![]() Within 30 hours the rifled guns had such a devastating effect on the brick fort that it was surrendered. On April 11, 1862, those cannon batteries fired a new weapon called a “Rifled Cannon” at Fort Pulaski and changed forever the way the world protected coastal areas. Union forces commanded by Quincy Adams Gilmore took control of Tybee and constructed cannon batteries on the west side of the island facing Fort Pulaski about one mile away. Lee, withdrew to Fort Pulaski to defend Savannah and the Savannah River. In December of 1861, the Confederate forces, under orders from Robert E. Tybee also played an important military role at the outbreak of the American Civil War. Tybee would be the final port of call for many of those quarantined there. On the western end of the island, an area known as a “Lazaretto”, a variation of an Italian word meaning ‘hospital for the contagious’, was established to quarantine slaves and other passengers who may have been carrying diseases. Though no such attack took place, a “Martello Tower” was constructed on Tybee to provide protection in guarding the Savannah River. During the War of 1812, the Tybee Island Lighthouse was used to signal Savannah of possible attack by the British. Photo courtesy of the Georgia Historical Society.ĭuring the Revolutionary War, Tybee was the staging area for French Admiral D’Estaing’s ill-fated 1779 “Siege of Savannah”, when combined multinational forces attempted to defeat the British held Savannah. Also in 1736, John Wesley, the “Father of Methodism”, said his first prayer on the American continent at Tybee. In 1736, Oglethorpe had a lighthouse and small fort constructed here to ensure control of river access. Tybee was extremely important because of its location at the mouth of the Savannah River. The new colony of Georgia was named in honor of King George of England. In 1733, General James Oglethorpe led the settlement of this area, which was called Savannah because of the vast marshlands and tall grass. ![]() Superior French and British settlements eventually forced Spain to relinquish their claim on Tybee and other islands. Tybee and other remote islands were also a source of fresh water and game. The Spanish fought the French in a naval battle just off shore of Tybee to regain control over the area.įor many decades, pirates visited the island in search of a safe haven and hiding place for treasure. In 1605, the French were drawn to Tybee in search of Sassafras roots, which were considered to be a miracle cure at that time. In 1520, Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon laid claim to Tybee as part of Spain’s “La Florida”, an area that extended from the Bahamas to Nova Scotia. ![]() ![]() Spanish explorers were searching for riches in the New World. ![]()
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