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Walking tour to focus on slavery and the Civil War; local author to participate
April 22, 2023 @ 9:30 am - 11:30 pm
Local author Dr. Walter B. Curry Jr. will be participating as a tour guide with The Charleston Museum.
The tour, “From Birds to Batteries: An In-depth Ecology and Historical Walking Tour of Battery Pringle” will take place at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 22, at the The Dill Sanctuary, 1163 Riverland Dr., Charleston.
Curry will be joined by Charleston Museum Chief of Collections Jennifer McCormick and Curator of Natural History Matthew Gibson. Curry will be sharing the story of his ancestor, Lavinia Corley Thompson, an enslaved cook who, at only 19, was forced to follow her enslaver, Private Samuel G. Webb, into the Confederate Army. They would eventually end up stationed at Battery Pringle in the fall of 1864 where she cooked and served meals. Curry will talk about Lavinia’s early life on the plantation in the Barnwell District, her time serving on the frontline feeding a poorly supplied group of soldiers and what her life was like after the Civil War.
Battery Pringle is located on James Island near Charleston. Representing the largest area of privately protected land on James Island, the Dill Sanctuary is a 580-acre wildlife refuge rich in historic features. A microcosm of Lowcountry cultural history and ecological diversity, it was the site of three plantations during the colonial and antebellum periods which used enslaved labor to produce primarily food crops for the Charleston market. The property also contains four earthen Confederate fortifications that were part of the Civil War defenses of Charleston.
The tour will also highlight the birds that call the Dill Sanctuary home and why the sanctuary is an important stop along migration routes for the birds. The walking tour will be approximately 1.5 miles and is an “off-road” location with steep inclines and unprepared terrain. Closed-toed shoes are required. Walking shoes/boots are recommended.
Reservations are required. Register online at www.charlestonmuseum.org/news-events/events/from-birds-to-batteries-an-in-depth-ecology-and-historical-walking-tour-of-battery-pringle/ or call 843-722-2996, ext. 235. Tickets are $40 for museum members and $55 for non-members.