1. On February 10, 1865, a major Civil War battle occurred in South Carolina's capital city, Columbia. Union troops under General William T. Sherman captured the city, which had already been evacuated by Confederate forces. The ensuing fires destroyed much of the city.

2. In 1960, on February 10, South Carolina became the first state to pass a "right-to-work" law, which prohibited forced union membership as a condition of employment. The law is still in effect today and is a controversial issue in the state.

3. On February 10, 1927, the town of Rock Hill, South Carolina was the site of a nationally-publicized lynching. Three black men were accused of attacking a white couple, and one of them, Willie Earle, was taken from his jail cell by a mob and killed. The case inspired the NAACP to launch an anti-lynching campaign.

4. The founding of Furman University, one of South Carolina's oldest and most prestigious educational institutions, is celebrated on February 10. The school was established in 1826 and is named after Richard Furman, a prominent Baptist minister who played a key role in its founding.

5. On February 10, 1902, Confederate veteran and former governor Wade Hampton III died at his home in Columbia, South Carolina. Hampton was a major figure in the politics of the state and the South during the post-Civil War era, and was known for his efforts to unite white Democrats against Reconstruction-era Republican rule. Today he is commemorated with a statue on the grounds of the South Carolina State House.