Editing Thomas Sumter (section)

==Namesakes==
[[File:ThomasSumterGraveSite.jpg|left|thumb|upright|Gravesite of Thomas Sumter]]

The city of [[Sumter, South Carolina]], originally incorporated as Sumterville in 1845, was named for Thomas Sumter.<ref>{{cite web |title=History & Heritage |url=https://www.sumtersc.gov/community/history |website=City of Sumter, SC |access-date=21 December 2022 |language=en |date=4 August 2018}}</ref> The city has erected a memorial to him, and has been dubbed "The Gamecock City" after his nickname.

Prior to being renamed [[Sumter County, South Carolina|Sumter County]] in 1868, Sumter District was commonly referred to as the "Old Gamecock District".<ref>{{cite news |title=Calhoun Monument Association |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/77710595/?terms=%22gamecocks%22&match=1 |access-date=21 December 2022 |work=The Sumter Banner |agency=Newspapers.com |date=8 March 1854}}</ref>  The use of this nickname continued after the name change, with the county thereafter being called the "Old Gamecock County".<ref>{{cite news |title=The Atlanta Fair |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/668576573/?terms=%22gamecocks%22&match=1 |access-date=21 December 2022 |work=The Watchman and Southron |agency=Newspapers.com |date=23 August 1881}}</ref>

Counties in four states are named for Sumter. These are [[Sumter County, South Carolina|South Carolina]], [[Sumter County, Florida|Florida]], [[Sumter County, Alabama|Alabama]], and [[Sumter County, Georgia|Georgia]]<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/s.pdf| title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=215 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref> The unincorporated community of [[Sumterville, Florida]] is the former seat of [[Sumter County, Florida]].  Both are named for Thomas Sumter.

[[File:SC Revolutionary War generals monument in Columbia IMG 4797.JPG|upright|thumb|Sumter shares a monument, erected in 1913, on the state capitol grounds in [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]] with two other Revolutionary War generals: [[Francis Marion]] and [[Andrew Pickens (congressman)|Andrew Pickens]] ]]

[[Fort Sumter]] in [[Charleston Harbor]], a fort planned after the [[War of 1812]], was named in his honor.  The fort is best known as the site upon which the shots initiating the [[American Civil War]] were fired, at the [[Battle of Fort Sumter]].

Sumter's nickname, "Fighting Gamecock", has become one of several traditional nicknames for a native of South Carolina. For example, the [[University of South Carolina]]'s official nickname is the "Gamecocks". Since 1903, the college's teams have been simply known as the "[[South Carolina Gamecocks]]". The costumed mascot of the University is referred to as [[Cocky (mascot)|Cocky]], short for "Gamecock".

Other schools within South Carolina have been named after Sumter or utilize a Gamecock as their mascot. 
*The mascot of [[Sumter High School]] is a "Gamecock" and the school's sports teams refer to themselves as the "Sumter High Gamecocks" in honor of Sumter. 
*Thomas Sumter Academy, a private school within [[Sumter County, South Carolina|Sumter County]], was founded in 1964.<ref name="tsacademy">{{cite web |title=History |url=https://thomassumteracademy.org/history/ |website=Thomas Sumter Academy |access-date=21 December 2022}}</ref>  Their mascot is known as "the General" but does not visually resemble Thomas Sumter and is typically depicted as wearing a Civil War era uniform.<ref name=tsacademy/>