We're only a week away from the greatest day of the year - Carolina Day! For those of you who aren't familiar with the holiday, Carolina Day is kind of like a Charleston Cinco de Mayo - we remember how a small, half-prepared band of patriots repelled the larger force of a great European military.
One major difference: instead of tequila, we mostly celebrate with bourbon.
One major difference: instead of tequila, we mostly celebrate with bourbon.
Before the bourbon (well, hopefully before - things start at 10:30 in the morning) there's the Carolina Day Parade. In the Parade, civic and social organizations of all kinds meet at Washington Park, line up in chronological order of founding, and proceed to White Point Gardens. As the oldest cultural organization in the South, the Library is right near the front. We invite all members and friends of the Library to join us in the parade, so we'll see you Friday morning under the big green and gold flag!
ALSO: a quick pop quiz for you: what was the largest battle during the American Revolution? Saratoga? Yorktown?
Nope - in terms of the number of combatants, the largest battle was the Great Siege of Gibraltar (begun 234 years ago today). No worries if the Siege of Gibraltar wasn't in your American History textbook back in middle school, for no American forces part of the fight. France and Spain figured Britain had enough on its hands in North America, and united to dislodge the British forces from Gibraltar. The siege lasted three years and seven months - the longest endured by Britain since the English Civil War.
Your loyal blogger mentions this historical highlight a)because it's the anniversary of the siege, and b)to keep the conversation focused on the Revolutionary War during the week of Carolina Day. If you're looking for new topics for your Revolutionary War conversations, stop by the Main Reading Room of the Library to see our latest exhibit, "The American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence".
Most importantly, our August 14, 1776 edition of the South Carolina and American General Gazette will be on display. This priceless treasure features the first printing of the Declaration of Independence in South Carolina. The exhibit is free and open to the public, so we expect to see you there!
Things to leave out of your Revolutionary War discussion:
Assassin's Creed III
This engaging display will include a range of rarely seen items from the vaults. These include British pamphlets in support of the American cause; notable histories of the war from the 1780s to the 1850s; and excerpts from the Library's records that show the impact of the war on the operation of the Society.
