Civil War History-Forts in Savannah area (Richmond Hill, Montgomery: yard, land, golf)

[CampinMom]

I’ve got a question that I’ve not found an answer to as of yet. Hubby is a big Civil War walking encyclopedia. He was mentioning about a fort that at one time was near Moon River and the Vernon. I know Shipyard is named after the area’s contribution for ship building. Where can I find information on this or other questions about the Montgomery area. We love history and want to keep expanding out knowledge about the area.

[CoastalGAGuy]

There were no Civil War era forts in/around that area. Of course, there's Fort Pulaski on Cockspur Island out by Tybee, and Fort Jackson further up the Savannah River closer to Savannah. Other than that, the next closest fort would be Fort McAllister in Richmond Hill. That's where Sherman staged his siege before Savannah essentially surrendered on his March to the Sea in 1864.

There were gun emplacements in other locations - namely on Tybee itself (abandoned prior to the loss of Fort Pulaski), and in supporting positions around Fort Jackson on what is today Savannah Golf Club. None of those areas are near Montgomery, though.

[CampinMom]

Originally Posted by CoastalGAGuy

There were no Civil War era forts in/around that area. Of course, there's Fort Pulaski on Cockspur Island out by Tybee, and Fort Jackson further up the Savannah River closer to Savannah. Other than that, the next closest fort would be Fort McAllister in Richmond Hill. That's where Sherman staged his siege before Savannah essentially surrendered on his March to the Sea in 1864.

There were gun emplacements in other locations - namely on Tybee itself (abandoned prior to the loss of Fort Pulaski), and in supporting positions around Fort Jackson on what is today Savannah Golf Club. None of those areas are near Montgomery, though.

Thanks for that information. I will pass that along. I know that Shipyard is named for the ship building that was done over here. Still learning SO much about the history.

[cwkimbro]

If you visit Ft. Mcallister you will see a good indication of what many forts were like back then. It is mostly dug mud walls built along the banks of the river.

This was preserved and rebuilt, but many were not and were built over or simply swept away by the river and flooding over time.

The main fort was Fort Pulaksi and fell in a siege in 1862 and held it until the end of the war. This essentially allowed them to permanently blockade Savannah for the duration of the war.

They didn't take Savannah until Sherman's march in 1864. After Fort Pulaski fell Old Ft Jackson became the headquarters for the coastal defense of the city. They built a dirt entrenched battery right beside it, Ft. Lee. In the middle of the river was a small mud bar they put a battery of 5 guns on called Ft Tatnall. Across from it on Barnwell Island was Ft Lawton. Many of these batteries do not exist today.

They put a series of batteries along Skidaway River and Wilmington River(Casustens Bluff, Fort Thunderbolt) to prevent any landings of troops southeast of the city. The places exist in name today, but the fortifications do not.

Ft. McAllister was on the Ogeechee River near Richmond Hill. It is the one non-brick fort that exists. It is a good representative visits of what many of the fortifications were.


The protections of Savannah were made to prevent ship's form sailing up any rivers where troops could be landed and artillery used from the ships, so it was mostly a coastal defense to seal up the land in the area around Savannah. The Union landed on Tybee in 1862 and sieged Fort Pulaski not to take Savannah, but to blockade it. Once Sherman marched through Georgia with a large army inland, many of these coastal fortification were a moot point. Once Sherman took Fort McAllister, he would be able to re-supply with union forces in the blockade.


A few things for reference:

Map: https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3924s....,0.468,0.288,0
Fort Tattnall: https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3924s....,0.601,0.343,0
Causten's Bluff: https://www.loc.gov/item/2006635295/
Fort Thunderbolt: https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3924s....,1.098,0.627,0
Turner Rocks: https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3924s....,0.772,0.441,0
Fort Lee: https://www.loc.gov/item/2007626733/
Fort McAllister: https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3924s....,0.924,0.528,0

[SavannahLife]

Fort Screven on Tybee is cool too. Built at the end of the 1800s after the war but if you have not been check it out still and the light house. It is really neat. Also check out Ft Frederica https://www.goldenisles.com/listing/...l-monument/71/ and Ft King George near Darien