The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-04-08
4 Visit to Fort Sumter.

When the Northern and Western
travellers return home and speak of
having visited Charleston the two in
terrogatories at nce propouuded are:
"Did you 60 to Fort Sumter and did
you see St. Michml's Church, With
a great many who have Dever been
down this way Fort Sumter and Charles
ton are Synonymous, and to visit the
old City by the Sea and not the Fort
is thought to be more than passing
strange. But for some months Uncle
Sam has denied the Fort to visitors,
and hundreds of tourists who would
have been delighted to see the inside
of the Fort were obliged to be content
with a look at the outside. The work
that was in progress has, however,
reached a stage at which a halt must
be made, anda week or two ago per-
mission was again granted for parties
to land.
Two trips a day are o made to
Sumter and Moultrie by the Mount
Pleasant and Sullivan's Island Ferry
Company's steamers, leaving Market
wharf at 10 a. m. and 2 p. M, and
these boats carry quite a number Of
tourists each trip.
1t is a pleasant voyage across the
harbor on these bright spring days,
and too soon over for many. The first
stop is, of course, made at Mount
Pleasant. Then the Island is touched,
and finally the Pocosin swings up to
the new wharf made by the Govern
ment on the north side of Fort Sumter.
A landing is effected from the hurri-
cane deck and for about an hour the
visitors are allowed to wander about
through the classmates and bomb
proofs and over the grassy mounds
that cover them. Capt. Ferdinand
Cherry, of the Ferry Company, who
always brings the party over, is very
attentive and explains the various
positions Of batteries, etc, on the
neighboring islands, and, lantern in
hand, acts as guide through the dark,
echoing bomb proofs. The old Fort
does not present a very warlike aspect
at present. There are only a few old
fashioned smooth bore guns mounted
on the parapet, and two or three dis
mantled ones lying in the centre of
the enclosure. The east wall has been
raised eight or ten feet in masonry,
and preparations are being made to
reinforce this with earth probably
thirty to forty feet in depth. The
Artesian well is said to be a success,
and this is certainly a good thing.
The keepers cottage is a pretty little
place, and his pretty children are
generally around to greet strangers
with their innocent iuquisitiveness.
A visitors book is kept, and upon it
can be found the names of very many
persons of note and Importance. EN-
barking on the Pocosin again the voy-
ayers are brought back to Sullivan
Island, and here an opportunity is
given to visit Fort Moultrie. The
sergeant in charge is found very oblig-
ing, and he conducts the visitors
through the Fort. The dungeon where
O>ceola was confined is a spot of par
ticular interest, and the bomb proofs
here also are investigated, much to
the disconcertion of the spiders and
other creeping things that make their
homes therein. Moultrie has also
some big old smooth bores mounted
on her parapets and in the ordnance
yard just back of the Fort a morter
battery is apparently ready for action.
In this yard there are dozens of dis
mounted guns and thousands of shot
and she'll.
Osceola's grave, just outside the
Fort, is always viewed with interested
curiosity. The marble slab has been
broken in two and the corners Clipped
off by curiosity seekers, but it still
retains its inscription.
Yesterday while a party of visitors
were looking over the iron railing that
encloses the grave a little colored girl
came up and offered to sell them flow
ers and sea shells. Clocks as though
she might be a descendant of old
O~sceola himself" said one of the
party. and so she did. Her complex
ion was of a rich copper color, and her
jet black hair was perfectly straight.
and her red hat and rather fantastic
dress made her look a veritable Poca-
hontas. but she was a native Islander
probably, and knew nothing of Indians
further than the fact that the strangers
who came and talked about "O<ceola,
the patriot and WARRIOR sometimes
gave her pennies for her flowers and
shells.
The Pocosin returns to the city
from the morning excursion at l.l5 p.
M, and from the afternoon trip at
6.30.-Ncws and Courier.
- Old Lady-Little boy, did you
see anything of a snow-white cat?