Battalion State Cadets, South Carolina Local Defense Troops (Charleston)

Brief History
The Battalion of State Cadets was created on January 28, 1861. It was also known as John B. White's Battalion; the Local Defense Troops, Charleston; the Boy Battalion; and the Battalion of State Cadets-South Carolina Infantry. The State Cadets was made up of men who were attending The Citadel Academy in Charleston and The Arsenal Academy in Columbia. These academies had been combined to create the South Carolina Military Academy. Though the State Cadets did not actually surrender to Federal Troops, though were included in the parole in April 1865 at Durham, North Carolina.

See Robert S. Seigler's book for more in depth detail of the State Cadets involvements. "Units of the Confederate States Army" by Joseph H. Crute, Jr. contains no history for this unit.

Companies in this Battalion 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 Citadel Cadets) - Men from all over the state - Captain Hugh Smith Thompson
 * Company B (also known as the Arsenal Cadets) - Men from all over the state - First Lieutenant Nathaniel Walker Armstrong

Information about the companies, their nicknames is taken from Seigler's book and Corktree website. .

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 168 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 Family History 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).


 * Cadets of the South Carolina Military Academy The Citadel, Charleston, SC, (accessed 5 Apr 2011). Information from Cadets in Gray. the Story of the Cadets of the South Carolina Military Academy and the Cadet Rangers in the Civil War by Gary R. Baker.   This site shows the history and rosters for Company A and Company B.


 * Baker, Gary R. Cadets in gray : the story of the cadets of the South Caroina Military Academy and the Cadet Rangers in the Civil War.  (Columbia, South Carolina : Palmetto Bookworks, c1989).   Includes index.  Includes rosters of the Cadet Rangers and the cadets of the Citadel and Arsenal.  Available at the Family History Library


 * 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.