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Charleston in Berkeley County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
 

Star of the West

 
 
Star of the West Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 4, 2013
1. Star of the West Marker
Inscription.
In the early dawn of January 9, 1861, the first shot of the War Between the States was fired from Morris Island by Citadel cadets under the command of Major Peter Fayssoux Stevens. The cadets opened fire with 24 pound siege guns on a Federal ship, The Star of the West. The ship was driven off and prevented from relieving Union forces on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, and the defense of the South became real.

This monument is erected by the Class of 1961 and by friends and loyal alumni of the Citadel to commemorate this great event in American history and to pay tribute to the courage and leadership of all men of this great institution who have fought and died with honor in defense of their ideals.

Best Drilled Cadets
Star of the West
Medal Winners

1886   J. T. Coleman • 1887   W. C. Davis • 1888   J. R. Rutledge • 1889   P. K. McCully • 1890   W. Z. McGhee • 1891   A. G. Ethridge • 1892   J. R. Verdier • 1893   R. I. Leghre • 1894   Abram Levy • 1895   J. D. Dial •1896   A. Idsey • 1897   F. B. Dalley • 1898   D. C. Pate • 1899   L. B. Steele • 1900 &nbap; A. H. Cross • 1901   T. C. Marshall • 1902   A. E. Hutchinson • 1903   J. F. O’Mara • 1904   E. C. Register • 1905   W. W. Dick • 1906   W. W. Benson • 1907   A. T. Carcaraa • 1908   E. D. Smith • 1909   B. W. Gaston • 1910   F. Y. Legare • 1911
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  Thomas Richardson • 1912   J. M. Arthur • 1913   J. H. Holmes • 1914   James Anderson • 1915   J. G. M. Nichols • 1916   F. R. Rogers • 1917   H. L. Cunningham • 1918   T. W. Williamson • 1919   J. L. Whitten • 1920   E. A. Pollock • 1921   J. D. Frost • 1922   E. T. Moore • 1923   Walter Allan • 1924   J. J. Mackay • 1925   C. H. Rosson • 1926   F. G. Burnett • 1927   F. B. Fishburne • 1928   W. M. Roberts • 1929   R. K. Walker • 1930   J. W. Blevins • 1931   R. R. Zobel • 1932   R. H. Ammerman • 1933   A. B. Sundin • 1934   A. L. Leonard • 1935   S. P. Browne • 1936   S. P. Browne • 1937   J. R. Lyons • 1938   W. H. McIntyre • 1939   F. S. Conroy • 1940   D. T. Harris • 1941   W. T. Bether • 1942   C. J. West • 1943   L. C. Emerson •1944   C. C. Williams • 1945   R. R. Willis • 1946   G. M. Moore • 1947   S. D. Falsodomy • 1948   L. P. Sullivan • 1949   H. O. Stoddard • 1950   C. J. Easler • 1951   L. O. Allen • 1952   S. C. Mills • 1953   J. R. Patterson • 1954   R. W. Lockridge • 1955   P. D. Warren • 1956   G. F. Marschalk • 1957   J. B. Taylor • 1958   B. L. Spivey • 1959   Iredell Jones • 1960   R. L. Lupton • 1961   W. B. Sansom • 1962   B. J. Bohn • 1963   G. R. Wilson • 1964   R. C. Johnson • 1965   R. W. Briistol • 1966   J. E. Morgan • 1967   V. P. Hambright, III • 1968   V. P. Hambright, III • 1969   W. D. Archer • 1970   J. E. Onuschak • 1971   D. J. O’Neal • 1972
Star of the West Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 4, 2013
2. Star of the West Marker
  A. D. Griffin • 1973   W. F. Clewe, III • 1974   W. F. Clewe, III • 1975   C. H. Boardman, III • 1976   C. H. Boardman, III • 1977   T. C. Slider • 1978   R. A, Risher • 1979   D. C. Seaman • 1980   V. B. Edmonds • 1981   B. L. Morgan • 1982   I. F. Henson, Jr. • 1983   Herman W. Stehmeiler • 1984   B. T. Smith, III • 1985   1985   C. A. Bell • 1986   R. M. Williams, II • 1987   M. S. Crippen • 1988   T. C. Alaksa

 
Erected 1961 by Citadel Class of 1961.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: EducationWar, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1886.
 
Location. 32° 47.792′ N, 79° 57.59′ W. Marker is in Charleston, South Carolina, in Berkeley County. Marker is on Lee Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Marker is on the grounds of the Citadel, at the south end of Summerall Field. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Charleston SC 29409, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. AH – 1 “Cobra” (within shouting distance of this marker); LTC Charles “Chad” H. Buehring (within shouting distance of this marker); Lt. Frank Elwood Bloomenshine and Lt. James Futrell Exley (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); “Thunderbolt” (about 800 feet away); Citadel Flag (about 800 feet
Star of the West Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 4, 2013
3. Star of the West Marker
away); Anchor of the U.S.S. Coral Sea (about 800 feet away); McDonnell F-4C Phantom II (approx. 0.2 miles away); CPT Christopher James Kenny (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Charleston.
 
More about this marker. Monument consists of a granite block with a bronze plaque depicting the Citadel cadets firing on the Union ship. Inscribed on the monument are the names of Citadel cadets who have won the Star of the West Medal for individual drill competition.
 
Additional commentary.
1. Request for photo of the Star of the West Medal.
I'm a Citadel graduate, aware of the Star of the West, but I've never seen the actual medal awarded to recipients. I've heard, but suspect it's legend, a small piece of the ship (Star of the West) is attached to the medal. I searched the internet attempting to locate an image, without success. Posting a photograph of the medal would make your page complete. Thanks
    — Submitted March 23, 2017, by Doug Powell of Fayetteville, Georgia.
 
Marker at the Citadel image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 4, 2013
4. Marker at the Citadel
Star of the West Plaque image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 4, 2013
5. Star of the West Plaque
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on April 24, 2017. It was originally submitted on August 18, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 1,633 times since then and 85 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 18, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.

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Apr. 26, 2024