DeSaussure College (Ghost Tour)

👻 The Nurse

DeSaussure College was completed in 1809 as a classroom building and residence hall for the growing South Carolina College. Henry DeSaussure (1763-1839) served in the SC General Assembly and was active in the establishment of SC College. He was also a lawyer, director of the USC Mint, where he brought the first coinage of gold and Chancellor (public servant) of South Carolina. He also published of historical documents covering the Revolutionary War.

In 1911, DeSaussure suffered a severe earthquake and partially destroyed by fire in 1851. Another fiery incident occurred in 1814 when a melee of angry and violent students burned a crude image of a professor in front of the building. Then in the years after the Civil War, DeSaussure was used as a federal military prison and housed war refugees. Do any of you (or your children) live in DeSaussure? You might want to think about that the next time you are sitting in the residence hall room.

It is true, locations where much suffering has occurred often acquire a frightful aura, a presence that might never be lifted no matter how many years have passed, nor how many restorations or renovations have been completed. As we approach Halloween, know that spirits often remain at the places they were injured. Possibly someone was killed during the earthquake, any one of the fires that occurred here, a death might even have occurred in the building DeSaussure. While any of these circumstances could have happened in DeSaussure and lead it to acquire a frightful presence, rumor has it that this building has only produced one ghost, and a seemingly reclusive one at that.

In June of 1862, the college closed down as the all-male student body enlisted in the Confederate army. After closing, the Confederate army overtook the Horseshoe buildings, and most were used as military hospitals. The historic Horseshoe became known as one of the finest Confederate hospitals and served over 2,000 sick and disabled soldiers. By 1886, the building housed wounded Union soldiers.
Legend has it that a doctor, Dr. Black, and his daughter, aided the soldiers at the DeSaussure hospital. It is this woman who is thought to haunt the rooms of DeSaussure. While carrying out her duties as a confederate nurse, Ms. Black was brutally harmed by a group of soldiers. Strangely, after this incident, the soldiers mysteriously perished in their beds as did Ms. Black. No doubt hurt and in need of vindication, possibly Ms. Black poisoned the soldiers and then drank the poisoned wine herself.

Since being turned into housing for students, some say that Ms. Black has been seen at the food of beds, holding a beautiful tray with glasses of wine, only to disappear after a few seconds. So, you might want to be wary of anyone in DeSaussure offering you a cup of wine. I’m sure she means no harm; she may just love this University and chooses to enjoy company with our students.