University of Virginia Library

Summerville.

The regiment assembled at Summerville on the South Carolina
Railroad under the following order:

"Special Orders:

"No. 156.

"1. The Second (Blanding's) and Sixth Regiments of South Carolina Volunteers
having been ordered to Virginia, and Colonel R. H. Anderson, commanding
provisional forces in South Carolina, having made a requisition
for troops to replace them in the defense of the State, the First Regiment
of South Carolina Volunteers is ordered to rendezvous at Summerville on
the 20th day of July inst.

"2. Colonel Hagood being absent from the State, Lieutenant-Colonel
Glover is placed in command of the regiment and will extend this order.

"3. Colonel Glover will report for orders to Colonel R. H. Anderson, commanding
provisional forces. . .

Nine companies were represented at the rendezvous, Mangum's
company having gone West. None were full and some
were mere fragments. Colonel Hagood returned from Virginia
during the first week in August and took command on the 10th.
The recruiting of the regiment had been commenced; and the
question of entering military Confederate service was again presented
under the condition indicated in the following communication:

"Sir: In order to prevent any misunderstanding, I beg leave to say that
the alternative is not presented to your regiment to muster into Confederate
service or to be disbanded. On the contrary, such injustice will not be
done. . . . If any refuse Confederate service they will be kept on duty
until their time expires.

Under this communication all inducements to refuse Confederate
service was apparently removed. Still the bona fide of the
communication was doubted by some; and, to anticipate somewhat,
the sequel showed they were well posted upon the vacillating
counsels which ruled at State headquarters. After keeping
the recusants in service for some time they were, on the 30th
September following, disbanded. Brown's and Frederick's Companies
failed to obtain a basis to recruit upon for Confederate
service, as provided for in the order of 19th May, but many of
their respective commands entered other companies of the regiment
for that purpose. Two companies from Barnwell, commanded
respectively by Captains Duncan and Brabham, and
one from Williamsburg, commanded by Captain J. G. Pressly
(late of Gregg's six months' regiment), were received to fill the
vacant places. And thus at length the regiment was mustered

into Confederate service. As soon as this was accomplished,
attention was at once directed to obtaining orders for Virginia
service; and, though these efforts were principally made while
the regiment was stationed elsewhere, the subject will be disposed
of at once. In inducing the men to take Confederate service,
and especially in obtaining new companies to fill the vacant
places, it was impressed upon them that they were to enlist
"unconditionally," and without a pledge from the Government
as to the locality of service. The seacoast from the approach of
winter, when active operations might be then anticipated, had
become less unpopular. Still Virginia was in general estimation
the field of honor. The men composing the new Confederate
regiments desired to go there, and it was clear all the way through
that without the chance of the regiment being ordered to the seat
of war the regiment could not be raised. Governor Pickens had
made the proposition to Lieutenant-Colonel Glover, commanding,
for the regiment "to muster in, upon the same terms as had
been accorded to the Ninth and Tenth regiments. Those regiments
are now in Confederate service upon the understanding,
not expressed in writing, that they are to be used in defence of
South Carolina" (see his letter), and at the same time sending
him the printed "unconditional" rolls. The Governor's letter
was suppressed; it was thought if he wished to limit the written
contract he was encouraging a regiment, then undoubtedly under
his control, to make with the Confederate Government it was his
business to address his communication to that Government, and
if they were unwilling to accept his modifications (as they were
known to be) then to have kept the regiment on the State establishment,
as he had the right to do. On applying to Anderson
(now General), commanding in Charleston, for a mustering
officer, the General, as a matter of form, telegraphed the Governor
fir his assent and received for reply: "The Governor consents on
the same terms accorded to Heyward's and Manigault's regiments."
These were respectively the Ninth and Tenth. General
Anderson sent the mustering officer up, and with him sent the
telegram. Colonel Hagood did not communicate the telegram to
the regiment, but, taking advantage of some errors in the muster
rolls, sent the mustering officer back with the following communication:

"General: Lieutenant Miles (the mustering officer sent me today and
who will deliver this) desires the muster rolls made out anew in consequence
of some defect of form. He showed while here a telegram from
Captain Simonton, Acting Adjutant General of South Carolina, to you,
saying that Governor Pickens desired the First Regiment mustered in on
the terms accorded to Heyward's and Manigault's regiments. In a conversation
had with you a few days ago, I understood you to say that these
regiments were mustered into Confederate service unconditionally, and that
these were the only terms upon which any regiment had been, or would be,
received. The printed agreement furnished us by the State Adjutant General
Department to be signed preliminary to mustering in is expressly
unconditional in its terms, and I wish to state that it is upon the expressed
terms of that agreement and no other that the regiment has consented to,
and now takes Confederate service.

General Anderson sent the mustering officer back next day, and
we took leave of the State service with this protest on file and a
part of the contract.

Desiring to remove all obstacles whatever to our Virginia
scheme, General Jamison was induced to seek an interview with
the Governor, which resulted in his giving his written consent to
the regiment being ordered to that State. General Jamison forwarded
to Colonel Hagood the paper by mail, and it had hardly
arrived when Governor Pickens addressed a letter to Lieutenant
Colonel Glover revoking his consent. This letter was not
addressed to the "Lieutenant Colonel" with any addition indicating
that his Excellency thought Glover was in command, and
as Colonel Hagood was then in command, and had been since 10th
August, he took no notice of the revocation but wrote to General
Bonham in Virginia desiring that he would seek to have us
attached to his brigade, and commenced also the following correspondence
which shows the result of our aspirations in that
direction:

"Sir: I beg leave respectfully to enclose you a paper from Governor
Pickens, giving his consent for my regiment to leave for Virginia and to

apply for orders. My regiment was of the twelve months volunteers called
for by the State last winter, the first organized and received into service.
It has been late to take Confederate service for reasons that it is needless
to speak of now; but none of which reflect either upon the spirit of the
men or their readiness to serve the Confederacy. We have been in service
since 13th April last, and are as well drilled as any of the Carolina troops
now in Virginia. I speak from recent observation. We are receiving our
winter uniforms as fast as they are made, and I feel assured that by the
20th this month our equipment for the winter will be complete. If in your
judgment compatible with the interest of the service, it would be agreeable
to us to be brigaded with the other South Carolina troops in Bonham's
command.

"Sir: The Secretary at War has decided, and I am instructed to inform
you, that after considering the endorsement on your letter of the 8th inst.
by General Ripley, it is deemed inexpedient to order your regiment to Virginia
at this time. The following is the endorsement by General Ripley
referred to: `Colonel Hagood's regiment is eminently qualified to do good
service in Virginia, or elsewhere, but at present and until the coast defenses
are in proper condition, its services are indispensable in South Carolina.
It is now at Stono—a very important post.'

Thus terminated our present hopes of Virginia. But the regiment
had taken no local service. It was ready to serve when the
War Department thought its services were needed, and having
used all the means in its power to obtain marching orders for the
seat of war it felt that at length it stood straight upon the record.
The tide of war soon began to roll southward. Hatteras fell;
South Carolina was invaded, and the defeat of our Virginia
project was no longer the subject of serious regret.