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Statement
of Ed Bearss, Chief Historian Emeritus of the National
Park Service, regarding Morris Island
"Both Morris
Island and Fort Wagner are of national importance, and both
are significant to the history of the Civil War and Charleston,
South Carolina.
"Morris
Island is the site where the Citadel Cadets fired one of the
first shots of the war.
"The island
is the site of the 'Swamp Angel,' the 200-pound Parrott that
was used to bombard Charleston – and which exploded upon the
firing of its 37th round. The site of the Swamp Angel is easily
identified.
"Fort
Wagner is arguably the best known Civil War site regarding
the actions of African American troops, as dramatized in the
movie “Glory.” The seawall of the 'L-shaped' fort – which
was built by the Confederates and defended by South Carolinians
– has been lost to beach erosion, but the right flank of the
land face of the fort is still evident.
"The capture
and occupation of Fort Wagner allowed the Union forces to
pound Fort Sumter to rubble, leading to the Confederate evacuation
of the Charleston defenses."
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