History of a Brigade of South Carolinians

This Civil War history covers the 5 regiments which made up the brigade known first as Gregg's then as McGowan's brigade.

THE regiments which composed Gregg’s brigade of South Carolina infantry were: the First South Carolina volunteers, the Twelfth South Carolina volunteers, the Thirteenth South Carolina volunteers, the Fourteenth South Carolina volunteers, and Orr’s regiment of rifles, also from South Carolina.

From the introduction...
IT is true that the war of secession is past; it is true that the question, submitted to the stern arbitrament of arms, has been declared in characters of blood and fire against us; and, therefore, it is true that it becomes us not to encourage the ancient animosities of sections, but rather to strive to bind together and harmonize the two long-discordant elements, for destiny seems to have fixed that they shall dwell under one government.

But we need not, on these grounds, banish that war from our memories, or forbid its mention to our lips. It was too prominent a phenomenon, not only on the Western Continent, but with all the first nations of the Old World; it called forth armies too mighty, navies too crafty and persevering; it stimulated too much intellect in all private, political and military circles; it shed too vast a deluge of blood; it laid waste too many fields, and homesteads, and cities with flame; it engendered too intense feelings of love, of hatred, of patriotism, of blood-thirstiness, of all, in fine, that constitutes enthusiasm, not to be of vital moment to the world. From it we may derive instruction and warning in all that relates to the discipline, drill, provisioning, marching and fighting of armies; from it we may draw great light on the building, manning and fighting of navies, especially with regard to land-batteries; from it we may inform ourselves largely and minutely on the principles of finance, by means of the remarkable successes on the one side, and the disastrous failures on the other; from it we may learn such lessons of statesmanship as relate to the form and administration of government suited to our race; and, beyond all this, we may find, throughout, teachings on the nature of the individual man, which are as useful as they are sad to know.