Cavalry Battalion, Hampton Legion, South Carolina

Brief History
In April 1861, Confederate President Jefferson Davis wanted to raise a "legion of honor". Wade Hampton was authorized to create a legion, which would include six companies of infantry, four companies of cavalry, and a company of artillery. By May 1861, Hampton had completed the organizing of the legion and it became known as Hampton Legion, South Carolina. After the initial enlistment of one year, Hampton Legion separated into different units.

The Cavalry Battalion fought in the Seven Days' Battles. In the summer of 1862 it merged with the 4th South Carolina Cavalry Battalion to form the 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry. In May, 1864, the Infantry Battalion of Hampton's South Carolina Legion was mounted and united with the 2nd Cavalry. It was then redesignated the Hampton South Carolina Cavalry Legion.

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.

Hampton Legion Cavalry Battalion as organized at First Manassas:


 * Company A (also known as Brooks Troop) - Greenville District (County)
 * Company B (also known as the Edgefield Hussars) - Edgefield District (County)
 * Company C (also known as the Beaufort District Troop) - Beaufort District (County)

Hampton Legion Cavalry Battalion as later organized:


 * Company A (also known as the Edgefield Hussars and Edgefield Dragoons) - Edgefield and Abbeville Districts (Counties): Captain M.C. Butler
 * Company B (also known as the Brooks Troop, Brooks Guards, Brooks Dragoons) - Greenville District (County): Captain J.F. Lanneau
 * Company C (also known as the Beaufort District Troop and Beaufort Dragoons) - Beaufort (Grahamville area) District (County): Captain T.E. Screven
 * Company D (also known as the Congaree Troop and the Congaree Mounted Rifles or Riflemen) - Richland and Fairfield Districts (Counties): Captain Thomas Taylor

These companies were listed on the Hampton Legion website:


 * Company E
 * Company F
 * Company G
 * Company H - Fairfield District (County): Captain Thomas Taylor
 * Company Miller's Company - Richland District (County): Captain D.B. Miller

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 439 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 Family History Centers). It has digital Civil War soldier service records and brief regiment histories (located at the bottom of some of the muster rolls).


 * Hampton Legion 2nd South Carolina Cavalry, (accessed 7 Apr 2011). See website for more information about the 2nd South Carolina Cavalry (Hampton's Legion) and its history.


 * Brooks, U.R.  Stories of the Confederacy, (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1990 ).   Includes a description of activities of Hampton's Brigade of the South Carolina Cavalry (Confederate) in some of their battles.   Available online at Google Booksand Internet Archive, (accessed 16 Apr 2011).  Also at the FamilySearch Library,, or FS Library US/CAN Fiche 6082611.


 * Field, Ron; William B Bynum; Howard Michael Madaus. The Hampton Legion   ( Lower Swell, Gloucestershire : Design Folio, ©1994), 2 v. pt. 1. Regimental history --pt. 2. Company histories. Book at WorldCat.


 * Judith N McArthur. A Gentleman and an Officer : A Military and Social History of James B. Griffin's Civil War  ( New York : Oxford University Press, 1996), 362 pages. Includes a collection of letters from James B. Griffin to his wife during his tenure in the Confederate Army. Book at WorldCat.


 * 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.


 * Wellman, Manly Wade. Giant in gray; a biography of Wade Hampton of South Carolina (New York, Scribner, 1949), 387 pages. Book at WorldCat.


 * Wells, Edward L. Hampton and his cavalry in '64.  (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1990).  Includes a description of activities of Hampton's Brigade in the South Carolina Cavalry (Confederate) in some of its battles.  Available online at Google Books and Internet Archive, (accessed 16 Apr 2011).  Available at the FamilySearch Library,