Day 1 in Savannah

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We spent this morning visiting one of the chain of forts, Fort Pulaski, built in the 1820/30s to protect the approach to the important port of Savannah. This was in response to the perfidious Brits burning the White House in 1815 and was supposed to be the last word in military engineering.  It took 18 years to build,, was occupied by the Confederates at the start of the Civil War, and surrendered to Union troops after a 30-hour bombardment.  Apparently rifled artillery did for it.  


Here's a view from the inside; 42-pounder smoothbore Confederate cannon. 


Here's what the outer wall looked like when the Yankees had been going at in for a day and a half.  The corner out of shot to the left had been completely breached, allowing shells through and putting the magazine and its 40,000 lbs of black powder at risk and causing the commander to surrender.  

This is a poster of a contemporary photo of the interior.  



Here's the nose of a shell which has been embedded in the wall since it was fired in 1862.  
PS
I know it's cold in Rushwick, but it's not a lot warmer here today which after the lovely temps in Florida last week has come as a bit of a shock, and it rained most of the afternoon. Luckily it was dry while we were visiting Fort Pulaski. But we are snug and dry in our Airbnb and looking forward to a G&T when it's 6:00!  





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