Fort Moultrie

Fort Moultrie Review

A section of the Fort Sumter National Monument, this is the site where Colonel William Moultrie's South Carolinians repelled a British assault in one of the first patriot victories of the Revolutionary War. Completed in 1809, the fort is the third fortress on this site on Sullivan's Island (reached on Route 703 off U.S. 17 North, 10 miles southeast of Charleston). Set across the street, the companion museum is an unsung hero. Although much is made of Fort Sumter, this smaller, historical site is creatively designed, with mannequins in various uniforms and other creative visuals that make military history come alive. A well-done, 20-minute educational film that spans several major wars tells the colorful history of the fort. There's also an exhibit focusing on the slave trade and Sullivan's Island's role in it. Plan to spend the day bicycling through Sullivan's Island, which is characterized by its cluster of early-20th-century beach houses (fuel up at Dunleavy's Pub on Sullivan's, on Middle Street).