1st South Carolina Cavalry

Unit History

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. They were 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.

From the Compendium of the Confederate Armies

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)

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)
Field 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 (December 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.

Command Assignments

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 Companies) 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

List of Engagements

  • 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
  • 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
  • Gettysburg National Military Park
  • 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 on the Rapidian, VA
  • 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)
    (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’s 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,
    Bennett’s House, Durham Station, NC

The listings of the Army of Northern Virginia say that 28,231 soldiers were dismissed on their word of honor on April 10, 1865.

The 1st SC Cavalry 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.