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This website will be moving, and eventually be taken down! 
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VISIT and BOOKMARK the new site at
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Please let me know if you see any broken links, missing images, etc. at the new site, so I can make repairs. 

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FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA CAVALRY

UNIT HISTORY

The First South Carolina Regiment of Cavalry as formed in 1861 and ordered up to Northern Virginia in the fall of 1862. Assigned to Gen. Wade Hampton's Brigade, they participated in numerous battles and engagements such as Chambersburg, Fredericksburg, Brandy Station, Upperville, Gettysburg, Bristoe, Kelly's Ford, and Mine Run. Ordered South to defend their native state and surrounding areas in the fall of 1864, the First South Carolina Cavalry served in the defense of the city of Savannah, and the Campaign of the Carolinas. After four years of honorable and gallant service, the First South Carolina Cavalry ended the war with the Army of Tennessee in April of 1865.

A rendering of the Flag of Company F

The flag image is based on one that Bright Burrell sketched and sent to his wife. The colors are based on the theory that  the heart had to be red and the rest is based on the Bonnie Blue Flag colors.

flag image courtesy of Charles and John Robbins, 
and of Ed Crawford, all descendants of Private Bright Burrell,  Company F

It has come to my attention from these kind gentleman that there are over 50 letters of correspondence between Private Bright Burrell and his wife in a private collection.  I hope to be able to transcribe some (maybe someday even all) of the letters at this website, with permission.  I am most grateful to Ed Crawford for allowing me to see some excerpts form the letters.  They are a part of history difficult to capture in a history book.  

I have long searched for a sketch or rendering of a flag from these units.  If anyone out there knows of a flag from the First, please contact me, I will pursue any leads that come my way.  Thank You!

From COMPENDIUM OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMIES

SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA
Courtesy of an inter-library loan by the U.S. Army Military History Institute

65. SOUTH CAROLINA FIRST CAVALRY BATTALION

Organization: Organized with six companies for the war on October 31, 1861, per S.O. #198, Adjutant and Inspector General's Office. Increased to nine companies in early 1862. Increased to a regiment and designated as the 1st Cavalry Regiment on June 25, 1862.
First Commander:   John L. Black (Lieutenant Colonel)
Field Officer:   John D. Twiggs (Major)
Assignments:   Department of South Carolina (October-November 1861)
Department of South Carolina and Georgia (November-December 1861)
3rd Military District of South Carolina, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida (December 1861-May 1862)
2nd Military District of South Carolina, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida (May-June 1862)
Battles:   Pocotaglio {skirmish} (May 29, 1862)
John's Island {skirmish} (June 7, 1862)

67. SOUTH CAROLINA FIRST CAVALRY REGIMENT

Organization: Organized by the increase of the 1st Cavalry Battalion (9 companies) to a regiment on June 25, 1862. Surrendered by General Joseph E. Johnston at Durham Station, NC on April 26, 1865.
First Commander:  John L. Black (Colonel)
Filed Officers:  Niles Nesbitt (Major)
Moses T. Owen (Major)
John D. Twiggs (Lieutenant Colonel)
William A. Walker (Major, Lieutenant Colonel)
Assignments:   2nd Military District of South Carolina, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida (June-August 1862)
3rd Military District of South Carolina, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida (September 1862)
Hampton's Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army of Northern Virginia (November 1862-September 1863)
W. H. F. Lee's Brigade, F. Lee's Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia (September 1863)
Butler's-Young's Brigade, Hampton's Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia (September 1863-March 1864)
Taliaferro's Brigade, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida (July December 1864)
Harrison's Brigade, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida (December 1864)
Ripley's Brigade, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida [Company K] (July-November 1864)
Cavalry, McLaws' Divison, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida (January 1865)
Harrison's Brigade, McLaws' Division, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida (January 1865)
Elliot's Brigade, Taliaferro's Division, Hardee's Corps (January- February 1865)
Harrion's Brigade, McLaws' Division, Hardee's Corps [detachment] (January-February 1865)
Unattached, Taliaferro's Division, Hardee's Corps [Company E] (January-February 1865)
Mercer's Brigade, Wright's Division, Hardee's Corps [Company K] (January-Febrary 1865)
Logan's Brigade, Butler's Division, Hampton's Cavalry Command (March-April 1865)
Logan's Brigade, Butler's Division, Hampton's Cavalry Command, Army of Tennessee (April 1865)
Battles: Dumfries [detachment] (December 12, 1862)
Fredericksburg (Decmber 13, 1862)
Raid on Dumfries & Fairfax Station (December 27-29, 1862)
on the Occoquan River [skirmish] (December 19, 1862)
Brandy Station (June 9, 1863)
Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863)
Hunterstown (July 2, 1863)
Bristoe Campaign (October 9-22, 1863)
Mine Run Campaign (November-December 1863)
Chapman's Fort, Ashepoo River (May 26, 1864)
Carolinas Campaign (February-April 1865)
Moccasin Swamp (April 10, 1865)
Further Reading:
Black, John Logan, Crumbling Defenses, or Memoirs and Reminiscences of John Logan Black, Colonel, C.S.A.

COMPANIES & ROSTERS

The First South Carolina Cavalry was organized in October 1861, by the consolidation of the First South Carolina Cavalry Battalion and the recently discharged First South Carolina State Cavalry Battalion. Both of these units were six company organizations. Detailed information on these companies are listed below:

Click on the underlined Company Letter below to link to that particular Company Roster
  
If anyone has access to Rosters for Company "L" & Company "M", please e-mail me!

"A" men from Abbeville, had been Company "A", First South Carolina Cavalry Battalion

"B" nicknamed the Ferguson Rangers; had been Company "B", First South Carolina Cavalry Battalion

"C" men from Allendale County; had been Company "C", First South Carolina Cavalry Battalion

"D" nicknamed the Chester Troop; men from Chester County; had been Company "D" First South Carolina Cavalry Battalion

"E" men from Charleston; had been Company "E", First South Carolina Cavalry Battalion

"F" had been Company "F", First South Carolina Cavalry Battalion

"G" men from Charleston; had been Company "A", First South Carolina State Cavalry Battalion

"H" men from Georgetown County; had been Company "B", First South Carolina State Cavalry Battalion

"I" nicknamed the Round o Troop; men from Charleston; had been Company "C", First South Carolina State Cavalry Battalion

"K" had been Company "D", First South Carolina State Cavalry Battalion

"Field and Staff"

Upon being mustered into Confederate service the First South Carolina Cavalry was assigned to duty in the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. It served that command until late 1862. Ordered north, the unit then saw service in the Army of Northern Virginia. It served in that Army until March 18, 1864. Returned to South Carolina, the regiment rejoined the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, serving in that command until the spring of 1865. It then joined the Army of Tennessee, serving in that Army for the duration of the War. The list below shows the specific higher command assignments of the regiment:

May 1, 1862 Cavalry, First Military District of South Carolina, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida

June 30, 1862 Cavalry, Second Military District of South Carolina, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida

Sept 25, 1862 Cavalry, First Military District of South Carolina, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida

Nov 10, 1862 Hampton's Brigade, Cavalry, Army of Northern Virginia

Dec 10, 1862 First Brigade, Cavalry, Army of Northern Virginia

May 25, 1863 Hampton's Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army of Northern Virginia

Sept 9, 1863 W.H.F. Lee's Brigade, Fitzhugh Lee's Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia

Dec 31, 1863 Young's Brigade, Hampton's Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia

July 1, 1864 (Three Companies) Ripley's Brigade, First and Fourth Districts (consolidated), Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida

(Nine Comapnies) Cavalry, McLaws' Division, District of Georgia, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida

Oct 31, 1864 (One Company) Ripley's Brigade, Second Sub-District, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida

(Five Companies) Taliaferro's Brigade, Third Sub-District, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida

(Six Companies) Post of Florence, South Carolina, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida

Jan 31, 1865 (Company "E") Not brigades, Taliaferro's Division, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida

(Company "K") Mercer's Brigade, Wright's Division, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida

(Ten Companies) Harrison's Brigade, McLaws' Division, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida

March 15, 1865 Bonham's Brigade, Cavalry Corps, Army of Tennessee

April 9, 1865 Logan's Brigade, Cavalry Corps, Army of Tennessee

The First South Carolina Cavalry participated in a large number of various types of engagements during its' career. These are identified below:

Feb 10, 1862 Skirmish Barnwell Island, SC (detachment)

June 7, 1862 Skirmish John's Island, SC

Oct 1, 1862 Skirmish Ocoquan, Dumfries, VA (detachment)

Oct 8-11, 1862 Stuart's Raid in Maryland and Pennsylvania (detachment)

Oct 10, 1862 Action Chambersburg, PA

Nov 5, 1862 Action Barbee's Cross Roads, VA

Nov 28, 1862 Picket Affair Hartwodd Church, VA (detachment)

Dec 12-15, 1862 Battle Fredericksburg, VA

Dec 12, 1862 Skirmish Dumfries, VA (detachment)

Dec 20, 1862 Skirmish Dumfries, Ocoquan, VA

Dec 27-28, 1862 Skirmishes near Ocoquan, VA (detachment)

Feb 5-7, 1863 Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church, VA

April 27-May 6, 1863 Chancellorsville Campaign

April 29-May 8, 1863 Operations against Stoneman's Raid, VA

June 3-Aug 1, 1863 Gettysburg Campaign

June 9, 1863 Engagement, Brandy Station, Beverly Ford, VA click here

June 17, 1863 Action Aldie, VA

June 21, 1863 Engagement, Upperville, VA

June 28, 1863 Skirmish, Rockville, MD

June 30, 1863 Action, Hanover, PA

July 1-3, 1863 Battle, Gettysburg, PA
Units of the Army of Northern Virginia - CSA Units
Gettysburg National Military Park - Army of Northern Virginia Order of Battle

July 4, 1863 Action, Monterey Gap, PA

July 5-24, 1863 Retreat to near Manassas Gap, VA

July 5, 1863 Skirmish, Fairfield, PA

July 6, 1863 Action, Hagerstown, MD

July 6, 1863 Action, Williamsport, MD

Sept 10-11, 1863 Skirmishes, Stevensburg, VA

Sept 11, 1863 Skirmish, Raccoon Ford, VA

Sept 13, 1863 Skirmish, Stevensburg, VA

Sept 14-16, 1863 Action, Raccoon Ford, Rapidan Station, VA

Sept 15, 1863 Skirmish, Robertson's Ford, VA

Sept 19, 1863 Skirmish, Raccoon Ford, VA

Sept 21, 1863 Skirmish, Madison Court House, VA

Sept 21-22, 1863 Skirmishes, White's Ford, VA

Sept 22, 1863 Skirmish, Jack's Shop, Madison Court House, VA

Sept 23, 1863 Action, Robertson's Ford, VA

Oct 5-10, 1863 Skirmishes near James City, VA

Oct 9-22, 1863 Bristoe Campaign

Oct 10, 1863 Action, James City, Rappahannock, Robertson's River, VA

Oct 12, 1863 Action, Warrenton, White Sulphur Springs, VA

Oct 12, 1863 Action, Brandy Station, VA

Oct 14, 1863 Skirmish, Brentsville, VA (detachment)

Oct 16, 1863 Skirmish, Oak Hill, VA (detachment)

Oct 19, 1863 Action, Buckland's Mills, VA

Oct 19, 1863 Skirmish, Haymarket, VA

Nov 7, 1863 Engagement, Kelly's Ford, VA

Nov 18, 1863 Skirmish near Germania Ford, VA

Nov 26-Dec 2, 1863 Mine Run Campaign

Nov 27, 1863 Action, New Hope Church, VA

Nov 29-30, 1863 Skirmishes along Mile Run, VA

Nov 29, 1863 Action, Parker's Store, VA

May 8, 1864 - Article from NY Times on the Rapidian, VA pdf format

May 26, 1864 Affair, Chapman's Fort, Ashepoo River, SC (detachment)

Nov 15-Dec 10, 1864 Campaign against Savannah, GA (Sherman's March to the Sea) Sea)(detachment)

Dec 10-21, 1864 Siege, Savannah, GA (detachment)

Jan 30-April 26, 1865 Campaign of the Carolinas

Feb 4, 1865 Skirmish, Angley's Post Office, SC

Feb 4, 1865 Skirmish, Buford's Bridge, SC  South Edisto River in Barnwell District, SC

Feb 8, 1865 Skirmish, Williston, SC

Feb 8, 1865 Skirmish near White Post, SC

Feb 12-13, 1865 Skirmishes, North Edisto River, SC

Feb 14, 1865 Skirmish, Wolf Plantation, SC

Feb 15, 1865 Skirmish, Red Bank Creek, SC

Feb 16-17, 1865 Skirmishes about Columbia, SC

Feb 25, 1865 Skirmish, West's Cross Roads, SC

Feb 26, 1865 Skirmish near Strouds' Mills, SC

Feb 27, 1865 Skirmish, Mount Elon, SC

Feb 28, 1865 Skirmish near Cheraw, SC

Feb 28, 1865 Skirmish near Rocky Mount, SC

March 3, 1865 Skirmish near Himsborough, SC

March 4, 1865 Skirmish, Phillips' Cross Roads, SC

March 8, 1865 Skirmish, Love's Bridge (Blue Bridge), SC

March 8, 1865 Engagement, Monroe's Cross Roads, SC

March 18, 1865 Skirmish near Benton's Cross Roads, NC

March 19-21, 1865 Battle, Bentonville, NC

March 22, 1865 Skirmish, Hannah's Creek, NC

March 31, 1865 Skirmish, Gulley's, NC

April 10, 1865 Skirmish, Moccasin Swamp, NC

April 11, 1865 Skirmish near Smithfield, NC

April 26, 1865 Surrender, Benett's House, Durham Station, NC

OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY 1ST SC CAVALRY, part 1

OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY 1ST SC CAVALRY, part 2

Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison, CT May 5, 2001   ©LM Bowes

Nothing has been found in official or unofficial sources to indicate how many members of the First South Carolina Cavalry were still with it when it surrendered in late April, 1865. It appears to have been one of the larger units of cavalry with the Army of Tennessee in January, 1865, and it is possible that the regiment contained as many as two hundred officers and enlisted men when it finally laid down its' arms.

BLUFORD RUSSELL HOLLAND
born August 14, 1839- died March 21, 1875
Private, Company B, 1st Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry
Enlisted August 25, 1861 at Camp Johnson, Columbia, South Carolina
under Captain Niles Nesbitt
On roll April 30, 1863 as 2nd Corporal
On last available roll October 31, 1864 as 1st Corporal, sick in quarters
Source: South Carolina Archives Department, Columbia, SC26 

Click Here
To View this Confederate Abstract of B. R. Holland

Much thanks to Fred Knudsen for being kind enough to send this photo to me to share!  

Family Recollection 

If you want to go to a battle site where Bluford R. Holland fought, go to Fredericksburg, VA, take Route 17 N, go by Hartwood; then "Gale Vein"-a gentleman named Noah Brooks lives there-can direct you-go 1 or 2 miles to Summer Duck Run-turn left, cedar trees on both sides of road-go to end to Ballard cabin-red clay road-a stream and remains of a bridge left there-hillside covered with daffodils-take a small shovel and sack; get some to take home-other battle sites near: Brandy Station, Stevensburg, etc. etc.
MH

Transcribed from a letter from my dear great-aunt, Eula Mae Holland Hansen, who passed away New Years' Eve, 1997. Aunt Mae was active in the Aiken Garden Club (hence the daffodil reference); Bluford R. Holland was her grandfather.

Please visit Bluford R. Holland's final resting place, the Leesville Church Cemetery in Laurens, South Carolina.

Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison, CT May 5, 2001   ©LM Bowes

First South Carolina Cavalry
Memorial

Click here to visit the Memorials page.  
Information on this page was contributed by ancestors of the men who fought with the First South Carolina Cavalry.  
Contact me to submit an ancestor and/or information.

Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison, CT May 5, 2001   ©LM Bowes

 

CONFEDERATE FLAG

From this date, July 1, 2000 and forward, I will proudly fly these flags in honor of our ancestors who fought honorably.  I am proud of my Southern Heritage!  The flag is a symbol of what WE make it, WE choose whether or not to see it as a symbol of history and heritage, or of hate.  It is my choice to go with history. 

     

Click on the flag above to go to the Battle Flag Page!

Visit great resources on the First South Carolina Cavalry, 
and all of my general 
Civil War links by clicking here

 

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THE SIXTEENTH SOUTH CAROLINA
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From the webmaster of the Sixteenth South Carolina, visit this bibliography links page detailing many of South Carolina's Civil War units
SOUTH CAROLINA BIBLIOGRAPHY

WEBRINGS, CREDITS & AWARDS

Be sure to view this Webrings, Credits and Awards Page. If you are not familiar with webrings, they are essential to researching by subject. Webrings are a circle of sites with similar interests. Also, take a peek at where I got some of the information contained in this unit history, as well as the source for some of the beautiful clip art that you see.

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Please note:
Although I try to be as accurate as possible, information contained on this site has been compiled over many years from a variety of sources, and I cannot guarantee that there are no errors.  Do not hesitate to point out any inconsistencies, and every effort will be made to make corrections as needed.