The Mortars of Charleston
The four mortars are visible in this photo taken at White Point Garden. Note the pyramid of 10-inch shells placed by each mortar.
Six mortars of the Civil War can be found in and around Charleston. Four Model 1861 13-inch mortars are displayed at White Point Garden on the tip of the peninsula of Charleston. An additional Model 1861 13-inch mortar is at “Cannon Row” at Fort Moultrie. Mortars of this type were used by the US Army to bombard Fort Sumter from Morris Island during the war. Finally, there is a 10-inch mortar at Fort Sumter.
According to Mike Ryan’s excellent paper, “The Historic Guns of Forts Sumter and Moultrie”, the four White Point Garden mortars were originally brough from the Augusta Arsenal to Fort Moultrie in 1872 as part of the efforts of the United States Army to rebuild the defenses of Charleston. In 1901 they were donated to the city of Charleston and placed at White Point Garden.
The 13-inch mortar at Fort Moultrie was one of four brought in the 1870s to Fort Sumter as a part of the same effort to rebuild Charleston’s defenses. By 1935 two of the mortars flanked the entrance to Fort Sumter. In 1969, one of the mortars was moved to the Petersburg Battlefield to represent “Dictator” while the other was moved to Fort Moultrie where it remains.
The 10-inch mortar, identified by Ryan as being cast in the early 19th century, was one of several cannons discovered in 1959 during major excavations at Fort Moultrie. It is of the same type that was used to fire the first shot of the bombardment of Fort Sumter on April 12th, 1861.
2021 view of Cannon Row at Fort Moultrie
Face of the Fort Moultrie mortar showing that it was cast at Fort Pitt in 1862 and weighed 17,196 pounds.
Rear view of 13-inch mortar on Cannon Row.
10-inch mortar at Fort Sumter
Detail of markings on the 10-inch mortar
10-inch mortar at Fort Sumter - note that the mortar (which weighs over 3,800 pounds) only looks small in comparison to the gigantic 15-inch Rodmans
The two center mortars on display at White Point Garden
The western most mortar at White Point Garden photographed in April of 2024. Note that the “battery” sea wall is under reconstruction at present.
Easternmost mortar at White Point Garden displayed with a 7-inch Brooke. I believe the small gun in the middle to be a replica 4-pounder.
Evening view of the Brooke and the mortars
2004 view of the right of the two center mortars of the row at White point Garden.
1920s view of the two center mortars. (Image is believed to be public domain due to age)
Early 20th Century view of White Point Garden. One of the mortars is visible between the bushes at left. Library of Congress Photo: https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/det.4a24161/?co=det
