Alternate names for the two salute guns in front of Bond Hall. Facing Bond Hall, Betsy, named after George Edward Haynsworth's wife, is on the left; and Lizzie, named after Samuel Bonneau Pickens' wife, is on the right. They are also called Haynsworth and Pickens, their original names.
On October 18 1966, the two salute guns were officially named the Haynsworth and Pickens cannons, after two of the cadets who fired the cannons on the "Star of The West," in January 1861: George Edward Haynsworth and Samuel Bonneau Pickens.
They were originally 3 inch (76 mm) guns. When they came to The Citadel, though, adapters were put on each one of them so they could fire standard 75 mm blanks. Prior to their acquisition, 105 mm howitzers were used. These guns are still the property of the U.S. Army. One of them is on loan from the Army Transportation Corp. They were built early in World War II for long range use. Unfortunately, they were inaccurate so few were manufactured. Some were used after World War II in target practice at Fort Sill, but most were converted to salute guns.
Facing Bond Hall the gun on the left is Betsy (Haynsworth's wife), and the gun on the right is Lizzie (Pickens' wife). The names Betsy and Lizzie are stenciled on the guns. (Source: Brigadier, January 25, 1974, p. 5; March 22, 1969)
