The Charleston Mercury

The South Carolina State Library occasionally features oversized volumes from the A. S. Salley and Rare Book Collections. Be sure to check out the current display featuring the October-December 1861 volume of The Charleston Mercury.

1861 issue of the Charleston Mercury

The Charleston Mercury, a historic newspaper founded in 1819 in Charleston, South Carolina, held a formidable presence in the antebellum South. Renowned for its advocacy of states' rights, nullification, and later secession, it became a pivotal voice in the region. Notably, during the secession crisis preceding the Civil War, the Charleston Mercury emerged as a leading proponent of South Carolina's withdrawal from the Union. 

Throughout the Civil War, The Charleston Mercury served as a staunch supporter of the Confederacy, disseminating news, commentary, and propaganda to its readership. The paper closed in 1868 due to financial challenges exacerbated by the war's aftermath.

Upcoming Event

Author photo of Patricia Brandon and the cover of Rise of the Pale Moon.

Author Patricia Brandon and "Rise of the Pale Moon"

February 11, 2026, 5:30 PM

Join us at the next installment of the Speaker at the Center with Author Patricia Brandon where she will discuss her historical fiction novel, "Rise of the Pale Moon." Set against the backdrop of the Revolutionary War era in coastal South Carolina, Rise of the Pale Moon weaves a compelling tale of three young women from distinct backgrounds: an indentured servant from London, a chattel slave raised on the Montague Hall plantation, and a Catawba Indian captured by the Cherokee and traded into slavery.

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