South Carolina 3rd Infantry Battalion (Laurens' and James')

Historical Notes:
The South Carolina 3rd Infantry Battalion [also called Lauren's Battalion] was organized in November, 1861, at Camp Hampton, near Columbia, South Carolina. It contained four companies, with three additional companies joined the unit at White Point. Most of the men were from Laurens County, and a few were recruited in Richland and Fairfield counties. After serving in South Carolina, it was ordered to Virginia and assigned to Drayton's, Kershaw's, Kennedy's, and Conner's Brigade. The unit served with the Army of Northern Virginia from Second Manassas to Gettysburg , then fought with Longstreet at Chickamauga and Knoxville. Returning to Virginia it participated in the conflicts at The Wilderness , Spotsylvania , and Cold Harbor , moved with Early to the Shenandoah Valley, and ended the war in North Carolina. It lost 1 killed and 8 wounded at Chancellorsville and twenty-two percent of the 203 at Gettysburg . In its last battle at Bentonville 1 man was wounded, and on March 23, 1865, the battalion totalled 129 men. It surrendered on April 26.

Rivers' account of the raising of the troops set the number of original recruits at 391. The battalion served throughout the war in Virginia after a short stint in South Carolina. It was not reorganized as many were in the spring of 1862. The first battle engagement was in April of 1862.

At the surrender at Appomattox, D. W. Byrd, Co. D is listed with some men of the 39th Va. Cavalry. D. W. Boyd, Co. B Q. M. is listed with 1 private horse in a list entitled: List of Unattached Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates, Cut off from their Commands, Paroled by Major D. B. Bridgford, Provost Marshal.

REF: Paroles of the Army of Northern Virginia, p. 472. (The Appomattox Roster) Officers:
Lieutenant Colonels George S. James and William G. Rice, and Majors George M. Gunnels and Daniel B. Miller. Assignments:

Third Military District of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida

General Thomas F. Drayton’s Brigade

General Joseph B. Kershaw’s Brigade

Battles:
Yorktown Siege (APR - MAY 1862
Secessionville (15 - 16 JUN 1862)
Waterloo Bridge (24 AUG 1862)
Thoroughfare Gap (26 AUG 1862)
Manassas VA (28 - 30 AUG 1862)
Harper's Ferry (12 - 15 SEP 1862)
South Mountain VA (14 SEP 1862)
Sharpsburg VA (17 SEP 1862)
Fredericksburg VA (13 DEC 1862)
Chancellorsville (1-4 MAY 1863)
Gettysburg PA (1-3 JUL 1863)
Chickamauga GA (19-20 SEP 1863)
Chattanooga Siege GA (SEP - NOV 1863)
Knoxville Siege GA (NOV - DEC 1863)
Campbell's Station (16 NOV 1863)
Fort Sanders (29 NOV 1863)
Bean's Station (15 DEC 1863)
The Wilderness VA (5 - 6 MAY 1864)
Spotsylvania Court House VA (8 - 21 MAY 1864)
North Anna VA (23 - 26 MAY 1864)
Cold Harbor VA (1 - 3 JUN 1864)
Petersburg Siege VA (JUN 1864 - APR 1865)
Berryville (AUG 1864)
Near Port Republic (7 OCT 1864)
Near Strasburg (14 OCT 1864)
Cedar Creek (19 OCT 1864)
Carolinas Campaign SC (FEB - APR 1865)
Averasboro (16 MAR 1865)
Roster:
The roster of this unit contains the names of 1103 men.

Company A – Laurens County
Company B – Laurens and Newberry Counties
Company C – Laurens County
Company D – Laurens County Calhoun Light Infantry
Company E – Laurens County – Hunter Guards
Company F – Harper County
Company G – Aiken Guards
Bibliography for Research: