Cavalry Battalion, Holcombe Legion, South Carolina

Brief History
The Holcombe Legion, South Carolina was organized November 21, 1861. The Holcombe Legion organized with a cavalry and infantry battalion but no artillery companies. The four-company cavalry battalion served for a time with the legion but was assigned to the Department of Richmond, and eventually became part of the 7th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry on March 18, 1864. The infantry battalion was formed with eight companies, later increased to ten. During the war it was attached to Evans', Elliot's, and Wallace's Brigade. A portion of Holcombe Legion was present at the surrender on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia.

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 Claremont Cavalry) - Sumter and Clarendon Districts (Counties); a few men from Chesterfield District (County)
 * Company B (also known as the Congaree Mounted Guard, Congaree Mounted Riflemen and the Congaree Cavaliers) - Richfield, Fairfiled, Sumter and Lexington Districts (Counties); a few men from Union, York, Chester and Newberry Districts (Counties)
 * Company C (also known as the Newberry Rangers) - Newberry, Laurens and Edgefield Districts (Counties); a few men from Union District (County)
 * Company D (also known as the McKissick Rangers) - Union, York, Newberry and Chester Districts (Counties); a few men rom Spartanburg and Greenville Districts (Counties)
 * Company E (also known as the Kirkwood Rangers, the Kirkwood Cavalry, and the Kirkwoods; it may have also been called the Camden Rangers) - Kershaw (Camden area) and Chesterfield Districts (Counties); a few men came from Darlington, Charleston, Fairfield, Sumter and Richland Districts (Counties)

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 962 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).


 * Holcombe Legion Cavalry Battalion, (accessed 11 Apr 2011).


 * 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.