Oglethorpe’s system of outposts, serving as a defense shield for the City of Savannah was resurrected during the Civil War by the Confederate States of America Army. Fort Pulaski, the federal fort constructed on Cockspur Island in the 1840s, was seized by Confederate forces in 1861 and was thought to be Savannah’s most important defense against enemies entering from the Atlantic Ocean. However, when Fort Pulaski fell in April of 1862 to rifle cannon, smaller earthworks defending the water approaches around Savannah became the real defense.

In 1874, Georgia historian Charles C. Jones, Jr. described the Confederate defenses as:

…an interior line of forts and water batteries which, commencing with Fort Jackson and the Savannah River batteries, included Fort Barstow, works at Causton’s Bluff and on Whitemarsh Island, batteries at Greenwich, Thunderbolt, the Isle of Hope, and at Beaulieu, and rested its right on the Rose Dew batteries.

These earthworks, including Thunderbolt, created an interior line of defense to support the advanced line, which included the larger fortifications of Fort Pulaski, Wilmington Island, Green Island, and Fort McAllister. Fort Jackson served as the Confederate Army’s headquarters for the smaller batteries. Communications between the river batteries was maintained by telegraph and semaphore flag signaling.

Along the Warsaw River, Fort Thunderbolt, or Thunderbolt Battery as it was more commonly called, was constructed to guard against attack coming in from the Wassaw Sound. A sketch of the Thunderbolt Battery shows the earthworks along the river with numerous mounds, a bombproof shelter, and cannon and guns strategically positioned along the bluff guarding the river (see below). In addition, large live oaks were placed in the river below the bluff to create obstacles and slow down enemy ships trying to move up the river towards Savannah.

Thunderbolt Battery & Soldiers

Lamas, Claudia B. "Fortification Survey of Savannah River

and Area Waterways, Savannah, Georgia 1861-1865."

Several contemporary descriptions of Thunderbolt Battery emphasize its importance and describe its location. On 1 December 1861, in his personal diary, Cornelius R. Hanleiter described the state of the battery:

The Rifle men [Phoenix Riflemen] are in charge of the Battery at Thunderbolt—five large guns—and seem to be very comfortably quartered. They have a beautiful location, on a high bluff, commanding the river at this point.

The Philadelphia Enquirer announced the strategic importance of the Thunderbolt Battery and the desire of the Union forces to gain control of it on 7 February 1862:

…having four guns and located on the water approach from Wassaw Sound up the Wilmington River. And if in their [Union] possession, they could land 20,000 men and march them into the South.

Apparently several unsuccessful attempts were made by the Federal soldiers to land at the Thunderbolt Battery. On 19 May 1862, the local newspaper reported one such attempt, “Last Saturday night at Thunderbolt, more Yankees attempted to land, and were fired upon by our pickets. None of our men were injured.”

Guns at the Thunderbolt Battery included 8” Columbiads, 7” rifled guns, mortar, 8” Navy guns, 18 pounders, 24 pounders, 42 pounders, and 32 pounders. In March of 1862, the Skidaway Battery was abandoned and its guns were taken to Thunderbolt to strengthen the battery. In March of 1863 the Thunderbolt Battery was once again strengthened with additional guns. It was recorded on 31 March 1863 by Colonel T. Gorgas, the Chief of Ordnance, that the Thunderbolt Battery now had a total of fourteen guns.

Plan of Thunderbolt Battery

Lamas, Claudia B. "Fortification Survey of Savannah River

and Area Waterways, Savannah, Georgia 1861-1865."

In October 1863, Confederate States of America President, Jefferson Davis, toured the river forts and batteries on the steamer Beauregard. At Thunderbolt he disembarked to inspect the Phoenix Riflemen. The Phoenix Riflemen were one of the oldest volunteer militia companies in Savannah and maintained guard at the Thunderbolt Battery during the Civil War as part of the 63^rd Georgia Regiment.

In 1864, Union gunboats were anchored off of Thunderbolt and a Union private aboard one wrote, “It looks to me like the Confederate States is compelled to starve in a short time.” Thunderbolt never fell to the enemy, and increased armament and river obstructions kept the Union forces from landing. It was the advance of Union troops on Fort McAllister by land that led to the evacuation of Savannah and Thunderbolt Battery. “After having spiked the guns and destroyed the carriages and ammunition" the garrisons of Thunderbolt, under Colonel Edward C. Anderson, evacuated to Fort Jackson. There they joined the garrisons of Causton’s Bluff and the Savannah River batteries on 20 December 1864 and were taken by steamer to Screven’s Ferry to march into Hardeeville. After the abandonment of the Thunderbolt Battery, some of Sherman’s troops departed from Thunderbolt for Beaufort to begin their campaign through the Carolinas.

Nothing remains of the Thunderbolt Battery today due to a combination of initial neglect and commercial and industrial development. However, Thunderbolt’s importance in local Civil War history is not forgotten.