Program:  Tom Elmore presented his talk, "Potter's Raid," on Jan. 13 at Capers Hall, The Citadel.

 In Cheraw during March, 1865, Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman ordered a failed raid on Florence, S.C. to destroy railroad equipment. When he arrived in Fayetteville, N.C., an angry and frustrated Sherman ordered troops be sent from Charleston to destroy the equipment. Brig. Gen. Edward E. Potter's division was dispatched to Georgetown to carry out the orders. For nearly three weeks in April men, including those of the 54th Massachusetts of Glory fame, marched from Georgetown to Manning, and from Sumter to Camden in a "cat and mouse" game to capture the equipment, unaware that Gen. Robert E. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox, Va., on Apr. 9, 1865.

Presenter:  Tom Elmore received his B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of South Carolina. He is the author of five books about South Carolina during the 19th century, including Potter's Raid through South Carolina:  The Final Days of the Confederacy (2015), as well as numerous articles in regional and national publications. He has lectured across the Mid-Atlantic states and has been a book reviewer for two national magazines.

Elmore is state historian for the Ancient Order of Hibernians. He is also a member of the Richland County American Revolution 250th Committee, the Robert Burns Society of the Midlands and the Scottish Clan Davidson.