Potter's Raid through South Carolina: – The Final Days of the Confederacy
In April 1865, Richmond had fallen, and the Confederacy was dying. Robert E. Lee had surrendered his army to Ulysses S. Grant in Virginia. Joseph Johnston was in North Carolina negotiating the surrender of his army to William T. Sherman. But in South Carolina, General Edward Potter was leading 2,500 Union soldiers, including the famed African American regiment the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts, through the state’s interior, intent on destroying the railroads and equipment. This is the story of Potter’s Raid. Using rare and nearly forgotten accounts, historian Tom Elmore has compiled the story of this often-overlooked campaign that featured the last shots of the Civil War in the state that started it.
About Tom Elmore (Columbia, South Carolina Author)
Historian Tom Elmore grew up in Columbia, S.C. where he heard numerous tales and legends about life in the city during the Civil War.
Elmore holds a B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of South Carolina. He is the author of numerous articles in regional and national publications and has lectured all across the Mid-Atlantic States. In addition, Elmore is a book reviewer for Blue & Gray Magazine and The Civil War News. He lives in Columbia with his wife Krys and their Chihuahua Sassy.
