Folly Island, South Carolina, in the Civil War-- Part 1: 13,000 Union Troops There At One Time

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about the Civil War cannonballs found on Folly Island in the wake of Hurricane Matthew and I got to wondering about the role the island played during the war.

From the Civil War Album.

Federal troops occupied the island in 1863.  At one point, there were over 13,000 Union troops stationed there, including the 7th Connecticut, which regiment I am writing about right now in my Civil War Navy blog, Running the Blockade.  (And research on that regiment started because of research on General Amos Hall from the War of 1812 in my Not So Forgotten blog on that war. I had found out he had served in the 7th Connecticut during the American Revolution)

At the time of Union occupation, it was relatively uninhabited and the federal soldiers constructed the first system of roads to allow ambulances to transport the wounded and for communications.

--Old Secesh

Hurricane Matthew Washes Up Civil War Cannonballs in S.C.-- Part 5: What Type of Projectile and How'd They Get There?

Members of the United states Air Force Explosive Ordnance Team, Folly Beach Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services and Charleston County's Sheriff's Office responded to the call.

The Daily Mail of the United Kingdom said that Folly Beach is about eight miles south of Fort Sumter.

I have to wonder if they washed up on shore or were uncovered?  What kind of cannonballs were they (what type of cannon would have fire them)?    Were they intentionally left during the Civil War?  What was the name of the fort or fortification (likely a supply depot because of its distance from Morris Island and Charleston Harbor.)?

--Old Secesh

Hurricane Matthew Washes Up Civil War Cannonballs in S.C.-- Part 4: Fuses

Former Folly Beach Mayor Richard Beck discovered them and said:  "I knew they were cannonballs.  One of them had a very distinct hole in it that went directly into it, just knowing a little bit about the Civil War, I knew they put fuses in cannonballs for them to explode when they desired them to."

Beck said there were around fifteen cannonballs, most of which were welded together by rust.

--Old Secesh

Hurricane Matthew Washes Civil War Cannonballs Up in S.C.-- Part 3

From RayCom News Network.

A beach walker found them.  (Video accompanies the article).

The tip of the island at this point had lots of fortifications during the war.

By Sunday night, a number of them had been detonated by the Air Force and a small number of them transported to the Naval base.

The cannonballs were located several yards on the beach portion of East Ashley Avenue.

Witnesses reported hearing at least two loud booms and seeing smoke in the area.

--Old Secesh

Hurricane Matthew Washes Up Civil War Cannonballs in South Carolina-- Part 2

October 9, 2016.

"Civil War cannonballs found on South Carolina beach in Matthew's wake."

The cannonballs were rusted together in a pile.  A picture accompanied the article.  The bomb squad was called and the cannonballs were in the sand.

These were found at Folly Beach, South Carolina,Sunday afternoon, but the bomb experts had to wait until the rising tide receded.

Once the water goes down, technicians will render the cannonballs safe.  Local residents were warned that they might hear a small boom.

Folly Island was the site of much action during the Civil War. The first shots of the Civil War were fired from here at nearby Fort Sumter.

--OldCannonball

Hurricane Matthew Washes Up Civil War Cannonballs in South Carolina-- Part 1

"Hurricane Matthew Leaves Three Dead in South Carolina, Washes Up Civil War Cannonballs; Thousands Remain Without Power."

At Folly Beach, South Carolina, near Charleston.

The Charleston County Sheriff's Department called out a bomb squad to examine several Civil War cannonballs left in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.

The bomb squad had to wait until high tide receded to do it before checking them.

--Old SeceshWash