Portsmouth and the Civil War

As mentioned earlier this month, the biennial Portsmouth Island Homecoming is scheduled for Saturday, April 30. Following is an excerpt from an article in the September 27, 1953, News and Observer (Raleigh, NC).

"In due time the Civil War descended upon Portsmouth.... Fort Granville, built at Portsmouth in 1753, was fired by the Confederates. The Yankees swarmed over Portsmouth, took possession of the hospital, provisions, cattle and everything else. Old timers today tell that all Portsmouth residents left the island, all except one extremely portly lady, who was too large to be removed from her house -- she just couldn't get through the door. Later, after the Yankee storm had passed and the island residents returned home, the over-sized lady reported the Northern soldiers had treated her kindly."

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter is about the 1977 recording of traditional Outer Banks folk music. You can read the article here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032116.htm.