The South Carolina in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Hospitals in Columbia, S. C.
In Response To: Hospitals in Columbia, S. C. ()

The Second North Carolina Hospital was located in what is now the Longstreet Theater, at the intersection of Sumter and Greene Streets, on the campus of the University of South Carolina. This prewar building of what was then South Carolian College reverted back to the college postwar, and was used by the Wallace House briefly in January 1877 when Federal troops refused the Democtratic majority the right of entry to the State House, but when Federal Troops evacuated in March, the Legislature went back to the State House.

The university used it as a basketball gymnasium until the construction of a Field House by the WPA in the 1930's, and then it was used for intramural sports until it was converted to a fine arts theater in the 1970'a. I am sure a photograph is on the University's web site.

Most of the buildings on "The Horseshoe" of old South Carolina College were used as hosptals during the war, and those buildings are all standing today. I do not know which ones were used as hospital buildings, but most, if not all were, since the College shut down in 1862 for the war. The only reason that these buildings were spared the torch when Sherman's troops burned the city was due to the fact they were occupied by the wounded and ill soldiers. Many residents who were burned out sought temporary shelter in the college buildings.

I beleive that all of the buiddings which were on The Horseshoe at the time of the War are still standing today, and little changed in exterior appearance. Rutledge College is used at the University chapel, and may house the Department of Religion -- it formerly did. One -- DeSassuaure College, is used as a Faculty House, and another Horseshoe building is the President's Home. Lieber College formerly housed the Department of Journalism, but no longer -- faculty offices, perhaps. One is used for Honors Colelge Housing, and I don't recall the use of the others. South Caroliniana Library, the first separate library building in the U.S., is now used to house the University's Special Collections and the University Archives. I am sure that photographs of many of those buildigns are on the University web site.

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