Civil War: Southeast Coast Cruise

You will start the day with a visit to the CSS Hunley Museum, home to the first successful combat submarine. The museum features the actual Hunley and provides fascinating insights into this groundbreaking Confederate vessel, including its mysterious sinking after it successfully sank the USS Housatonic. After the museum tour, transfer to your cruise ship and settle into your cabin. As the ship sets sail, enjoy a captivating lecture from your historian to set the stage for your journey through the Civil War’s coastal campaigns.

Dock in Beaufort, South Carolina, a town occupied by Union forces in November 1861 and held for the remainder of the war. This occupation marked the beginning of the Port Royal Experiment, a pioneering effort to create the first large-scale free African American community in the United States after white landowners fled the area.

Your first destination ashore will be the Parris Island Museum, highlighting U.S. Marine Corps history from the Civil War through modern times. After lunch, you will visit historic Beaufort, a charming town filled with antebellum homes, local shops, and Southern hospitality, where a ranger from the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park will lead a walking tour illuminating Beaufort’s importance as one of the birthplaces of wartime emancipation.

Today, you will enjoy in-depth lectures by your historian, diving into Civil War topics such as military strategy, naval innovation, and the war’s impact on civilian life.

After arriving in Savannah, Georgia, you will begin your day at Fort Pulaski, a marvel of military engineering that fell to Union forces in 1862. With its impressive brick walls and well-preserved structure, it resembles a smaller version of Fort Sumter. Next, you will enjoy a guided walking tour of Savannah’s historic district. Highlights include the Owens-Thomas House with its quarters for enslaved workers; the Green-Meldrim House, where General Sherman stayed in 1864; and the Factor’s Walk vaults, among other landmarks. These stops provide rich stories about the Civil War’s impact on Savannah. The day will include a visit to the Webb Military Museum, a fascinating, privately-run collection of artifacts spanning from the Revolutionary War to modern conflicts.

A relaxing day cruising along the Intracoastal Waterway provides an opportunity to enjoy the ship’s amenities or participate in engaging lectures. Your historian will explore themes like the Union’s “Anaconda Plan” and the broader social and economic dimensions of the Civil War.

From the dock, embark on a motorcoach expedition to Fort McAllister, a Confederate earthen fort that resisted multiple Union naval attacks before falling in 1864. Here, you will witness a musket demonstration by a park ranger and tour the fort’s grounds, which remain remarkably well-preserved. Back in Brunswick, enjoy a stroll through the charming historic district with its antique shops and public squares, modeled on those of Savannah.

Disembark for a visit to Fort Clinch State Park, home to a 19th-century 3rd Series fortification that was at one time garrisoned by the First South Carolina Volunteers, the first African American regiment in the Union Army. You will visit the museum and take a walking tour of the fort’s well-preserved structures. Later, you will explore the Olustee Battlefield, the site of Florida’s largest Civil War battle and the only significant land battle fought in the state. As you walk the one-mile trail around the battlefield, you can stop at interpretive kiosks that tell the story of the 1864 clash between Union and Confederate forces.

After a final breakfast aboard the ship, transfer to Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) for your journey home. Take with you unforgettable memories and a deeper understanding of the Civil War’s coastal campaigns where Lincoln’s words were first translated into actual freedom for thousands of Americans.