South Carolina's Role in the Civil War

1824-1865. Learn about the tensions leading up to South Carolina secession from the Union. Get a glimpse at the Civil War battles and the impact of the war at home in South Carolina.

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...

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South Carolina's Role in the Civil War

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