Fort Fremont was built in 1899, during the Spanish-American war, to protect the entrance to the Port Royal Sound. History tells it that Fort Fremont was one of the most expensive forts built in Beaufort county, but also one of the most useless. A shot was never fired from here.
On July 9, 1908, and article in the Beaufort Gazette read:
"Forty men for Fort Fremont arrived on Sunday from Columbus, Ohio. This makes the whole number here 104, only four short of a full company. These four are expected shortly from Fort Scriven. The pay roll is now about $2000 a month. Last year, $22,000 was spent at the fort for improvements. It is said at the War Department that the suggested abandonment will not be considered again for at least two or three more years.
Captain Wilson and Lieut Donovan are always glad to have visitors shown around. A few years ago the orders were very strict, but now the government is glad to have people look over all the works. The big guns and mine firing devices are well worth an afternoon."
And, as written above, two years later, this article appeared:
In June of 1911, an article in the Beaufort Gazette read:
"The last steps toward the abandonment of Fort Fremont are being taken. Captain Murray, accompanied by Sgt. Meyers and five privates, arrived last Friday from Galveston, Texas, for the purpose of packing for shipment all the portable material and equipment in the several quarters of the fort. While work is well under way, it is thought that it will take several weeks to finish.
All Fort Fremont's equipment will be transferred to Fort Crocket, Texas, where Capt. Murray, Sgt. Meyers, and the other officers and privates formerly of Fort Fremont, will be stationed."
