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Castle Pinckney will be reactivated with a signal station, infantry garrison and artillery battery for the reenactment. |
War At Flood Tide '98 is scheduled to coincide with the 135th. Anniversary of the Siege of Charleston. The siege is variously dated as beginning with the Ironclad Attack of April 7, 1863 to events as late as the Bombardment of Charleston by the Swamp Angel in August. The siege of Charleston was an almost continuous twenty-two month operation against Charleston in which the City was bombarded from the surrounding federally held islands, several major land attacks including the Assualt on Battery Wagner, an almost impenetrable blockade and the reduction of Ft. Sumter to a defiant pile of rubble. On the dates of this event Federal Gunboats were exchanging fire with Confederate Batteries on the Folly River and General Quincy Gilmore took command of the Federal Army at Charleston. In 1863, the city was enjoying it's last weeks of near normalcy before being clamped into the forge of war. New Federal regiments were moving into the area daily while Charleston's Confederate defenders fought to retain their garrison against the demands of Virginia and Vicksburg for more troops. In summer of 1863 Vicksburg will fall and Lee will be driven back at Gettysburg, but Charleston will hold in a campaign that will combing the most technically advanced weapons and tactics of the war with classic heroism by both blue and gray.
War
at Flood Tide '98 will bring the Civil War back to the historic
streets and waterfront of the City where the war began on June
12-14, 1998. A garrison camp will be set up on the Hazel Parker
Athletic Fields on the banks of the Cooper River, site of Battery
Vanderhorst during the war. Three artillery batteries will be
erected along the Cooper River Shore, recreating Gen. Bueregards
"ring of fire." Because of limited space a hand picked
reenactor force of 200 will be selected to bring the era to life.
Castle Pinckney in Charleston Harbor will again be reactivated
with a signal station, infantry force and battery of artillery.
The event will begin with a parade Friday evening, June 12. Saturday will include two Battles in Charleston Harbor, a major engagement at 11:00 a.m. between two Federal Schooners and four shore batteries and a Blockade Running confrontation between the two ships Satuday evening at 6:00 p.m. Public events Saturday will conclude with a Concert in White Point Gardens at the Battery featuring the 80 piece Trident Community Band, accompanied by the full 12 gun artillery battery performing a program entitled Music of the Divided and United States. Sunday will feature a tour of James Island's historic sites from the siege and a final formation and salute to the fallen Civil War Heroes of Charleston. A full detailed schedule in online now. Net proceeds of this event will be devoted to preservations of Charleston's historic Market Hall, once and future home of the Charleston U.S.C. Museum.
There will be no open reenactor registration for this event. Interested reenactors should contact a member of the War at Flood Tide, Inc. Board.
Information about last year's Successful War at Flood Tide event may be found in the War at Flood Tide '97 after action report.
This event is being sponsored by War at Flood Tide Incorporated, a non-profit corporation registered with the State of South Carolina organized to present Civil War events in and around Charleston Harbor for the purpose of educating the public and preserving Civil War Historic sites. The Corporation is goverened by a four member Board of Directors:
War at Flood Tide may be reached by mail at
War at Flood Tide, Inc.
P.O. Box 366
Charleston,
SC 29402
Fax (803) 722-6818
The site will evolve extensively as the date for War at Flood Tide '98 approaches, please check back for more information. To receive updates and notices by email, make your request to hamilton@awod.com