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Today In Charleston History: April 4

1764

The South Carolina Weekly Gazette is renamed South Carolina & American General Gazette by Robert Wells its publisher.

1780 – The Seige of Charlestown

John Lewis Gervais in Charlestown wrote that the American batteries “fired a great deal all night & threw Several shells at the Enemy’s Works” – a total of 573 cannonballs. Since the British were unable to return fire, they continued the construction of their fortifications.

1920 
Eamon De Valera arrives in Charleston

Eamon De Valera arrives in Charleston

Eamon De Valera arrived in Charleston. He was a leader of Ireland’s struggle for independence against Great Britain. He traveled to the United States from the newly proclaimed Republic of Ireland in an attempt to gain diplomatic recognition for and raise money to support his fledgling nation. Escorted by a select committee in a parade down King Street, he received a spectacular welcome led by Charleston’s first Irish Catholic mayor, John P. Grace, and most members of the city council which granted him “Freedom of the city.” He was celebrated at a sumptuous banquet at the grand Charleston Hotel, and applauded at speeches given to enthusiastic audiences at both the Garden Theater and the Academy of Music.

Albert Sottile recalled:

Mr. DeValera’s appearance at the Victory caused a great ovation. The applause from those in the balcony were so thunderous that it caused the balcony structure to sink several inches, causing a big bulge in the center. A near catastrophe was miraculously escaped.

chas_victory_02

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