"Columbia's Longest Days" event to be held Feb. 19

COLUMBIA -- The public can learn how Union Gen. William T. Sherman’s troops came to burn South Carolina’s capital city toward the end of the Civil War through a variety of activities Saturday, Feb. 19, at the South Carolina State Museum.  That’s the day the museum and other members of the Greater Columbia Civil War Alliance will present the annual family history event “Columbia’s Longest Days.”

Following an 8:45 a.m. re-creation of the firing on Columbia from a parking lot near the west end of the Gervais St. bridge, re-enactors will man artillery and infantry encampments outside the State Museum from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with demonstrations of marching and weapons loading and firing on the hour, weather permitting.

Inside, a Civil War Expo in the building’s atrium will feature displays and interactive activities from local historical groups, free Civil War artifact appraisals by historian Walter Slocum and book signings.

Writers to be on hand to autograph their books include Tom Elmore, author of “Columbia Civil War Landmarks” 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; David Aiken, author of “A City Laid Waste: The Capture, Sack and Destruction of the City of Columbia,” 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Tom Moore Craig, author of “Upcountry South Carolina Goes to War: Letters of the Anderson, Brockman and Moore Families, 1853-1865” noon-2 p.m.; and Robert K. Ackerman, who wrote “Wade Hampton III,” from 1-3 p.m.

At 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., local historian David Brinkman will present a talk on “Finding Sherman’s Broad River Bridge,” about the discovery of the bridge over which Sherman entered South Carolina’s capital city.  An episode of the PBS program “History Detectives” covering the discovery will accompany Brinkman’s talk in the State Museum’s auditorium.

 At 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., State Museum exhibit designer and artist Dan Dowdey will present talks about the history of, the search for and discovery of the H.L. Hunley, the first submarine in history to sink an enemy ship.  The submarine sank the Union ship Housatonic in Charleston Harbor in February 1864, and the museum features a life-size replica of the sub as part of its Civil War exhibit on the fourth floor, where Dowdey will speak.

 “The Hunley was instrumental in combating the siege of Charleston,” Dowdey said.  “It was hoped that the submarine would break the blockade the Union had on Charleston Harbor.  Even though it was manufactured in Mobile, it was shipped by rail to Charleston because Mobile was not under siege at the time, and Charleston was.  Also, Mobile Bay’s currents were much stronger and trickier than Charleston Harbor’s, so any attack against Union ships would be easier here since the sailors wouldn’t have to fight the currents as well as the enemy.”

Dowdey’s computer artwork of the Hunley’s sinking has been seen on the Discovery Channel, the History Channel and in numerous books and publications, as well as in the museum’s exhibit.

In addition, the public can enjoy the State Museum’s new Civil War exhibit The Coming of the Civil War.  Guests can see such artifacts as flags, furniture from the secession convention called at Columbia’s First Baptist Church (before a flu scare moved the meeting to Charleston), a copy of the Ordinance of Secession and more.  These artifacts help tell the story of how the Palmetto State became the first state to leave the Union prior to the beginning of the war.

“The Columbia’s Longest Day observance is taking on more significance as observances of the war’s sesquicentennial have begun statewide and around the South,” said Chief Curator of History Fritz Hamer, who developed the exhibit.

Talks also will take place at the S.C. Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.  The Relic Room is co-sponsor of the day along with the State Museum.

All reenactments and events in the atrium and on the museum grounds are free to the public.  For events in the State Museum and the Confederate Relic Room, a discount joint ticket is available.  Individual museum tickets also are available at regular prices.

For more information on the Columbia’s Longest Days events at the State Museum, contact Fritz Hamer at (803) 898-4942 or visit southcarolinastatemuseum.org.