Resolved, That the Governor be authorized and requested forthwith to cause to be enlisted into the service of the State, for the term of six months, at such rate of compensation and emolument as is not allowed by the Federal Government to its infantry soldiers, two regiments of six hundred and forty privates each, to be divided into eight companies each; and also that he do appoint suitable persons to command the said regiments and companies, and supply all vacancies from time to time, subject to the approval of the Senate.
Resolved further, That as soon as a sufficient number of companies shall be enlisted, officered and properly drilled, they be employed to relieve the volunteers no in possession of the forts in this State.
Consideration of the matter was pending when the Convention adjourned for the day.
On December 30, consideration of the question was resumed, and, on motion of Landgon Cheves, a delegate from St. Philip's and St. Michael's was made the special order of the day for the next day.
On December 31, Governor Pickens sent a message to the Convention, accompanied by the following resolutions which had been formulated in the Executive Council:
Resolved, That the Governor be authorized and requested forthwith to cause to be enlisted into the service of the State, for the term of twelve months, at such rates of compensation and emolument as are not allowed by the Federal Government, one regiment of 640 privates, to be divided into eight companies, and that he appoint suitable persons to command the said regiment and companies, and from time to time to supply vacancies, subject to the approval of the Senate; the said officers to be the same pay and emoluments as is allowd by the Federal Government to officers of similar grade in that service. and that the Governor be also authorized, whenever the public interest may in his opinion, require it, to enlist for a period not exceeding twelve months, another regiment, with a like number of officers and privates, and like pay and emoluments, the officers to be appointed in the same manner as the former.
2. That the Governor be also authorized to appoint three or more engineers, and to organize a corps as soon as the same can be done: the rank of the chief to be that of a captain of engineers, and the pay and emoluments to be the same as are allowed by the Federal Government to officers of the like employment and rank.
3. Resolved further, That as soon as a sufficient number of companies shall be enlisted, officered and properly drilles, they be employed to relieve the volunteers now in the possession of the forts in this State.
The DeTreville resoluton was first tabled and the resolutions accompanying the Governor's message were taken up, discussed, and amended as follows:
The third resolution was amended by adding: "Or otherwise, at the discretion of the Commander-in-Chief." The first resolution was amended by adding: "And armed in such manner and for such service as the Governor may approve."
A fourth resolution was added as follows:
That as soon as either of the said regiments shall be organized, they shall be subject to such of the rules and articels of war at present known and used in the army of the United State, as may be approved by the Governor of this State.
A copy of the resolutions, as amended, was sent to the Governor. By the authority given in these resolutions Governor Pickens organized two regiments - one of infantry, known as First Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, and one of artillery, known as First Regiment, South Carolina Artillery.
On January 19, 1861, the Senate confirmed the following nominations for officers of the regiment, which had been sent in by the Governor: W. D. Smith, captain, first company; William Butler, captain, second company; W. D. DeSaussure, captain, and James Hamilton, second lieutenant, third company, George S. James, captain, B. F. Sloan, first Lieutenant, and John R. Blocker, second lieutenant, fourth company; John C. Simpkins, captain, and G. N. Reynolds, Jr., second lieutenant, fifth company; Thomas M. Baker, captain, and H. S. Farley, second Lieutenant, sixth company; John Dunovant, major.
At the same time the Seante adopted the following resolution:
Resolved, That all officers nominated by the Governor, and confirmed by the Senate, for the Military, take rank from the date of confirmation; and, where of equal grade, they rank by lot, according to military usage.
On January 23, 1861, the Senate confirmed the following nominations for officers of the regiment:
Warren Adams, first lieutenant, T. B. Hayne, second lieutenant, and William Barnwell, Jr., third lieutenant, first company; T. A. Huguenin, first lieutenant, S. D. Shannon, second lieutenant, and Mitchell King, Jr., third lieutenant, second company; Robert DeTreville, first lieutenant, and Willis Wilkinson, third lieutenant, fourth company; G. W. Earle, first lieutenant, R. Press Smith, second lieutenant, and G. Allen Wardlaw, third lieutenant, fifth company; A. P. Butler, third lieutenant, sixth company.
G. N. Reynolds, Jr., who had been confirmed as second lieutenant of the fifth company on January 19, was now confirmed as second lieutenant in the artillery regiment, vice W. H. Gibbes, resigned.
On January 28, 1861, the Senate confirmed the nominations of Richard H. Anderson and Barnard E. Bee to be colonel and lieutenant colonel respectively. At the same time G. W. Earle, who had been confirmed as first lieutenant of the fifth company on the 23, was confirmed as a first lieutenant in the corps of engineers. Later on the same day W. D. DeSaussure, who had been confirmed on the 19, as captain of the third company, was confirmed as major of cavalry. Note 1
Upon the formation of the Confederate government this regiment was one on the South Carolina regiments taken into Confederate service. Eight companies were mustered in, company by company, some on the same day and others on different days; some at the same post and others at different posts.
The regiment saw service all along the coast of South Carolina, from Georgetown to Beaufort, being split up into detachments serving at various posts, until the evacuation of Charleston, in February, 1865, when it was attached to a brigade of Johnston's army and moved into North Carolina. It participated in the battles of Averysboro and Bentonville, and surrendered soon thereafter. Note 2 Although enlisted as an infantry regiment and so named officially, it served both as infantry and artillery.
The muster rolls and returns of the regiment show the following locations for the regimental headquarters:
The return for June, 1861, gives its station as Sullivan's Island.
The return for August, 1861, gives the same station.
The return for September, 1861, gives its station as Camp Barnard E. Bee, Edisto, Island.
The muster roll of Octover 31, 1861, notes that regimental headquarters was changed September 12, 1861, from the Moultrie House, Sullivan's Island to Camp Barnard E. Bee, Edisto Island, where it was still located at the date of that muster roll.
The muster roll of December 31, 1861, gives its station as Fort Moultrie.
The muster roll of April 30, 1862, gives its station as Camp Evans, and notes that the station was changed in March from Camp Buist, 2nd Military District, to Camp Evans, 3rd Military District.
The return for May 1862, gives its station as Church Flats.
The return for June and the muster roll of June 30, 1862, both show its station as Camp Evans.
The return for September, 1862, shows its station as Fort Moultrie.
The return for October and the muster roll of October 31, both show its station as Fort Moultrie.
The return for November, 1862, gives no station.
The return for December, and the muster roll of December 31, 1862, both show its station as Sullivan's Island.
The muster roll of Gebruary 28, 1863, shows its station as Sullivan's Island.
The muster roll of April 30, 1863, gives no station, but notes that nine companies of the regiment were engaged in the action of April 7, 1863, five being at Fort Moultrie, three at Battery Bee, and one at Battery Beauregard.
The muster roll of June 30, 1863, shows no station.
The muster roll of October 31, 1863, gives Fort Moultrie as the station.
The same for December 31, 1863.
The same for February 29, 1864.
The same for June 30, 1864.
The muster roll of August 31, 1864, gives Battery Marshall.
The muster roll of October 31, 1864, gives Battery Marshall.
The muster roll of December 31, 1864, gives its station as Sullivan's Island.
NOTE 2: For historical material concerning this regiment see: John Johnson: The Defense of Charleston Harbor; Alfred B. Roman: Military Operations of General Beauregard; and Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies.
South Carolina Troops in Confederate Service Vol. 1