An Unplanned Visit to Charleston, South Carolina - Where the Civil War Began

Revisiting Charleston this year was not on our original itinerary.  However, we decided our Civil War battle tour would not be complete without a stop at Fort Sumter.  Fort Sumter has the distinction of being where the first shots of the Civil War were fired.

 

To facilitate our Charleston visit, we reserved a site at James Island County Park.  We had a 90-foot pull-through site that was nearly twice as wide as most RV sites, providing us plenty of privacy.  We enjoyed the hiking/biking trails and the natural setting.  Of course, all this came to us at the premium price of $82/night! 

 

Our site at James Island County Park was extra long and twice as wide as most RV park sites.

The hanging moss added character to the trees.

James Island County Park hosts a Drive-Thru Christmas Light Show.  I got a sneak peek! 

We drove into downtown Charleston, reacquainting ourselves with an area that we visited twice previously.  No matter how often I revisit somewhere, though, I always learn something new.   Here in Charleston, I discovered that the height of any building within the city cannot exceed the height of the tallest church steeple.  Therefore, you won’t see many modern towers in Charleston’s skyline.

 

We took a tour of the campus of The Citadel, one of 6 senior military colleges in the U.S.   Established in 1842, its cadets participated in several Civil War engagements.   Half of its current student body participates in the Cadet program, but the college offers non-military degrees as well.  Considering the Citadel did not admit women into its Cadet program until 1995, I was amazed at how many women are enrolled currently—you go, girls!

We were blessed to hear a pianist practice when we popped into the Chapel.

All the Chapel's beautiful stained glass windows were donated by various graduating classes.  This window was presented by the Class of 1890 over 130 years ago!

The Chapel Bell Tower and Memorial Gardens.

And now for my Rambling RV Rat simple synopsis of Fort Sumter as well as its role in the Civil War:

 

Construction of Fort Sumter began in 1829, following the War of 1812 between the United States and England.  Construction suffered several delays due to funding and a land title dispute.  Consequently, the interior was not fully complete and some armaments were not fully functional when South Carolina seceded from the United States after Abraham Lincoln won the election of November 1860.  Lincoln, a staunch abolitionist, announced plans to strengthen and resupply the fort, which irritated the Confederate State of South Carolina.  Hence, South Carolina demanded the Union evacuate Fort Sumter.  When U.S. Major Robert Anderson refused, the newly-formed Confederate army, under the direction of its first General, P.G.T. Beauregard, began bombarding the fort.  This continued for 34 hours until U.S. Major Anderson surrendered on April 14, 1861, taking the fort’s flag with him.

 

Our boat--and the water fowl--came in for a landing at Fort Sumter.

View of Charleston from the boat.

Per this model, Fort Sumter was a 5-sided structure.  It was built 55-feet above sea level.

Can you spot the projectile lodged in the left side of the brick wall? 

Slave labor was used to make the bricks and build the fort.  That center brick shows the fingerprints of an enslaved African who toiled here.

This cannon was excavated in 1959 but dates back to the 1860s.

Despite the Union’s efforts to regain the position, the Confederates maintained control of Fort Sumter until they abandoned it in February 1865.  After the Union won the Civil War, U.S. General Anderson returned to Fort Sumter to raise the flag he removed exactly 4 years earlier.  But this ceremonious incident received little fanfare.  You see, it occurred the same day as President Lincoln’s assassination.

 

As we traversed the Harbor via boat to and from the fort, the Park Rangers provided guests an informative and interesting narrative, which helped me immensely in earning another Junior Ranger badge.

 

As we left the Visitor/Interpretive Center, we walked along what was once Gadsden’s Wharf.  That’s where I learned some disturbing information that made me quite sad.  This wharf was the only one in Charleston authorized to engage in the trans-Atlantic slave trade between 1806 and 1808.  It is said some 30,000 captured Africans disembarked at this wharf at that time.  This was many more slaves than what were needed, causing the purchase prices of slaves to plummet (supply and demand economics applied even to slavery!)  Like any other of their “products”, the merchants put their slaves in warehouses or left them outside while they waited for prices to rise!  Subject to malnutrition, little clothing, and exposure to the elements, hundreds of slaves perished here. I said a little prayer, asking God to forgive our Country’s past transgressions and for the souls of those who died here.

 

We were preparing to depart the campground at 10:19 a.m. for an 11 a.m. check-out time, when what to my wonderous eyes did appear: a flat tire!  Somehow, we picked up a 2-inch brass nail!  Thank goodness Dad is one handy-dandy guy.  Rather than calling Coach-net, our roadside assistance provider, Dad pulled out the spare, changed the tire, and had us out of our site at 10:53 a.m.!  (I think he is practicing for Nascar’s pit row!)

 

We headed to our overnight Harvest Hosts, Bowers Farm, in Pomaria, South Carolina, where I enjoyed the sheep, chicken, geese, and horse who reside here.  The Farm sells meats, but the products we wanted to purchase were out of stock.  Anyway, at 95 degrees that day, my cheese was melting, and the humidity was making me feel like a sticky bun.  We were thankful Bowers Farm offers electric hookups, for which we gladly forked over the $20 fee.  (The Bowers family also owns a full-hook-up lakeside campground about 20 minutes away if you prefer being around people rather than farm animals). 

 

Dad wanted to play peek-a-boo with the chickens, but they wanted nothing to do with him.  How smart is it that the Bowers put this chicken coop on wheels, so it can be moved from location to location!   

On to Barefoot Acres in Fountain Inn, South Carolina, our Harvest Hosts for that evening.   Gretchen, our GPS, gave us directions for access via a right turn, which would have been tight, tight, tight—had Dad listened to her.  But Mom can attest that Dad is quite versed in ignoring what women tell him, so he came in from the other direction with no problems.   We were instructed by the welcoming hosts to park in a big, open field that gave us plenty of room to turn around when we exited. There is a covered picnic area for guests’ use nearby (though no table is provided.)  This location dubs itself as a farm and adventure park.  However, their zip line has been closed since 2023.   The hosts have been creating some hiking and mountain bike trails, which Mom was happy to explore. Mom also got excited when she saw their “certified roadside market” sign.  She had visions of restocking us with fresh-picked veggies.  But the market had scant produce for purchase, instead offering promotional items like hats, T-shirts, keychains, etc.  We made our purchases, then I went to meet the rabbits, donkeys, sheep, and young piglets who call Barefoot Acres their home.    We got parked and settled just before the rain hit, which unfortunately put a damper on the wedding that was taking place on the grounds.  Too bad the wedding wasn't the next day--we had glorious sunshine.

 

Well, it is time for my cheese break.  But I’ll talk to you again soon!

 

 

 

North Carolina—Battles in Bentonville, a Boondocking Bummer, and Fraternizing With Friends

We had a relaxed 3.5-hour drive along back roads to Pope Farms, our overnight Harvest Hosts in Knightdale, North Carolina.  This is a three-generation family farm that sells quality meats, dairy, syrup, and honey.  The Popes even raise their own corn to feed their cows and pigs!  I met their new baby donkey and their family dog. We were greeted warmly by Mr. Pope.  He assured us we could easily maneuver the long, winding road through a wooded area to get to the RV parking area, and I am happy to say we encountered no problems.  The parking area is lovely, with some shade along a fully-stocked fishing pond in which guests are welcome to toss their lines.  I will warn you that it can be a little noisy on the farm with dump trucks entering/exiting the property and the highway nearby, but we didn't mind.

We were a bit skeptical at first, but we had no problem maneuvering the tight spots to arrive at the RV parking area.

The RV parking area overlooks this fully-stocked pond (crappies/bass/trout) and Mr. Pope invites fishing enthusiasts to cast their lines.

 

The next morning we had an easy 1.5-hour drive to Hidden Haven in Smithfield, North Carolina.   Hidden Haven is a newer (2020) 160-site RV park with large sites and easy access.  There is no office for check-in, but management was responsive to our text inquiries.   The Park advertises extended stays, which is how most of its guests would be classified.  If you have an older rig or a pop-up camper, management excludes you from staying here.   At $50/night, it has showers, an outdoor ATM, and a playground for kids, though it is located near quite a bit of construction debris.  The Park has no laundry facility yet, but it does have free WI-FI.  Ironically, our Verizon cell service worked great here (one of the only places with excellent coverage among all our travels).  Truthfully, my family was not overly impressed, though I will admit, the Park is still a work-in-progress.  But it is conveniently located just 20 minutes outside our next Civil War destination:  Bentonville Battlefield. 

Hidden Haven does offer large sites with easy access.

Not sure this Rambling RV Rat would let my offspring play here with all the construction debris nearby.

The Battle of Bentonville has the distinction of being the largest Civil War battle within North Carolina.  It also represents the last major Confederate offensive of the Civil War.  Here’s a Rambling RV Rat abridged version of the rest of the story:

 

During November and December 1864, Union General William Sherman created a path of destruction from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia.  Known as his “March to the Sea”, his “scorched-earth” policy decimated city after city.  He depleted the South’s resources and demoralized the citizens of the Confederate State of Georgia.  Sherman then set sights on the Carolinas.   Success was his again, when Fort Fisher (the last Confederate fort), located in Wilmington, North Carolina, fell into Union hands in January 1865.

 

In a desperate attempt to stop further Union advancements, Confederate President Jefferson Davis called General Joseph Johnston out of “retirement”. (In reality, the “retirement” was forced upon Johnston.  You see, Davis canned him for not engaging the enemy before Sherman reached Atlanta). 

 

Confederate General Johnston learned of Union General Sherman’s goal to reach Goldsboro, North Carolina, to resupply his troops at this junction of 2 railroads.  But Sherman's plan was foiled when General Johnston attacked Sherman’s Union troops on March 19, 1865, at Morris Farm in Bentonville, North Carolina.  Things went well initially for the Confederates.  But, by day’s end the Confederates gained no ground, so it was considered a tactical draw.  March 20, 1865, brought much less warfare, but significant maneuvering with Union reinforcements arriving.  This changed the Confederate tactic from offense to defense.  On March 21, 1865, the focal point of battle was Mill Bridge.  The Confederates were successful in maintaining control over the bridge, which then became their retreat route to Smithfield, North Carolina.

Learning that General Robert E. Lee laid down arms at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, General Johnston followed suit on April 26, 1865, in Durham, North Carolina.  His action represented the largest troop surrender (90,000 soldiers) of the entire Civil War.

 

We hiked the Morris Farm Trail and Cole Plantation Long Loop Trail to immerse ourselves into the Civil War battle scene of yesteryear.  But as we hiked to the intersection of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (a nearly 1,200-mile trail between the Great Smoky Mountains and the Outer Banks), we encountered a battle of our own—with mosquitoes!  We were able to repel their attacks initially, but then they outflanked us.  We fought fervently, but the trenches along the trail, filled with standing water from recent rain, harbored enemy reinforcements.  We had no choice but to retreat.

 

The site of Morris Farm, now cotton fields.

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A close-up of a cotton plant.

Scenes from...

...the hiking trails.

Harper House, built circa 1855, was used as a field hospital.  That huge tree in the center of the photo dates to the days of the Battle of Bentonville.  If only that tree could describe what it witnessed!

The interior of Harper House reflects its use as a field hospital.

No whiskey to chug and no bullet to bite among these hospital supplies for amputations.

You can still see blood stains on the original floors!

The graveyard of the Flowers family is near the Harper House.

You are looking at the State of North Carolina's newest Junior Historian!

The following morning, we hit the road.  We were back in territory where we could legally tow my Rambling RV Rat Pack Rubicon, so Mom and Dad shared Big Boomer driving duty.  Our destination was State Line Movie Time Drive-In Theater in Tabor City, North Carolina, a boondocking site (about 30 minutes from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) that we booked initially through Hip Camp.  However, due to a dispute between Hip Camp and State Line, their relationship was terminated.  Consequently, Hip Camp cancelled our reservation and refunded us our money.   State Line graciously proposed to host us anyway, and we accepted the hospitable offer.

Now the host is certainly friendly and accommodating, but she totally misrepresents her property.  Based on its name and her website/Facebook pages at the time, we expected this to be like the Skyview Drive-In we stayed at on Route 66 in Litchfield, Illinois.  But the only similarity is that she has a screen.  Though she charges to enter the outdoor theater, she offerd no first-run movies.  When Mom asked what was playing, the host said, “whatever you want to watch”—we could make a film selection from her DVD library.  (I don’t know how you feel, but this Rambling RV Rat ain’t wasting cheese money to watch something that I can get for free with my Amazon prime subscription, sitting in my comfy recliner, and with no mosquitoes swarming!)

 

We asked where to park the RV.  The host told us to come in through the gate and park anywhere in the field.  The problem was that we couldn’t fit through the width of the gate!  She then offered an alternate entrance, but we would need to go across a narrow wooden bridge flanked by two huge trees!  Again, there was no way we could fit, nor could the bridge handle the weight of our set-up!  Fortuitously, she has a side property that is a big open field, dry enough to handle our weight, and no gates or obstructions to entry.  Bingo, we had a winner!

 

Now, it was time to pay.  The host asked for $50/night in cash.  I nearly choked on my cheddar cheese!  The rate was $43.50/night when we booked through Hip Camp via a credit card!  Mom negotiated her down to $45/night in cash—which is still steep for boondocking/no amenities whatsoever.  But it was a steal compared to the $125/night it would cost for a back-in site at the North Myrtle Beach RV Park and Marina, at which we stayed on our previous visits (2019 cost $70 night; 2021 $85 night). Anyway, we were out of the rig most of the day, returning in the evening only to sleep.

Though not where State Line typically parks its RV guests, we were lucky the host owned this side property.

Our boondocking spot at State Line sure offered an awesome sunset.

We took a tour of the Myrtle Beach area, seeing what had changed since our prior visits (you now pay for beach access in addition to parking!).  But the real purpose of staying in this area was to visit with long-time friends Kevin/Ellen and Denise/Dean.  Both sets of friends relocated to this area from New Jersey.  What a blast we had reconnecting, reminiscing, and, of course, feasting at some wonderful local restaurants! 

We moved on to Cane Creek Park in Waxhaw, North Carolina.  We have stayed on Site 37 here 3 times previously, and always had a positive experience.  Operated by Union County, this lovely lake-side park is perfect for affordable family fun.  It offers full-hook-up sites for $37/night, hiking trails, camp store, playground, and beach.  And it is located right across the border from the residences of more cherished New Jersey friends, Jeffrey and Sandy/Donny, with whom we share the love of motorcycling.  Jeffrey hosted a wonderful get-together for us all at his tiki bar!

 

The lake at Cane Creek Park in Waxhaw, North Carolina.

My parents posing with Dad's trike, Maximus.

Well, I am tuckered out, so I'll sign off now.  But I’ll talk to you again soon!