2nd Regiment, South Carolina Artillery

Brief History
The 2nd Heavy Artillery Regiment was organized at Charleston, South Carolina, during the spring of 1862 using the 2nd Battalion, South Carolina Artillery as its nucleus. The 2nd (also known as the 1st) Regiment South Carolina Artillery was formed by the addition of six companies to the 2nd (also knowwn as Lamar's Battalion South Carolina Artillery) which had been organized in the latter part of 1861 with four companies. Company D served as light artillery. The remainder of the regiment served as heavy artillery and infantry.

The 2nd Artillery Regiment spent the majority of the war in and around Charleston. Many of the men were recruited in the counties of Sumter, Darlington, and Charleston. In 1865 it was converted to infantry. It surrendered with the Army of Tennessee at Durham Station, Orange County, North Carolina on April 26, 1865. Many of the members of the 2nd South Artillery are buried around the Orangeburg area.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

Some of the rosters contain only a few names.


 * Company A - many men from Barnwell District (County)


 * Company B - (also known as Thomas G. Lamar's Company of Heavy Artillery) - many men from Barnwell District (County) and Edgefield District (County) - Roster, Roster


 * Company C - (also known as the Edisto Artillery) - many men from Orangeburg District (County)


 * Company D - (also known as Inglis Light Artillery and Charles's Independent Light Battery) - many men from Darlington District (County), Williamsburg District (County) and Charleston District (County), a few men from Chesterfield District  (County), Georgetown District (County), Sumter District (County), Marlboro District (County) and Marion District (County)


 * Company E - many men from Barnwell District (County), Aiken area. A few men from Lexington District (County) and Edgefield District (County) - Roster


 * Company F - (also known as the Carolina Artillery) - many men from Orangeburg District (County) (Branchville area) - Roster


 * Company G - (also known as the Silverton Artillery) - many men from Barnwell District (County) - Roster, Roster


 * Company H - many men from Barnwell Districty (County)


 * Company I - (also known as the Orangeburg Artillery) - many men from Orangeburg District (County)


 * Company K - (also known as the Edgefield Hussars and Captain J.W. Brown's Company) - many men from Edgefield District (County) - Roster

Information on the companies obtained from Seigler's book, and the websites of Batson's and Eastern Digital Resources.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,653 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘South Carolina in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * South Carolina in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for South Carolina, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of South Carolina. Microfilm publication M267. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Services, 1958. These records have been indexed and digitized and are available at Footnote.com (A subscription website, but is available for use at the FamilySearch Library and some FamilySearch Centers). It has digital Civil War soldier service records and brief regiment histories (located at the bottom of some of the muster rolls). (Accessed December 2010)


 * "2nd Artillelry Regiment". The War for Southern Independence in South Carolina. Eastern Digital Resources an Internet site, accessed 11/27/2010. Lists a brief Regiment History and Company Rosters.


 * South Carolina Artillery-Second Artillery Regiment, South Carolina's Service in the War Between the States, Steve Batson’s Internet site, accessed 11/27/2010. This website lists officers of the regiment and companies; and battles the regiment was involved in. The site gives the county of organization and nicknames listed.


 * South Carolina Artillery Battalions, South Carolina's Service in the War Between the States, Steve Batson’s Internet site, accessed 12/37/2010. This website gives some brief information about the 2nd Artillery Battalion. It also lists officers of the regiment and companies; and battles the regiment was involved in. The site gives the county of organization and nicknames listed.


 * Confederate Regimental History Links, Internet site, accessed 11/27/2010. Lists some links to Regiment histories and rosters.


 * Private John L. Baltzegar (in Company C of the 2nd South Carolina Artillery), Internet site, accessed 11/27/2010. This site gives a history of the regiment.


 * History of Company F, 2nd South Carolina Artillery Regiment, Internet site, accessed 11/27/20190. Gives a roster and a chronilgical history for Company F.


 * A sketch of the war record of the Edisto Rifles, 1861-1865: Company A, 1st Regiment, S. C. V. Infantry, Colonel Johnson Hagood, provisional Army of the Confederate states, 1861-1862; Company G, 25th Regiment, S. C. V. Infantry, Colonel Charles H. Simonton, Confederate states army, 1862-1865, by William V Izlar. Camden, South Carolina: J.J. Fox, 1990., FS Library book 975.7 M2iw, FS Library fiche 6082623 (3 fiche). Includes lists of men in companies A and B in the 1st regiment; companies G &amp; F in the 25th regiment; company D of the 20th regiment; and, company I of the 2nd regiment, artillery.


 * Dedmondt, Glenn. Southern bronze : Capt. Garden's (S.C.) Artillery Company during the War Between the States. (Columbia, South Carolina : Palmetto Bookworks, c1993),


 * Hewett, Janet B., ed. Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Wilmington, North Carolina: Broadfoot Pub. Co., c1994-2001. . Lists officers, companies, and dates involving the company and places where they were stationed. There are 10 Companies (A-I, K) listed.


 * Seigler, Robert S. South Carolina's Military Organizations During the War Between the States. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, c2008. . This book has an overview about the creation of the military units for service during the Civil War. There are four volumes which are divided into areas of the State. There is information about the different military units including dates of organization and service, company officers, battle engagements, company names and places of origin, and a few pictures. This book is also available through other libraries.