Report on the 2021 UNCW Archaeological Field School excavations at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic site (31BW376) area N24: A Colonial Surprise
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The aim of the 2021 UNCW Archaeological Field school was to investigate Black life at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson Historic site. Specifically, we hoped to investigate the Stevedore’s Barracks at the site, which would have reflected a specific aspect of Black life during the period of the Fort’s use during the Civil War, and possibly during the refugee crisis following the war. We initially believed that the Stevedore’s Barracks could be found in South’s area N24 of the site (see Figure 1). The presence of apparent building remains located near the sallyport of Fort Anderson adjacent to the pier used for unloading blockade runners suggested that the remains were associated with either the sallyport or the pier. These remains were located in an easily guardable location, in a triangle formed by Battery A and two curtain walls as shown in Figure 1. They could easily be overlooked or guarded by individuals on the fortifications and were clearly separated from other barracks or living areas at the site, close to the front, or more dangerous, part of the fort. Thirdly, historic records mentioned the presence of Stevedore’s barracks at the fort, and especially noted that these barracks were considered to be in quarantine, as the stevedores were unloading blockade runner ships that were also considered to be in quarantine at the port (Wilmington Daily Journal 1864). Notes by Stanley South (Tom Beaman, personal communication, 2021) and observations by local avocational archaeologists, notably Allen Farrell, suggested that a large structure was present in the area of excavations. As a result, we hoped to be able to investigate the quarantine Stevedore’s Barracks at Fort Anderson, allowing an interesting view into Black life in the Lower Cape Fear River during the Civil War.
