Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Fort Moultrie
Photographed by Craig Swain, May 3, 2010
1. Fort Moultrie Marker
Fort Moultrie, on Sullivan's Island directly in front of you, had been an early harbor defense and was the site of Charleston's famous Revolutionary War palmetto-log fort. Fort Sumter was built here on a shoal opposite Fort Moultrie when America strengthened its seacoast defenses after the War of 1812. Charleston's narrow main ship channel passed between the two forts. Enemy ships venturing there would be trapped in a crossfire of cannon.
With the surrender of Fort Sumter in 1861, Union forces evacuated, leaving Charleston's defenses in Confederate hands. The South effectively controlled the harbor from 1861-65 despite Union blockade and bombardment, and the port of Charleston remained open to daring blockade runners supplying the South.
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: Forts and Castles • War, US Civil • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1812.
Location. 32° 45.141′ N, 79° 52.475′ W. Marker is in Charleston, South Carolina, in Charleston County. It can be reached from the Fort Sumter Ferry
this page online
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: Flags of the Fort (here, next to this marker); Charleston Besieged (a few steps from this marker); Fort Johnson (a few steps from this marker); Morris Island (a few steps from this marker); Major Robert Anderson (a few steps from this marker); 8-inch (200 Pounder) Parrott (a few steps from this marker); Fort Sumter Today (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Sumter 1861-65 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Charleston.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Morris Island (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
More about this marker. On the lower left is a map of Charleston harbor with the defenses noted. This 1863 map illustrates the strategic importance of Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter in controlling the entrance to Charleston Harbor; the narrow main ship channel passed between the two forts. The currents of Charleston Harbor are constantly shifting, and today's channel differs from that of the 1860s.
On the upper right is a portrait of Major Robert
Photographed by Craig Swain, May 3, 2010
2. Map of Charleston Harbor
In the bottom right is an illustration depicting the Federal evacuation of Fort Moultrie. Major Robert Anderson secretly evacuated Fort Moultrie on the night of December 26, 1860, moving his command to Fort Sumter. South Carolina had seceded from the Union six days before, and Anderson realized that his eighty-five men could not hold Fort Moultrie against attack. The move infuriated the secessionists who felt that all harbor forts belonged to South Carolina.
Also see . . . Fort Moultrie. National Park Service page for Fort Moultrie. (Submitted on May 18, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
Photographed by Craig Swain, May 3, 2010
3. Fort Moultrie Marker
Photographed by Craig Swain, May 3, 2010
4. Sullivan's Island From Fort Sumter
Fort Moultrie stands in the distant center, on Sullivan's Island.
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 3, 2013
5. Fort Moultrie
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 3, 2013
6. Fort Moultrie on Sullivans Island
Credits. This page was last revised on January 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 18, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,828 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 18, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 5, 6. submitted on August 18, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.
