I've found reference to Drummond Lights in Alfred Roman's The Military Operations of Beauregard in Chapter III.

"To guard further against the entrance of the Federal fleet, which might be effected during a dark night, despite the vigilance of our channel batteries, General Beauregard determined to use two large Drummond lights, one on Morris Island, the other on Sullivan Island, at points specially selected, in order to illuminate the channels leading to Fort Sumter, and thereby facilitate the firing of the morris Island beach batteries and other works bearing on the outer harbor. He had ordered and received these valuable lights from New York, and having placed them in bombproofs, so constructed as to insure their uxefullness and safety, entrusted them to the care of Proffessor Lewis R. Gibbes, of the Charleston College."

There is no reference in the text of the date of placement of these devices.