12 April 2011

One hundred and fifty years ago.....


Charleston Harbor, Charleston, S.C.

One hundred and fifty years ago, cannons firing in the harbor started the Civil War. I've missed most of the events recognizing the occasion including the sunrise service at the Battery this morning but when I got home in time to walk down to the waterfront this evening I headed out marching. I spotted Mary Elizabeth Booth posing for pictures in front of a cannon. She said she couldn't bear staying in Orangeburg while there where shots being fired in Charleston.

There was a small crowd gathered around the waterfront waving off the "no see ums", a party was going on in one of the mansions but truthfully, the most serious danger Fort Sumter was in this evening was from cannon fire from the Yacht Club.


4 comments:

Lowandslow said...

It was an incredibly seminal event in our nations history. It's a shame that era amounts to little more than a few paragarphs in history books today.

"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it." -Edmund Burke

London Caller said...

That's really interesting indeed.
Thanks for the information.

Charlestonjoan said...

Lowandslow: Isn't that the truth. It was quite emotional standing looking out at Fort Sumter and hearing the cannons wondering how it felt to everyone in their homes that night. What a dreadful time.

LondonCaller - thanks for stopping by!

Jess said...

Joan I have visitors this weekend and they were asking about it - so the fact that we've been shooting off cannons at each other for a few days has raised some notice up north :)