Palmetto Sharpshooters Regiment, South Carolina (Jenkins') (1st Palmetto)

Brief History
The Palmetto Sharpshooters Regiment was organized in April 1862. It was known by names such as 1st Regiment of Palmetto Sharpshoorters, the Palmetto Regiment of Sharpshooters, the 1st Regiment of South Carolina Sharpshooters, and Jenkins's Palmetto Regiment of Sharpshooters. One unique thing about the Palmetto Sharpshooters is that they were made up entirely of companies that were from other military units that were reenlisting in their service to the war. These companies came from infantry units such as the 4th, 5th and 9th South Carolina Infantries (another source says that companies from the 2nd Infantry were also a part of this unit ). The Palmetto Sharpshooters were sent to Virginia, the unit was assigned to General R.H. Anderson's, Jenkins', and Bratton's Brigade. They surrendered on April 9, 1865 at the Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia.

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.


 * Company A (also known as the Johnson Rifles) - Union District (County); a few men from York District (County)
 * Company B (also known as the Calhoun Mountaineers) - Pickens District (area now in Oconee County); a few men from Anderson District (County)
 * Company C (also known as the Palmetto Riflemen) - Anderson District (County)
 * Company D (also known as the Morgan Light Infantry) - Spartanburg and Union Districts (Counties)
 * Company E (also known as the Darlington Sentinels) - Darlington, Sumter, Clarindon and Williamsburg Districts (Counties)
 * Company F (also known as the Pickens Sentinels) - Lexington District (County)
 * Company G (also known as the Jasper Light Infantry) - York District (County) and North Carolina
 * Company H (also known as the Cowpens Guards) -Spartanburg District (County)
 * Company I (also known as the Pickens Guards) - Pickens District (County); a few men from Anderson, Laurens, Greenville Districts (Counties)
 * Company K (also known as the Spartan Rifles) - Spartanburg District (County)
 * Company L (also known as the Confederate Guards) - Anderson District (County); a few men from Laurens and Pickens Districts (Counties)
 * Company M (also known as the Pacolet Guards) - Spartanburg and Union Districts (Counties)

Information about the companies, their nicknames and counties of origin is taken from Seigler's book. The rosters are taken from Eastern Digital Resources website (except where noted).

Rosters

 * Field Staff and Band, (accessed 25 Mar 2011).
 * Company A, (accessed 25 Mar 2011). The men listed on this page were all present at the Appomattox surrender. Another[[Palmetto Sharpshooters, Company A|roster]],
 * Company B, (accessed 25 Mar 2011). The men listed on this pager were all present at the Appomattox surrender. Anotherroster.
 * Company C, (accessed 25 Mar 2011). Palmetto Sharpshooters, Company C, (accessed 25 Mar 2011).   Palmetto Riflemen, Anderson County South Carolina Volunteers.  This unit was formed from the 4th Regiment South Carolina Volunteers.
 * Company D, (accessed 25 Mar 2011). The men listed on this page were all present at the Appomattox surrender.
 * Company E, (accessed 25 Mar 2011). The men listed on this page were all present at the Appomattox surrender.
 * Company F, (accessed 25 Mar 2011). The men listed on this page were all present at the Appomattox surrender.
 * Company G, (accessed 25 Mar 2011). The men listed on this page were all present at the Appomattox surrender. Anotherroster.
 * Company H, (accessed 25 Mar 2011). The men listed on this page were all present at the Appomattox surrender.
 * Company I, (accessed 25 Mar 2011). The men listed on this page were all present at the Appomattox surrender. Another roster
 * Company K, (accessed 25 Mar 2011). The men listed on this page except for Robert Ewart were all present at the Appomattox surrender.
 * Company L, (accessed 25 Mar 2011). The men listed on this page were all present at the Appomattox surrender. Palmetto Sharpshooters, Company L, Confederate Guards, Anderson County South Carolina Volunteers.  This company was formed from the 4th Regiment SCV in April 1862.
 * Company M, (accessed 25 Mar 2011). The men listed on this page were all present at the Appomattox surrender.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,860 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Websites

 * 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).


 * The Palmetto Sharpshooters, (accessed 18 Apr 2011). Lists more information on the Palmetto Sharpshooters Regiment and its history.


 * Anderson County SCGenWeb Project, The Palmetto Sharpshooters Camp #1428, Sons of Confederate Veterans of Anderson, South Carolina, (accessed 25 Mar 2011). The Palmetto Riflemen Composite Photo.


 * Palmetto Sharp Shooters (Jenkins Infantry Regiment), (accessed 25 Mar 2011). The Civil War in South Carolina, (accessed 25 Mar 2011).  This site contains a historical sketch, officers, battles, rosters, bibliography and references.


 * Palmetto Sharpshooters, Company A, Johnson Rifles, Union County, SC


 * Palmetto Sharpshooters SC Regiment (companies A, B, C, G, I, L. Muster rolls)

Books

 * Baldwin, James J. III, The struck eagle : a biography of Brigadier General Micah Jenkins and a history of the Fifth South Carolina Volunteers and the Palmetto Sharpshooters, (Shippensburg, Pennsylvania : Burd Street Press, c1996 (Shippensburg, Pennsylvania : Beidel Print.) ) Includes roster of Palmetto Sharpshooters. Includes index. Available at the FamilySearch Library,


 * Hoyt, James A., The Palmetto Riflemen : Co. B., Fourth Regiment S.C. Vols. Co. C., Palmetto sharp shooters : historical sketch : an address delivered by James A. Hoyt, a member of the Company, on the 21st of July 1885; together with a roll of the Company and other information, (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1990). Includes a description of activities of the 4th South Carolina Infantry Regiment (Confederate) in the following battles or localities: 1st Manassas, Va.; Williamsburg, Va.; Seven Pines, Va.; Mechanicsville, Va.; Gaines Mill, Va.; Frayser's Farm, Va.; Malvern Hill, Va.; 2nd Manassas, Va.; South Mountain, Md.; Sharpsburg, Md.; Suffold, Va.; Chickamauga, Ga.; Wauhatchie Valley, Tenn.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Wilderness, Va.; Spotsylvania, Va. Available at the FamilySearch Library,


 * Crute, Joseph H. Jr., Units of the Confederate States Army, (Midlothian, Virginia : Derwent Books, c1987). Contains a list of Confederate regiments and battalions with a brief historical account on each. Includes information such as "organization, campaigns, losses, commanders, etc, that can be used as a guide for general use or be beneficial in further research"--Introd. Available at the FamilySearch Library,


 * Lewis, Richard, Camp life of a Confederate Boy of Bratton's Brigade, Longstreet's Corps, C. S. A., (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1990). Includes a description of activities of the 4th South Carolina Infantry Regiment (Confederate) in the following battles or localities: 1st Manassas, Va.; Williamsburg, Va.; Seven Pines, Va.; Sharpsburg, Md.; Fredericksburg, Va.; Suffolk, Va.; Wauhatchie Valley, Tenn.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Spotsylvania, Va.; Petersburg, Va.; POW--Fortress Monroe, Va.  Available at the FamilySearch Library,


 * The Palmetto Riflemen : Co. B., Fourth Regiment S.C. Vols. Co. C., Palmetto sharp shooters : historical sketch : an address delivered by James A. Hoyt, a member of the Company, on the 21st of July 1885; together with a roll of the Company and other information by James Hoyt. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1990)..


 * 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.


 * Sifakis, Stewart, Compendium of the Confederate armies, (New York, New York : Facts on File, c1992-1995). Includes bibliographies and indexes.  (v. [9]. South Carolina and Georgia) Available at the FamilySearch Library,

Manuscript

 * Shingleton, Royce G., South from Appomattox: The Diary of Abner R. Cox, (South Carolina Historical Magazine, October 1974.) Available online at JSTOR, (accessed 25 Mar 2011).