The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Monday, February 14, 2011

The Grand Strand's Ties to the Civil War-- Part 5

Continued from Jan. 26th.

Taking a closer look at the saltworks at Singleton Swash belonging to the Vaught family during the war, Acting Master Pennell, commanding the USS Ethan Allen, destroyed the works April 23, 1864.

In his report, he said:

"...we found the works much more extensive than I expected, they being partly concealed from the ship by a high sand ridge. There were four separate works, each containing four large pans, the water being raised from the beach by horse power,. leading onto a cistern large enough to contain 100,000 gallons, built of rimber planked and caulked on the inside.

There were 12 pans ready for setting, also timber and materials for extending the works to double its size.

There were about 30 buildings, three of them large warehouses built of heavy logs, containing about 2,000 bushels of salt, a large quantity of rice, corn and bacon.

One of the warehouses was constructed as a blockhouse, with loopholes on all sides."

Quite the Operation. And You Thought the Grand Strand Is Just Suds and Beer. --Old B-Runner

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