1st Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (McCreary's) (1st Provisional Army)

Brief History
"1st South Carolina Regiment is also known as The 1st Provisional Army, Gregg's Regiment and McGowan's Regiment. "Col. Gregg was technically over a brigade, and after his death, command of the brigade went to Gen. McGowan. Command of this regiment was for a time under Col. Cormillus McCreary, hence the names". (From SC 1st Infantry Regiment (Gregg's),Internet site)

1st Infantry Regiment, Provisional Army completed its organization at Richmond, Virginia, in August, 1861. Most of the officers and men had served in the 1st South Carolina Volunteers, a six-month command, which was mustered out of service in late July. The men were from Charleston and Columbia, and the counties of Darlington, Marrion, Horry, Edgefield (now Aiken), and Florence. On April 9, 1865, it surrendered. (Ibid)

A good history on the 1st Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers (six months) is found in Robert S. Seigler's book South Carolina's Military Organizations During the War Between the States.

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. In 1862 there was a reorganization of many military units which affected these companies.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,120 men on its roster for this unit. Roster. ro0 Two Internet sites list different company names and some different counties of origin.

South Carolina's Service in the War Between the States- "Gregg's (McCreary's) First South Carolina Regiment:


 * Company A - (also known as Gregg's Guards) - Many men from  Barnwell District (County)


 * Company B - (also known as Rhett's Guards) - Many men from Newberry Newberry District (County)


 * Company C - (also known as Richland Guard or Richland Rifles) - Many men from  Richland District (County), Columbia area.


 * Company D - (also known as Pee Dee Rifles ), (also known as Abbeville Volunteers) -  Many men from Darlington District (County) -Roster on pages 31-33


 * Company E - (also known as Marion Volunteers (Rifles)) - Many men from Marion District (County) - Roster on pages 41-49


 * Company F - (also known as Horry Rebels) - Many men from  Horry District (County), Conway bor. Roster on pages 49-59


 * Company G - (also known as Butler Sentinels) - Many men from  Edgefield District (County)


 * Company H - (also known as Haskell's Rifle Corps) - many men from Edgefield District (County), Beaufort District (County), Charleston District (County) and Abbeville District (County)  Statewide Roster on pages 59-60 Company I -  (also known as Richardson Guards and Carolina Light Infantry) - Many men from Charleston District (County)


 * Company K - (also known as Irish Volunteers) - Many men from Charleston District (County)


 * Company L - (also known as Carolina Light Infantry) - Many men from Charleston District (County)


 * Company M - (also known as the Furman Guards and William H. Campbell's Company) - Many men from  Greenville District (County)

The War for Southern Independence In South Carolina - SC 1st Infantry Regiment (Gregg's):


 * Company A - (also known as Richland Rifles) - Roster


 * Company B - (also known as Darlington Guards) - Roster


 * Company C - (also known as Edgefield Rifles) -Roster


 * Company D - (also known as Abbeville Volunteers) -Roster


 * Company E - (also known as Union Volunteers) - (after the reorganization) Roster


 * Company F - (also known as Wee Nee Volunteers) - many men from Williamsburg District (County)


 * Company F - (also known as Horry Rebels) - Roster


 * Company G - (before the reorganization) Roster (see Aiken County Source listed below)


 * Company H - (also known as Cherokee Ponds Guards) (First Company Roster)


 * Company H - (also known as Cherokee Pond Volunteers) - Roster


 * Company I - ( also known as Monticello Guards) - Roster


 * Company K - (also known as Marion Volunteers) - Roster


 * Company L - (also known as Rhett Guards ) -  many men from Newberry District (County) - Roster


 * William H. Campbell's Company - 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 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)


 * SC 1st Infantry Regiment (Gregg's)from The War for Southern Independence in South Carolina. Eastern Digital Resources, accessed 11/15/2010. Lists Company Rosters and a brief Regiment History.


 * Gregg's (McCreary's) First South Carolina Regiment from South Carolina's Service in the War Between the States; Internet site, accessed 11/29/2010. This website also lists officers of the regiment and companies; and battles the regiment was involved in.


 * 1st Regiment South Carolina Volunteer Infantry (Gregg's). Internet site, accessed 11/29/2010. States the following: "The original 1st Regiment South Carolina Volunteer Infantry unit mustered in at Columbia, South Carolina, as part of the army of the sovereign state of South Carolina. They were sent to Charleston, and were part of the forces that bombarded Fort Sumter. After formation of the Confederate States of America, they were transferred to Virginia, the first regiment from outside of Virginia to do so. They became part of the Provisional Army of the Confederate States as Maxcy Gregg's Brigade of the Army of Northern Virginia. The regiment was made up of 11 companies, one too many, so Company D was converted to an artillery unit known as McIntosh's Battery, or the Pee Dee Light Artillery. The Pee Dee Artillery supported the Gregg's brigade for much of its service."


 * "History of Mcintosh's Battery-The PeeDee Light Artillery". Internet site, accessed 11/29/2010. This site gives a history of Company D.


 * "Thundering Glory: A History of the Pee Dee Rifles/Pee Dee Light Artillery". Pee Dee Rifles Camp #1419, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Internet site, accessed 11/30/2010. This site gives a history of the Pee Dee Light Artillery.


 * 1st South carolina Infantry Regiment (Provisional Army) Descendants Association. Internet site, accessed 11/29/2010. This site gives a very brief history of this regiment and links.  One can also connect to other descendants of this regiment.

Books and Films


 * Caldwell, James F. J. The history of a brigade of South Carolinians, known first as Gregg's brigade and subsequently as McGowan's brigade. Microfiche of original published: Philadelphia : King &amp; Baird, Printers, 1866. 247 p., Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1990. Google Books,, . The regiments which composed Gregg's Brigade of South Carolina Infantry, as it was commonly known, and which always composed McGowan's Brigade, were the following: the First South Carolina Volunteers, the Twelfth South Carolina Volunteers, the Thirteenth South Carolina Volunteers, the Fourteenth South Carolina Volunteers, and Orr's regiment of rifles, also from South Carolina.


 * 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 12 Companies (A-I, K-L) listed.


 * Salley, Alexander Samuel. South Carolina Troops in Confederate Service, Vol 1 (The State Co., Columbia, SC 1913), 783 pages. Volume 1 covers the 3 regiments known as the First Infantry Regiment (Butler's, Gregg's, Hagood's). It includes brief regimental histories, rosters of the various companies, and compiled service records of the members. A total of 4,542 men are detailed. Digital Copy at Google.com


 * 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.


 * Vandervelde, Isabel. Aiken County. Spartanburg, South Carolina : Reprint Co., c1999., book 975.775 F2v, pp. 323-24. This county history lists some information about Company G, also known as Cherokee Ponds Guards. The Cherokee Pond Guards were from the Little Horse Creek area in Aiken County.


 * Wilson, E. Wayne. Gallant soldiers : four years with McCalla Rifles Company I, Fourteenth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers Gregg's-McGowan's Brigade Army of Northern Virginia. (Travelers Rest, South Carolina : Gallant Soldier Publications, c2011),