3rd Regiment, South Carolina Infantry

Brief History
The 3rd Infantry Regiment, South Carolina Infantry was also known as the 3rd Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers. It began it's organization in the first part of 1861 and mustered into state serve in March 1861. Further enlistment was at Camp Johnson north of Columbia, South Carolina, in April, 1861 and it was then mustered into Confederate service. In May 1862, the 3rd Infantry was involved in the reorganization of units. This unit did not have any major changes. About April 9, 1865 the 3rd Regiment South Carolina Infantry was consolidated with the 8th Regiment South Carolina Infantry, the 3rd Battalion South Carolina Infantry and part of Blanchard's South Carolina Reserves to form the new 3rd Regiment, South Carolina Infantry. This regiment surrendered with the Army of Tennessee on April 26, 1865 near Greensboro, North Carolina and the unit was paroled on May 2, 1865. This Regiment was part of Kershaw's Brigade.

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 2nd rosters list contain only a couple of names. All companies rondezvouse April 17, 1861 and are received paroles May 2nd and 3rd 1965.


 * Company A - (also known as The State Guards, State Guards Rifle Company, the Laurens Guards and the Garlington Rifles) many men from Laurens District (County), a few men from Anderson District (County), Spartanburg District (County) and Greenville District (County) - Roster


 * Company B - (Also known as the Williams Guard(s)) - many men from Newberry District (County), a few from Spartanburg District (County) and Laurens District (County) - Roster, Roster


 * Company C - (Also known as the Frog Level and the Pickens Guards, and Yahoo) - many men from Newberry District (County), Frog Level, noe Prosperity area), a few men from Lexington District (County), Laurens District (County) and Edgefield Disrict (County) - Roster


 * Company D - (Also know as the Cross Anchors or the Cross Anchor Volunteers) many men from Union District (County), Western area, and Spartanburg District (County) Sourthern area. - Roster


 * Company E - (also known as the Quitman Rifles and the Auitman Guard, the Quitman Riflemen and the Quitmans) many men from Newberry District (County), a few men from Laurens District (County) and Lexington District (County) - Roster, Roster


 * Company F - (also known as the Wadsworth Volunteers and the Wadsworth Guards) Many men from Newberry District (County) and Laurens District (County), a few men also from Greenville District (County) and Abbeville District (County) - Roster, Roster


 * Company G - (Also known as Laurens Briars, The Briers or Briars) -  many men from (Laurens District (County), a few men from Spartanburg District (County) - Roster


 * Company H - (Also known as Brooks Guards, the Brooks Palmetto Guards, the Dutch, and the Dutch Fork Boys) - many men from Lexington District (County), Dutch Fork area - Roster, Roster


 * Company I - (also know as the Musgrove Volunteers, the Musgrove Guards, the Clinton Company and the Clinton DIvers) many men from Laurens District (County), Clinton area. - Roster


 * Company K - (also known as the Blackstock Volunteers and the Blackstock Company) many men from Spartanburg District (County), Union District (County) - Roster: and Williamsburg District County, also known as Wee Nee Riflemen


 * Captain J.N. Brown Company ( also known as the Helena Guard) - many men from Newberry District (County)


 * Captain W.J.M. Jones Company (also known as the Company Raiborn or Rabun) - many men from Laurens Distraict (County)



Company names, nicknames and counties of origin taken from Seigler's and Wyckoff's books and from Batson's website. Rosters taken from the websites: Eastern Digital Resources and Access Genealogy.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,033 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 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)


 * "South Carolina Civil War Rosters". Access Genealogy Internet site, accessed 12/17/2010. Lists the company officers and gives the rosters for each company.


 * "South Carolina 3rd Infantry Regiment Volunteers". The War for Southern Independence in South Carolina. Eastern Digital Resources an Internet site, accessed 12/01/2010. Lists a brief Regiment History and the rosters for the Companies B, E, F, and H.


 * "Third South Carolina Infantry". South Carolina's Service in the War Between the States, Steve Batson's Internet site, accessed 12/02/2010. This website lists the counties and nicknames of the companies. It also lists officers of the regiment and companies; and battles the regiment was involved in.


 * The 3rd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry Regiment, by Mac Wyckoff at History Archives, an Internet site, accessed 12/03/2010. Site contains a history, a list of companies officers and sources.


 * The Stoddard Family Letters. Internet site, accessed 12/27/2010. Letters concerning the 14th South Carolina Regiment (also the 3rd &amp; 24th Infantry Regiments).
 * Everson, Guy R. and Edward H. Simpson, Jr., editors. Far, Far from home: The Waretime Letters of Dick and Tally Simpson, 3rd South Carolina Volunteers. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994. Google Books.


 * Buzhardt, Beaufort Simpson. Beaufort Simpson Buzhardt, 1838-1862. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1990).  Includes a description of activities of the 3rd South Carolina Infantry Regiment (Confederate) in the following battles or localities: 1st Manassas, Va.; Seven Pines, Va.; Mechanicsville, Va.; Savage Station, Va.  Available at the FamilySearch Library,


 * Davis, Sam B. A History of the 3rd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry Battalion (James Battalion): 1861-1865   (Wilmington, North Carolina : Broadfoot Pub. Co., c2009), 549 pages. Book found at  and Other Libraries.


 * Dickert, D. Augustus. History of Kershaw's Brigade : With Complete Roll of Companies, Biographical Sketches, Incidents, Anecdotes, etc.  (Dayton, Ohio : Morningside Bookshop, 1976), 583 pages. Rosters for the 3rdSouth Carolina Volunteer Regimental companies are found on pages 551-557. Digital copies at Google Books and Internet Archives. Book found at 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, some nicknames for the companies and dates involving the company and places where they were stationed. There are 10 Companies (A-I, K) listed.


 * Salley, Alexander Samuel. South Carolina Troops in Confederate Service, Vol 2  (The State Co., Columbia, SC 1930)  This volume covers the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th infantry regiments. Digital copy at Internet Archives. Book at Other Libraries


 * Salley, A. S. Tentative Roster of the Third Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers, Confederate States Provisional Army (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1990), 129 pages. Digital copies at Google Books andInternet Archives. Book 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. This book is also available through other libraries.


 * Wyckoff, Mac. A History of the Third South Carolina Infantry, 1861-1865 (Sergeant Kirkland's Museum and Historical Society, Inc., Fredericksburg, Virginia, c1995), 330 p. Includes rosters. Book found at and Other Libraries. and A history of the 3rd South Carolina Regiment : Lee's Reliables. (Wilmington, North Carolina : Broadfoot Pub. Co., c2008),