Fort McAllister Historic Park, Civil War earthwork fortification in Richmond Hill, United States.
Fort McAllister Historic Park is a state park along the Ogeechee River, south of Savannah, featuring preserved Civil War earthwork fortifications, coastal salt marshes, and oak trees draped with Spanish moss. The grounds also include hiking trails, a fishing pier, boat ramps, camping areas, and waterfront cottages.
The fort was built in the early 1860s as an earthwork fortification to defend the Ogeechee River and the rail bridge behind it. It held off several Union naval attacks before being captured by General Sherman's forces in December 1864, near the end of his march to the sea.
The museum inside the park displays items from daily soldier life, including uniforms, weapons, and personal gear. These objects give visitors a direct sense of what life looked like for those stationed at the fort during the war.
The park is easy to explore on foot, with signs at key points explaining the fortifications and the surrounding landscape. Arriving early in the day is a good idea, especially in summer when heat and humidity build up through the afternoon.
The fort had special ovens that heated cannonballs to red-hot temperatures before they were fired at wooden ships to set them on fire. Fort McAllister is one of the few places where these ovens can still be seen in their original location today.
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