Photograph of the Native American burial mound that Fort Watson was built on top of.
Mike Talplacido

Fort Watson

The current site of Fort Watson is the former Native American burial hill known as the Santee Hill Mount, located in the Santee National Wildlife Refuge near the Wrights Bluff Nature Trailhead. While there is no trace of the former British garrison, the significance of the site and the brief siege allows students and visitors to understand how vital the several outposts were to the British maintaining control over the Santee River Valley north of Charleston.

It also tells the story of a siege tower, something we often associate with ancient warfare, as an effective tool of warfare in modern times. With Fort Watson being the first of these garrisons to fall in 1781, we now have a clear picture of the American movements to single-handedly remove these threats, many of which were carried out by the teamwork of Francis Marion and Henry Lee. Today, there are historical signs detailing the battle and the use of siege towers in the American Revolution.

Fort Watson: What's Nearby

Summerton, SC
Rev War  |  Museum
Berkeley County Museum
Moncks Corner, SC
South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Museum
Columbia, SC
Rev War  |  Marker
Lafayette Tour Marker at Edisto, South Carolina (SC-49)
Edisto Island, SC
Rev War  |  Marker
Lafayette Tour Marker at Camden, South Carolina (SC-48)
Camden, SC
The H.L. Hunley Project and Submarine Tours
North Charleston, SC
Rev War  |  Museum
Old Exchange and Provosts Dungeon
Charleston, SC
Fort Johnson
Charleston, SC
Civil War  |  Fort
Battery 5, James Island New Lines
Charleston, SC
Civil War  |  Fort
Fort Lamar Historic Preserve
Charleston, SC
Rev War  |  Marker
Lafayette Tour Marker at Cheraw, South Carolina (SC-15)
Cheraw, SC
Rev War  |  Marker
Lafayette Tour Marker, Augusta. Georgia (GA-155)
Augusta, GA
Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn
Hilton Head Island, SC

Related Battles

Summerton, South Carolina | April 15, 1781
Result: American Victory
Estimated Casualties
116
American
2
British
114