Planter at the Gate

During the Civil War, the month of June of 1862 was a pivotal moment in American history. If Federal forces could capture Charleston, the gateway to the South, it would cripple the Confederacy. Impatient with their Naval blockade of its central harbor, the Union Army decides to pursue another approach for seizing the Holy City by overrunning a small fort on James Island. There, a Southern planter named Colonel Thomas Gresham Lamar, holds the keys to that back door approach as the commander of the Tower Battery in the hamlet of Secessionville.

Title:
The Planter at the Gate, Part 1 1
The Planter at the Gate, Part 1
Episode 1

Video

Grades: 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

An inland planter from Edgefield fears the loss of his way of life as a plantation master. In due time, Thomas Lamar will stand directly in the Union Army’s path to Charleston.
The Planter at the Gate, Part 2 2
The Planter at the Gate, Part 2
Episode 2

Video

Grades: 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Thomas Lamar farms cotton on the family land granted by the King of England. Thomas’ brother, Charles, makes a bold move to reopen the African slave trade in defiance of a federal ban. Talk of...
The Planter at the Gate, Part 3 3
The Planter at the Gate, Part 3
Episode 3

Video

Grades: 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

South Carolina secedes to join the Confederate States of America. Fort Sumter becomes the flash point for war.
The Planter at the Gate, Part 4 4
The Planter at the Gate, Part 4
Episode 4

Video

Grades: 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

President Lincoln blockades Southern ports. The Union takes Port Royal Sound. The coastal planters flee leaving tens of thousands of enslaved people free.
The Planter at the Gate, Part 5 5
The Planter at the Gate, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

Grades: 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Robert E. Lee redevelops his strategy for defending the South. Sea island plantation owners feel abandoned. The stage is set for Robert Smalls.
The Planter at the Gate, Part 6 6
The Planter at the Gate, Part 6
Episode 6

Video

Grades: 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

In a daring move, Robert Smalls and his crew commandeer the steamship, The Planter, sail past Fort Sumter and deliver the ship and key intelligence to the Union.
The Planter at the Gate, Part 7 7
The Planter at the Gate, Part 7
Episode 7

Video

Grades: 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

There are two avenues into Charleston for the Union Army. Driven by information from Smalls, the Union goes for the back door - right through James Island and Thomas Lamar.
The Planter at the Gate, Part 8 8
The Planter at the Gate, Part 8
Episode 8

Video

Grades: 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

June 16, 1862. The battle begins in the pre-dawn hours. The Union miscalculates the fierce defense rendered by Confederate cannon fire and becomes mired in Mother Nature’s secret weapon.
The Planter at the Gate, Part 9 9
The Planter at the Gate, Part 9
Episode 9

Video

Grades: 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Hundreds are left dead on the field of battle as the Union is repelled. Thomas Lamar is declared a hero but suffers the consequences of the bloody encounter.
The Battle of Secessionville 10
The Battle of Secessionville
Episode 10

Video

Grades: 4 8

The Challenge The Union Army decides the time is right to move into position on James Island and capture Charleston Harbor. Citadel professor Dr. Kyle Sinisi guides us through the military maneuvers...
The Battle of Secessionville 11
The Battle of Secessionville
Episode 11

Video

Grades: 4 8

The Confrontation Confederate forces at the Tower Battery push back against the Union's advancement toward their position. Citadel professor Dr. Kyle Sinisi guides us through the military maneuvers...
The Battle of Secessionville 12
The Battle of Secessionville
Episode 12

Video

Grades: 4 8

The Battle Confederate and Union forces clash in a short, bloody fight. Citadel professor Dr. Kyle Sinisi guides us through the military maneuvers that climaxed on June 16, 1862.
The Swamp Angel 13
The Swamp Angel
Episode 13

Video

Grades: 4 8

Charleston Museum curator, Grahame Long, recounts the story of the war's most renowned Parrott gun and its deadly ordnance: Greek Fire.
The Pluff Mud Advantage 14
The Pluff Mud Advantage
Episode 14

Video

Grades: 4 8

Home field advantage is key, especially in battle. College of Charleston's Dr. Scott Harris is very familiar with the muck that changed the odds in the Battle of Secessionville.
Civil War Medicine - Fact or Fiction?
Civil War Medicine - Fact or Fiction?

Lesson

Grades: 8

Leveraging a KWL chart, this lesson activates students' prior knowledge of Civil War medicine before delving into the history of Fort Lamar. Through analysis of primary and fictional sources, students...

Civil War Uniforms & Equipment
Civil War Uniforms & Equipment

Lesson

Grades: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Students delve into Fort Lamar's history and the Civil War through a documentary. Analyzing photographs and recreating a soldier's belongings, they explore how artifacts offer unique insights into the...

Fort Lamar: Ordnance- Historical Photograph Analysis
Fort Lamar: Ordnance- Historical Photograph Analysis

Lesson

Grades: 8, 11

In this lesson, students will analyze historical photographs of Fort Lamar and the Battle of Secessionville to understand the role of artillery during the Civil War. By comparing visuals with a...

Historical Letter Analysis
Historical Letter Analysis

Lesson

Grades: 8

This lesson explores Fort Lamar and the Civil War's early years, then analyzes soldier letters from the Battle of Secessionville to highlight the value of primary documents in understanding personal...

Reading Civil War Maps
Reading Civil War Maps

Lesson

Grades: 4, 8

In this lesson, students will explore the Battle of Secessionville through a documentary film and then analyze two historical maps to understand the battle's location, troop positions, and the...

Robert Smalls
Robert Smalls

Lesson

Grades: 8

This lesson delves into the story of Robert Smalls, a pivotal figure in the Civil War, and explores the changing role of African Americans during the conflict. Students will analyze Smalls' actions...

Salt Marsh Ecosystem
Salt Marsh Ecosystem

Lesson

Grades: 5, 6, 7, 8

This lesson will explore the Civil War battle of Secessionville and its connection to the unique ecosystem of the Carolina coast's salt marshes. Students will analyze the importance of these marshes...

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