With the formation of large numbers of troops, coastal ports and harbors requiring defense, the movement of troops, gathering and shipping of supplies, etc., commanders were needed and a more structured organization was required. As a result, the State and its troops were quickly mobilized and organized into brigades, divisions, corps, armies, districts, departments, etc. This section covers those organizations within the State of South Carolina and those bodies of troops composed of South Carolina Volunteers. Mainly the Military Districts of the Department of South Carolina, Georgia & Florida, the District of South Carolina (1864-1865) and the Brigades of South Carolina Volunteers who served with the armies in the field. And also covers those South Carolinians who served as General Officers leading those troops both in the field and in administrative roles during the War.

If you have any additional information, corrections, photo's, artifacts, etc., that you would like to share please contact the Webmaster.

On August 21st, 1861, the Department of South Carolina was established under Brigadier General Roswell S. Ripley, PACS, to embrace those forces operating along the South Carolina Coastline, and to better coordinate the defense of the State. On November 5th, 1861, the Department was discontinued when it was consolidated together with those Military Departments in Georgia & Florida and established as the Department of South Carolina, Georgia & Florida.

With Department Headquarters established in Charleston, this Department would remain largely intact throughout the War, and was divided into various Military District's to allow better coordination and defense of the region. The following are the Military District's that were established in South Carolina.

1st Military District of S.C.
2nd Military District of S.C.
3rd Military District of S.C.
4th Military District of S.C.
5th Military District of S.C.
6th Military District of S.C.
7th Military District of S.C.

On October 17th, 1864, the Military District's in the State were discontinued and reorganized. The entire State was designated as the District of South Carolina, and the previous Military Districts were reorganized into five Sub-District's, largely along the same lines as they had previously been. This organization would continue until the conclusion of the war.

The following brigades were composed of South Carolina Volunteers (as well as troops from other states) during the course of the War. Most of these brigades were formed early in the war and maintained their organizations over the next four years, with the occasional transfer in or out of the brigade. The Brigade name is reflected by its commander; for example, Jones-Anderson-Jenkins-Bratton's Brigade, was first commanded by General David R. Jones, who was promoted and replaced by General Richard H. Anderson, upon his promotion General Micah Jenkins assumed command of the brigade until his death when General John Bratton took charge of the brigade for the remainder of the war.

During the course of the American Civil War 1,008 men would be elevated to the rank of General Officer and tasked with commanding the men who would serve. In the United States Army five hundred and eighty-three (583) general officers would be commissioned, including two (2) native born South Carolinians. While in the Confederate States Army fifty-one (51) men from South Carolina were commissioned (33 appointed from the State, while 18 were appointed from other States).

The following are very brief biographical histories of these fifty (53) South Carolinians who served as General Officers in the United & Confederate States Armies from 1860 to 1866. If you have any additional information, corrections, photo's, artifacts, etc., that you would like to share please contact the Webmaster.