Savannah Bound-- Part 17: Fort Fremont

THURSDAY, APRIL 4

From 1891 to 1895, a drydock was built was built at the naval station; the only one along the Atlantic coast south of Norfolk.  The base grew in importance.  Twenty naval ships visited the base, including the USS Maine which picked up provisions before continuing on to her date with history in Havana Harbor.

Fort Fremont was built on Saint Helena Island in 1899 by the Army Corps of Engineers across the Beaufort River from the Naval Station.

The main weapons in the fort consisted of three 10-inch breech-loaded disappearing cannons in Battery Jessup and two 4.7-inch rapid fire gins at Battery Fornance.  (Disappearing cannons could be lowered behind the fort's walls after firing and reloaded.)

It was a part of the U.S. Endicott System of forts.

It was deactivated in 1912 and offered for sale in 1921.  After that it was left to the elements and became overgrown.

But now, a group has begun work to bring it back.

--RoadDog

Savannah Bound-- Part 16: Fort Fremont

After leaving Parris Island, we commenced a long drive over narrow roads to Fort Fremont.  Much of the way the road was lined with trees just dripping Spanish moss and all were blowing in the wind.  A real gone with the wind thing if you know what I mean.

Did I mention it was extremely windy today plus that wind blew cold right through you.

As we neared Fort Fremont, the roads got almost to one lane with trees and bushes right up next to it.  Then it was as if we were in someone's driveway and I'm looking at Ed.

We finally got to Fort Fremont which was an 1898 Endicott U.S. fortification built around the time of the Spanish-American War to protect the U.S. Naval Station at Port Royal which is one of the largest deep-water harbors on the Atlantic Coast.

During the Civil War the Union's South Atlantic Blockading Squadron established a massive base here.  From 1891 to 1895, a  dry dock was built here, the only one south of Norfolk, Virginia.

--RoadDog