Walter's Company, South Carolina Light Artillery (Washington Artillery)

Brief History
This battery was one of four sent to occupy Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island on 27 December 1860. It was stationed on Bull's Island from 18 July to 6 August 1861, and was transferred to Confederate service in February 1862. This company is a part of the 1st Regiment, South Carolina Artillery (Militia).


 * "Units of the Confederate States Army" by Joseph H. Crute, Jr. contains no history for this unit.

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.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 245 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.


 * 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).


 * South Carolina Artillery, from South Carolina's Service in the War Between the States; Steve Batson's website, accessed April 2011. This website also lists officers of the regiment and companies,battles the regiment was involved in and company nicknames.


 * First (1st) Regiment South Carolina Militia - Artillery Washington Artillery aka Captain Walter's Company - Roster, (accessed 5 Apr 2011).


 * McGowan, Samuel Right Shall Make Might : an account of the celebration of the thirty-fourth anniversary of the Washington Artillery with the oration of Gen. Samuel McGowan, of Abbeville, S.C., and the transfer and reception of the war guidon of Hart's Battery, at Charleston, S.C., Washington's Day, February 22d, 1878. ( Charleston, S.C. : News and Courier Book Presses, c1878), 48 pages. Book at WorldCat.com