Fort Pulaski

Fort Pulaski

Fort Pulaski repaired, breached wall

Fort Pulaski (1829-1873) - Construction of this Third System fort began in 1829 under the supervision of Maj. Samuel Babcock assisted by 2nd Lt. Robert E. Lee (1829-1831). Named after Count Kazimierz Pulaski in 1833. Completed in 1847 after 18 years and almost $1,000,000. Fort Pulaski officially closed 24 Oct 1873.

Fort Pulaski History

Designed as a massive five sided masonry Third System fort to protect the city of Savannah, Georgia. When completed in 1847 the fort could mount 146 cannons but by the start of the U.S. Civil War only 20 were in place. The fort was placed in caretaker status soon after completion.

Georgia State troops occupied the fort in Jan 1861 as the U.S. Civil War became inevitable and held it until 11 Apr 1862 when a Union bombardment breached the fort walls. The destruction of Fort Pulaski by the new Union rifled canons signaled the end of the large masonry forts of the Third System. The fort was garrisoned throughout the rest of the U.S. Civil War by Union forces and eventually closed in 1873.

Two Endicott Period batteries were installed north of the fort during the Spanish American War period but were removed by 1903.

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Fort Pulaski Endicott Period Batteries

Battery	No.	Caliber	Type Mount	Years
Unnamed	1	8"	Alt Rodman Carriage	1898-1899
Hambright	2	3"	Masking Pedestal Mount	1903
Source: Coastal Defense Study Group

Current Status

Fort Pulaski became a National Monument 15 Oct 1924 and was transferred from the War Department to the National Park Service 10 Aug 1933. During World War II the island was used as a U.S. Navy base. After World War II the fort reverted to National Park Service control and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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Location: Cockspur Island, , Savannah, Georgia. Maps & Images Lat: 32.027222 Long: -80.890278 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: '

Sources:

• Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 232-236
• Kaufmann, J.E. and Kaufmann, H.W., Fortress America: The Forts That Defended America, 1600 to the Present, DaCapo Press, 2004, ISBN 0-306-81294-0, page 254-257
• Lewis, Emanuel Raymond, Seacoast Fortifications of the United States: An Introductory History, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis MD, 7th printing, 1993, ISBN 1-55750-502-0, page 50-51,

Links:

• National Park Service Site
• North American Forts

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