The South Carolina militia units in the American Revolution were established on January 17, 1775, by the South Carolina Provincial Congress. These militia units were subordinate to the South Carolina Council of Safety. Officers were selected by February 1775. In November 1775, the militia units were renamed regiments. On March 28, 1778, the South Carolina General Assembly consolidated the regiments into four brigades, each led by a Brigadier General.
Militia units The first sixteen militia were established in February 1775. While initially called just militia, they were renamed as regiments in November 1775. When Charlestown fell on May 12, 1780, most of the generals were taken as prisoners by the British and the regiments were left to fend for themselves. Most new regiments were Light Dragoons vice infantry.
The known regiments, brigades, and independent units included:Southern Campaigns: Pension Transactions by William Graves + South Carolina militia units in the American RevolutionUnit NameSubordinationDate establishedDisbandedOriginal Commander, RankRefs1st BrigadeCouncil of SafetyMarch 25, 1778May 12, 1780Stephen Bull, BG2nd BrigadeCouncil of SafetyMarch 25, 1778May 12, 1780Richard Richardson, BG3rd BrigadeCouncil of SafetyMarch 25, 1778May 12, 1780Andrew Williamson, BG4th BrigadeCouncil of SafetyMarch 25, 1778May 12, 1780Alexander McIntosh, BGBeaufort District Militia/ Regiment1st Brigade (17781780)February 1775 Stephen Bull, ColForks of Saluda District Militia/ Regiment3rd BrigadeFebruary 1775 Robert Starke, ColCamden District Militia/ Regiment2nd Brigade (17781780)Col Sumter (backcountry) (1780)February 1775 Richard Richardson, ColLittle River District Militia/ Regiment3rd Brigade (17781780)February 1775 John Lindsay, ColCharles Town District Militia/ Regiment1st Brigade (17781780)February 1775 William Moultrie, ColNew Acquisition District Militia/ Regiment2nd Brigade (17781780)Col Sumter (backcountry) (1780)February 1775 Thomas Neel, ColCheraws District Militia/ Regiment4th Brigade (17781780)Marion's Brigade (1781)February 1775 George Gabriel Powell, ColUpper Saluda District Militia/ Regiment2nd BrigadeFebruary 1775September 1775 Thomas Fletchall, Col1st Spartan Regiment2nd Brigade (17781780)February 1777 John Thomas, Sr., Col2nd Spartan Regiment2nd Brigade (17781780)Col Sumter (backcountry) (1780)February 1777 Thomas Brandon, ColGeorgetown District Militia/ Regiment4th Brigade (17781780)February 1775 Thomas Screven, ColBerkeley County Militia/ Regiment1st Brigade (17781780)Marion's Brigade (1781)February 1775 Richard Singleton, Col Ninety-Six District Militia/ Regiment3rd BrigadeFebruary 1775 John Savage, Col Upper Ninety-Six Regiment3rd Brigade (17781780)March 28, 1778 Andrew Pickens, ColLower Ninety-Six Regiment3rd Brigade (17781780)March 28, 1778 LeRoy Hammond, ColColleton County Militia/ Regiment1st Brigade (17781780)February 1775 Joseph Glover, Col Orangeburgh District Militia/ Regiment3rd Brigade (17781780)Col Sumter (backcountry) (1780)February 1775 William Thomson, ColCraven County Militia/ RegimentCouncil of Safety February 1775November 1775 Job Rotmahler, ColUpper Craven County Regiment4th Brigade (17781780)Marion's BrigadeNovember 1775 George Hicks, ColLower Craven County Regiment4th Brigade (17781780)Marion's Brigade (1781)November 1775 Job Rothmahler, ColFairfield Regiment2nd Brigade (17781780)Col Sumter (backcountry) (1780)February 1775 Joseph Kershaw, Col Granville County Militia/ Regiment1st BrigadeFebruary 1775June 1780Benjamin Garden, ColUpper Granville County Regiment2nd Brigade June 1780 William Harden, LTC, ColLower Granville County Regiment2nd Brigade June 1780 William Stafford, LTCKingstree Regiment4th Brigade (1780)Marion's Brigade (1781)December 1779, January 1780 Archibald McDonaldKershaw RegimentCol Sumter (backcountry) (1780) June 1780 James Postell, ColTurkey Creek RegimentCol Sumter (backcountry) (1780)May 1780 Edward Lacey, ColPolk's Regiment of Light DragoonsNorth Carolina's Mecklenburg County RegimentSouth Carolina State TroopsJuly 1780 William Polk, ColHampton's Regiment of Light DragoonsCol Sumter (backcountry) (1780)July 1780 Henry/Wade Hampton, ColHill's Regiment of Light DragoonsCol Sumter (backcountry) (1780)July 1780 William Hill, Col1st Brigade (after fall of Charleston)Council of Safety Aug 1780 Thomas Sumter, Col/BG2nd Brigade (after fall of Charleston)Council of Safety Aug 1780 Francis Marion, Col/BG3rd Brigade (after fall of Charleston)Council of Safety July 1781 Andrew Pickens, BGHorry's Light Dragoons2nd BrigadeFebruary 16, 1781 Peter Horry, LTCMaham's Light Dragoons2nd BrigadeMar 1781 Hezekiah Maham, MajHammond's Light Dragoons Regiment3rd BrigadeApril 1781 Samuel Hammond LTC/Col 4th Brigade (after fall of Charleston)Council of Safety September 1781 John Barnwell BGIndependent Company of RangersIndependent17751776John Bowie, CPTIndependent Company of RangersIndependent1775Robert Ellison, CPTIndependent Company of RangersIndependent17751776Benjamin Tutt, CPTIndependent Company of RangersIndependent17751780Ezekiel Polk, CPTIndian Field CompanyIndependent1775John Fullerton, CPTCatawba Indian Company of RoversIndependent17751776Samuel Boykin, CPTCharles Town Artillery CompanyIndependent1775Owen Robert, CPTRacoon CompanyIndependent17761780John Allston, CPTIndian Company of RoversIndependent1776John Withers, LT/CPTCharles Town Artillery CompanyIndependent17781780Sims White, CPTIndependent CompanyIndependent17811781William Clay Snipes, Maj
Notes:
Provincial and state units For clarification and comparison purposes, the South Carolina provincial and state troop units are listed below:
UnitDate establishedDisbandedContinental Line, DateOriginal Commander, RankRef1st Regiment (Infantry)June 6, 1775May 12, 1780Yes, November 4, 1775Christopher Gadsden, Col2nd Regiment (Infantry)June 6, 1775May 12, 1780Yes, November 4, 1775William Moultrie, Col3rd Regiment (Rangers)June 6, 1775May 12, 1780Yes, July 24, 1776William Thomson, LTC4th Regiment (Artillery)November 14, 1775May 12, 1780Yes, June 18, 1776Owen Roberts, LTC5th Regiment (Rifles)February 22, 1776Feb. 1780Yes, March 25, 1776Isaac Huger, Col6th Regiment (Rifles)February 28, 1776Feb. 1780Yes, March 25, 1776Thomas Sumter, LTCLight DragoonsFebruary 1779May 12, 1780NoDaniel Horry, Col1st Regiment of State DragoonsApril 17811783NoWade Hampton, I, Col2nd Regiment of State DragoonsApril 17811783NoCharles Myddleton, ColHampton's Regiment of Light DragoonsApril 17811783NoHenry Hampton, LTCPolk's Regiment of Light DragoonsApril 1781February 1782NoWilliam Polk, LTCHill's Regiment of Light DragoonsApril 17811782NoWilliam Hill, ColHammond's Regiment of Light DragoonsSeptember 17811782NoSamuel Hammond, Col3rd Regiment of State DragoonsOctober 17811783NoHezekiah Maham, LTC4th Regiment of State DragoonsOctober 17811782NoPeter Horry, LTC
See also South Carolina in the American Revolution Southern Campaigns: Pension Transactions for a description of the transcription effort by Will Graves Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War South Carolina Line: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th Regiments List of North Carolina militia units in the American Revolution List of United States militia units in the American Revolutionary War
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