South Carolina on the Move: Archives Month 2011

By Jessica Childress, State Historic Preservation Office graduate assistant

October 2011 is Archives Month in South Carolina and the theme for this year is "South Carolina on the Move". (To learn more about Archives Month go to http://scarchivesmonth.palmettohistory.org/.) The following blog post highlights some of the tranportation-related resources in South Carolina listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

From plantation agriculture and coastal shipping to the expansion of the railroad and air flight, the transportation of people and goods has played a crucial role in South Carolina’s history. Methods of transportation not only connected South Carolinians and their products to each other and the North but were also targeted during the Civil War as resources worth capturing or destroying. Many of these resources in South Carolina’s transportation history have been preserved and are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The road has been a basic unit of transportation since the pre-colonial era. The Cherokee Path in Calhoun County and Nation Ford Road in York County were Native American trading footpaths and were later used as blueprints for highways. Colonial roads in Charleston County include the Wescott Road on Edisto Island (part of the colonial King’s Highway) and the Ashley River Road (see above), which was crucial in troop movement in the Revolution and has been in use since 1691. The stage coach institutionalized travel on these roads and required stops along the way. Vaughn’s Stage Coach Stop in Fairfield County from ca.1820 provided respite from the highway between Columbia and Winnsboro, and the ca. 1841 Cornwell Inn in Chester County was a stop on the main road from Charleston to Charlotte.

Sometimes the roads encountered rivers or swamps and required ferries or bridges to get across. Eighteenth century ferries include Gallivant’s Ferry in Horry County and Berkeley County’s Cainhoy Historic District, which was a ferry landing and prosperous river port. The brick John Seabrook Plantation Bridge was part of a system that connected Charleston to the coastal islands, and the wedge-stone 1820 Poinsett Bridge in Greenville County was part of the State Road from Charleston to North Carolina. The only remaining covered bridge in the state is Greenville County’s 1909 Campbell’s Covered Bridge (see below). Modern bridges such as the 1935 metal swing bridge in the Socastee Historic District in Horry County helped complete the Intracoastal Waterway, while the 1937 Waccamaw River Memorial Bridge in Horry County and Gervais Street Bridge (1926-28) in Columbia represented the rapid growth of highways and modern bridge engineering.

The canal was also a major development in extending water transportation. Berkeley County’s Santee Canal from the 1790s was created as a shorter and safer water route to move cotton to Charleston from inland plantations, and the ca. 1823 Landsford Canal in Chester County was also a part of the water navigation system from the upcountry to Charleston. The Columbia Canal, completed in 1824 as part of a plan for cheap, efficient transportation, has remained an important source of hydroelectric power and commercial and industrial development.

Boats were required for navigating waterways and have been part of South Carolina’s shipping industry and transportation since the colonial period. The Georgetown County wreck of the Brown’s Ferry Vessel dates from the early 1700s and represents the earliest evidence for local commercial shipbuilding. The Paul Pritchard Shipyard in Charleston County was one of South Carolina’s first shipyards and was later used to convert these merchant ships into military vessels during the Revolution.

Coastal ships needed lighthouses as navigation beacons. The Georgetown Lighthouse dates from around 1800, was a Confederate observation point before it was captured by the Union Army, and operated until the late 1980s. The Cape Romain Lighthouses (see below) , Morris Island Lighthouse, Hunting Island State Park Lighthouse and Rear Lighthouse of the Hilton Head Range Light Station were also part of the system to guide shipping vessels around the coast and were valuable to maritime navigation and transportation in the nineteenth century.

The nineteenth century saw the biggest development in transportation when the railroad came to South Carolina in 1827. The William-Aiken House and Associated Railroad Structures in Charleston County represent an antebellum railroad terminal, serving the first railroad to use only steam engines, an American locomotive and to carry state mail. The Southern Railway Passenger Depot at Branchville is at the site of the oldest railroad junction in the country, and its trains sent cotton to the coast. The incomplete Oconee County Stumphouse Tunnel was begun in the 1850s as part of a Mississippi-Atlantic shipping route that would have been the longest railroad in the country, but was discarded due to a lack of funding. Many of the state’s railroad tracks were targeted for destruction by Union troops during the Civil War. In the last decades of the 19th century the development of rail lines spurred the development of new towns and the construction of many related buildings. The 1911-12 Great Falls Depot in Chester County is a turn of the century rail station, and featured a segregated waiting room typical of the time. Numerous other depots have been preserved and reused in South Carolina.

Other major twentieth century transportation developments include air travel and the automobile. The Curtiss-Wright Hangar at the Columbia Owens Downtown Airport was built in 1929 to accommodate passenger flight and airmail and was later used for civilian flight training. Automobiles brought a new efficiency to roads and highways expanded. Columbia’s Greyhound Bus Depot from 1938-39 represents the transition to bus travel and the Art Moderne style typical of the Great Depression era.

Developments in transportation over the centuries have strengthened the economy, promoted industry and have kept South Carolina “on the move” since its earliest days. To learn more about any of these properties visit http://nationalregister.sc.gov/nrlinks.htm

Training Opportunity for Records, IT, and Emergency Management Officials

The Essential Records (ER) Webinar is one of two courses developed by the Intergovernmental Preparedness for Essential Records (IPER) project. Teams in each state and territory will be delivering these webinars to state and local governments and now is your chance to participate!

Who should take this course? State, local, territorial, and tribal employees who are responsible for creating and maintaining government records of any kind and in any format, both paper and electronic.

What is covered in this course? This course prepares participants to:

• Identify an agency's essential records


• Analyze and prioritize records, assessing risks and identifying protection strategies


• Specify time frames for essential records availability in emergencies


• Develop proceedures to ensure access to and security of essential records


• Outline an essential records plan for inclusion in COOP


• Become familiar with federal, state, and local regulations and procedures
  

The Essential Records Webinar is a 7.5 hour course delivered in four sessions, is offered as an instructor led webinar with content specific to your state, and is offered FREE of charge!

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History and the Council of State Archivists (CoSA) are offering a great opportunity for South Carolina state and local records officials, county emergency management personnel, state or local IT staff, and other interested officials to take the online FEMA approved webinar– Essential Records. Essential Records are a component of the Continuity of Operations Plans created by state and local agencies.

The four-part course will be offered on September 21, 23, 28 and 30th from 10:00am -12:00pm and will include participants from South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. This is an online webinar format that involves accessing the course slide show on the internet at iLinc and listening to the audio via your telephone. This course will use a toll free number so there will be no costs associated with these sessions for attendees. Several staff members from an agency may participate using one internet and one phone connection but each must register separately.

To register for the course, please go too http://rc.statearchivists.org/. Each participant will need to create an account (this is FREE) by selecting “Setting up Your Course Participant Account” under the “IPER Courses” tab. The page will instruct you on how to create your account. Once you have your account established, select the course titled ESS-ZZ-0001: Essential Records Webinar [Southeast region: AL-GA-SC-TN]. You will receive an email message confirming your registration.

For additional information on this FREE training, contact Heather South at 803-896-6112 or southh@scdahstate.sc.us

Summer Interns at the SHPO: Part 2

Much like the summer blockbuster movies this year, the State Historic Preservation Office has gone 3D! With help from summer intern Desmond Johnson, a native of Columbia and an architecture student at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, the SHPO explored ways to use 3D models to document historic buildings and to enhance SHPO training programs for local design review boards. Desmond created models using free Google Sketchup software that allows architects and novices alike to create virtual built environments to scale in 3D. Desmond used measured drawings of historic buildings in the SHPO files to create the 3D models. Each model took, on average, 18 to 20 hours to construct.

Desmond first created a model of the historic Ridgeway Town Hall (based on drawings by Camden architect J. Stephen Smith). The Town Hall’s bell tower and arcaded corner entrance can be experienced in accurate detail and fully manipulated by the viewer to appreciate the building’s unique architecture from any angle. (see below)

Desmond also created a model of Darlington’s Carnegie Library (based on drawings by architect Benjamin Whitener of the Charleston firm of Cummings & McCrady). Recently renovated by the City of Darlington, the historic library is one of only a few surviving Carnegie Libraries in South Carolina. Sketchup allows the viewer to explore the architectural features of the old library, including its distinctive windows. (see below)

Not only was Desmond able to create stunning models of existing historic buildings, but he was also able to bring back to virtual life the historic Bethel A. M. E. Church in Laurens (based on drawings by Spartanburg architect Martin Meek) that, unfortunately, suffered catastrophic structural failure and partially collapsed in 2009. The church was forced to demolish the rest of the structure, but the architecture of historic Bethel A. M. E. Church can be experienced again thanks to the 3D model Desmond created. (see below) Desmond’s final 3D project this summer was to create a series of simple models that can be used to vividly illustrate concepts in design guidelines used by local historic design review boards and commissions. The models can be used by local officials and historic property owners to help in applying their local design review ordinance to proposed projects in their local historic districts. (see below)
This summer our interns helped us accomplish tasks and goals that otherwise would not have been possible with our staff focused on core duties. The SHPO appreciates their hard work and we look forward to working more in the future with this next generation of historic preservationists to preserve, promote, and protect South Carolina’s historic places.

Double Shipwreck in South Carolina by Caleb Miller

South Carolina is already known for a particularly famous wreck. The Hunley was the first submarine to sink a ship and its wreck was raised on live TV. However, this state also is the site of two ships lying at the exact same spot as the other. The SS Georgiana was a Confederate ship that tried to get into Charleston on March 19, 1863 during the American Civil War. Federal ships attacked it and the ship was scuttled and burned by her crew in shallow waters, who than promptly abandoned it. On August 31, 1864 the Confederate blockade runner Mary Bowers tried to run the Federal blockade into Charleston. She ran right into the wreck of the Georgiana, which tore into her hull. The crew and passengers abandoned ship. The Mary Bowers sank to rest right on top of the Georgiana, where she remains to this day. E. Lee Spence discovered the two ships in 1965. Due to the shallow water, skin divers are capable of reaching the site easily. Multiple artifacts much have been recovered from the two shipwrecks. These two shipwrecks are a great example of how the sea is full of history.

For more information on these and other shipwrecks- check out the Sea Research Society Web page http://www.searesearchsociety.com/category/shipwrecks/

Summer Interns at the SHPO: Part 1

The State Historic Preservation Office had the opportunity to work with three college interns this summer. We want to thank them for their contributions and highlight their accomplishments. We feature projects by two of the interns in this post.

The National Register program was supported this summer by Evan Kutzler, a graduate student in the Public History program at the University of South Carolina. With Evan’s assistance, we were able to process National Register nominations for both the Southern Railway Depot in Ninety Six (see below) and the Retreat Rosenwald School near Westminster. Local supporters of the properties prepared the nominations, but it was Evan’s additional research and revisions that made it possible for both nominations to be ready for the July meeting of the State Board of Review. Evan also conducted research and compiled an extensive bibliography that can be used by the SHPO and others to evaluate historic properties from the “Recent Past” (1945-70) in Columbia. This research on the mid-twentieth century development of Columbia will be useful in identifying and evaluating the significance of modern architecture that is, or soon will be, old enough for consideration for the National Register.

Our ongoing collaboration with the City of Columbia’s Planning and Development department to identify “Recent Past” historic resources was further aided this summer by Adrienne Margolies, a history and architecture student from Clemson University. Adrienne conducted research to add information to an inventory of modern architecture compiled for the City by former SHPO graduate assistant Anjuli Grantham (now a graduate of USC’s Public History program). Adrienne looked specifically for residential and commercial properties designed by the architectural firm of Lyles, Bisset, Carlisle, and Wolf (LBC&W), a nationally prominent Columbia firm known for its modern high-rise apartment and office buildings in the 1950s and 1960s. Adrienne conducted research to find the locations of LBC&W projects in Columbia which we previously knew by name only. Adrienne’s research helps the SHPO have a more comprehensive understanding of LBC&W’s work in Columbia when properties are evaluated in the future. Shown below is The Christine Building on Millwood Avenue in Columbia.
Adrienne’s summer internship also resulted in an addendum to our “African American Historic Places” booklet (last published in 2009) that features all National Register listings and State Historical Markers for African American historic sites in South Carolina. Adrienne compiled and produced a companion booklet available on our web site that includes summaries of all the National Register listings and all of the marker texts for African American sites between July 2009 and June 2011.

Doolittle Raiders in South Carolina by Caleb Miller

America had many memorable moments in World War II. One of the earliest was the Doolittle Raiders’ bombing raid on Tokyo on April 18, 1942. Three airmen died during the flight, three were executed, one died of disease, and four were held captive for the rest of the war. Fifty Japanese died and 400 were injured. Despite the damage being of small concern to the Japanese, this raid gave Americans hope for the coming struggle with Japan. Before they set out, the Raiders trained in this state at the location of the Columbia Metropolitan Airport, which was an air base back then. They practiced at a bombing range. Other B-25 bomber groups notably did practice over Lake Murray. One of the islands was named “Bomb Island” in memory of that. Two of the Raiders came from South Carolina. Lieutenant Horace Ellis Sally Crouch came from Columbia, SC, while Lieutenant William G. Bill Farrow came from Darlington, SC. Lieutenant Farrow was captured and executed along with Sergeant Spatz and Lieutenant Hallmark by a Japanese firing squad on October 15, 1942. Lieutenant Ellis died on December 21, 2005. Today, there are annual celebrations for the Raiders, a fair bit of them in Columbia. A part of down-town Columbia’s streets has been named after them. We remember these brave pilots who trained here and made a mark in history by doing so.

Historical Marker Dedicated Near Site of Black Union Soldier's Cemetery on Folly Island

The newest official state historical marker was dedicated Friday, July 15th, at Folly River Park on Folly Island in Charleston County. It is near the site of a Civil War camp occupied by black Union soldiers (the official term at the time was United States Colored Troops) and the cemetery which contained the graves of their dead. The marker text reads:

CAMP OF WILD’S “AFRICANBRIGADE,” `1863-1864
Folly Beach Community Center, Folly River Park, 55 Center St., Folly Beach
(Front) Folly Island was occupied by Union troops April 1863-February 1865. Gen. Edward A. Wild’s “African Brigade” camped nearby from November 1863 to February 1864. The two regiments in Wild’s brigade were the 55th Massachusetts, made up largely of free blacks, and the 1st North Carolina, made up of former slaves.(Reverse)
WILD'S BRIGADE CEMETERY
A cemetery was laid out nearby for soldiers in Wild’s Brigade who died here in 1863-64. Most graves were removed after the war. In 1987 relic hunters discovered additional graves of U.S. Colored Troops. In 1987-88 archaeologists removed 19 burials and published their findings. These soldiers were reburied with full military honors at Beaufort National Cemetery in May 1989.
Erected by The Friends of the 55th Massachusetts, 2010

The South Carolina Historical Marker Program, with its origins as early as 1929 and formally established in 1936, has approved the texts for almost 1400 markers since that time under the direction of the South Carolina Historical Commission, the predecessor agency to today's South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Sponsoring organizations propose and pay for the cast aluminum markers which stand along streets and highways and interpret the places important to our state's rich history, and work with the Department of Archives and History to ensure that the texts are accurate and appropriate; the department approves an average of about 50 markers each year. J. Tracy Power, a historian in the State Historic Preservation Office at Archives and History, has been Coordinator of the Historical Marker Program since 1995.

For further information on the South Carolina Historical Marker Program, follow this link on the Archives and History website: http://shpo.sc.gov/properties/markers/. You may also contact Tracy Power at power@scdah.state.sc.us or (803) 896-6182.

For access to a searchable database containing the texts of all markers approved by the program since 1929, follow this link: http://www.scaet.org/markers/

For further information on the marker dedication on Folly Island, see:

Edward Fennell, "Salute to Black Union Soldiers," Charleston Post and Courier, Thursday, July 14th http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/jul/14/salute-to-black-union-soldiers/

Edward Fennell, "PHOTOS: Black Union Soldiers Honored On Folly," Charleston Post and Courier, Saturday, July 16th http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/jul/16/photos-black-union-soldiers-honored-folly/

Fort Wagner By Caleb Miller

July 18th is a special anniversary in the history of our state. On that day in 1863, Union troops attacked the Confederate stronghold of Fort Wagner on Morris Island, south of Charleston Harbor. The Northern forces assaulted the place in an attempt to get through to Charleston. Among the attackers was the 54th Massachusetts regiment, a unit made up of African-American soldiers. This unit led the charge on the fortifications. Their colonel, Robert G. Shaw, cried “forward, 54th, forward!” and climbed onto a parapet and was shot through the heart. Ultimately, the Union forces were unable to capture the fort and suffered many casualties. The casualties were 246 killed, 880 wounded, and 389 captured for the Union and 36 killed, 133 wounded, and 5 captured for the Confederates. Only 315 men were left in the 54th after this battle out of the entire regiment. In addition to Shaw, three other leading officers died in battle or of their wounds. Shaw and his men were highly honored for their courage during the battle. A memorial for them is present at Boston as part of the Boston Black Heritage Trail. This was a significant symbol for the growing tolerance for blacks. Remember the men who fought at that island so long ago.


Image from the Library of Congress Collection- originally published in Courier and Ives

Briggs v. Elliott at Sixty by Rebekah Dobrasko

Sixty years ago, the United States District Court in Charleston handed down a ruling in Briggs v. Elliott. On June 17, 1951, the court ruled against the plaintiffs in the case, stating that segregation was allowed in public schools as long as the school facilities between the races were equal. Briggs v. Elliott was appealed to the Supreme Court as the first primary and secondary public school case suing for desegregation and the District Court’s ruling was ultimately overturned by the Supreme Court in their decision of Brown v. Board of Education on May 17, 1954.

The Briggs v. Elliott case originated out of Summerton in Clarendon County. African American parents were frustrated with the lack of transportation, the poor school facilities, and the lack of trained teachers in their local schools. After working with the South Carolina National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Summerton pastor J.A. De Laine began organizing local community members to appeal for school equalization. African American parents first attempted to force the school district to provide transportation for their students, but the lawsuit eventually progressed to calling for the equalization of school facilities and teacher salaries and then to suing for the desegregation of schools. The Archives and History Center has a copy of the first Briggs v. Elliott petition that called for school equalization: http://www.palmettohistory.org/exhibits/briggs/index.htm.

Briggs v. Elliott is a nationally significant case, as it was the NAACP’s first lawsuit calling for the desegregation of primary and secondary schools. The commitment of the Clarendon County African American parents impressed the NAACP, as the organization was at first reluctant to support a desegregation case in a Deep South state. Briggs v. Elliott also caused the State of South Carolina to pass its first sales tax of 3% to raise money to build new black schools. South Carolina was intent on providing “separate but equal” schools to prove to the Supreme Court that the state was committed to African American education. Although the Supreme Court overturned Briggs and four other school desegregation cases in their landmark 1954 decision Brown v. Board of Education, schools were not desegregated in Summerton (or in the rest of South Carolina) until after 1963.

The Archives and History Center has a wide variety of documents and sources related to the Briggs v. Elliott case. In addition to one of the petitions filed in the case, which can be found in the Clarendon County Superintendant of Education files, the governors papers of James F. Byrnes has a wealth of letters, correspondence, and other documentation about Briggs. Byrnes was elected governor in 1951 and served until 1955 and was the leader of South Carolina for the majority of the Briggs lawsuit. Byrnes’ papers also hold records of the State Educational Finance Commission, the state commission in charge of building new black schools for equalization purposes. Two of these schools are also listed in the National Register of Historic Places: Mary Wright Elementary School in Spartanburg, SC: http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/spartanburg/S10817742060/index.htm and Florence Benson Elementary School in Columbia, SC: http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/richland/S10817740148/index.htm. The South Carolina Department of Education papers are also held at the Archives and History Center and contain information related to the Briggs case.

Some of the places associated with the case are also part of the Archives and History Center records. Summerton High School, the white high school that was significantly better constructed and equipped than the black Scott’s Branch High School, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places: http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/clarendon/S10817714006/index.htm. Churches associated with African American organizational meetings, such as Liberty Hill A.M.E. Church, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church, all have state historical markers honoring their role in Briggs: http://www.scaet.org/markers/.

Teachers working with the Teaching American History program here at the Archives and History Center have used our documents and other historical sites to develop a multitude of lesson plans for use in the classroom. See:
1. Separate but Equal? A Lesson on Briggs v. Elliott (Grade 3) http://www.teachingushistory.org/lessons/separatebutequal.html
2. “Bus”ting Down the Doors of Segregation (Grade 3) http://www.teachingushistory.org/lessons/BustingDowntheDoorsofSegregation.html
3. Civil Rights Through Photographs (Grades 5 and 8) http://www.teachingushistory.org/lessons/civilrightsphotographs.html
4. School Desegregation in South Carolina (Grade 11) http://www.teachingushistory.org/lessons/schooldesegregation.html

Memorial Day By Caleb Miller

Next week on Monday we will celebrate Memorial Day. This holiday commemorates US soldiers who have died in military service. It was first created to honor Civil War soldiers who had died fighting. After World War 1, it extended to include all American soldiers who lost their lives. To honor them, American flags are flown at half-staff from dawn until noon. Many people observe the event by visiting cemeteries and memorials. Relatives and friends of the deceased visit their graves to pay their respects. The National Memorial Day Concert is held on the West Lawn of the US Capitol. It is celebrated on the last Monday of May every year. Originally, it was celebrated on May 30. In 1971 the holiday was moved to its current date. It also marks the start of summer vacation. Honor our fallen soldiers by observing Memorial Day, for they gave the ultimate sacrifice for this country.

Putting Order to Chaos: Treasure Discovered in Miscellaneous Collection

By Craig Glass

Walking into the Department of Archives & History research area
reveals a room filled with indexed cabinets of film in perfect order
and reference desk aides who can point you to just about any official
records that the state has ever kept since it was a Province (not even
a Colony yet!) in 1671. But things weren't always so organized.

In the 1880's and 1890's, the official South Carolina Confederate
Historian attempted to collect and compile service records of all
South Carolina units. Large sheets of paper with standardized rows
and columns were included with letters sent to veterans of the "late
unpleasantness" all across the country, especially to unit Captains
and other officers. These letters asked anyone who had original
Muster Rolls, which were detailed unit rosters, to compile information about his unit and return the large papers, filled-in of course. When
the documents came back, there were some surprises, including several original Rolls from the battlefields, some personal recollections of war stories, and other State and Confederate records. At some point, these documents and others relating to the Civil War period were packed up into fourteen boxes, unorganized and possibly done in a rush, personal letters mixed with compiled Muster Rolls mixed with
General Assembly Resolutions from the era, and more.

Of particular note was a compiled Roll of "Brooks' Battalion of
Foreigners". Inside were listed the officers of the Battalion and a
handwritten letter from one of them, describing the amazing story:


Genl M. L. Bonham, Jr.,
Adjt + Insp. General of So. Ca.
Sir, During the Summer, or Fall, of 1864 when the Confederate forces had been reduced almost to an army of cripples and there were no more old men or boys from whom to get recruits, and when the Federal authorities, after having arrayed against us men from nearly every race of Europe, had armed the negroes and placed them in their ranks, the Confederate authorities conceived the idea of forming battalions from federal prisoners of war of foreign birth who would take the oath of allegiance and join our ranks. On the 16th May 1864 at Drewry’s Bluff, Capt. J. H. Brooks had been wounded in three places and lost nearly all of his Co. “H”, Nelson’s (7th) S.C. Battalion and had been mentioned by Genl Hagood (who regarded him as one of his best officers) in his report of the battle for “Conspicuous gallantry”. After his recovery from his wounds Capt. Brooks was selected to command one of the foreign battalions authorized to be raised and about the 10th October 1864 proceeded to organize the same at Summerville S.C. under the name of “Brooks’ Battalion of Regulars”. The Battalion was composed of men of nearly all European Nations (including an Italian who could not speak English) but the Irish and Germans predominated. A large number of men from the Northern States (some pretending to be Englishmen) escaped the vigilance of Maj. Black, of Genl. Hardee’s Staff, who enlisted them and became, unfortunately, members of the command. During Dec. 1864 Companies A, B, C and D, were ordered to Honey Hill but arriving too late to take part in that fight, were sent to Savannah where, most injudiciously, they were placed on most important outposts.
On, or about, the night of Dec. 16th 1864 this command was stationed on one side of a Rice Field with the Federal troops on the other side, a dam on each side of the Encampment connecting the two. On each of these dams were two militia pickets and at the head of one of the dams there were two field pieces commanded by Captain Simkins. About 7¼ O’clock p.m. a Sergeant of Co. “A” called Capt. Martin into a tent and told him that there would be a mutiny at Eight O’clock p.m., that the men had received a message from Genl. Sherman threatening that they would all be killed if he captured Savannah and found them in arms. Consequently they had planned to go over to the enemy in a body and to buck and gag the officers and take them with them. If the officers resisted (which they expected them to do) they were to be killed and taken anyhow. Capt. Brooks, Capt. Minott and Lieut. Goodwin went for assistance with which to capture the men. Capt. Martin, being officer of the day and Second in Command, for an hour and a half, or more, was left in was left in command of the camp, assisted by Captains Wardlaw and Simkins. Lieut Teuten was sent away as being a useless sacrifice. The men became very insubordinate, one company “B” going so far as to buck the stacks of arms in order to commence the mutiny and desertion. By the coolness and address of the officers, however, the rising was delayed until Col. Brooks and Capt. Minott arrived with militia troops and captured the command. The ringleaders were punished in accordance with the provisions of the army regulations and the men were taken to Savannah but the former officers of the Battalion were given a Guard and put in charge of them. Through the kindness of Maj. Black, of Genl Hardee’s Staff, who knew the danger to which these officers were exposed, on the night that Savannah was evacuated this Body of men was the first who crossed the pontoon bridge and the men formerly composing companies A, B, C and D, of Brooks’ Battalion were taken by captains Martin and Wardlaw back to the prison at Florence.
This will explain why the names of the men are not given but as a this battalion has often been alluded to and was in active service for a short time, in the interest of truth and in justice to the officers who were only providentially prevented from meeting a most tragic end, I hope that you will place the names of the officers above mentioned and the battalion to which they belonged (to-gether with this explanatory note) amont the records of Confederate Organizations now being filed in your offices.
Respectfully,
Vincent F. Martin
Charleston S.C.
Feby 22d 1889

For more information about the Civil War in South Carolina, visit the Sesquicentennial Facebook Page for news, notes, and events.

American Bike Month By Caleb Miller

In the month of May, Americans celebrate Bike Month and bike-riding is encouraged. This vehicle is an alternate form of transportation. The first bicycle made its debut in 1817. During the 1870s the first bike to actually be called a bicycle, the high-bicycle, was used. The safety bicycle, the start of our modern bicycles, was successfully created in 1885. Ever since that invention, the bicycle has been used widely. In Portland, Oregon, more people bike to work than just about any other city in the US. Today is bike-to-work day, would you ever consider biking instead of driving? The League of American Bicyclists is the official sponsor of the event. Go out and enjoy this basic two-wheeled vehicle. It is good for exercise and is fun to ride. You can work out your legs, lungs, and heart to a huge degree. There are bike trails all throughout the state. Some trails are hard-core, such as the Swamp Fox Passage of Palmetto Trail in Charleston or others are for leisure enjoyment.

Photos courtesy of the Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/

May is Preservation Month

Many good causes have a day, a week, or even a month, to raise awareness and celebrate accomplishments. Those who love old buildings, neighborhoods, and downtowns, and work to save the places that matter to them have Preservation Month in May. What a fitting time, with new growth and life all around us during spring, to celebrate the new life and rejuvenation that historic preservation projects can bring to communities. (May is also Mental Health Month....maybe you sometimes need to be a little crazy to try and save historic places.) Preservation is about the past, but first and foremost it is about the present and future, providing folks today with creative and unique places to live, work, worship, and relax, and giving future generations those same opportunities.

The theme for Preservation Month this year is Celebrating America’s Treasures. Here in South Carolina, the State Historic Preservation Office created a poster that features some of South Carolina’s very own treasures that have been recognized as National Historic Landmarks. The poster can be viewed online at http://shpo.sc.gov/. (For more information about NHLs see http://www.nps.gov/history/nhl/.)

So during this most beautiful of months, remember Preservation Month. Take a moment to look around your community to see its historic treasures…both the diamonds in the rough that may need some repairs, and those that are sparkling and well-cared for. Thank those owners and leaders who are dedicated to the good stewardship of these treasures. We are all the richer for their presence…the buildings and the people who care for them.

Civil War Era Currency Auction

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History is auctioning, in sealed bid format, 317 lots of obsolete currency during the month of May. The Archives had 40 boxes worth of currency (now down to about 36 boxes) dating from the 1820's through the 1860's, all of which was issued by The Bank of the State of South Carlina; the bundles were sealed in 1880 when people redeemed the notes for state bonds, and we have recently started opening the bundles and selling many of the notes at public auction. This auction includes fractionals and whole-dollar notes of every denomination, as well as plate sets, similar note sets, and even uncut sheets, on the back of which are whole railroad bond notes. One $1 note is signed by Confederate General and SC Governor Wade Hampton, and some notes were previously unknown to the numismatic community. All of the proceeds will go to preservation efforts (storage and equipment, non-acidic document folders, etc.); it's a great gift for the agency to have during a budget crisis.

You can check out all the auction details on our website http://www.palmettohistory.org/currencyauction/index.html which includes a PDF file of the entire catalog with color images of every lot being sold. Anyone planning to be in the Columbia area on May 3 and/or May 26 should stop by the SCDAH to actually see the notes live (more details in the catalog), but most bidders will likely use the catalog as their only guide.


Happy Bidding!!!


Written by Craig Glass, SCDAH volunteer and currency auction project team member

Fort Sumter Remembered by Caleb Miller

On April 12th, the battle of Fort Sumter started. This 34-hour battle was the first battle of the Civil War. This fort was a valuable asset, due to its location in the Charleston Harbor. A group of Union soldiers, led by Major Robert Anderson, were stationed at the fort. Confederate forces fired on the fort from all around the harbor, with Union troops returning the fire as best as they could. Surprisingly, there were no fatalities during this huge bombardment. After the long fight, Anderson finally surrendered the fort. The North was enraged at the attack and the country went into all out war. Thus, the attack was not only the first battle but also a catalyst for creating a war. There had been tensions mounting before this but the Fort Sumter attack sent everyone into battle mode. Fort Sumter serves as a monument to the valor of soldiers on both sides of the Civil War and remains a major tourist attraction today.

Editor's Note: April 12, 2011 is the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War and the nation is engaged in commemoration events until 2015. I encourage you all to visit exhibits, tours, and lectures to soak up history! Come visit the Archives and see documents leading up to the war including the Ordinance of Secession and research South Carolina's role in the war.

St. Patrick's Day By Caleb Miller

Every year on March 17th, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in many countries throughout the world This holiday honors Saint Patrick, the most recognized of Ireland's patron saints. Saint Patrick worked as a bishop in Ireland and was a key figure in bringing Christianity to the island country. The holiday started as a Catholic holiday in the 17th century and was taken around the world by Irish immigrants. Nowadays both Irish and non-Irish celebrate it. Traditionally, people wear green during the event. Those who do not wear it are teasingly pinched for not doing so. Our state of South Carolina has its own notable way of making its name in the holiday. The fountain in the area known as Five Points is dyed green. This year the parade will be held on the 19th in Columbia since it is the closest Saturday to the actual holiday. Happy Saint Patrick's Day all ye people out there! Hope to see ye at the parade!

South Carolina’s New Deal Murals

By: Anjuli Grantham, Graduate Assistant

African American laborers deftly pick cotton in a river of soft white, a cloudy blue sky above and peach trees in the rolling hills in the distance. A robust woman holds up her right hand, encouraging the workers, accordion player, and grandmother and child to her right, as she claws at a thief, a prisoner, and a crooked politician with her left hand. Camels carry bags of cotton along a winding road, and donkeys lead carriages laden with white bags. These are descriptions of only some of the extant New Deal era murals within South Carolina. These murals depicted the nobility of ordinary laborers and the state’s predominately agricultural economy that was a point of pride in the early 20th century.

A quick survey revealed that at least 12 murals or reliefs of the 16 commissioned in South Carolina still grace the walls of post offices, private offices and residences. Recently, the Greer Post Office, now the home of the Greer Heritage Museum, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This Colonial Revival post office was completed in 1935. Artist Winfield Walkely created the mural “Cotton and Peach Growing” in 1941, under a commission with the Section of Fine Arts of the Department of Treasury. This mural, the first described above and pictured here, depicts what was envisioned then as an idyllic scene of rural, Southern life. The Greer Post Office joins other National Register-listed properties that contain New Deal murals. These are the U.S. Courthouse in Aiken, Bamberg Post Office with “Cotton the World Over” by Dorothea Mierisch (see below), and Clemson University’s Hardin Hall with “Meeting of the Original Directors of Clemson College” by John Carroll.

While today the murals are prized pieces of South Carolina’s social, artistic and architectural history, the creation of the murals was not always welcomed by citizens in the 1930s and 1940s. For example, Stefan Hirsch’s “Justice as Protector and Avenger” in the Charles E. Simmons, Jr. Federal Court House in Aiken was the cause of public outrage. The bold use of shape and color echoed stylistic elements of the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. The strong angles and contrasting colors led presiding Judge Frank K. Myers to derisively call it “contemporary art.” But it wasn’t just the modern appearance that made citizens upset, it was the figure of Justice herself. Some believed that she was bi-racial, which was not considered to be in keeping with the “Southern conception of art.” Even though the artist denied that the figure was bi-racial, this un-vanilla representation of Justice in Jim Crow South Carolina was enough for the judge to hang curtains over the mural. Since then, the mural has remained obscured, since it is viewed as being a courtroom distraction.

Happy President's Day

Happy President's Day! Did you know that the SC Department of Archives and History is a great resource for Presidential history? Not only do the collections have items relating to elections and government, there are more than 20 Presidential signatures. Here is a great example of these wonderful collection items: Return of the Presidential Electors Casting Their Vote for George Washington, 1789.

Iwo Jima's Legacy by Caleb Miller

On February 19th, 1945, Americans landed on an island named Iwo Jima that would become one of the largest battles in the Pacific. It lasted from that day until March 16th in the same year. This island is quite close to Japan and was thus a promising base. Iwo Jima has an area of 21 square kilometers (approximately 8 square miles) total. A dormant volcano named Mount Suribachi is the highest feature, rising 161 meters into the air. Fierce fighting ensued between the two forces for days. Casualties were huge: the Americans had 6,822 killed/missing and 19,217 wounded while the Japanese had between 17,845 and 18,375 killed /missing and 216 captured. This battle is perhaps best known for the famous "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima" photograph taken there. The photograph has inspired a statue, book and movie in its image. This battle gave the Allies a place to launch and refuel B-29 bombers that would bomb Japan. Notably, this is the only battle were US casualties exceeded Japanese casualties. It was one of the biggest battles in the Pacific campaigns of World War II and should be remembered well. There are still people alive who fought on that ash covered island so remember Iwo Jima and the great victory. Their service, and the continued service of our armed forces, is an inspiration.


Blogger's Note:

Parris Island Marine Corp. Recruit Depot near Beaufort, SC has been in training recruits since 1915. The Depot has trained enlisted marines (male and female) for every major conflict in the 20th and 21st centuries including over 200,000 during WWII. The base is open to the public. They have a vistor's center, museum, and an Iwo Jima monument commemorating the raising of the flag on Mount Suribachi. The statue, sculpted by Felix del Weldon, was actually the prototype he created for the world famous Iwo Jima Memorial in Washington D.C. For more information on the MCRD Parris Island click here http://www.mcrdpi.usmc.mil/index.asp

Remembering Guadalcanal by Caleb Miller

February 9th does not seem like an important day in our calendar. However, it is the day that one of the early, bloody campaigns of World War II came to a close. The Guadalcanal Campaign lasted from August 7, 1942 through February 9, 1943. It took place on an island called Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. This island is the biggest i the Solomon Islands and was therefore strategically important to both the Americans and the Japanese. Americans landed on August 7th and a seven month-long fight ensued in which 7,100 Americans and 31,000 Japanese died. Several aerial and water battles erupted as well around the island. The Americans lost 29 ships and 615 aircraft, while the Japanese lost 38 ships and between 683 and 880 aicraft. This battle was the second major offensive by Allied forces against Japan and a key strategic move. Japan had gone from offensive to defensive fighting at this point so this battle marked the starting point of Allied offensive operations against Japan that would help bring its downfall. Conclusively, February 9th is a special date to remember.

Blogger Note: Thanks to all our WWII veterans! For more information on Guadalcanal and the seven month battle waged there, check out the U.S. Army Center of Military History webpage http://www.history.army.mil/

The image included in this post is courtesy of the Library of Congress Photographic Collection