NEWBERRY — Patricia McNeely will be the speaker at the Friends of the Library annual meeting on Jan. 29. The meeting will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

McNeely, a University of South Carolina professor emerita and writer, taught writing and reporting in the University of South Carolina School of Journalism for 33 years. She was a reporter and editor for The Greenville News, The State and The Columbia Record.

McNeely has written numerous books including Handwritten Recipes and Memories from America’s First Families, Fighting Words: A Media History of South Carolina and Palmetto Press: A History of South Carolina Newspapers.

McNeely will be discussing two of her books, Sherman’s Flame and Blame Campaign through Georgia and the Carolina and the burning of Columbia and Lincoln, Sherman, Davis and the Lost Confederate Gold.

She will talk about General William T. Sherman’s military, economic and psychological war on civilians in his campaign through South Carolina and the role that Newberry played in the search for lost Confederate gold.

Parts of her discussion will highlight the strategy and intrigue of the last days of the Confederacy, which is a component of both of her books.

McNeely will also discuss her new book that will be published this month, Eyewitnesses to General Sherman’s Atrocities in the Civil War. Her new book features Sherman documents that have been privately held for more than 150 years.

Before McNeely’s presentation, new officers will be elected for the Friends of the Library as well as some brief business. This program is being sponsored by South Carolina Humanities, a non-profit organization.

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By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com

Reach Andrew Wigger at 803-276-0625 ext. 1867 or on Twitter @ TheNBOnews.