile and shallow draft, she could swiftly and quietly evade Union ships. Blockade runners were often painted gray to blend with the sea and fog. Rainy weather and dark, moonless nights were idea for a run into port.

On the upper right is a contemporary drawing showing a scene from the blockade. Union monitors approach a blockade runner trapped in shallow water near Charleston, 1865. Many ship were captured or sunk. The remains fo the blockade runner Minho, sunk in 1862, lie near the red channel buoy visible ahead.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 4, 2013

2. Blockade Runners Marker

Photographed by Craig Swain, May 3, 2010

3. Blockade Runners Marker

Main Channel Entrance to Charleston Harbor image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, May 3, 2010

4. Main Channel Entrance to Charleston Harbor

The Minho, mentioned on the marker, sank just off Sullivan's Island. The island's lighthouse appears in the distance just left of center.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 14, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,728 times since then and 72 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on May 14, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2. submitted on September 23, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 3, 4. submitted on May 14, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.