The Citadel history

William J. Magill, a member of the first graduating class of 1846 was the first alumnus to serve in the United States Army and was a member of the 3d Dragoons under future President Zachary Taylor in the Mexican War.:10

Citadel cadets and faculty members trained South Carolina's "Palmetto Regiment" for service in the Mexican–American War; 17 graduates and cadets fought with the unit which teamed with United States Marines to enter the famous "Halls of Montezuma" in Mexico City in 1847.

On January 9, 1861, a battery on Morris Island manned by Citadel Academy cadets fired on the United States steamer Star of the West, preventing it from reaching Fort Sumter with troops and supplies and thus firing what is considered to be the first shots of the American Civil War.

The 1882 session began with an enrollment of 185 cadets.

The growth of the college has allowed for continuously expanding academic offerings; in 1916 only 3 majors were offered, at present 65 courses of study are available at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level.

In 1921 the title of the head of the school was changed from Superintendent to President, Colonel Oliver J. Bond was the last Superintendent and first President of The Citadel.

The college moved to its current location in 1922; the new campus initially consisted of only a barracks, admin/classroom building, mess hall, gym and hospital but in the next 3 decades grew rapidly.

By 1943 so many cadets had left school to join the military that enrollment had dropped to less than 500 but was soon bolstered with the addition of active duty servicemembers attending as part of the Army Specialized Training Program.

The Corps of Cadets was officially all male until 1996.

January 8, 2011. http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2011-01-08/citadel-cadets-re-enact-first-shots-civil-war.