Near Tybee Island in Chatham County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)

Key to the South

Fort Pulaski National Monument

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, April 30, 2019

1. Key to the South Marker

Inscription. The Union Army took control of Hilton Head Island after the Battle of Port Royal Sound in November 1861. More than 15,000 Union troops landed on the island to establish a large military base. From Hilton Head, Union forces conducted military actions along the South Atlantic coastline. These troops supported Union efforts to blockade southern ports and establish footholds in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. They also provided support for attacks on Fort Pulaski and Fort Sumter.

Erected by 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. A significant historical year for this entry is 1861.

Location. 32° 1.662′ N, 80° 53.421′ W. Marker is near Tybee Island, Georgia, in Chatham County. Marker can be reached from Fort Pulaski Road, one mile north of U.S. 80. Marker is located at Fort Pulaski National Monument, atop the rampart on the north side of the fort. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Tybee Island GA 31328, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Model 1859 Seacoast Carriage (here, next to this marker); This Memorial Commemorates The Act Of... (a few steps from this marker); Hot Shot Furnace (within shouting distance of this

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marker); Powder Magazine (within shouting distance of this marker); Red-hot Shot (within shouting distance of this marker); Changing Landscape (within shouting distance of this marker); German Volunteers (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); 4.5 Inch Blakely Rifle (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tybee Island.

Also see . . . Battle of Port Royal, 7 November 1861. The occupation of Port Royal Bay gave the U.S. Navy an invaluable base for the rest of the war. The bay was used as a supply depot and coaling station, essential facilities if a fleet of steamships is to maintain a close blockade of a long coast. This allowed blockades along the Atlantic coast by occupying the coastal islands and blocking the channels that connected the river ports to the sea. Savannah itself was soon blocked in exactly this way, when Federal forces captured Fort Pulaski in April 1862. (Submitted on May 22, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Marker detail: Daufuskie Island • Union soldiers occupied island plantations image. Click for full size.

2. Marker detail: Daufuskie Island • Union soldiers occupied island plantations

Marker detail: Hilton Head Island • Union supply base, staging area, and naval maintenance facility image. Click for full size.

3. Marker detail: Hilton Head Island • Union supply base, staging area, and naval maintenance facility

Key to the South Marker (<i>wide view; marker atop rampart • Savannah River in background</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, April 30, 2019

4. Key to the South Marker (wide view; marker atop rampart • Savannah River in background)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 23, 2019. It was originally submitted on May 21, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 181 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 22, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.