Fort Sumter National Monument

SULLIVAN'S ISLAND. Despite the fact that construction on Fort Sumter was incomplete, Major Robert Anderson moved his troops here from Fort Moultrie, prepared to defend the site from the Confederate army. Sumter was eventually taken by the Confederates anyway and became a Southern stronghold for most of the Civil War, even in the wake of Union Volleys. The fort is accessible only by water – Spirit Line Cruises runs informative trips back and forth, year round. Nearby Fort Moultrie is also worth a visit. The Visitor Education Center, at Liberty Square, has extensive historical information on both forts.