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VANDIVER HALL
Named for Thomas C. "Nap" Vandiver, class of 1929. Dedicated in the fall of 1991. Located behind McAlister Field House. Along with Seignious Hall it is used by the Athletic Department. It provides facilities for all of The Citadel's athletic programs except for football, basketball, and tennis. It also provides showers, and locker rooms for visiting teams. The cost of Vandiver (VAN-de-ver) Hall was $2,094,535. (Source: The Citadel 2000 Football Media Guide, p. 111) (HN)
VANDIVER, THOMAS CRYMES ("NAP")
d. 2002. Banker. Class of 1929. One of South Carolina's leading bankers. Led the Southern Bank and Trust Company for 25 years. Served on the Board of Visitors for 33 years. Received an Honorary Doctor of Law degree in 1979 and the Palmetto Award in 1986. Active in civic affairs; President of the South Carolina Bankers Association; member of the board of the American Bankers Association; officer and member of many civic organizations.Helped raise funds to start the South Carolina State Museum. He bequeathed $1 million to The Citadel to fund scholarships. He also provided the funds for the decoration of the Prioleau Room in the Daniel Library, which is used for meetings and studying, and contains rare book cabinets. [Source: "Nap Vandiver, '29: State's Oldest Banker Still Loves the Business," Citadel Magazine, vol. 2, no. 2 (winter 2000), pp. 30-32; "Vandiver Dies at 94," Associated Press State & Local Wire, April 11, 2002; "South Carolina Banker Wills $1 Million to The Citadel," Associated Press State & Local Wire, Sept. 5, 2002] (HN & DH)
VESEY, DENMARK
Led the 16 June 1822 slave insurrection in Charleston. Telemaque was the personal slave of a Captain Vesey, an old-time resident of Charleston. In 1800, Telemaque, whose name was corrupted to Denmark, won $1,500 in an East Bay lottery. With $600 of the money, he purchased his freedom. He was then 33 years old. Adopting the trade of a carpenter he became very influential in the black community.
    With a few trusted lieutenants, Peter Poyas, Monday Gell, and Gullah Jack, he plotted an insurrection which would free the slaves in Charleston. Their plan was to seize two arsenals, one in the Neck (the narrowest part of the peninsula) and one in the City. They would then be joined by blacks from the islands, take over the city, and gain their freedom. Word got out so the insurrection never actually took place. Not one shot was ever fired. Even so, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica, 130 people were arrested in the next two months and 35, including Vesey and his lieutenants, were executed. Fifty were acquitted.
    To prevent another insurrection, an act was passed in 1822 to form a municipal guard of 150 men. They would be housed in two arsenals, the one in the Neck to be known as the Magazine, and the one in the City to be known as the Citadel. This provided the necessary security, but it was expensive. In 1842, General D. F. Jamison of Orangeburg introduced a bill to the state legislature which would replace the municipal guard with inexpensive cadets. Not only would this save the state money, but it would also help the "poor but deserving boys of the state." The rich planters did not send their sons to The Citadel. They sent them to places where other rich folk at the time sent their sons, West Point or Princeton. In 1843, the Citadel and Magazine were turned over to the South Carolina Military Academy which later became known as The Citadel. (Sources: Oliver J. Bond, The Story of The Citadel., pp. 1-3. U430 .C5 B57 1989; John Lofton, Denmark Vesey's Revolt: The Slave Plot that Lit a Fuse to Fort Sumter. F279 .C49 N44 1983; Robert Starobin, comp. Denmark Vesey, the Slave Conspiracy of 1822. F279 .C457 S7; Lois A. Walker and Susan R. Silverman, A Documented History of Gullah Jack Pritchard and the Denmark Vesey Slave Insurrection of 1822. F279 .C453 P753 2000)
    By winning the lottery Denmark Vesey was able to buy his freedom and become self sufficient and influential. By being self sufficient and influential he had the resources to plot an insurrection. The insurrection that almost took place put fear in the hearts of the planters. The fear of another insurrection caused the planters to establish a municipal guard. The expense of a municipal guard caused the planters to look for a cheaper alternative. The cheaper alternative was a body of cadets. Ergo, the Corps of Cadets and The Citadel were established. The Citadel came into being because a poor slave purchased the winning ticket to a lottery. (Source: HN.) For an interesting article in the Atlantic Monthly published in 1861 click Atlantic Monthly..
Some historians have questioned whether there actually was a Vesey plot in 1822. Instead, it is argued, the plot was hatched by some Charleston whites as a way of getting rid of potentially troublesome black leaders. Also, it is argued, white hysteria and the torture of black prisoners played a role in getting blacks to confess to a plot that never existed. For a critique of the Vesey plot theory see: Michael P. Johnson, "Denmark Vesey and His Co-Conspirators," Willliam and Mary Quarterly, vol. 58 (October 2001), pp. 915-976. The entire scholarly controversy is discussed in: Robert L. Paquette and Douglas R. Egerton, "Facts and Fables: New Light on the Denmark Vesey Affair," South Carolina Historical Magazine, vol. 105, no. 1 (January 2004), pp. 8-35.
Plans have been made to erect a statue to honor Denmark Vesey in Hampton Park, adjacent to The Citadel. The memorial project has, however been controversial. [Sources: Brian Hicks, "City Donates for Statue of Ex-Slave," Post and Courier, Apr. 26, 2000, p. B6; Stratton Lawrence, "'Terrorist' or 'Freedom Fighter'? Efforts to Honor Denmark Vesey Running Into Financial, Historical Obstacles," Charleston City Paper, vol. 9, issue 36 (April 26, 2006), pp. 11-12] (HN & DH)
VIETNAM WAR
There were 68 Citadel graduates killed in Vietnam. The last Citadel man to give his life was Samuel R. Bird, Citadel Class of 1961, who died of his wounds on October 18, 1984. For more information about him click BIRD, SAMUEL RICHARD. For detailed information about the attitudes of cadets towards the war and other issues of the 1960s see: Alex Macauley, "'An Oasis of Order'; The Citadel, the 1960s, and the Vietnam Antiwar Movement," Southern Cultures 11, no. 3 (2005): 35-61.
VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE CAMPUS
A virtual tour of the campus is available on The Citadel Web site. Click Virtual Tour
VOLLEYBALL
The women's volleyball team was started in 1998. Click Volleyball for The Citadel volleyball web page. See also: Citadel Volleyball 2000. Kept at the Reference Desk. Volleyball was established at the Citadel in 1998.
VOLLEYBALL--COACHES
Bunny Houchen, 1998.
Wendy Anderson 1999-. Click Wendy Anderson.
VOLLEYBALL--GAMES
The first game of The Citadel Volleyball team was against Converse, September 11, 1998, 0-3 (3-15, 5-15, 11-15.) (Source: Mike Hayden, Asst. Sports Information Director.)
VOLLEYBALL--RECORD
1998 0-24
1999 1-29
2000 3-27
VOLLEYBALL--STATISTICS
Click Volleyball statistics. Also: Citadel Volleyball 2000, available at the reference desk.