Centered in the Confederacy's Atlantic states, Columbia was one of three untouched Southern capitals at the end of 1864. Its factories produced uniforms, swords, belts, bullets, gunpowder and cannonballs, all vital to the war effort, until the fiery onslaught of Sherman's invasion cut a swath through the city. Tom Elmore, local Civil War historian and tour guide, presents over sixty significant sites throughout the Greater Columbia area that were marked by moments of triumph and devastation during the war.
Readers will find the stories behind both well-known and infamous places, including the Horseshoe on the University of South Carolina campus, the gruesome 1864 prisoner of war camp, the ruins of one of the largest textile mills ever built and the monument commemorating the spot where the great city was surrendered.
 |
|
|
Tom Elmore,
grew up in Columbia hearing tales and legends about General William T. Sherman's visit to the city. He has devoted over a decade to researching Columbia's role in the Civil War and has shared his knowledge in bus tours, magazine articles and lectures.
Tom holds a BA in history and political science from the University of South Carolina. He is a book reviewer for Blue & Gray Magazine and is on the Board of Directors of the Greater Columbia Civil War Alliance.
|
|
