Louis Coste, Hal's third great-grandfather, arrived as a Huguenot immigrant from Montpelier, France, in the late 18th century and became a naturalized citizen in 1808. He and his wife, Lucinda Mackey, had three sons, among them Napoleon L. Coste, who went on to have a long and adventurous career in the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service. That included expeditions with naturalist James Audubon, and the placement of many of the lighthouses and other aids to navigation along the east coast. His most famous deed was at the outbreak of the Civil War when Coste commandeered the revenue cutter, William Aiken, and turned it over to the state of South Carolina. Hal recounts other significant events in the life of N.L. Coste, as well as his son, Napoleon Edward, who also served the Confederacy and later the Revenue Cutter Service. Hal next recounts his memories of his grandfather, Vincent O. Coste, who served in the U.S. Lifesaving Service, which joined with the Revenue Cutter Service in 1915 to form the U.S. Coast Guard. Vincent later commanded the Coast Guard station on Sullivan's Island. Hal next speaks of the lives of his mother and father, before detailing his own time on the island. These include his mayonnaise meal in kindergarten, his learning to swim in the creek behind the island, and especially his passion for surfing. Before ending with his general feelings regarding changes that have occurred on Sullivan's Island, Hal explains and displays the two silver life-saving medals from the Coast Guard that hang on his walls, one for Hal's own actions and one for the incredible story of his great-uncle, James Coste, who in 1898 saved a young man who would turn out to be the grandfather of Charleston's long time mayor, Joe Riley.
“Stories Collected from Slaves” by Leonarda J. Aimar is a bound volume of formerly enslaved people's stories. In her transcription, she attempted to capture the storytellers’ colloquial speech, now recognized as the Gullah language. The volume includes a list of addresses, occupations, and diseases of African Americans during their enslavement; an eye-witness account of the Battle of Secessionville on James Island during the Civil War in 1862; how enslaved people were returned to their slaveholders following the Revolutionary War; and an account of Sherman's march from Savannah, Georgia to Charleston, South Carolina during the Civil War. A formerly enslaved man, Sam, provides a detailed account of being a butler, coachman, and horse jockey. He also recounts how Union Army Major Robert Anderson took control of Fort Sumter and the events that transpired there on April 12, 1861. Other accounts include an enslaved man’s recollections of his time as a servant to a plantation overseer who sympathized with the Union during the Civil War and formerly enslaved man Jim Alston’s detailed eye-witness account of the 1876 Cainhoy Riot.
A notebook (ca. 1920) containing reminiscences by Rose P. Ravenel, who writes about her girlhood, her relationship with her "mammy" and her French nurse. She describes life at Farmfield Plantation during the Civil War, knitting socks for Confederate soldiers, making paper and envelopes, salt production, molasses candy, flower dolls, and the family's hardships after the Civil War.
Black-and-white offset print reproduction of the first Cabinet of the Confederate States, including Judah P. Benjamin serving as Attorney General. From Harper's pictorial history of the Civil War.
A letter to Woodward Manning from his brother Ira L. Manning discussing the death of their brother Elisha, the failing cotton crop, the hiring of freedmen, and requesting information on who from their hometown was killed in the war.
Caption: 'The Old Flag again on Sumter--raised (on a temporary staff formed of an oar and boathook) by Captain H.M. Bragg, of General Gillmore's staff, February 18th, 1865.'
Letter from W. A. Browning, private secretary of President Andrew Johnson, to Archbishop Spalding of Baltimore, informing him of the pardon of Bishop P. N. Lynch of Charleston.
Caption: 'Eastport, Mississippi, General Thomas's head-quarters, January, 1865.--sketched by Adam Rohe.--[see page 110.] [full date February 18. 1865.]
Caption: 'Sherman's march through South Carolina--advance from McPhersonville, February 1, 1865.--sketched by William Waud.--[see page 133.]' [full date March 4, 1865.]
Caption: 'Sherman's march through South Carolina--burning of McPhersonville, February 1, 1865.--sketched by William Waud.--[see page 133.]' [full date March 4, 1865.]
Caption: ' "Marching on!"--the Fifty-Fifth Massachusetts Colored Regiment singing John Brown's March in the streets of Charleston, February 21, 1865.--[see page 172.]' [full date March 18, 1865.]
Caption: 'Enthusiastic crowd of citizens of Charleston, S.C., assembled on Vanderhost's (sic) Wharf, Feb. 20, to greet the second visit of Gen. Gillmore and staff.--sketched by our Special Artist.' [full date March 25, 1865.]
[Color image.] Caption: 'Unloading a transport with ambulances for the Army, at Wilmington, N.C.--View looking up Water Street.--sketched by our Special Artist.' [full date April 15, 1865.]
Letter from James B. Heyward at Combahee to his wife Maria Heyward. James has traveled back down to his Combahee plantation from Columbia with the hope of being able to check on the condition of his Fife Plantation near Savannah, if the news of the enemy is favorable. He apparently enjoys being back on his own plantation writing "it is delightful here." 3p. December 6, 1864.
A letter to Woodward Manning from the Quartermaster's office ordering that any surplus of corn available is to be given to the army through purchase or impressment
Caption: 'The siege of Charleston--View from the sea-face of Fort Wagner.--sketched by Mr. Theodore R. Davis.--[See Page 621.]' [full date September 26, 1863.]
Caption: 'Folley's (sic) Battery, near the lighthouse, at Charleston, South Carolina.--from a sketch by A.P. Palmer, 21st South Carolina Volunteers.--[see page 79.]' [full date January 31, 1863.]
Caption: 'Map of the Southern states, showing the relative proportion of slaves in the different localities.--[see page 142.]' [full date February 28, 1863.]
Caption in German: 'Belagerung von Charleston.--Gen. Gillmore's hauptquartier auf Morris Island.' [Siege of Charleston.--Gen. Gillmore's headquarters on Morris Island.]
Caption: 'The siege of Charleston--View from the sea-face of Fort Wagner.--sketched by Mr. Theodore R. Davis.--[See Page 621.]' [full date September 26, 1863.]
Caption: 'The Siege of Charleston--the new Black Island Batteries, four and a half miles from Charleston.--sketches by Mr. Theodore R. Davis.--[see page 651.]' [full date October 10, 1863.]
Caption: 'Middle-ground Battery, Charleston, S.C.--sketched by A.P. Palmer, 21st South Carolina Volunteers.--[see page 70.]' [full date January 31, 1863.]
Caption: 'The advance upon Charleston--entrance to the Stono River, S.C.--from a sketch by Lieut. Coleman, 100th N.Y.S. Vol.' Also identified with captions: 'Kiawah Island and River. John's Island. Stono River. Cole's Island. Old Rebel Fort.' [full date April 25, 1863.]
Caption: 'Bombardment of Fort Sumter--The fleet engaging Batteries Wagner and Gregg.--[See Page 587]' Identified by captions are the Swamp Angel, Fort Johnson, Fort Sumter, Fort Gregg, Battery Wagner and iron-clads. [full date September 12, 1863.]
Caption (in German): 'Belagerung von Charleston, S.C.--Bauen von bombenfesten Gewoelben auf Morris Island.' {Siege of Charleston, S.C.--Building of bombproof bunkers on Morris Island.}
Caption: 'Port Royal Island--1. Camp Saxton (Smith's Plantation)--the new headquarters of the 1st S.C. Vol. (Colored), Col. Higginson. 2. Mitchellville, the new south village for Contrabands, Hilton Head.--from sketches by our Special Artist.--see page 317.' [full date February 7, 1863.]
Caption: 'The War in Virginia--railroad bridges over the Rappahannock, at Rappahannock Station.--from a sketch by our Special Artist, Edwin Forbes.' [full date October 31, 1863.]
Caption: 'The Siege of Charleston--Johnsonville and Rebel fortifications.--[sketched from Black Island by Mr. Theodore R. Davis.]' [full date September 26, 1863.]
Caption: 'The Siege of Charleston--the Rebels' last device in the torpedo line.--sketched by Mr. Theodore R. Davis.--[see page 603.] [full date September 19, 1863.]
Main caption: 'Siege of Charleston--views of Sullivan's Island, as seen from Morris Island.--from sketches by our Special Artist, W.T. Crane.' Caption top left: 'Remains of blockade runners.' Caption top right: 'Rebel camp on Sullivans Island.' Caption middle left and right: 'Rebel battery on Sullivans Island.' Caption middle: 'Examining passes on the beach.' Caption bottom: ' Fort Moultrie as seen from Morris Island.' [full date October 10, 1863.]
Caption: 'Siege of Charleston--the magazine of Fort Moultrie exploded by a shell from the grounded monitor Weehawken, Sept. 8.--from a sketch by our own Special Artist, W.T. Crane.' [full date October 3, 1863.]
Caption: '"The Grand Skedaddle" of the inhabitants from Charleston, S.C., when threatened by an attack from the Union troops.--from a sketch by Lieut. G.P. Kirby, 47th N.Y.V., when a prisoner in Charleston.--see page 270.' [full date January 17, 1863.]
Caption: 'The Siege of Charleston--evacuation of Morris Island by the Rebels on the night of September 6, 1863.--sketched by Mr. Theodore R. Davis. [see page 621.]' [full date September 26, 1863.]
Caption: 'Siege of Charleston--views of the Northern and Southern ends of Morris Island, as seen from Fort Craig.--from sketches by our Special Artist, W.T. Crane.' Caption at top: 'North end of Morris Island.' Caption at bottom: 'South end of Morris Island.' [full date August 29, 1863.]
Caption: 'Defences of Charleston--the Rebel iron-clads in Charleston Harbor.--from a sketch by A.P. Palmer, formerly of Company B, 21st Regiment (Confederate) S.C. Vol.--see page 317.' [full date February 7, 1863.]
Caption: 'Defences of Charleston--"Folly's Battery," near the lighthouse, Charleston Harbor. From a sketch by A.P. Palmer, Company B, 21st Regt., S.C. (Confederate) Vol.' [full date February 7, 1863.]
Caption: 'Defences of Charleston--the "Middle Ground" Battery, Charleston Harbor.--from a sketch by A.P. Palmer, formerly of the Confederate Army.' [full date February 7, 1863.]
Caption: 'The bombardment of Fort Sumter, as seen through the "look out" in the pilot-house of one of the monitors, April 7.--from a sketch by our Special Artist.' [full date May 9, 1863]
Caption: 'The Siege of Charleston--attack on Battery Gregg, September 5, 1863.--from a sketch by Mr. Theodore R. Davis. [See page 629.]' [full date October 3, 1863.]
Caption: 'The bombardment of Fort Sumter, as seen through the "look out" in the pilot-house of one of the monitors, April 7.--from a sketch by our Special Artist.' [full date May 9, 1863]
Caption: 'The Siege of Charleston--charge of the Twenty-Fourth Massachusetts Regiment upon the Rebel rifle-pits, August 26, 1863. Sketched by Mr. Theodore R. Davis.--[see page 621.]' [full date September 26, 1863.]
Caption: 'The Siege of Charleston--the morning call to the Rebels.--sketched from the naval battery by Mr. Theodore R. Davis.--[see page 603.]' [full date September 19, 1863.]
Caption: 'The advance upon Charleston--pioneer movement--landing of the 100th N.Y. Vols. upon Cole's Island, March 28.--from a sketch by our Special Artist.--see page 6.' Also identified with labels: Camp of 100th N.Y. Vols., Pawnee, Com. McDonough, Expounder and Belvidere. [full date April 25, 1863.]
Caption: 'Siege of Charleston--planting the chevaux de frise in front of Fort Wagner.--from a sketch by our Special Artist.' [full date September 26, 1863.]
Caption: 'Siege of Charleston--the magazine of Fort Moultrie exploded by a shell from the grounded monitor Weehawken, Sept. 8.--from a sketch by our own Special Artist, W.T. Crane.' [full date October 3, 1863.]
Caption: 'The Roman Catholic Cathedral, St. Finbar, and surrounding buildings, S.C., as it appeared after the late conflagration.' [full date November 1, 1862.]
Caption: 'Birds-eye view of the city of Charleston, South Carolina, showing the approaches of our gun-boats and our army.--[see page 431.]' [full date July 5, 1862.]
Caption: 'Captain Knapp's Battery engaging the Confederates at the Battle of Cedar Mountain, August 9th, 1862--this battery fired the first and last shot.'
