Image ID: ARXT

No. 42. Beach View of Sullivan’s Island from Fort Moultrie, Charleston, S.C. This picture gives a good view of the Beach of Sullivan’s Island, as seen from the Eastern part of Fort Moultrie. The Beach on this portion of Sullivan’s Island is hard and perfectly level for several miles, affording as fine a promenade and drive as can be found anywhere in this country. The sand drifts, as shown in this picture, are formed by the sand blowing from the shore. There are a number of Palmetto trees growing on this part of the Island. The house showing prominently on the left is a private residence, which has been constructed since the war. On this part of the Island once stood the “Moultrie House,” a fine Hotel, which was destroyed during the late war. This portion of the Island was also occupied by a number of fine private residences. In fact, the entire Island was built up with comfortable and neat dwellings, which were occupied during the heated term of summer by owners and others. All, however, met a common fate during the war, and were destroyed. At the close of hostilities, there was not over a dozen houses left standing on the Island. Among the buildings destroyed was a very old Episcopal Church, built of brick, and Presbyterian Church, built of wood. The portion of the Island shown in this picture was very strongly fortified. Among the fortifications was what was known as “Battery Beauregard,” which has elicited much commendation from Federal officers since the surrender, on account of the superior manner of its construction. The entire Island presented nothing but a mass of fortifications, all traces of which are fast being obliterated by the municipal authorities of the place. It was at the mouth of the approach to Sullivan’s Island wharf, known as the cove, where the famous Floating Battery, constructed in Charleston, which took an important part in the reduction of Fort Sumter in 1861, was stationed. This Battery was the pioneer of Iron Clads, which have now become an indispensable part of the naval forces of all countries. It was a large flat, or floating dock, constructed of Palmetto logs, and covered with heavy plate iron. It received 163 shots from Fort Sumter, and in return dischared 490 at that fortress. The Battery received but slight injury during the bombardment, there being but twenty-five well defined marks visible, some of which were very trifling. [S. T. Souder stereo card]