Civil War cannonballs surface on Folly Beach after Hurricane Matthew https://t.co/lomIjrt1pE pic.twitter.com/OSdOTntlmU
— WBRC FOX6 News (@WBRCnews) October 10, 2016
After Hurricane Matthew tore through South Carolina this past weekend, a Folly Island resident stumbled upon a piece of American history. The dozen-odd cannonballs found washed up on the shore on Sunday, October 9 are believed to date back to the Civil War, Gizmodo reports
Folly Island was occupied by Union soldiers over a century and a half ago. Troops built forts, an artillery battery, and a supply depot on the land and used it as their strategic base when planning the battle of Fort Sumter. Evidence of the island’s Civil War ties remains buried beneath the surface, occasionally surfacing in light of severe weather or development projects.
Despite its historical significance, the discovery was treated as a safety hazard first and foremost by the local police. After the discovery was reported, most of the cannonballs were detonated by the U.S. Air Force Explosive Team Sunday night.
NEXT on #Daybreak: #HurricaneMatthew uncovered Civil War era cannonballs on Folly Beach https://t.co/PJwZVcCBJE #Charleston #WakeUpWith9 pic.twitter.com/ZO53JGVnsc
— WSOCTV (@wsoctv) October 10, 2016
[h/t Gizmodo]
All images: Richard Beck/Twitter
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October 10, 2016 – 11:30am