1st Battalion, South Carolina Sharpshooters

Brief History
The 1st Battalion, South Carolina Sharpshooters was formed at Columbia, South Carolina, during the summer of 1862 with three, possibly four, companies. The men were transferred from various other organizations. On September 30, 1863, it merged with the Charleston Battalion to form the 27th South Carolina Infantry Regiment.

Companies in this Military Unit with County 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.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 532 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.


 * Company A - (also known the Union Light Infantry and German Fusiliers) - many men from Charleston District (County), Lexington District (County), Newberry District (County), Orangeburg District (County), Sumter District (County), Spartanburg District (County), Laurens District (County), Barnwell District (County), Edgefield District (County), Pickens District (County), Anderson District (County), Richland District (County and York District (County) - Company A became Company E of the 27th Regiment Infantry


 * Company B - (also known as the Sumter Guards) - many men from Georgetown, Beaufort District (County), Charleston District (County), Edgefield District (County), Marion District (County), Laurens District (County), Clarendon District (County), Sumter District (County), Barnwell District (County), Lexington District (County), Anderson District (County), Darlington District (County), Greenville District (County) and Richland District (County) - Company B became Company F of the 27th Regiment Infantry


 * Company C - (also known as the Charleston Sharpshooters and Palmetto Guards) - many men from Charleston District (County), Spartanburg District (County), Orangeburg District (County), Laurens District (County), and Union District (County); a few men from Newberry District (County), Marion District (County), Barnwell District (County) and Lexington District (County) - Became Company G of the 27th Regiment Infantry


 * Company D

Information about Companies A-C is taken from Seigler's book.

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). (Accessed December 2010)


 * 1st Battalion, Sharp Shooters (Infantry) from The War for Southern Independence in South Carolina. Eastern Digital Resources, accessed 11/19/2010, lists a brief Regiment History.


 * 1st Sharpshooters South Caroina Volunteers with The National Civil War Assoication gives a brief history of this regiment.


 * The Palmetto Regiment from Military.com Unit History gives some history on this regiment.


 * Confederate Sharpshooters website, accessed 11/19/2010 lists Muster out date.


 * Benson, Berry. Berry Benson's Civil War Book: Memoirs of a Confederate Scout and Sharpshooter ( Athens : University of Georgia Press, 1962), 203 pages. Libraries where book can be found.


 * 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, some nicknames for the companies and dates involving the company and places where they were stationed. There are 3 Companies (A-C) 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.