Mount Pleasant Magazine July/August 2021

56 www.MountPl easantPodcas t . com | www. ReadMPM. com | www. I LoveMountPl easant . com crows chasing and harassing a red shouldered hawk; and saw a “descent” of three pileated woodpeckers hammering into a tree. The trail closely abuts the Oyster Point neighborhood, passing by stately oaks and small ponds where you might observe herons, egrets and turtles. As you meander past longleaf pine and Spanish moss-draped oaks, you’ll encounter a series of historical markers chronicling the strategic role coastal defenses like Fort Palmetto played during the Civil War. Confederate Commanding General Robert E. Lee supervised the design and construction of South Carolina’s coastal defenses, including what’s known as the Christ Church Lines, which extended 2.5-miles and were erected over the course of only two months in 1861, using grueling slave labor from area plantations. Fort Palmetto was a three-gun battery, created to fortify the eastern end of the Christ Church Lines, overlooking Copahee Sound and Dewees Inlet. This earthwork fortification measured 160 feet long and 80 feet deep with a parapet 15 feet tall and a 25-foot-tall powder magazine. Located between Isle of Palms and Dewees Island, Dewees Inlet had, by virtue of its depth, been identified as a possible access point for federal ships coming in from the Atlantic that could be vulnerable to attack during the Siege of Charleston. Fort Palmetto was strategically placed to prevent any Union ships from using the inland waterways to land troops near Mount Pleasant and advance on Charleston. A company of the 20th South Carolina Volunteer Infantry garrisoned Fort Palmetto for much of the war. Its formidable defenses were armed with one nine- inch Dahlgren gun and two 32-pound rifled and banded guns, the latter of which boasted a range of more than four miles, reaching all the way to Dewees Inlet. While it suffered damage and erosion over time, remnants of the three gun positions and the powder magazines are still clearly visible, accessible via a side path. Eventually, the park’s main trail winds toward the marsh, ending at an elevated wooden observation platform, which provides expansive views toward Dewees Inlet and the inland waterway. For more information, visit scbattlegroundtrust.org/fort- palmetto-mp.html. history 798 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Mount Pleasant | 843-881-2056 www.JeansBridalCharleston.com Jean’s Bridal Photo by: Sara Barclay Photography Elegant bridal attire, social occasion dresses, Mother of the Bride, tuxedos and accessories... Thanks for voting us Best Bridal Shop year after year! ®