After a day of doing errands, I was seeking out the fort that guarded the entrance to one of the most important seaports on the east coast –Ft. Sumter.
As the heat increase over slavery Charleston, which was the port for most of the slave ships, focused on the forts guarding the harbor. Soon after being the first state to secede from the United States, fired on the fort starting the Civil War. I was surprised several times by the facts: the commander for the Union was the teacher at West Point of the commander of the Confederate States and both were good friends. With only 85 men to defend the fort the Union commander had to make a major decision 30 hours into the bombardment. Fire cannons or put out fires next to the fort’s ammunition magazine. Anderson decided to surrender giving the Confederates their first victory.
I implode with curiosity about what the Blacks are thinking when we, as tourists, hear the history from the rangers. As we stand side by side in the audience what are our thoughts?
Mine are of amazement that one culture believes that it can own another culture even though slavery is as old as the human race.
I know that I must find cooler weather - 93 degrees is not for this child so I pull out of South Carolina heading up the coast as fast as I can sail this ship. I see that the coast is now becoming more populated and wondering how this might impact my finding coastal state parks to hide out in. I must have power where I stay at these temperatures for my over worked A/C unit.
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