5th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry

Brief History
The 5th Regiment South Carolina Infantry (also called Jenkin's Rifles) was organized about April 13, 1861, for twelve months and mustered into the servce of the Confederate States June 4, 1861. At the end of the term of service, the unit was disbanded, but a large number of the men re-enlisted in the Palmetto Regiment, South Carolina Sharpshooters, and some in the 6th Regiment South Carolina Infantry. It was reorganized for the war on April 23, 1862, composing of men who had formerly served in the twelve month military units of the 5th, 6th, and 9th Regiments South Carolina Infantry, and some new recruits. On April 9, 1865, the unit surrendered with Bratton's Brigade at Appomattox, 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.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database provides overview and link to roster.

Rosters taken from the Eastern Digital Resources website. The following companies existed between March 1861 and June 4, 1861:


 * Company A - (also know as Johnson Rifles or Johnson Riflemen) - many men from Union District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company B (- also known as Pea Ridge Volunteers) - many men from York District (County) and Union District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company C - (also known as the Batesville Volunteers) - many men from Spartanburg District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company D - (also known as the Pacolet Guards) - many men from Union District (County) and Spartanburg District (County) - (Santuc) - Roster


 * Company E - (also known as the Jasper Light Infantry) - many men from Union District (County) and York District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company F - (also known as the Lawson's Fork Volunteers) - many men from Spartanburg District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company G - (also known as the Kings Mountain Guard) - many men from Spartanburg District (County) and York District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company H - (also known as the Catawba Light Infantry) - many men from York District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company I - (also known as the Morgan Light Infantry or Morgan Rifles) - many men from Orangeburg District (County) and (Spartanburg District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company J - (also known as Whyte Guards) - York District (County) (Rock Hill area) - disbanded after three months of service.


 * Company K - (also known as the Tyger Volunteers or the Tyger River Volunteers) - many men from Spartanburg District (County) and Union District (County), Santuc and Goshen Hill areas - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company L - (also known as the Spartan Rifles) - Spartanburg District (County)


 * Field and Staff

The following companies existed from June 4, 1861 to April 13, 1862:


 * Company A - (also know as Johnson Rifles or Johnson Riflemen) - many men from Union District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company B - (also known as the King's Mountain Guards) - many men from York District (County) and Union District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company C - (also known as the Lawon's Fork Volunteers or the Limestone Southern Rights Guards) - many men from Spartanburg District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company D - (also known as Tyger River Volunteers and Goshen Hill Volunteers) - many men from Union District (County), Santuc and Goshen Hill areas, and Spartanburg District (County) - Roster


 * Company E - (also known as the Pea Ridge Volunteers) - many men from Union District (County) and York District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company F - (also known as Morgan Light Infantry or Morgan Rifles) - many men from Spartanburg District (County), a few men from Union District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company G - (also known as Pacolet Guard or Spartan Rifles, possible called the Linestone Spring Company) - many men from Spartanburg District (County) and Union District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company H - (also known as the Catawba Light Infantry) - many men from York District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company I - (also known as the Jasper Light Infantry) - many men from York District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Company K - (also known as the Spartan Rifles) - many men from Spartanburg District (County)Union County, South Carolina and Union District (County) - Before Reorganization Roster


 * Field and Staff

The following are the companies from April 23, 1862 (at the reorganization) to the end of the war:


 * Company A - (also know as the Lancaster Greys or Grays) - many men from Union District (County), Lancaster District (County), some of the men from Richland District (County), Kershaw District (County), Chester District (County), Darlington District (County), Fairfield District (County) and Charleston District (County), a few from Richmond, Virgnia - After Reorganization Roster


 * Company B - (also known as the Catawba Light Infantry) - men from York District (County), Chester District (County) and Lancaster District (County) - After Reorganization Roster


 * Company C - (also known as the Limestone Southern Rights Guards) - many men from Spartanburg District (County), Union District (County) and Chester District (County) - After Reorganization Roster


 * Company D - (also known as Tyger River Volunteers or Tyger Volunteers or Goshen Hill Volunteers) - many men from Union District (County), Santuc and Goshen Hill areas, and Spartanburg District (County), a few men also from Newberry District (County), York District (County) and Chester District (County) - Roster (no distinction whether it is the before or after)


 * Company E - (also known as the Turkey Creek Grays) - many men from York District (County), and a few from Chester District (County) - After Reorganization Roster


 * Company F - (also known as the Kings Mountain Guards) - many men from York District (County) - After Reorganization Roster


 * Company G - many men from York District (County) - After Reorganization Roster


 * Company H - (also known as the Pea Ridge Volunteers) - many men from Union District (County) - After Reorganization - Roster


 * Company I - many men from Spartanburg District (County) and Union District (County) - After Reorganization Roster


 * Company K - (also known as the Lawson's Fork Volunteers) - many men from Spartanburg District (County) - After Reorganization - Roster

Specific 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.


 * 5th Infantry Regiment. The War for Southern Independence in South Carolina. Eastern Digital Resources an Internet site, (accessed 1 December 2010). Lists a Regiment History, a record of one of the events found on a muster roll and Company Rosters (before and after reorganization).


 * Fifth South Carolina Infantry Regiment. South Carolina's Service in the War Between the States, Steve Batson's website, (accessed December 2010). This website also lists officers of the regiment and companies; and battles the regiment was involved in.


 * "The Daily Dispatch: August 12, 1861 - Fifth South Carolina Regiment". Internet site, (accessed 17 December 2010).  Taken from the Richmond Times Dispatch, August 1861.  Electronic source of the paper listing the battle, casualties, and wounded.


 * "Antietam on the War - 5th South Carolina Infantry". Internet site, (accessed 17 December 2010). Gives a brief history of the unit, references, and a few maps and battlefield links.


 * "Fifth South Carolina Infantry". FirstBullRun.Co.UK Internet site, (accessed 17 December 2010). Lists officers, Companies, references.


 * James Jackson Black. Linda Blum-Barton and Toby Barton, Internet site. Gives a brief history of some of the Black's involvements in the Civil War.  This site states in the brief history about the 5th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry that the men were recruited in Laurens, Lancaster, Spartanburg, and Union counties.


 * Baldwin III, James J.. 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.) and Other Libraries.


 * 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..


 * Salley, A. S. South Carolina Troops in Confederate Service (Columbia, S.C.: R.L. Bryan Co., 1913-1930), 3 Volumes. Compiled from muster rolls, pay rolls and returns in the United States War Department. Includes indexes in each volume. Volume I: First regiment, S.C. Infantry (Regulars); First regiment, S.C.V. -- Volume II: Second regiment, S.C.V.; Third regiment, S.C.V.; Fourth regiment, S.C.V. -- Volume III: Fifth regiment, S.C.V. Digital copy at . Book or microfilm at Other Libraries


 * 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. . Other Libraries.

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.


 * 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. Additional records are described in ‘South Carolina in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * 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.