Some More on Fort Johnson

From Charleston Harbor Tours:

Built 1704 in response to tensions between Spain and England. During the Stamp Act Congress, William Bull, the British Royal Governor, had the stamps moved to Fort Johnson for safe keeping.

Played no big role inthe American Revoultion, althought, it had something to do with thedevelopment of the SC state flag. Gov. Moultrie gave the garrison a flag with a blue background to match their uniforms and a crescent moon to match the one on their hats. Later, the palmetto was added to the flag to honor the historic resistance at Fort Moultrie.

A mortar from Johnson fired the first shot at Fort Sumter. On July 2, 1864, the Union Army launched an unsuccessful amphibious operation against it.

In 1864, it was evacuated and fell into ruin until the College of Charleston purchased the 40 acres. Today it houses the Marine Resources Division and has a graduate program in Marine Biology.

By the Dawn's Early Light. --Old Coot

Fort Johnson-- Charleston, SC Harbor

Archaeologists working at digs in the historic fort have discovered a large stone chip with man-made notches made by a Native-American hunter or fisherman to tie off his weapon dating to 7,500 to 10,000 years ago.

Fort Johnson is known as the place where the first shot of the Civil War was fired, but there have been forts at the point dating back to an earthen one in 1707.

Not much from a military standpoint remains other than an 1800s powder magazine and cisterns.

In addition, many non-military items have been found. Over the years, it served as a quarantine hospital, summer health resort, and freedman's "squatter" farms. In the 1800s, families summered there to escape malaria in Charleston.

May 9th Myrtle Beach Online.

Don't recall of Ever Hearing of this Fort. --Coot