The First Volunteers

Maxcy Gregg

The 1^st South Carolina Infantry known as “Gregg’s First” was constituted January 1^st 1861 by an order of South Carolina Governor Francis W Pickens.

South Carolina Governor Francis W Pickens passed an order for the formation of a regiment of soldiers for the state on January 1^st 1861.  The 1^st South Carolina Volunteers was raised for six months and mustered in at Columbia, South Carolina February 1^st 1861 under the command of Colonel Maxcy Gregg.  The regiment was made up of 11 companies, one more then called for, so Company “D” became artillery.  They moved to join other military units on Morris and Sullivan Islands and served as part of the forces bombing Fort Sumter.  In April the 1^st was sent to Richmond, Virginia, the first regiment from another state to transfer to the Army of Northern Virginia.  Their enlistment ended in early July 1861.