The Charleston and Savannah area is well known for its role in the Civil War. Throughout the region there are plenty of military history sights that highlight the Civil War era.
In Charleston: Take the ferry out to Fort Sumter [1], where the Civil War began, as well as Fort Moultrie [2], which hosted a young Edgar Allan Poe in the years prior to the war.
See the newly raised CSS Hunley [3] at the decommissioned Navy Yard [4] (only open Fridays and Saturdays).
Visit historic Drayton Hall [5], America’s oldest standing plantation home, saved from the torch only because Union troops thought it might have been used to quarantine smallpox victims
Beaufort [6] served as a medical center for Union occupation troops, who even used St. Helena’s Episcopal Church [7] as a hospital.
In Savannah: Stop at the Green-Meldrim House [8] where General Sherman made his headquarters.
Visit Fort Pulaski [9], which a young Lieutenant Robert E. Lee helped build. It was later defeated by the first use of rifled artillery in warfare.
In Richmond Hill [10], stop by Fort McAllister [11], overrun by Union troops in 1864.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/charleston-savannah/charleston/sights/waterfront/fort-sumter
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/charleston-savannah/charleston/sights/east-cooper/sullivan-s-island
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/charleston-savannah/charleston/sights/north-charleston/css-hunley
[4] http://www.moon.com/destinations/charleston-savannah/charleston/sights/north-charleston/charleston-navy-yard
[5] http://www.moon.com/destinations/charleston-savannah/charleston/sights/west-ashley/drayton-hall
[6] http://www.moon.com/destinations/south-carolina/beaufort-and-the-lowcountry/beaufort
[7] http://www.moon.com/destinations/south-carolina/beaufort-and-the-lowcountry/beaufort/sights/st-helena-s-episcopal-church
[8] http://www.moon.com/destinations/charleston-savannah/savannah/sights/historic-district/madison-square
[9] http://www.moon.com/destinations/charleston-savannah/savannah/sights/tybee-island/fort-pulaski-national-monument
[10] http://www.moon.com/destinations/charleston-savannah/savannah/outside-savannah/richmond-hill
[11] http://www.moon.com/destinations/charleston-savannah/savannah/outside-savannah/richmond-hill/fort-mcallister