Just before before you reach Tybee Island there is Fort Pulaski, located on Cockspur Island. It was placed here to guard the river approaches to Savannah and was part of a coastal fortification system adopted by President Madison after the War of 1812. Construction began in 1829 and required $1 million, 25 million bricks, and 18 years of toil (mostly by rented slaves) to finish. It is named for Count Casimir Pulaski, the Polish hero of the American Revolution who lost his life in the unsuccessful siege of Savannah in 1779. After Georgia seceded in January 1861, the state transferred Fort Pulaski to the Confederate States of America.
By the end of the summer 1861 President Lincoln ordered the U..Sl Navy to blockade Southern ports, Early in December Federal troops seized Tybee Island and began preparing for siege operations on Fort Pulaski. They erected 11 artillery batteries containing 36 guns and mortars along the shore of Tybee Island. The Confederates were not particularly alarmed; the Union guns were a mile away, more than twice the effective range for heavy ordnance of that day. But what the fort's garrison did not know was that the Federal armament included 10 new experimental rifled cannons. On April 10, 1862, the Federals opened fire. The rifled cannons projectiles began to bore through Pulaski's walls and by noon of the second day the bombardment had opened wide gaps in the south-east angle, and explosive shells, passing through the holes and over the walls, threatened the main powder magazine. The Confederate commander, Col Charles Olmstead had no choice but to surrender only 30 hours after the bombardment began. The quick fall of Fort Pulaski surprised and shocked the world and marked the end of the system of forts because no works of stone or brick could resist the impact of rifled artillery of heavy calibre. The Fort is now an interesting relic of a bygone era and is now under the supervision of the National Park Service as Fort Pulaski National Monument.
Entering the Park, we saw this bald eagle on a snag.
Interesting version of the Union flag that flew over the Fort after it was captured from the Confederates.
Fort Pulaski has a moat the completely surrounds the fort. It is seven feet deep and from 32 to 48 feet wide.
The demilune, a huge triangular piece of land that protected the rear of the fort. The large earthen mounds, built after the Civil War, overlay four powder magazines and passageways to several gun emplacements.
A part of the fort's overall defense, the drawbridge is to make forced entry difficult.
Ground level view of the parade group.
View from the top of the fort's wall.
How the troops moved around inside the fort. Noooo, these are park service employees.
Showing the damage from the Federal rifled guns on Tybee Island.
The nearly demolished southeast corner was rebuilt within 6 weeks of the Federal victory.
After our history lesson and eating lunch in the picnic area, we drove to Tybee Island to find the lovely bike path. We parked at the Tybee Island Pier & Pavilion and began the almost 10 mile round trip ride.
For you, Rose, the Tybee Island Light Station and Museum.
We saw many yards with amaryllis blooming, some with blooms all around the perimeter.
After the bike ride we took a stroll over to the pier.
The massive pavilion.
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