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35-400: Although the lighthouse now stands several hundred feet offshore, it was originally inside a much larger island. When constructed in 1876, the light was approximately 1,200 feet (370 m) from the water's edge. However, the construction in 1889 of the jetties which protect the shipping lanes leading to Charleston Harbor altered ocean currents, resulting in the rapid erosion of Morris Island and

70-432: A first-order flashing light. Foundation piles were driven and the space between them filled with concrete 8 feet (2.4 m) thick. The new tower, when completed in 1876, was 161 feet (49 m) in height and the cost was $ 149,993.50. A first-order Fresnel lens was installed. In 1884 the illuminating apparatus was changed for the use of mineral oil instead of lard oil. The cyclone (hurricane) of August 25, 1885, destroyed

105-412: A steel frame, an aluminum alloy skin, and a triangular cross section. It is 140 feet (43 m) tall. Its slim, triangular structure was built to withstand winds of 125 miles per hour, and the focal plane of the light is 163 feet (50 m) above mean sea level. Originally, it was painted white and red-orange, but was later repainted white and black after citizens complained about the distracting color of

140-482: A week later, is better known. It was the Union attack on July 18, 1863, led by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry , one of the first major American military units made up of black soldiers. Colonel Robert Gould Shaw led the 54th Massachusetts on foot while they charged, and was killed in the assault. Although a tactical defeat, the publicity of the battle of Fort Wagner led to further action for black U.S. troops in

175-508: Is more than double the total unknowns at Beaufort National Cemetery, it appears many bodies were not removed and were lost to the shifting sea and sands. Within twenty years of the Civil War, the remnants of the fort had been washed away by erosion on Morris Island. A group of three ex-servicemen traveled to the fort in May 1885 and reported that the entire fort and approaches to it had washed away into

210-432: Is idle to deny that the heavy Parrott shells have breached the walls and are knocking away the bomb-proofs. Pray have boats immediately after dark at Cummings Point to take away the men. I say deliberately that this must be done or the garrison will be sacrificed. I am sending the wounded and sick now to Cummings Point, and will continue to do so, if possible, until all are gone. I have a number of them now there. I have not in

245-513: Is located on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina , which is the northern entrance to Charleston Harbor . Designed by Thomas Sullivan, the lighthouse was erected to replace the defunct Morris Island Light on Morris Island , which was at risk of being destroyed by erosion, but which remains standing and was stabilized in 2010. Construction of the Charleston Light was started in 1960, and it was first lit on June 15, 1962. Charleston Light has

280-588: The U.S. Coast Guard Historic District . Now part of Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park . Although it was donated by the Coast Guard to the National Park System in 2007, the Coast Guard continues to maintain the light of the lighthouse, while the National Park System protects its historical significance and overall physical upkeep. Although this lighthouse is still a working light, many problems within its structure keep it from being open to

315-549: The Atlantic on the east and an impassable swamp on the west. Its walls, composed of sand and earth, rose 30 feet (9.1 m) above the level beach and were supported by palmetto logs and sandbags. The fort's arsenal included fourteen cannons, the largest a 10-inch (250 mm) Columbiad that fired a 128-pound shell. It was a large structure capable of sheltering nearly 1,000 of the fort's 1,700-man garrison and provided substantial protection against naval shelling. The fort's land face

350-713: The Civil War on the southern coasts. These were relighted from time to time, and by 1866, the greater part had been restored. The Charleston Channel was re-marked promptly on the occupation of the city by Union troops in February 1865. In 1865 the Lighthouse Board reported "that an almost total change had taken place, leaving no channel in the harbor as it was in 1860, and opening new ones. Under this altered state of things it became necessary to establish lights temporarily at such places as would be useful guides through existing channels and omit all other. On March 3, 1873, Congress made

385-647: The Civil War, and it spurred additional recruitment that gave the Union Army a further numerical advantage in troops over the South. Union forces besieged the fort after the unsuccessful assault. By August 25, Union entrenchments were close enough to attempt an assault on the Advanced Rifle Pits, 240 yards in front of the Battery, but the attempt was defeated. A second attempt, by the 24th Massachusetts Infantry, on August 26

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420-752: The Federal Government against her will." Ten days later the inspector at Charleston informed the Board that "the Governor of the State of South Carolina has requested me to leave the State. I am informed that forcible possession has been taken of the lights, buoys, etc., of this harbor, and that similar measures will be adopted in regard to all lights in the State." Early in January 1861, the Rattlesnake Shoal Lightship

455-505: The US. Although Charleston remained in the hands of the rebels its port was effectively closed. At the end of the year, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles could report that "the commerce of Charleston has ceased." The impact also showed directly in rebel customs receipts, which fell drastically from 1863 to 1864. The labors and sacrifices of the US forces during the storms and siege had in

490-523: The actions of the 54th Massachusetts demonstrated once again the fallacy in that argument, as this was not the first time blacks ever fought in war or even for the United States. William Carney , an African American and a sergeant with the 54th, is considered the first black recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions at Fort Wagner in recovering and returning the unit's American flag to Union lines. After

525-571: The base to the lantern. A new first-order lens was installed in the tower on January 1, 1858. On December 20, 1813(?), on receiving reports from the lighthouse inspector at Charleston regarding the probable seizure of the lighthouse property by the Confederacy, the Secretary of the Lighthouse Board wrote the Secretary of the Treasury that he would not recommend "that the coast of South Carolina be lighted by

560-536: The battle, the Confederates buried the regiment's commanding officer, Colonel Shaw, in an unmarked mass grave with the African-American soldiers of his regiment as an insult to him. Instead, his family considered it an honor that Shaw was buried with his men. Morris Island is smaller than 1,000 acres and is subject to extensive erosion by storm and sea. Much of the site of Fort Wagner has been eroded away, including

595-489: The destruction of many structures and historical sites (such as Fort Wagner ). By 1938 the shoreline had reached the lighthouse, forcing its automation as it was no longer safe or practical to keep it staffed. In 1962 the Morris Island Light was decommissioned and replaced by the new Charleston Light , located on Sullivan's Island at the north end of the harbor. The Morris Island Light, located on Morris Island , at

630-548: The end shut down a vital lifeline to the rebellion. The best-known regiment that fought for the Union in the battle of Fort Wagner was the 54th Massachusetts, which was one of the first African-American regiments in the war. The 54th was controversial in the North, where many people supported the abolition of slavery but still treated African Americans as lesser or inferior to whites. Though some claimed blacks could not fight as well as whites,

665-461: The entrance to the harbor of Charleston, SC , was one of the colonial lights turned over to the Federal Government under the terms of the act of August 7, 1789. The light was in a brick tower, built by the Colony of South Carolina in 1767. On May 7, 1800, Congress appropriated $ 5,000 for repairing the lighthouse. In 1838 the light was described as a revolving light, the tower being 102 feet (31 m) from

700-423: The first of three appropriations for a new lighthouse on Morris Island. $ 60,000 was granted on that date for "commencing the rebuilding of a first-order seacoast light on Morris Island destroyed during the war." Two other appropriations totaling $ 90,000 in 1874 and 1875 were for completing the work. The new structure was to be at or near the same spot as the old tower, 150 feet (46 m) high and built of brick, with

735-470: The garrison 400 effective men, including artillery. The engineers agree in opinion with me, or, rather, shape my opinion. I shall say no more." A council of war in Charleston on the 4th had already reached the same conclusion, and the evacuation was carried out as planned. The fall of Battery Wagner would have considerable strategic significance. With its loss and that of Fort Gregg, Morris Island too fell to

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770-449: The lighthouse by placing a ring of concrete around it at a cost of $ 734,313 (USD). In addition, 68 micropiles were placed through the existing foundation. After Hurricane Irma, efforts focused on repairing the dock which was repaired in 2019. Additionally, a study was done to determine the stability of one of the light house's stairs. Restoration costs are estimated to be $ 7 million. Fort Wagner Fort Wagner or Battery Wagner

805-470: The lighthouse was transferred to the State of South Carolina through the Department of Natural Resources. The lighthouse was leased to Save The Light, Inc. for 99 years to coordinate the stabilization, erosion control, restoration and to raise the necessary funds for that work. Starting in 2007, Save The Light, Inc. has periodically lit up the lighthouse. In August, 2010, a project was completed that stabilized

840-408: The north side of Charleston Harbor entrance on Sullivan's Island . Since being decommissioned, hurricanes have destroyed portions of the complex. However, all structures except the lighthouse tower itself were all gone before the 1960s. The dock remained until Hurricane Irma struck in 2017. In 1999 Save The Light, Inc. purchased the historic lighthouse for $ 75,000 in order to preserve it. In 2000,

875-739: The ocean. Although the Atlantic Ocean consumed Fort Wagner and the original site is now offshore, the Civil War Trust (a division of the American Battlefield Trust ) and its partners have acquired and preserved 118 acres (0.48 km ) of historic Morris Island , which had gun emplacements and other military installations during the war. 32°43′07″N 79°53′05″W  /  32.71861°N 79.88472°W  / 32.71861; -79.88472 Charleston Light Charleston Light , also known as Sullivan's Island Lighthouse ,

910-594: The place where the Union soldiers were buried. However, by the time that happened, the soldiers' remains were no longer there because soon after the end of the Civil War, the Army disinterred and reburied all the remains, including presumably those of Shaw, at the Beaufort National Cemetery in Beaufort, South Carolina , where their gravestones were marked as "unknown". The number missing presumed dead at Battery Wagner

945-477: The rear beacon of the Morris Island range, overturned part of the brick wall which enclosed the tower and dwelling of the main light, carried away the bridge between the beacons, and destroyed a large part of the plank walks connecting the several lights and dwellings, and overturned the boathouse. The range was reestablished 3 days later by a temporary beacon. A new wooden skeleton structure 40 feet (12 m) high

980-445: The upper half. It is the only U.S. lighthouse with an elevator and air conditioning, and was the last onshore manned lighthouse to be built by the Federal Government. The Texas Tower Offshore Lighthouses were the last offshore manned lighthouses and, were built later starting in 1961 with Buzzards Bay Entrance Light . It was originally fitted with an Aerobeacon DCB-24 carbon-arc light producing 28 million candelas (candlepower) and

1015-409: Was 391, among the 10 regiments involved. 54th with the most at 146. 100 NY with 119, 48th NY with 112. The number of unknowns at Beaufort on their Civil War Monument 1870s is 174 unknowns. These unknowns collected from three Southern states. Sites include East Florida, Millen and Lawton, Georgia and Hilton Head, South Carolina. Two Confederate POW sites are included. Given the missing at Morris Island

1050-549: Was a beachhead fortification on Morris Island , South Carolina , that covered the southern approach to Charleston Harbor . Named for deceased Lt. Col. Thomas M. Wagner , it was the site of two American Civil War battles in the campaign known as Operations Against the Defenses of Charleston in 1863, in which United States forces took heavy casualties while trying to seize the fort. Fort Wagner measured 250 yards (230 m) by 100 yards (91 m), and spanned an area between

1085-446: Was built in 1885. The 1886 Charleston earthquake threw the lens of the main light out of position and cracked the tower extensively in two places, but not so as to endanger its stability. The lens was replaced and the cracks repaired without delay. Erosion of land caused the Coast Guard to begin construction of a new Charleston Light in 1960. The new light was commissioned on June 15, 1962. The tower stands 140 feet (43 m) high on

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1120-420: Was protected by a water-filled trench , 10 feet (3.0 m) wide and 5 feet (1.5 m) deep, surrounded by buried land mines and sharpened palmetto stakes. The fort itself was supported by defenses throughout Morris Island. The First Battle of Fort Wagner , occurred on July 11, 1863. Only 12 Confederate soldiers were killed, as opposed to 339 losses for the U.S. side. The Second Battle of Fort Wagner ,

1155-514: Was successful. After enduring almost 60 days of heavy U.S. shelling, the Confederates abandoned it on the night of September 6–7, 1863, withdrawing all operable cannons and the garrison. The main reason the fort was abandoned was a concern about the loss of the garrison due to artillery fire and the threat of imminent assault. On September 6, the garrison commander, Colonel Keitt, wrote to his superiors, "The garrison must be taken away immediately after dark, or it will be destroyed or captured. It

1190-465: Was the second most powerful in the Western Hemisphere. As the light was actually too dazzling, the light was replaced by a Vega Industries Ltd VRB-25 VRB-25 rotating beacon and could still be seen over 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi). Its characteristic is two 0.2 s flashes separated by 4.8 s every 30 s. The light was automated in 1975. It is a non-contributing resource located in

1225-602: Was towed into Charleston and the lighthouse tenders were seized. By the latter part of April 1861, practically all lights were extinguished, lightships removed, and other aids removed or destroyed from the Chesapeake to the Rio Grande , with the exception of some of the lights on the Florida coast and reefs. In 1862 the Lighthouse Board reported "Charleston, lens and lantern destroyed." In all, 164 lights were forcibly discontinued during

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