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Re-enlistment.

The First Regiment had acquired drill and discipline and had
become thoroughly organized; it had got through with all the
initial diseases of the camp and become inured to the habits of
the soldier; and now, just as it had become a valuable regiment,
fit for efficient service, it was to be re-enlisted, and in the process
was to be subjected to all the demoralizing influences of the
hustings. It will be a question for the future historian how
much of the disaster that attended our arms in the spring of 1862
was due to the evil of short enlistment, and to the license permitted
in inducing the men to continue their service.

The attention of the Confederate Congress was directed to the
subject of retaining the twelve-months men in service early in
1862, and two Acts were passed. By one of these fifty dollars
bounty and a furlough not to exceed thirty full days at home
were offered each twelve-months man who re-enlisted. They
were also allowed to reorganize themselves into such companies,
battalions and regiments as they pleased, with a general
re-election of officers of every grade. By the other Act, provision

was made for recruiting upon these organizations. The term
of re-enlistment of the twelve-months man was to be for two
years—the recruit enlisted for three years. About the same time
a requisition was made on South Carolina for something over
twelve thousand men—7,000 to fill the place of the twelve-months
men whose term expired in April, and 5,000 in addition to her
quota, then in the field.

Hitherto in South Carolina, as well as throughout the Confederacy,
volunteering had been relied upon to furnish soldiers
for the war. There had always been a draft or conscription held
in terrorism in case volunteers failed, and, indeed, in Charleston,
as well as some other cities of the South, resort had to a limited
extent been had to this draft. Now, the Executive Council who
had recently been constituted in South Carolina and entrusted
with dictatorial powers, determined to change all this as far as
that State was concerned. On the 6th March they decreed a new
military system for the State, abolishing volunteering and substituting
conscriptions as the only mode of raising troops during
the present war. They further decreed that all conscriptions
should be "for and during the war"; and that all officers from
third lieutenant to colonel should be appointed by the Council.

Of course the Acts of Congress controlled in the case of the
First Regiment, but the decree of the Council had the effect of
destroying a project which to some extent had prevailed of
giving honor to reorganize. The only way to secure a volunteer
organization, with its elected officers, etc., was to re-enlist before
the present term expired, and before, as citizens and no longer
in Confederate service, the men came under the new military
system of the State. These various enactments were, as received,
published on parade, and in addition a copy furnished to each
company. The men were left to discuss and digest them at their
leisure, until about the 14th March, when the colonel called the
regiment together and in an address of some length, after
discussing and recapitulating the facts as heretofore brought to
their attention, required the commandants of companies to commence
the work of re-enlistment.

By the expiration of one term it resulted as follows: Martin's
company failed to reorganize, but some twenty of its numbers
joined other companies. Livingston's company divided and

recruited up to two companies under himself and Knotts respectively.
Duncan's company divided and also recruited up to two
companies under himself and Sanders. The other companies
each retained their organization with full numbers. The new
companies were officered as follows:

                                                                                       

First Company.	W. H. Sellars, Captain.
	L. A. Harper, First Lieutenant.
	J. G. Evans, Second Lieutenant.
	F. Shuler, Third Lieutenant.
Second Company.	T. K. Legare, Captain.
	W. W. Legare, First Lieutenant.
	B. M. Shuler, Second Lieutenant.
	J. B. Conner, Third Lieutenant.
Third Company.	I. S. Bamberg, Captain.
	W. W. Elzry, First Lieutenant.
	L. A. Wright, Second Lieutenant.
	P. C. Allen, Third Lieutenant.
Fourth Company.	B. B. Kirkland, Captain.
	J. F. Brabham, First Lieutenant.
	R. S. Barker, Second Lieutenant.
	R. B. Hogg, Third Lieutenant.
Fifth Company.	G. M. Grimes, Captain.
	G. W. Grimes, First Lieutenant.
	L. J. Sweat, Second Lieutenant.
	L. B. Kearse, Third Lieutenant.
Sixth Company.	F. Sanders, Captain.
	G. W. Stallings, First Lieutenant.
	R. T. Sanders, Second Lieutenant.
	S. C. L. Bush, Third Lieutenant.
Seventh Company.	W. H. Duncan, Captain.
	J. H. Thompson, First Lieutenant.
	P. H. Wood, Second Lieutenant.
	J. R. B. Best, Third Lieutenant.
Eighth Company.	D. Livingston, Captain.
	I. Inabinett, First Lieutenant.
	J. C. Wannamaker, Second Lieutenant.
	W. S. L. Rucker, Third Lieutenant.
Ninth Company.	J. E. Knotts, Captain.
	J. Elvin Knotts, First Lieutenant.
	J. H. Phillips, Second Lieutenant.
	J. H. Fanning, Third Lieutenant.
Tenth Company.	J. G. Pressly, Captain.
	T. I. China, First Lieutenant.
	C. Logan, Second Lieutenant.
	H. Montgomery, Third Lieutenant.
Eleventh Company.	John V. Glover, Captain.
	J. F. Izlar, First Lieutenant.
	S. M. Kennerly, Second Lieutenant.
	Sam'l Dibble, Third Lieutenant.

The First, Tenth and Eleventh Companies elected to seek
another regimental organization. The Eutaw Battalion, which,
with the addition of these companies and some others, became the
Twenty-fifth South Carolina Volunteers, of which Pressly became
lieutenant-colonel and Glover major. This regiment served principally
afterwards in "Hagood's Brigade." The Second and
Sixth Companies attached themselves to Lamar's Battalion of
Artillery, which then grew into the "Second South Carolina
Artillery" and served principally afterwards in the garrison of
Charleston. Sanders had been arraigned before a court-martial
as first lieutenant of Duncan's company in the twelve-months regiment
on charges of "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman,"
and was in arrest awaiting sentence when the reorganization
took place and when he was elected captain of the Sixth
Company. The sentence of the court was promulgated shortly
after he reported to Lamar, and he was dismissed the service.
He went home and in a few weeks afterwards was licensed
as a Baptist preacher. Stallings commanded the company,
and did it well, during the remainder of the war. The
other six companies elected to combine with a view of retaining
their old regimental organization. They desired to retain the
name, rank and banner of the First Regiment and, by filling up
with four new companies, to preserve its existence. This filling
up was necessarily a subsequent matter. In order, therefore, to
preserve their cohesion, meanwhile, and without forfeiting their
claim to be in this regiment, they went into an election "for an
officer to command them, his rank and designation to be settled

by the subsequent action of the proper authority." Colonel
Hagood was elected by acclamation. There never was opposition,
which found expression, to Colonel Hagood in the attempt at
retaining the re-organized companies in the original regiment; but
for each of the other field officers there were numerous aspirants.
To this cause is attributable—in part—the failure to retain them.
The Eutaw Battalion and Lamar's Battalion, stationed near the
regiment and in frequent intercourse with it, afforded opportunities
to captains taking companies into them, for promotion. In
developing into regiments they furnished field officers to be filled.
One of these organizations, too, from its character of heavy
artillery, promised local garrison service instead of the less comfortable
life of a marching regiment. The spirit of change had
also its effect. And the result of all these various sources of disorganization
has been indicated.

Stevens's Regiment arrived on the 13th. On the 14th, at 2
a. m., the regiment marched for Charleston, and the following
order, received on the 12th of May, was carried out:

Special Order.

No. —.

* * * * * * * *

"II. Colonel Stevens' Twenty-fourth South Carolina will move to Coles
Island and relieve Colonel Hagood's First South Carolina as soon as possible.

"Colonel Hagood's regiment, upon being relieved, will proceed to the
vicinity of Binnaker's Camp Ground on South Carolina Railroad, where
such as have not re-enlisted for the war will be mustered out of service
by Colonel Hagood. . . .

"IV. Such companies as have re-enlisted for the war will be granted a
leave of absence until the 14th day of May; but it must be understood that
the men will reassemble upon any call for service that may arise during
their absence, the authorities at Richmond having consented to the leave
at this time only upon this condition.

"V. Upon reassembling, six companies will report to Colonel Hagood as
a portion of his regiment. Of the remaining companies, Captains Pressly,
Glover and Sellars will report to Captain Simonton, commanding Eutaw
Battalion, and Captains Legare and Sanders to Major Lamar, commanding
battery of artillery.