Camp Saxton Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Camp Saxton Site
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| Nearest city | Port Royal, South Carolina |
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| Area | 6 acres (2.4 ha) |
| Built | 1862 |
| NRHP reference No. | 94001581 |
| Added to NRHP | February 2, 1995 |
The Camp Saxton Site is a special historical place in Port Royal, South Carolina. It covers about 6-acre (24,000 m2) of land. This site is important because of events that happened there during the American Civil War. It was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 2, 1995.
What is Camp Saxton Site?
The Camp Saxton Site is located along the Beaufort River. It is next to the river on one side. On another side is the United States Naval Hospital Beaufort. A boat basin is to the north, and the old Fort Frederick Heritage Preserve is to the south.
A Camp for Freedom
This site was once a camp for the U.S. Union Army during the Civil War. From November 1862 to January 1863, it was home to the 1st South Carolina Volunteers. This was a special group of soldiers. They were among the first African American soldiers to fight for the Union Army.
A Historic Ceremony
Camp Saxton is famous for a very important event. On January 1, 1863, a big ceremony took place there. This was when the Emancipation Proclamation was read aloud. This important document declared that most enslaved people in the Confederate states were free. It was a huge step towards ending slavery in the United States.
A National Monument
In January 2017, the Camp Saxton Site became part of something new. It joined the Reconstruction Era National Monument. President Barack Obama created this monument. It helps protect and share the history of the Reconstruction Era. This was the time after the Civil War when the country worked to rebuild and redefine freedom.
