Continuing its commemoration of the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War, the Charleston Museum presents "Our Duty was Quite Arduous": The Union Encampment on Little Folly Island, 1863- 1865. On exhibit from June 6, 2013 to March 10, 2014, this original exhibition presents Civil War artifacts recovered by Charleston Museum archaeologists from the beach of "Little Folly Island." Accelerated erosion caused by Hurricane Hugo in September 1989 uncovered a wealth of materials from the Federal presence there during the Civil War. Most were remarkably preserved and now provide a rare glimpse into the daily lives of Union soldiers garrisoned on Folly Island. For more information, visit www.charlestonmuseum.org or call (843) 722-2996.

Significance of "Little Folly Island"

In early 1863, Confederates struggled to maintain control of Charleston, a pivotal seaport in the South's defenses and supply chain. Federal leaders were desperate to penetrate its fortifications, particularly Fort Sumter. Surrounded by a maze of islands, marsh, tidal rivers and streams, Charleston was difficult to defend and to attack. The Federals realized the best hopes of neutralizing Fort Sumter lay in attacking from the south, by way of Folly Island and on up into Morris Island's Battery Wagner.

This plan commenced in February 1863 when a small band of soldiers, led by Major General John G. Foster, disembarked onto a narrow strip of dry sand called Folly Island. Slowly thrashing through a jungle of undergrowth and pine woods, they reconnoitered the Confederate positions on Morris Island, just north of Folly. Within a few months, this quiet, largely uninhabited island became the camp of thousands of soldiers. Union troops toiled in horrid summer conditions, resulting in the building of ten masked batteries (earthen fortifications) with heavy fire power, on Folly's northernmost tip, known as Little Folly Island. From this point the Union launched its siege of Morris Island, a battle well-known for its involvement of the 54th Massachusetts, one of the first official African American units in the United States, later made famous in the movie Glory.  Following the siege, Little Folly Island became a major supply depot and wharf for ferrying equipment and troops.

By the summer of 1865 with the war at an end, Folly's north end was abandoned, the fort and rifle pits filled with used and broken equipment, lying in disarray. Buried later by sand and preserved in pluff mud, these materials were forgotten until exposed by Hurricane Hugo in 1989.

The Federal troops who had been stationed there struggled against oppressive heat, bothersome sand, vicious mosquitoes and sand gnats, poor water, and irregular provisions. "Our duty...was quite arduous," wrote a Connecticut soldier, referring to the challenging conditions faced by Federal troops on Folly. Their experience stands in stark contrast to the modern view of Folly Beach as a place of sun, surfing and relaxation.