Fort Trenholm
Introduction
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Images
Fort Trenholm Parapet from the Stono River
George A. Trnholm, CSA Secretary of the Treasury
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Fort Trenholm, located on Johns Island in Charleston Harbor, Charleston, South Carolina, was built in 1864 by Confederate forces under the direction of General P.G.T. Beauregard, in an effort to reinforce Fort Pringle and strengthen the defenses of Charleston Harbor.
The
fort is named for George A. Trenholm. Trenholm was a cotton planter, Union
blockade runner and Secretary of the Treasury for the Confederate States of
America during the last year of the Civil War.
Fort
Trenholm is situated on the opening to the Stono River. While built to
reinforce Fort Pringle, it was also situated so that is could defend against a flanking
movement against the James Island artillery batteries by land forces on Johns
Island.
The fort
is of earthen construction with one open face adjoining marsh land. Its
fortified eastern face opens on the Stono River and runs 870 feet. The southern
face covers 780 feet and its western face runs 885 feet. At its base, the
parapet is 45 feet thick and 15 feet tall.