For Immediate Release Contact: William Hamilton

(803) 722-6812

Internet http://www.awod.com/waft/

Text of this release available online

The American Civil War will return to the harbor where it began with War at Flood Tide '98 commemorates the 135^th anniversary of the siege of Charleston, South Carolina this June 12 - 14. The cannon of Union ships and Confederate shore batteries will clash in the harbor, cavalry will patrol the streets and an army camp typical of the period will be established on the banks of the Cooper River in downtown, historic Charleston. The event benefits preservation of Charleston's historic Market Hall, once and future home of the U.D.C. Museum.

The siege of Charleston was one of the longest and most technically advanced operations of the American Civil War. In the summer of 1863, while the Confederacy retreated from Gettysburg and lost Vicksburg, Charleston was held in a grueling contest of new weapons and classic valor. The city was bombarded for 500 days while blockade runners dared the increasingly hazardous dash into the Harbor. After the war, military scholars around the world studied the campaign to learn about the tactics which were refined here and would become typical of WWI two generations later.

The Civil War history weekend will begin Friday afternoon with displays of Civil War artillery pieces at the Charleston Visitor's Center and Market Street. On Friday evening a military parade of mounted artillery, cavalry, infantry and civilians will march through the city's gas lit streets. The parade will form at Marion Square at 7:00 p.m and march down King Street to Broad, Broad to East Bay, East Bay to North Market, North Market to Meeting and Meeting Street back to Marion Square. .The Culpepper fife and drum corps will perform music of the Civil War Camp and Battlefield at 9:00 p.m. on Market Street Fountain square.

Saturday's events will bring to life the full scale and complexity of the struggle to Charleston in 1863. Visitors should tune in to Charleston's traffic advisory radio station, A.M. 53 for information on which parking garages have available space and special DASH shuttle bus information. Garage attendants and DASH shuttlebus drivers will be prepared to direct visitors to the harbor battle viewing sites at Waterfront Park, Hazel Parker Park and High Battery.

The Civil War army camp at 70 East Bay Street on the Hazel Parker Athletic Fields will open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The camp will include a working flag signal station communicating to Castle Pinckney and St. Michael's Steeple. Original signal equipment from the period will be on display. A working field hospital will display operating equipment from the period and present demonstrate how Civil War soldiers were cared for. Cavalry operating from the camp will patrol Charleston's historic streets during the day. Gen. P.T.G. Beauregard's headquarters will be established there and visitors are invited to call upon the general and his staff to inquire into the state of the city's defenses. An earthwork battery mounting the largest cannon used in the battles will be open for inspection when not engaged with the Federal Navy. A display of ordnance and artillery equipement is planned. The Federal camp will allow visitors to see what the life of the Federal army was like at Charleston and Federal Officers in their command tent will provide briefings on their strategy for taking Charleston. The camp will also be the site of drill, musket firing and artillery demonstrations during the day. Admission to the camp is $5 per family or $2.50 per adult. Civil war merchants, knows as sulters will be set up in the camp selling uniforms, flags and other equipment and supplies.

Saturday's major battle is planned for 11:00 a.m. to recreate a battle between Federal gunboats and Confederate Shore Batteries of June 1863. The 105 foot schooner Voyager and Charleston's own 84 foot Schooner Pride will portray the Federal gunboats which tried to protect Federal work parties building fortifications on the north end of Folly Island. The schooners will be met by 8 full sized cannon on the banks of the Cooper River and a four gun howitzer battery transported to Castle Pinckney by landing craft earlier that morning. Good views of the battle will be available from Waterfront Park, the Civil War Camp 70 East Bay Street and portions of High Battery. A live radio broadcast with Ken Goodman on News Talk Radio, WTMA AM 1250, will provide commentary by historian Robert Rosen, music, and reports from around the harbor battleground by the commanders of the fleet and Batteries. Bring your radio and binoculars to the Harbor to see and hear everything.

Two of the cannon used in the battle are originals which saw actual service in the Civil War. Satan, a 12 pound Napoleon gun Howitzer was recovered from Ft. Fisher in North Carolina. An original Dahlgren Boat Howitzer will also be used in the battle. This compact, bronze cannon was designed by Admiral John H. Dahlgren, who commanded Federal Naval Forces at Charleston in 1863.

Fort Castle Pinckney in Charleston Harbor will be with a small camp will be established on the island with a signal station, flag staff, infantry guard and artillery battery. This abandoned fort was the first Federal Military Position taken by a southern government during in 1860 and was reinforced and rearmed in response to the Federal assault on Charleston in 1863.

The Charleston homefront of summer 1863 will be recreated at the historic Edmondston Alston house at 21 East Battery where lady reenactors will show how the women of Charleston assisted the war effort and coped with war time shortages and stress. Attired in clothing typical of the period, the ladies will occupy rooms virtually unchanged since that time. Quilting, sewing, bandage rolling and other crafts will be demonstrated.

Activities will continue throughout the day at the Camp, Edmonston Alston House and the U.D.C. Museum at 34 Pitt street where artifacts and relics of the seige of Charleston will be on display. On Saturday afternoon, the Schooner Voyager will be open to the public at the Charleston Maritime Center. The 54^th Massachusetts will offer a special presentation at 3:30 p.m. on the African American heroes of Charleston. On James Island, a living history encampment will be held at Ft. Lamar.

On Saturday evening at 6:00 p.m. the Schooner Voyager will hoist the Flag of Charleston's Blockade Running Firm, Fraiser, Trenholm and Company as it attempts to run passengers and military supplies into Charleston. Waiting for her will be Voyager, portraying a Federal blockader who will fire on and attempt to take Pride as her prize. This blockade running demonstration will be visible from the Battery and Waterfront Park.

Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in White Point Gardens at the Battery the 80 piece Charleston Community Band will perform a patriotic concert entitled Music of the Divided and United States. This concert will combine music of the Civil War from both sides with later anthems and songs of the united nation forged in the conflict. The concert will conclude with a finale performance to the accompaniment of the full War at Flood Tide Battery of 16 cannon, the largest concentration of Civil War artillery in Charleston since 1865. In case of rain, the concert will be held indoors at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul at 130 Coming Street. Admission to the concert is free.

Sunday the event will conclude at 8:00 a.m. with religious services in the Camp and a special tribute at Noon to the Civil War Heroes of Charleston, at the Defenders of Sumter Monument in White Point Gardens at the Battery.

More information on the event, including detailed schedules, maps and historic background information can be obtained on the War at Flood Tide Internet Website http://www.awod.com/waft/ or by sending a S.A.S.E. to War at Flood Tide, P.O. Box 366, Charleston, SC 29402. Charleston tourism information on lodging, parking, and visiting the historic city can be obtained by calling the Charleston Convention and Visitor's Bureau at (800) 868-8118.

Note to media: The text of this press release, other press releases, images and publication ready schedules can be found on the media information page of the War at Flood Tide Web Site at http://www.awod.com/waft/ or by email request to hamilton@awod.com.