Conversations On The Civil War - 1863: The Fight For Charleston (Full Version) - Episode 9

In the summer of 1863 three major campaigns occurred that affected the outcome of the Civil War. Two of three, Gettysburg and Vicksburg were dramatic turning points, while a third campaign directed against Charleston, South Carolina, proved instrumental for the Civil War but also future battles. The campaign introduced a new era of engineering and gunnery; it was a testing ground for African American troops and had a tremendous impact on life in Charleston and the Palmetto State. Dr. Stephen R. Wise, curator of the Parris Island Museum of Marine Corps History, is author of Lifeline of the Confederacy: Blockade Running during the Civil War (USC Press) and Gate of Hell: Campaign for Charleston Harbor, 1863 (USC Press). He talks with Dr. Edgar about the Battle for Charleston, and about blockade runners, in a presentation that is part of the series “Conversations on the Civil War, 1863,” held at USC, Columbia, in January and February, 2013. The series was sponsored by the USC College of Arts and Sciences.