2nd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry

2nd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry was a regiment of infantry in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, mustering in Richland County, South Carolina, near Columbia, South Carolina, and Lexington County, South Carolina. The regiment was formed from companies raised in various counties, including Orangeburg County, South Carolina, Newberry County, South Carolina, and Edgefield County, South Carolina, with many of its soldiers having previously served in the Palmetto Regiment during the Mexican-American War alongside Zachary Taylor and James Longstreet. The regiment's formation was influenced by the Ordinance of Secession and the Battle of Fort Sumter, with many of its members having been involved in the South Carolina Secession Convention.

● History

The 2nd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry was mustered into service on April 9, 1861, with Joseph Kershaw as its first commander, and was initially stationed at Charleston, South Carolina, where it played a key role in the Battle of Fort Sumter alongside the 1st South Carolina Volunteer Infantry and the 3rd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry. The regiment later moved to Virginia, where it fought in several battles, including the First Battle of Manassas and the Battle of Seven Pines, under the command of Robert E. Lee and P.G.T. Beauregard. During its service, the regiment was part of the Army of Northern Virginia and participated in the Peninsular Campaign and the Maryland Campaign, fighting alongside the 1st Maryland Infantry, Confederate States Army and the 12th Virginia Infantry. The regiment also fought at the Battle of Fredericksburg and the Battle of Chancellorsville, where it suffered significant casualties, including the loss of Stonewall Jackson, who had previously commanded the Stonewall Brigade.

● Organization

The 2nd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry was organized into ten companies, each recruited from a different part of the state, including Abbeville County, South Carolina, Anderson County, South Carolina, and Pickens County, South Carolina. The regiment was part of the Kershaw's Brigade, which also included the 2nd South Carolina Infantry, the 3rd South Carolina Infantry, and the 8th South Carolina Infantry, and was commanded by Joseph Kershaw and later by John D. Kennedy. The regiment's organization was influenced by the Militia Act of 1792 and the Confederate Conscription Act, with many of its members having previously served in the South Carolina Militia alongside John C. Calhoun and James L. Orr.

● Battles_and_campaigns

The 2nd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry fought in several battles and campaigns, including the Battle of Fort Sumter, the First Battle of Manassas, the Battle of Seven Pines, the Peninsular Campaign, the Maryland Campaign, the Battle of Fredericksburg, and the Battle of Chancellorsville. The regiment also participated in the Gettysburg Campaign and the Overland Campaign, fighting alongside the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of Tennessee, under the command of Robert E. Lee and Braxton Bragg. The regiment's battles and campaigns were influenced by the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address, with many of its members having been involved in the Battle of Appomattox Court House and the Surrender at Appomattox.

● Commanders

The 2nd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry had several commanders during its service, including Joseph Kershaw, John D. Kennedy, and Franklin Gaillard, who had previously commanded the 1st South Carolina Infantry and the 5th South Carolina Infantry. The regiment's commanders were influenced by the Confederate States Army's chain of command, with many of its members having served under Robert E. Lee, P.G.T. Beauregard, and James Longstreet. The regiment's commanders also included James Conner, who had previously served in the Mexican-American War alongside Zachary Taylor and Ulysses S. Grant.

● Notable_members

The 2nd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry had several notable members, including John D. Kennedy, who later became a United States Senator from South Carolina, and Franklin Gaillard, who became a prominent lawyer and politician in Columbia, South Carolina. The regiment's notable members also included James Conner, who became a judge and lawyer in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and William Dunlap Simpson, who became a governor of South Carolina. Many of the regiment's members went on to become prominent figures in South Carolina and the United States, including Benjamin R. Tillman, who became a United States Senator from South Carolina, and John Gary Evans, who became a governor of South Carolina.

● Legacy

The 2nd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry played a significant role in the American Civil War and its legacy continues to be felt today, with many of its members having been involved in the Reconstruction Era and the Jim Crow laws. The regiment's legacy is commemorated by several monuments and memorials, including the South Carolina State House and the Confederate Memorial in Columbia, South Carolina. The regiment's history is also preserved by the South Carolina Historical Society and the Confederate Veterans' Association, with many of its members having been involved in the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The regiment's legacy continues to be studied by historians, including Shelby Foote and James M. McPherson, who have written extensively on the American Civil War and the Confederate States Army. Category:American Civil War