Johnson Hagood ()

Confederate Brigadier General
and Governor of South Carolina

Johnson Hagood was born in Barnwell County on February 21, 1828. He was educated at Richmond Academy in Augusta, Georgia, and then later graduated from the Citadel in 1847 at the top of his class.

When the War Between The States (Civil War) broke out, he was quickly promoted from a brigadier general of militia to a colonel of the SC volunteers to a Brigadier General. Hagood won great honors as a soldier and as a statesman. He served as Comptroller General of South Carolina from and as Governor from 1880-82. During his term as Governor the General Assembly passed a law that disqualified anyone participating in a duel from holding public office.

Hagood had studied law and was admitted to the bar, but never practiced law. Instead he became a planter. He prefered plantation life above everything else. He was also intensely loyal to the Citadel. The Citadel's Johnson Hagood Stadium is named in his honor.

Of Hagood it is said "There have been greater men, but none truer, none cleaner, higher, and more unalterable in doing the right as he saw it; and he saw with clearness and accuracy."

Hagood died in January 1898 and is buried in Barnwell, SC.