Charleston

(charlz'tun,) a dist. of S. Carolina, skirting the Atlantic, and drained by Ashley, Cooper, and Edisto rivers. It produces the well-known Sea Island cotton. Pop. 88,863.- A city and seaport, C. of above dist., and the most important place in the State, is built on a low neck of land at the point of junction of the Cooper and Ashley rivers, 6 m. W. by N. of the Atlantic, and 118 N.E. of Savannah, on a surface elevated 8 to 9 ft. above high-water mark, and in length about 2 m., with a breadth of abt.1½ m. The city is rectangularly laid out in broad streets shaded with trees, and is adorned with many fine public buildings and private residences. It contains the State Medical College, and is richly endowed with literary, philanthropic, and commercial institutions. Its harbor, which is secure and commodious, is defended by forts Pinckney, Johnson, and Moultrie, the latter on Sullivan's Island. Near the bar, which presents difficult navigation, is a revolving light at an elevation of 80 ft. above sea-level. C. is the entrepôt of an extensive shipping-trade, particularly in cotton and rice. Founded by English colonists in 1680, it was incorporated a city in 1783, and was the seat of State govt. until 1787. The Civil War opened here, April 12, 1861, by the bombardment of Fort Sumter(q. v.) by the Confederate Gen. Beau regard. Towards the close of the same year the city was declared under blockade by the Federal fleet, which sunk ve els laden with stone to obstruct the entrances to the harbor. Jan. 31, 1863, the blockade was raised consequent upon a succe ful attack upon the Union flotilla by Confederate war-ve els. An unsucce ful attempt to take the city was made, April 13, by Gen. Gilmore, and on the 21st he commenced to bombard it. It, however, still held out till Feb. 17, 1865, when, after its evacuation by the Confederate garrison under Gen. Hardie, it was taken po e ion of by the Nationals. Pop. 48,956.- In Illinois, a village of Coles co., 46 m. W. of Terre Haute; pop. 2,849.-In W. Virginia, a vill., C. of Kanawha co. and of the State, at the junction of Kanawha and Elk rivers, 150 m. S.S.W. of Wheeling; pop. 3,162. [s. 168]