C. An Illustrated History, 1550-1988 | History of SC Slide Collection

It is impossible to include all of the history of South Carolina in the images that have been included in this roughly chronological section of the entire collection. Those who wish to expand their understanding of a particular period are urged to use the search function for particular dates for images from the other sections of the collection illustrating other aspects of South Carolina life at that time.

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Oath of Loyalty to the U.S. | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 19

South Carolinians, under Lincoln's plan for the restoration of the Union, could be restored to citizenship by taking an oath of loyalty to the United States, such as this one signed by Thomas D...

Beaufort Home Occupied by Federal Forces | History of SC Slide Collection

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Beaufort Home Occupied by Federal Forces | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 18

The occupation of the coastal region of South Carolina by federal armies in 1862 led to troops taking over the homes of many citizens who had supported the Confederacy. This home in Beaufort became...

The Ship "Glad Tidings" | History of SC Slide Collection

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The Ship "Glad Tidings" | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 17

The end of the war signaled the end of the blockade of southern ports. In November 1865, the ship "Glad Tidings" entered the port of Liverpool in England with a shipment of Carolina cotton. Cotton...

Federal Occupation of Morris Island | History of SC Slide Collection

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Federal Occupation of Morris Island | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 16

Federal forces occupied Morris Island in 1863, then remained after the invasion was over, as an occupation force, as illustrated by this 1865 Matthew Brady photograph of their gun emplacement...

Ruins of the Mills House | History of SC Slide Collection

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Ruins of the Mills House | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 15

At the end of the Civil War, both of South Carolina's major cities lay in ruins. Even as Sherman approached Columbia, another branch of his army occupied Charleston. The accidental explosion of a...

Federal Troops Destroy A Section of Railroad | History of SC Slide Collection

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Federal Troops Destroy A Section of Railroad | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 14

Federal troops, waging the total war that Sherman believed was necessary, were instructed to destroy the South's ability to make war. Here, they destroy a section of railroad tracks at Pocataligo...

Aftermath of Columbia Fire | History of SC Slide Collection

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Aftermath of Columbia Fire | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 13

Nearly 20,000 people were crowded into Columbia when Sherman's army approached, and its streets were crowded with cotton bales. Whether Sherman's advance forces, panicky Confederate deserters camped...

Cotton Press Destroyed by Sherman's Army | History of SC Slide Collection

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Cotton Press Destroyed by Sherman's Army | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 12

A cotton press near Flat Rock is destroyed by Sherman's army in April, 1865. From "Leslie's Illustrated Weekly." Courtesy of the Pratt Memorial Library.

Capture of Confederate Ordinance at Cheraw | History of SC Slide Collection

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Capture of Confederate Ordinance at Cheraw | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 11

Sherman's forces capture Confederate ordinance at Cheraw on the evening of the 3rd of March, 1865. From "Leslie's Illustrated Weekly." Courtesy of the Pratt Memorial Library.

General Sherman's Army Crossing the Saluda River | History of SC Slide Collection

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General Sherman's Army Crossing the Saluda River | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 10

When General William Tecumseh Sherman invaded South Carolina, he surprised those who expected him to strike first at Charleston. Instead, he marched the main body of his army northward toward Columbia...

Distribution of old clothing sent from the North--1864 | History of SC Slide Collection

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Distribution of old clothing sent from the North--1864 | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 9

A sketch, signed by J.E. Taylor, of a prisoner-of-war camp during the Civil War. "Distribution of old clothing sent from the North--1864." Courtesy of the Lackawanna Historical Society.

Freedmen's Contract, 1866 | History of SC Slide Collection

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Freedmen's Contract, 1866 | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 8

When the war ended, one of the pressing problems was the status of those who had been slaves. African-Americans had provided the essential labor, without which the agricultural economy of the region...

The Seceding South Carolina Delegation | History of SC Slide Collection

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The Seceding South Carolina Delegation | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 7

"The Seceeding South Carolina Delegation" of the United States Congress, pictured in the December 22, 1860, issue of "Harper's Weekly." Courtesy of the Library of Congress

The Ordinance of Secession, 1860 | History of SC Slide Collection

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The Ordinance of Secession, 1860 | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 6

The Ordinance of Secession, 1860. This document marked the conclusion of a movement to declare Southern independence from a national government increasingly controlled by Northerners. It was the...

First Baptist Church, Columbia, SC | History of SC Slide Collection

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First Baptist Church, Columbia, SC | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 5

South Carolinians met here at the First Baptist Church in Columbia on December 17, 1860, determined to end their membership in the United States in protest against the election of Abraham Lincoln, a...

Institute Hall | History of SC Slide Collection

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Institute Hall | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 4

The National Democratic nominating convention in session at Institute Hall in Charleston on April 28, 1860. The convention was unable to bridge the differences between northern and southern wings of...

The Impending Crisis at Charleston | History of SC Slide Collection

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The Impending Crisis at Charleston | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 3

"The Impending Crisis at Charleston," published in "Frank Leslie's Illustrated Weekly," February 11, 1860, is a reference to the widely read book, "The Impending Crisis," by Hinton Helper. In the...

Gunboat "Planter" | History of SC Slide Collection

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Gunboat "Planter" | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 2

The gunboat "Planter," seized by an African-American crew and the daring African-American harbor pilot Robert Smalls, did manage to break the federal blockade of the city in May of 1862. Smalls...

Charleston Battery, 1865 | History of SC Slide Collection

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Charleston Battery, 1865 | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 1

This view of the Battery in Charleston, circa 1865, gives a good view of how that city appeared during the Civil War, and how it had prepared for its defense. The area is still known as the Battery...

Palmetto Symbol - South Carolina Regiment | History of SC Slide Collection

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Palmetto Symbol - South Carolina Regiment | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 22

The palmetto symbol of the South Carolina regiment's heroic exploits at Cherubusco, Vera Cruz, and Chapultapec became the rallying cry for South Carolinians in general, as well as for veterans of the...

Battle of Cherubusco | History of SC Slide Collection

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Battle of Cherubusco | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 21

South Carolinians were among those who most strongly supported the Mexican War, for it promised westward expansion of the nation in territory south of the Missouri Compromise Line of 1820, and thus...

The Chester Volunteers | History of SC Slide Collection

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The Chester Volunteers | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 20

The Chester Volunteers, Captain Robert Mills Dunovants's company of the Palmetto Regiment, were one of the many South Carolina military units who made up the army that fought in the War with Mexico...

Union and States' Rights Gazette | History of SC Slide Collection

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Union and States' Rights Gazette | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 19

The front page of the short-lived "Union and States' Rights Gazette" illustrates the complexity of South Carolina politics even though many outsiders thought the state unified behind opposition to the...

The Webster-Hayne Debate | History of SC Slide Collection

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The Webster-Hayne Debate | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 18

The Webster-Hayne Debate. Bitter sectional disputes emerged during the presidency of Andrew Jackson: the issues that divided north from south, and sometimes east from west, included the disposal of...