EVENT DETAILS:
Cliff Roberts — Castle Pinckney and the Confederate Defense of Charleston Harbor
Location – Wisconsin Club (900 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI)
5:30 p.m. – Registration/Social Hour
6:30 p.m. – Dinner
7:30 p.m. – Program
Cost: $35 by reservation, please
(Note: Jackets required for the dining room)
RSVP:
Please contact Paul Eilbes at 262.376.0568 or peilbes@gmail.com to RSVP. We hope to see you there!
ABOUT THE EVENT:
On March 12, 2026, join Cliff Roberts for a presentation on Castle Pinckney and the Confederate Defense of Charleston Harbor. This talk explores why the city remained a defiant Confederate stronghold despite enduring a record-breaking 545-day bombardment—the longest siege in American history. Attendees will learn about Castle Pinckney’s unique role as the harbor’s oldest fortification and a key anchor in General P.G.T. Beauregard’s “Circles of Fire.” By examining its strategic position alongside Forts Sumter and Moultrie, Roberts provides a fascinating look at the defensive network that resisted Union capture until the final weeks of the Civil War.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Cliff Roberts is the author of Holding Charleston by the Bridle: Castle Pinckney and the Civil War (2024) and several other historical works. A Vanderbilt graduate in Southern History, he currently serves as president of the Fort Sumter Civil War Round Table and vice president of the Friends of the Charleston National Parks. Cliff lives in downtown Charleston with his wife and their dog, Hashbrown. Note: Copies of Cliff’s latest book will be available for purchase at the March meeting.
