Johnson Hagood Stadium Johnson Hagood Stadium , is a 21 , 000 - seat football stadium , the home field of The Citadel Bulldogs , in Charleston , South Carolina , USA . The stadium is named in honor of Brigadier General Johnson Hagood , CSA , class of 1847 , who commanded Confederate forces in Charleston during the Civil War and later served as Comptroller and Governor of South Carolina . History . When the condition of the existing College Park Stadium ( located in the northeast corner of Hampton Park ) became so poor as to be unservicable , the city of Charleston chose to construct a new sports stadium . The new stadium was opened October 15 , 1927 , with a football game between The Citadel and Oglethorpe . The current Johnson Hagood Stadium was designed by the architectural firm of Halsey & Cummings . It opened with seating for 22 , 343 on October 16 , 1948 , with a game between The Citadel and Davidson . The formal dedication of the new $ 600 , 000 stadium took place at The Citadel - Clemson football game held on December 4 , 1948 , before a then - record crowd of approximately 16 , 000 . The Citadel suggested buying the stadium from the city in 1962 ; it wanted it for its sports program , and the city considered it a " white elephant . " It was eventually purchased by The Citadel from the city of Charleston in 1963 . The venue hosted the 1983 and 1984 NCAA Division I - AA National Championship games ( now known as the Football Championship Subdivision ) . The historic facility gained national attention during summer 1999 when prior crewmen from the " H . L . Hunley " , the first submarine to sink an enemy battleship , were unearthed from underneath the stadium . The location of the stadium had once been a mariners ' graveyard . In 1948 , when the stadium was being built , a miscommunication led to the gravestones ' being moved , but not the bodies . In 1993 , the bodies of 13 sailors were discovered under the parking lot . After the discovery of the sunken H . L . Hunley ( the confederate submarine ) in 1995 , there was renewed interest in the remains of its first crew ( who had died in an unsuccessful 1863 run ) . Archaeologists were given permission to conduct more thorough searches as part of the renovations of the stadium , and four of the five sailors ' bodies were located under the home stands . The remains were reinterred at Magnolia Cemetery . In 2001 , The Citadel opened the Altman Athletic Center located in the South end zone . The facility features home and visitor locker rooms , officials ’ room and a spacious entertainment area for members of The Citadel Brigadier Foundation . In 2005 stadium underwent a major renovation to update the facility by adding an improved media center , luxury skyboxes , and other features . In September 2004 , the Board of Visitors ( its governing body ) approved plans to built a new stadium on nearby Stoney Field ( on Fishburne Street , adjacent to the Riley Ballpark ) , but there were concerns about funding the $ 47 million project and also about engineering issues associated with building on marshy land . In February 2005 , The Citadel opted to make changes to the existing facility instead . In 2008 the West Side Tower opened . The Bulldogs celebrated the re - opening of the West Stands for the 2006 season . The completed project features luxury suites , club seats , a state - of - the - art press box and all the expected amenities of a modern - day facility . The field was named Sansom Field in 2008 , commemorating the loyalty and generosity of the distinguished and active alumnus , William B . Sansom , ‘ 64 .