Very nice silver goblet that stands approx. 6.00 inches tall and 3.00 inches wide across the mouth.

The bulbous upper portion of the goblet has four oval medallions all of which have a smooth double border. Three of the four have stippled backgrounds with the fourth being smooth at center for engraving. Each of the three stippled medallions have raised decorations of fruit, flowers and leaves. The sides of each medallion touch and are joined by a small clamshell. The space between the medallions are also stippled and are decorated with flowers along the top edges and three leaves at bottom.

The plain medallion with the engraving is decorated top and bottom with a pear shaped fruit flanked by two leaves. The engraving at center reads “PRESENTED BY THE/ DARLINGTON GUARD/ TO THE/ CALHOUN LIGHT INFANTRY/ JUNE 28^TH 1860.” The engraving is very fine with the names of the two militia units done in heavier characters and all in caps. The inscription has the usual decoration of scrolling thin lines.

The upper goblet has a beaded base and sits atop a 2.00 inch high smooth stem which widens into a 2.08 inch wide base decorated with vines and leaves.

The goblet is in excellent condition with no dings or dents and only light scattered tarnish from age and storage. The medallion with the inscription was only lightly cleaned and the cleaned surface matches the rest of the goblet well.

There are no hallmarks on the piece but it is no doubt silver throughout.

The presenters of the goblet, the Darlington Guards, were named after a city and county in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina and were organized in June of 1859. When South Carolina seceded the Guards were sent to defend Charleston. The Guards served in the Civil War for six months as Company B, 1^st South Carolina Infantry. After the expiration of their enlistment some men returned home to keep the Guards as an active militia organization while the other half reorganized as the Pee Dee Rifles. Early in 1862 the regiment became the Pee Dee Artillery and served with the Army of Northern Virginia seeing action at the Seven Days, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and defense of Charleston.

The winners of the goblet were the Calhoun Light Infantry which was made up of men recruited from all parts of South Carolina. The unit became Company D, 1^st South Carolina Infantry. In 1863 the designation of the regiment was changed to the 3^rd Heavy Artillery. The unit surrendered with Joe Johnston in North Carolina in late April of 1865.

Research shows that on June 28, 1860 on the first anniversary of their founding, the Darlington Rifles and the Darlington Guards had a major celebration at Mineral Spring, near the town of Darlington. A brass band from Charleston provided music and other invited militia organizations and their guests were served “a fine barbeque dinner” and “after several fiery, impassioned orations, the soldiers engaged in a shooting contest, and prizes were awarded.” The prizes were “a medal, a silver cup, a walking cane and a tin cup.”

The cup we offer here is the second prize silver cup from that event.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS,

CLICK ON ‘CONTACT US’ AT THE TOP OF ANY PAGE ON THE SITE,

THEN ON ‘LAYAWAY POLICY’.