The Charleston District has a unique and varied program that grows larger every year. The Civil Works, Regulatory, Military, and International and Interagency Support (IIS) programs serve a diverse group of customers that span not only South Carolina, but also globally, which keeps the staff of more than 240 quite busy.
The Corps of Engineers’ long-established presence in Charleston began with the construction of Forts Moultrie, Johnson and Sumter as defensive fortifications for the Civil War. In 1869, Col. Quincy Gilmore, the first District Engineer, was charged with clearing the harbor of sunken Civil War ships and making the harbor more stable. To do this, his solution was a pair of jetties at the harbor’s mouth to harness the scouring power of the tide.