Honoring Civil War Veteran Pvt. David Sparkman

The 1st South Carolina (later designated the 33rd U.S.C.T.) in line.

In honor of next week’s Veteran’s Day, this Saturday, Nov. 7, one of Daniel Island’s unsung heroes will finally receive the memorial he deserved long ago.

Private David Sparkman was an African American soldier who fought during the Civil War. He was a member of the 33rd United States Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.), a unit that guarded the coast and land between Savannah, GA and Charleston. In 1864, he was among the forces that attacked and captured Battery Gregg on James Island. The 33rd U.S.C.T. next joined forces with another African American regiment for the battle at Honey Hill, which ended in defeat for Union troops.

U.S.C.T. Troops

When news reached Charleston that the war had ended, Pvt. Sparkman was a part of group that searched for Confederate soldiers in hiding and shared the news. When residents on Daniel Island heard, they banged pots, sang out and rejoiced in the celebration! After the war, Pvt. Sparkman retired from the military and moved to Daniel Island, where he lived until his death in 1909.

The fence leading into Simmons Cemetery.

On Saturday, his descendants and family will join the Greater Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church, the Berkeley County Historical Society and veterans to unveil a new tombstone to place on his grave in Simmons Cemetery on Daniel Island. His great-great grandson, the Reverend David Reilly, will help lead the memorial along with re-enactors from the 54th Massachusetts United States Colored Troops. Rev. Reilly has been a friend to Daniel Island for a long time and has cared for the island’s three African American cemeteries through the years.

The event will begin at 10:00 am at the Howe Hall Cemetery, where organizers and guests will honor Pvt. George Williams, another African American Civil War veteran. The event will then continue at Simmons Cemetery at 101 River Landing Drive on Daniel Island. Pvt. Sparkman’s memorial is expected to begin around 11:30 am. The event is open to the public, especially all Veterans.

For more information, contact Rev. David Reilly at (843) 364-2310.

Simmons Cemetery on Daniel Island

* Partial information in this article found in Michael Dahlman’s Daniel Island, 2006.