Ditch	Interior	Parapet	Historic Design

Fort Pemberton is an important Civil War fortification used in the Confederate defense of Charleston. The fort was constructed in 1862 by the order of C.S.A. Brig. Gen. John C. Pemberton, commander of the Charleston defenses. Named after Pemberton, it was a “large well built work, heavily fortified” serving as the western anchor of James Island’s extensive defense lines and controlling access to the Stono River as it approached Charleston. Fort Pemberton was an enclosed work designed to function as both a land and water battery. It was strongly fortified and by October of 1862 its armament mounted twenty guns of various calibers. As a water battery, Fort Pemberton was built to deny Union gunboats access to the Stono River as it approached Charleston. As an enclosed work, many of its guns faced inland in readiness for a land attack. The fort was earthen construction throughout, except for the framing of the earth covered shot-furnace and powder magazines, whose interiors were probably of wood. The fort was pentagonal in shape with redoubts and an additional rampart. A well-preserved earthwork fortification, Fort Pemberton is a notable example of Confederate military engineering. Listed in the National Register November 21, 1978.

View the complete text of the nomination form for this National Register property.

Most National Register properties are privately owned and are not open to the public. The privacy of owners should be respected. Not all properties retain the same integrity as when originally documented and listed in the National Register due to changes and modifications over time.

Images and texts on these pages are intended for research or educational use. Please read our statement on use and reproduction for further information on how to obtain a photocopy or how to cite an item.