Fort Lyttelton Site

Fort Lyttelton, situated on Spanish Point overlooking the Beaufort River, was a primary defensive fortification for the Beaufort District during the colonial and early revolutionary periods. Constructed primarily of tabby, the fort was designed to guard the water approach to the town of Beaufort, but its story is defined by a dramatic act of “scorched earth” defiance in the face of a British invasion.

A Frontier Sentinel

Originally built in 1758 during the French and Indian War, the fort was named for South Carolina Governor William Henry Lyttelton. By the outbreak of the Revolution, it served as the headquarters for a small Patriot garrison. Its position was strategically vital; any British naval force attempting to seize Beaufort would have to pass directly under the fort’s heavy guns.

The Destruction of January 31, 1779

The fort’s most significant moment occurred during the buildup to the Battle of Port Royal Island. In late January 1779, as British Major James Gardiner’s naval force moved up the Broad River, the Patriot commander at the fort, Captain John DeTreville, found himself in a precarious position. With only about 20 men under his command and the British fleet looming, DeTreville feared the fort—and its valuable artillery—would be captured and used against the town.

On January 31, 1779, DeTreville made the strategic decision to destroy the facility:

• Spiking the Guns: The Patriot garrison hammered iron spikes into the touch-holes of the cannons, rendering them useless to the enemy.
• Blowing the Bastion: DeTreville ignited the powder magazine, blowing up the main bastion to ensure the British could not utilize the tabby walls for cover.

Ironically, DeTreville was unaware that General William Moultrie had arrived at the Port Royal Ferry with 300 reinforcements on that very same day. Had communications been faster, the fort might have been held; instead, the garrison withdrew to join Moultrie’s forces in Beaufort.

Legacy and the 1779 Campaign

While the fort was rendered a ruin, the act of self-destruction prevented the British from establishing a permanent fortified base on the Beaufort River. The ruins of Fort Lyttelton remained a landmark on Spanish Point for years, symbolizing the lengths to which Lowcountry Patriots would go to deny the Crown a foothold in their territory.