1st Regiment South Carolina Rifles

(Orr's Rifles)

Descendants Association

1st Regiment Rifles, known as Orr's Rifles, was organized at Sandy Springs, South Carolina in July, 1861. Its members were recruited in the counties of Abbeville, Pickens, Anderson, and Marion.

The unit was first stationed on Sullivan's Island and called by the other troops "The Pound Cake Regiment" because of its light duty. Then in April, 1862, it moved to Virginia with 1,000 men. Assigned to General Gregg's and McGowan's Brigade, it fought with the army from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor. Later the regiment endured the hardships of the Petersburg trenches and the Appomattox operations.

Of the 537 engaged at Gaines' Mill, fifty-nine percent were killed, wounded or missing. The unit reported 116 casualties at Second Manassas and 170 at Fredericksburg, then lost forty-nine percent of the 233 at Chancellorsville and three percent of the 366 at Gettysburg. There were 12 killed and 81 wounded at The Wilderness, 15 killed, 36 wounded, and 44 missing at Spotsylvania, 3 killed and 34 wounded at Deep Bottom, and 9 killed and 37 wounded at Poplar Springs Church. It surrendered 9 officers and 148 men.

 

Soldier's Notes

 

1st Regiment South Carolina Rifles

Descendants Roll Call

 

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