1st South Carolina Rifle Regiment
Orr's Rifles was a South Carolina infantry regiment that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
| 1st (Orr's) South Carolina Rifle Regiment | |
|---|---|
 Flag of South Carolina | |
| Active | July 20, 1861, to April 10, 1865 |
| Country | Confederate States of America |
| Allegiance | CSA .svg.png.webp){kind=small} |
| Branch | Infantry |
| Engagements | American Civil War |
History
Formation
On 20 July 1861, James Lawrence Orr organized the First South Carolina Rifle Regiment at Sandy Springs. He was elected Colonel; J. Foster Marshall was elected Lt. Colonel, and Daniel A. Ledbetter, Major. Ten companies were recruited in the following districts (counties were known as districts between 1800 & 1868)[1]
| Company: Nickname | District | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| A: "the Keowee Riflemen" | Pickens | J.W. Livingston |
| B: "McDuffie's Guards" | Abbeville | James Perrin |
| C: "the Mountain Boys" | Pickens | J.J. Norton |
| D: "Orr's Rifles" | Anderson | Frank E. Harrison |
| E: "the Oconee Riflemen" | Pickens | Miles M. Norton |
| F: "the Blue Ridge Rifles" | Pickens | Robert A. Hawthorne |
| G: "the Marshall Riflemen" | Abbeville | G. McDuffie Miller |
| H: "the Pee Dee Guards" | Marion | George M. Fairlee |
| I: not created | ||
| K: "the Marshall Guards" | Anderson | George W. Cox |
| L: "the Calhoun Guards" | Anderson | John B. Moore |
The regiment had seen no action by the time Orr left, but the name "Orr's Rifles" stuck throughout the war.
Initial duty
First posted to Sullivan's Island, SC to defend Charleston Harbor, others called them the "Pound Cake Regiment" in reference to their "light" garrison duty.[2] The 20th SC Infantry was referred to as the "Poundcake Brigade" on account of limited engagements and they were so close to home, their families could bring them poundcake or other treats.
Transfer to Virginia
In April 1862, the full-strength 1,000-man unit was transferred to Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia (ANV). In June, it was incorporated into Gregg's Brigade, of A.P. Hill's Light Division, of Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson Corps (often termed the "Left Wing" early in the war).
Surrender
Lee surrendered the ANV, including Orr's Rifles, at Appomattox Court House on 9 April 1865. After three years of combat, the regiment comprised 9 officers and 148 enlisted men.
References
- "Colonel James Lawrence Orr". South Carolina Genealogical Society. Archived from the original on 30 January 2012.
- Mattison, J. W. (1899). "Orr's South Carolina Rifles". Southern Historical Society Papers. 27: 157–165.
- Regiment details
- Regiment rosters
This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document: "Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, National Park Service".