Georgetown is the third oldest city in South Carolina founded in 1729, with a 2010 census population of just over 9,000 people. It lies at the base of Winyah Bay formed by the confluence of five rivers- Black, Sampit, Great Pee Dee, Small Pee Dee, and the Waccamaw. Georgetown is an hour from Myrtle Beach by car and one hour and 15 minutes from Charleston.

The area was home to many large rice plantations and in 1860 Georgetown County produced almost half of all the rice grown in the United States. As such it was a target of the Union blockade. Gunships passing up the Bay and into the 5 rivers that fed it could raid and destroy plantations, impair production, and reduce a valuable potential food source for Confederate armies. Three Civil War sites in the city were already covered in the Defenses of Winyah Bay Series, which are Battery White, Cat Island Fort and the site of the U.S.S. Harvest Moon sinking covered in the Battery White post. Battery White is located at the Belle Isle Villas and Yacht Club gated community- 1142 Belle Isle Road. Details on how to gain access to Belle Isle and visit the Battery can be found on the community website. The Cat Island Fort is at the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center. It can only be visited during the winter months when the Center offers a free tour called- A Walk Through History, the schedule is usually released on their Facebook page in November. The U.S.S. Harvest Moon was Admiral Dahlgren’s Flagship. With the occupation of Georgetown accomplished, Admiral Dahlgren headed for Charleston on March 1, 1865. As the Harvest Moon made its way down the bay, it struck a torpedo (mine) and sank. At low tide, its smokestack can still be seen. It is difficult to see the smokestack from Battery White but it can easily be viewed on commercial tours to North Island (link) where it is on the left side of the boat on the way to the Island (link). Additional sites related to the Civil War in Georgetown are covered below. Georgetown is also home to the Rice Museum at 633 Front Street, the Gullah Museum at 123 King Street, and the Hobcaw Barony at 22 Hobcaw Road.

The Georgetown County Museum (link)

The South Carolina Maritime Museum (link)

Other Civil War sites (link)