Historical Notes:
The South Carolina 8th Infantry Regiment was organized at Marion, South Carolina, during the spring of 1861. Many of the men were from Darlington and Marion counties.
The 8th was engaged in many conflicts from the Seven Days' Battles to Gettysburg, moved to Georgia with Longstreet, and was active at Chickamauga and Knoxville. Returning to Virginia, it participated in the battles at The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor, then saw action in the Shenandoah Valley with Early. Later it was involved in the North Carolina Campaign. Of the 300 engaged at Gettysburg, thirty-three percent were disabled. On March 23, 1865, there were only 52 present for duty. The regiment was transferred to South Carolina and fought in their own homes, surrendering with the Army of Tennessee.
Officers:
Colonels -- Robert McLain, wounded at Corinth; Orlando S. Holland. Lieutenant-Colonels -- Orlando S. Holland, William W. Wier, Samuel H. Terral, William S. Patton. Majors -- John McGee, William W. Wier, Samuel H. Terral, Q. C. Hiedelberg.
Assistant Surgeon -- P. B. Freeman.
Assignments:
Assigned to General Kershaw's, Kennedy's, and Connor's Brigade Battles:
1st Manassas (21 JUL 1861)
Yorktown Siege (APR - MAY 1862
Williamsburg (4 MAY 1862)
Seven Days Battles VA (25 JUN - 1 JUL 1862)
Savage's Station (29 JUN 1862)
Malvern Hill VA (1 JUL 1862)
Harper's Ferry (12 - 15 SEP 1862)
South Mountain VA (14 SEP 1862)
Sharpsburg VA (17 SEP 1862)
Fredericksburg VA (13 DEC 1862)
Chancellorsville (1-4 MAY 1863)
Gettysburg PA (1-3 JUL 1863)
Chickamauga GA (19-20 SEP 1863)
Chattanooga Siege GA (SEP - NOV 1863)
Knoxville Siege GA (NOV - DEC 1863)
Campbell's Station (16 NOV 1863)
Fort Sanders (29 NOV 1863)
Bean's Station (15 DEC 1863)
The Wilderness VA (5 - 6 MAY 1864)
Spotsylvania Court House VA (8 - 21 MAY 1864)
North Anna VA (23 - 26 MAY 1864)
Cold Harbor VA (1 - 3 JUN 1864)
Petersburg Siege VA (JUN 1864 - APR 1865)
Berryville (AUG 1864)
Near Port Republic (7 OCT 1864)
Near Strasburg (14 OCT 1864)
Cedar Creek (19 OCT 1864)
Carolinas Campaign SC (FEB - APR 1865)
Averasboro (16 MAR 1865)
Bentonville NC (19 - 21 MAR 1865) Roster:
The roster of this unit contains the names of 1631 men.
Company A - (also known as the Darlington Rifles or Darlington Rifleman) - many men from Darlington District (County)
Company B - (also known as Chesterfield Rifles) - many men from Chesterfield District (County)
Company C - (also known as Chesterfield Guards) - many men from Chesterfield District (County) (the first company to be raised in Chesterfield)
Company D - (also known as Jackson Guards) - many men from Chesterfield District (County)
Company E - (also known as the Timmonsville Minute Men) - many men from Darlington District (County)
Company F - (also known as the Darlington Grays) - many men from Darlington District (County) (from the towns of Society Hill, Doversville, Lydia and Stokes Bridge)
Company G - (also known as the Marlboro Guards and Harrington's Company) - many men from Marlboro District (County)
Roster Company H - (also known as Jeffrey (or Jeffries) Creek Guards) - many men from Marion District (County) (now in the eastern section of Florence County)
Company I (also known as the Marion Guards (Seigler states it was a "color company") - many men from Marion District (County)
Roster Company K - (also known as the McQueen Guards) - many men from Marlboro District (County)
Company L - (also known as the Spartan Band) - many men from Marion District (County) (a few were from Darlington District (County) and North Carolina) Company M - many men from Darlington District (County) Bibliography for Research: