Francis Marion National Forest

In our route from central Georgia to eastern South Caroline we crossed path of General Sherman's famous March to the Sea in 1865.  After he reached Savannah, he turned north toward Columbia.  We stopped for lunch at a small and fairly obscure historic site in  western SC that was on the march.  A small Confederate force held up Sherman's horde for two days in a very swampy forest.  Here we met Mr. John White, an employee of the SC Parks Department.  He gave us a thumbnail history of the battle and then warned us to watch for copperhead snakes.  Needless to say we didn't go tromping through the woods after that.

Our goal for the day was Francis Marion National Forest, Buck Hall campground.  We found the campground and it was full and had been reserved for months.  Full of big Rv's and even bigger boats because this is the season for fishing for Whiting with shrimp.  Our choice now was a KOA and a primitive campground in ther forest.  We went for primitive and free.  There were campsites and a latrine but no water and swarms of mosquitos AND chiggars.  We listened to Barred Owls screaming at each other and Pileated Woodpeckers.  Now we were within commuting distance of Charleston.

The intercoastal waterway at Buck Hall campground.