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.
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.
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.]
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 Roman Catholic Cathedral, St. Finbar, and surrounding buildings, S.C., as it appeared after the late conflagration.' [full date November 1, 1862.]
Caption: 'The tower and side aisle of the Roman Catholic Cathedral, St. Finbar, Charleston, S.C., as it appeared after the Great Fire, 1862.' [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: 'The Battery or Park Promenade at Charleston, South Carolina, during the bombardment of Fort Sumter--Sketched by our Special Artist--[see next page].' [full date May 18, 1861.]
Caption: 'Caption: 'The rifled cannon which did so much execution on Fort Sumter, Charleston, South Carolina'--[From a Sketch by our Special Artist.]' [full date May 18,1861.]
Caption: 'The Battery or Park Promenade at Charleston, South Carolina, during the bombardment of Fort Sumter--Sketched by our Special Artist--[see next page].' [full date May 18, 1861.]
Caption: 'Scene on the arrival of Lieutenant Hall, U.S.A., with despatches (sic) from Major Anderson for Governor Pickens, at the Executive Mansion, Charleston, S.C., immediately after the firing on the Star of the West.--from a sketch by our Special Artist.--see page 151.' [full date January 26, 1861.]
Caption: 'Bombardment of Fort Sumter, as sketched from Morris Island, Charleston Harbor, S.C.' Identified in image: Mortar Battery, Fort Johnson; James Island; City; Castle Pinckney; Fort Sumter; Mount Pleasant; Floating Battery; Mortar Battery; Fort Moultrie; Enfilading Battery; Iron Battery; Sand-bag cover for reserve; Traverse behind Trapier Battery and Magazine covered with sand bags.
Caption: 'General McGowan addressing the Abbeville Volunteers in front of the Charleston Hotel--from a sketch by our Special Artist now in Charleston.' [full date February 23, 1861.]
Caption: 'The city of Charleston, South Carolina.--[see page 62.]' Also identified in image: Broad Street, "Mercury" office, Custom-house, Castle Pinckney, Fort Moultrie, Fort Sumter and Morris Island. [full date January 26, 1861.]
Caption: 'The city of Charleston, South Carolina, looking seaward, and showing the burned district.--[see next page.]' Identified in image are: Broad Street, "Mercury" office, Custom-house, Castle Pinckney, Fort Moultrie, Fort Sumter and Morris Island. [full date December 28, 1861.]
Caption (in German): 'Grosse Bersammlung von Seceders vor dem Stadthause in Charleston, S.C.' {Large crowd of Secessionists in front of City Hall, Charleston, S.C.}
Caption: 'Profile view of the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, showing the city and forts.' Identified in the image: Fort Johnston (sic), Fort Sumter, Charleston, Fort Moultrie and Mount Pleasant. [full date December 29, 1860.]
[Color image.] Caption (in French): 'Evenements des Etats-Unis: Charleston et ses fortifications. [Events of the United States: Charleston and its fortifications.] 1--Charleston. 2--Riviere Ashley [Ashley River]. 3--Chemin de fer de Savannah [Savannah Railway]. 4--Riviere Cooper [Cooper River]. 5--Riviere Wando [Wando River]. 6--Fort Pinkney [Castle Pinckney]. 7--Fort Ripley. 8--Fort Johnson (ile James) [James Island]. 9--Riviere Stone [Stono River]. 10--Fort Sumter. 11--Fort Moultrie. 12--Batterie Gregg (pointe de Gumming) [Battery Gregg (Cummings Point)]. 13--Fort Wagner. 14--Batteries rasantes du general Gilmore [grazed batteries of General Gilmore]. 15--Ouvrages pris par les federaux. [Works undertaken by the Federals]. 16--Phare Inlet [Lighthouse inlet]. 17--Batteries federales (ile Folly) [Federal Batteries (Folly Island)]. 18--Canonnieres et vaisseaux cuirasses [gunboats and ironclads]. 19--Hotel. 20--Ile et batteries Sullivan [Sullivan Island and Batteries]. 21--Moultrie. 22--Mont Pleasant [Mount Pleasant]. 23--Breach Inlet. 24--Shem Creek. 25--Batteries construite par les confederes sur l'ile James, dans le voisinage du fort Johnson [Batteries built by the Confederates on James Island, in the vicinity of Fort Johnson].
[Color image.] Caption: 'The citizens of Charleston, S.C., deserting their homes, on the threatened attack of the city by the Federal Forces. From a Sketch by Lieutenant G.P. Kirby.'
