Sun. 5/14.
Kings Mountain National Military Park. NOT a good choice for taking Dad in the wheelchair. M-o-u-n-t-a-i-n. Pretty steep up/down sections.
Never heard the Revolutionary War described as a civil war. BEST FACTOID OF TRIP.
National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) placed marker naming 3 African-American patriots who fought at Kings Mtn.
1 of largest Military Parks in US. South terminus of 220-mi Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, assembly route of Patriot army from Abingdon, VA. Battlefield Ridge, 600-yard long, narrow hogback 60’ wide, 150 ft above surrounding valleys.
Undisturbed by Rev. War for 5 yrs, until 1780, when a Brit. Major Ferguson captured Charlestown SC, Loyalists plundered the countryside, and Patriots burned and looted. Threatened backwoodsmen joined forces w/ Whigs from VA, SC & NC and converged here.
Defeated at Camden, patriots returned home to harvest crops and rebuild. Returned in Fall to find Ferguson on top of Kings Mountain, a seemingly excellent position. Tho outnumbered by trained Loyalists, patriots approached from 2 sides, reached the summit under cover of the forested slopes. Twice they were driven back with bayonets, then they gained the crest on 1 side and drove the Tories toward the other group of Patriots. Loyalists were surrounded and silhouetted against the sky. The Major was killed and the 2nd in command surrendered.
This was the only battle where the primary weapon of the patriots was the American long rifle. They were slower to load than muskets (1 min, vs 3-4 times in a minute) but more accurate.
Mon. 5/15.
Congaree National Park—they keep naming new parks, we’ll never get to them all! Very interesting film and nice trail. But hot.
Largest intact tract of old-growth bottomland forest in NA. Intermittent flooding prevented farming but fertilized the forest. Inaccessibility by land & perpetual dampness precluded logging.
2.4 mi boardwalk loop moves from primeval swamp to massive pines & hardwood forest.
Bald cypress trees have “knees” thought to provide structural support during floods and high winds. The trees can live over 1000 yrs, are rot- and water-resistant..
Bob was at South Of the Border (campground and entertainment center) as a kid and then with his kids and now with Sally & John. Can’t believe: Camp Pedro is named after Mexican workers at the hotel in the 1950s, all of whom the white folk called Pancho and Pedro. Can’t believe someone isn’t upset about that!
Haven’t read a paper for weeks. And only watched Cobert a couple of times, it’s just on too late.
Tue. 5/15. Drove thru Wilmington, NC, and on to SC.
Wed. 5/16.
Brookgreen Gardens. Sculpture garden and wildlife preserve founded 1931 by Archer and Anna (Hyatt [no relation to hotel founder Jay Pritzker]) Huntington [descendant of RR baron]. 9,000 acres, 4 former rice plantations. 1,200 19th century & contemporary American artists sculptures in 35-acre garden. 2,000 plant species.
Anna was a sculptor, studied under Gutzon Borglum (the designer of Mount Rushmore), among others. An American sculptor, once among New York City‘s most prominent sculptors. At a time when very few women were successful artists, she had a thriving career. During the first two decades of the 20th century, Hyatt Huntington became famous for her animal sculptures, which combine vivid emotional depth with skillful realism. In 1915, she created the first public monument by a woman in New York City, outside of Central Park: Her Joan of Arc, located on Riverside Drive at 93rd Street, is also the city’s first monument dedicated to a historical woman.
Has a cypress log cut in 18th or 19th century by slaves with hand-axes to clear land for rice fields, 500 years old at the time. 17ft long x 10 ft diameter; 6 tons.
Includes
- Creek Excursion along historic rice fields now home to alligators and osprey.
- 3,000 sq ft butterfly house.
- Ribbit the Exhibit–a collection of larger than life size copper frogs.
Thur. 5/18.
Fort Sumter tour. Thomas Sumter was Revolutionary War patriot. Fort was built to fortify coastline after War of 1812. Fort fell to CSA, withstood all Union efforts to retake it (7 million pounds of metal were hurled at it). CSA surrendered Fort in 1865 as Sherman marched north from Savannah.
Castle Pinckney is a small 2ndary fortress that lost its effectiveness when explosive shells and rifles were developed.
Soon after South Carolina’s secession, 10 more states rapidly followed to become a part of the Confederate States of America. In January, five jumped on board: Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana. Shortly thereafter, Texas joined the Confederacy, followed by Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and lastly NBC.
The Confederate flag had 13 stars though, and the final two stars represented Kentucky and Missouri, although those two slave-holding states never officially seceded.
Fri. 5/19.
Charleston city tour (horse drawn carriage). The guide pointed out the many benefits available at the company–free showers and dental care, frequent rest breaks during the day, peaceful country setting for the 3 days off each week. for the horses.
Bob saw a flashing Krispy Kreme sign, knew that it meant fresh-off-the-conveyor-belt donuts, and pulled a U-turn so we could enjoy!
