Governor Calhoun activated the Calhoun Artillery into state service in January 1861 and they supervised slaves in the expansion of the fort on Botany Bay Island and in the construction of three other forts at Bay Point on Edisto Beach, on Otter Island in St. Helena Sound and on Fenwick Island at the entrance to the Ashepoo River. A sketch of the Botany Bay Island fort is shown below. The sketches below are from the NOAA Civil War historical maps collection searchable at the link.

Forts on neighboring islands

On November 7th the Union Navy commanded by Samuel F. Du Pont defeated the Confederates at Port Royal Sound, only 25 miles south of Edisto Island, and established a deep water port there as well as a military base. Two days later Rebel Colonel Drummond arrived on Edisto Island and ordered all white citizens to evacuate inland with their slaves. They were instructed to burn any provisions and cotton that they could not bring with them. In many cases the slaves were left behind to fend for themselves. Brigadier General Nathan “Shanks” Evans commanded the Third Military District, which included Edisto Island, from his headquarters at the Wilkinson House in Adams Run. Located at 5185 Highway 174. General Johnson Hagood also headquartered here after Evans was transfered. The property was recently purchased by the SC Battleground Preservation Trust.

On December 15, 1861, Commander Percival Drayton led an expedition up the North Edisto River. After he crossed the bar there was a fort about 1.5 miles ahead on Edisto Island that was deserted (see sketches above). It consisted of two redoubts that could accommodate five guns each. Guns that were there had been removed a few weeks prior. The redoubts were connected by a double fence of thick planks with loop holes to shoot out of. Escaped slaves informed Drayton of a Rebel camp at nearby Rockville, on the north bank of Bohicket Creek, and two days later Drayton took the Vixen there. They landed about 50 men on shore and proceeded about one mile inland to a large deserted camp and carried off supplies. The Penguin was left in the North Edisto River with Lieutenant Commanding Budd in charge. The Dale under Lieutenant Commanding Truxton investigated the fort on Otter Island, which had also been abandoned. The Seneca commanded by Lieutenant Commanding Ammen returned to the North Edisto on December 24th. By this time the Penguin was watching over 700-900 “contraband” slaves on Botany Bay Island who were building huts on the island. Ammen was concerned about their food supply especially corn. He felt the contrabands had escaped to Botany Bay Island in order to avoid bands of Rebel Cavalry attempting to drive them back to their masters who had fled inland. Botany Bay Island was separated from Edisto Island by a large marsh. The contrabands had burned the bridge on the causeway that connected the islands. Federal gunboats intermittently shelled Confederate camps keeping them away from Botany Bay Island. Ammen returned on January 5th and by that time the colony had expanded to 1,000 and 10 days later had grown to 1,200.

On January 18, 1862, a group of slaves fired on a party of Rebels at Watt’s Cut. The Rebels stationed at Adams Run and were part General Evans command. Evans ordered Colonel Peter Stevens with 100 infantry of the Holcombe Legion and a company of cavalry to find and punish the responsible slaves. The route of their expedition is shown below.

They crossed the Dawhoo River on January 22nd, walked across Jehossee Island and crossed a causeway to Watt’s Cut and Pine Landing (1,2,3 in the figure above). Over the next three days they visited multiple plantations (#s 3-8 in the figure) and arrested about 80 slaves. The Rebel activity caused even more slaves to flee to Botany Bay Beach (#9). Three slaves were killed. Of the 80 slaves carried off the island their fate is unknown. In response Lieutenant Commanding Rhind went up to Point of Pines Plantation and into Steamboat Creek to rescue another 200 fleeing slaves. He also conducted two raids of river front plantations to obtain corn for the refugees. The Federals were slowly expanding out from their base on Hilton Head Island and on February 11th the 47th NY landed on Edisto Island commanded by Colonel Henry Moore, who established his camp at Point of Pines. Company G of the 1st MA Cavalry arrived in February. The 55th PA landed on March 6th and camped at Bailey’s Plantation near the Point of Pines wharf. Moore spread his camps across the island, including at Russell Creek (Oak Island and Cassina Point). His headquarters were at the William Seabrook House on Steamboat Creek.

Evans tried to drive the Federals off the island. The Rebels attacked on March 28-29 again commanded by Colonel Peter Stevens. The Confederates knew that only 4 companies of the 55th PA occupied the northwest corner of Edisto Island and Little Edisto Island. Evans would attack them with 8 companies of the Holcombe Legion, the Enfield Battalion, and 75 dismounted cavalry, a total of 647 men. Another cavalry detachment and the Washington Light Artillery with 2 guns would stay on Jehossee Island. The Rebels once again walked across Jehossee Island and crossed Watt’s Cut at 3:00 AM and took the pickets at Old Dominion Plantation by surprise (see map below). One Union soldier was killed and another mortally wounded. Some of the pickets made it back to their headquarters at Whaley’s Plantation (Frogmore). When Stevens heard cannon fire he decided to retreat. He buried the dead Union soldier, the wounded Federal died at Plantation. At 4:00 AM Major F.G. Palmer led another Rebel force of 260 men toward Little Edisto. He headed to Hanahan’s Plantation on North Creek where he captured 14 additional Pennsylvanians. With no other Federals in the area he crossed a marsh back to Jehossee Island where he rejoined Stevens and returned to the mainland. This led to the Union, now under a new commander at Hilton Head, General David Hunter, sending the 3rd NH to the island on April 5th.

On April 17th Hunter disappointed in the leadership on the island ordered General Horatio Wright, a West Point graduate, to command on Edisto.

On April 29th Lieutenant Commanding Rhind and Gillis on the E.B. Hale set out early in the morning to destroy a Confederate Battery on Grimball’s Plantation ( also known as Grove Plantation or Pineberry Plantation) on the Dawhoo River not far from its junction with the South Edisto River. In addition to the Hale they had the flat and howitzer from the Crusader. The Rebels began firing on the Federals when they approached to within 1,800 yards of the battery. Once they had cleared the bends in the river and took a straight course toward the battery the Confederates fled. They landed 20 men on shore under Lieutenant Commanding Gillis to destroy the work. which was about 350-400 yards from the banks across a marsh. The work mounted two long 24-pounders on excellent field carriages. The guns were left in haste and one of them was fully primed and loaded. They fired the loaded gun into the other gun to damage it since they could not carry the guns off across the marsh. They then spiked both guns and set fire to the carriages and left around 11:00 AM. Brigadier General Evans in Adams Run had received intelligence of the attack and sent six guns of the Washington Artillery under Captain Walter to respond. Two of the guns went to the Grove Plantation but the Yankees were already gone. They attempted to go up the Pow Pow River (the winding portion of the Edisto River near Milltown) to capture a schooner at Morris’ Rice Mill but ran aground. Once they freed themselves they met two guns that Evans had at Willtown and were forced to turn around and head back down the Dawhoo River toward the North Edisto. Captain Walters was waiting for him at White Point near Slann’s Bluff with 4 guns and 2 companies of infantry. Rhind would reach there about 8:00 PM and was prepared for an ambush. With his guns firing grape and canister and his men undercover, he successfully made it back to the North Edisto River by 9:00 PM with damage to only one of his guns and no casualties.

Grove Plantation Manor on the Grove Plantation now on the Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge is shown below. During the war the property was owned by John Berkeley Grimball. He and his family fled to Spartanburg when skirmishes took place on their property.

In May 1862 Edisto Island, especially the Point of Pines area, became a staging area for an attack on Charleston. By the end of May there were 10,000 men there. The soldiers would be ferried across the North Edisto River and march across Wadmalaw, and Johns Island to Legareville. They would be ferried across the Stono River and ultimately fight in and lose the Battle of Secessionville on James Island. The 55th PA were left behind to guard Edisto. On July 3rd Hunter was ordered to send 10,000 men north to aid McClellan in the Seven Days Campaign near Richmond. Hunter would need to leave Edisto Island in order to better defend his base on Hilton Head. He would also take the now 1,600 members of the slave colony with him back to St. Helena Island. Edisto Island was now largely vacant.

The last significant Civil War-related event on the island occurred on April 9, 1863, when nine Confederate “scouts” were captured by the Union Navy. General Beauregard ordered General Johnson Hagood, now in command at Adams Run, to send a group of men to Edisto Island to report on movements of the Union Navy. Ten men volunteered. Two Edisto Island African Americans made contact with the USS Kingfisher in St. Helena Sound. James Hutchinson and William Bailey told the ship’s captain, Acting Master John Dutch, where the Confederates could be found. Three boatloads of sailors came ashore at the Middleton Plantation with the two African Americans as guides and walked about a mile to the Whaley Plantation (shown below #6). They surrounded the house and captured 9 Confederates who were detained on the USS Vermont in Port Royal Harbor. They were subsequently exchanged.

Other Civil War-related sites on Edisto Island

Windsor Plantation (Little Edisto Plantation)- These pictures were taken on the south side of bridge over Russell Creek. Under the wallpaper in the hall are carved the names of Union soldiers. Site of a Civil War Skirmish.

Old First Baptist Church Presbyterian Church 2164 Highway 174. Built in 1830.

In the Church cemetery is the grave of John Jenkins a Major in the 3rd SC Cavalry and a monument to Company I of the 3rd SC Cavalry known also as the Rebel Troop.

Middleton Plantation house built in 1701- The picture was taken from the gate. The Middleton Plantation is the site where the “Kingfisher” shore party landed as described above.

Steamboat Landing- Looking toward the landing at the Seabrook Plantation.

Seabrook Plantation House- was owned by William Seabrook served as Union and provost headquarters. It was the location of a required inspection of Company D of the 1st MA Cavalry and Company G of the 47th NY. Private property 32.6017656, -80.2812177. There is graffiti on the walls in the house from the Union occupation.

Trinity Episcopal Church- 1589 Hwy 174

The grave of Daniel Augustus Stevens First Lieutenant Company K, Palmetto Battalion Light Artillery

Hutchinson House orange roof green home 7666 Point of Pines Roads. From the tablet below- During the Federal occupation of Edisto in the Civil War, Jim Hutchinson assisted Federal forces by identifying nine Confederate spies on the island, including Townsend Mikell, who may have been his white half brother. Jim Hutchinson gathered intelligence for the Federal forces from other African Americans. In December 1863 he enlisted in the Union Navy, serving on the Kingfisher and later the Vermont before his discharge in April 1865 at the end of the war.

Guided beach tours Botany Bay Island. A docent leads a tour of the island at the times listed but its focus is on the marsh. I had to be careful about the timing of this trip because the causeway is underwater at high tide and I could get trapped on the island. I started out with some trepidation about an hour prior to the listed low tide and walked out to the island which is a short walk and then up the shore to the north about 1.5 miles before I turned around.

Other posts in the series

Botany Bay Plantation Wildlife Management Area

The Edisto Island Museum

The Photographs of Henry P. Moore on Edisto Island

Sources

Edisto Island 1861 to 2006 Ruin, Recovery and Rebirth by Charles Spencer

Lieutenant Commanding Rhines Report of the Expedition to Capture a Battery Near the Junction of the Dawho and South Edisto Rivers. Report of the Secretary of the Navy With an Appendix Containing Reports of Officers December, 1862, pages 219-221.

Commander P. Drayton’s Report of Reconnaissance in the North Edisto River. Report of the Secretary of the Navy With an Appendix Containing Reports of Officers December, 1862, pages 166-168.

Lieutenant Commanding D. Amen’s Report of Occurences in the North Edisto River from December 24, 1861 to January 21, 1862. Report of the Secretary of the Navy With an Appendix Containing Reports of Officers December, 1862, pages 179-182.

Lieutenant Commanding A.C. Rhind’s Report of the Crusader’s Proceedings in North Edisto, February 1, 1862. Report of the Secretary of the Navy With an Appendix Containing Reports of Officers December, 1862, page 188.

Lieutenant Commanding A.C. Rhind’s Report Of Operations in the North Edisto River, S.C., June 21, 1862. Report of the Secretary of the Navy With an Appendix Containing Reports of Officers December, 1862