Weird, Weirder, and Weirdest ... I'll give you weirdest. Probably the most famous secessionist of all time (even though he was dead before the Civil War) was John C. Calhoun. His resume is quite extensive, but he's most known for being Vice President of the US. He sponsored the ideas of secession and nullification. Since he was so famous, he was buried in the courtyard of St. Philip's Church. However, only those born in Charleston were supposed to be bestowed that honor. Because of this, years later before the war, he was exhumed and put into a graveyard just outside of the church. When the Civil War broke out, and the Union occupied Charleston, there was a rumor going around that the Union troops were going to destroy his remains. So the locals, dug up his body (2nd time) and put him back in the church in an unmarked grave. The Union never found him. After the war, since he wasn't born in Charleston, he was exhumed again (#3) and returned to the plot outside of the church. Below are some pictures. What is kind of odd about the graves in Charleston is just how small the monuments are. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney and John Rutledge were famous document signers in US history, and both have small gravestones. Rutledge is wedged up against a waterpipe and some electrical meters! Humbleness, or indifference? Hard to say. Charleston doesn't neglect much on their history.

In the middle is Ed Grimball ... he's one of the best tour guides I have ever met. Look him up if ever in Charleston, he gave me the story above.