October 8, 2006

October 8, 2006

The weather is overcast and cool. This morning we drive back to the eastern shore of Charleston harbor to Patriots Point. Here we pick up a tour boat to Fort Sumter National Monument. Fort Sumter is a surprisingly small dot in the neck of Charleston harbor guarding its entrance. The Civil War was started when southern rebels fired on this undermanned and undersupplied fort. With the fort in Confederate hands, Charleston was an active port for ships running the Union blockade of the South. Later in the war, Union forces bombarded the fort to rubble in an attempt to tighten the Union blockade. Besides the remnants of the original fort walls, there is a small museum inside detailing Fort Sumter’s role in the war. Interestingly, Abner Doubleday, of baseball history, was at the fort and ordered the Union’s return fire. We had previously read about his exploits at the battle of Gettysburg. To Aimee’s liking, the tour limits us to one hour at the fort.

Also at Patriots point are several military ships, including the carrier, USS Yorktown. It is of WWII vintage so it is smaller than I expected. Even so we spend a few hours touring its large interior. The ship is also a museum with numerous naval displays scattered throughout. I fear Aimee is going to need some serious retail therapy after this.

Finished with the Yorktown, we make a quick tour of the destroyer and the submarine. Like submarines I have toured before, the living and working spaces are uncomfortably cozy. I would have gotten claustrophobia the first day aboard. I am not sure if the carrier would have been much better, especially seeing the submarine saying, “There are only two kinds of ships, submarines and targets.”