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List of South Carolina militia units in the American Revolution facts for kids

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Siege of Charleston
Francis Marion 001
BG Francis Marion, 2nd Brigade commander
Richard Richardson
BG Richard Richardson, 2nd Brigade commander
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BG Thomas Sumter, 1st and 6th Brigade commander
William Moultrie
Col William Moultrie, Charles Town District Regiment commander
Andrew Pickens
Col Andrew Pickens, Ninety-Six Regiment commander

The South Carolina militia units in the American Revolution were established on January 17, 1775 by the South Carolina Provincial Congress. These militia units were subordinate to the South Carolina Council of Safety. Officers were selected by February 1775. In November 1775, the Militia units were renamed regiments. On March 28, 1778, the South Carolina General Assembly consolidated the regiments into four brigades, each led by a Brigadier General.

Militia units

The first sixteen militia were established in February 1775. While initially called just militia, they were renamed as regiments in November 1775. When Charlestown fell on May 12, 1780, most of the generals were taken as prisoners by the British and the regiments were left to fend for themselves. Most new regiments were Light Dragoons vice infantry. The known regiments, brigades, and independent units included:

South Carolina militia units in the American Revolution
Unit Name Subordination Date established Disbanded Original Commander, Rank Refs
1st Brigade Council of Safety March 25, 1778 May 12, 1780 Stephen Bull, BG
2nd Brigade Council of Safety March 25, 1778 May 12, 1780 Richard Richardson, BG
3rd Brigade Council of Safety March 25, 1778 May 12, 1780 Andrew Williamson, BG
4th Brigade Council of Safety March 25, 1778 May 12, 1780 Alexander McIntosh, BG
Beaufort District Militia/ Regiment 1st Brigade (1778–1780) February 1775 Stephen Bull, Col
Forks of Saluda District Militia/ Regiment 3rd Brigade February 1775 Robert Starke, Col
Camden District Militia/ Regiment 2nd Brigade (1778–1780)
Col Sumter (backcountry) (1780)
February 1775 Richard Richardson, Col
Little River District Militia/ Regiment 3rd Brigade (1778–1780) February 1775 John Lindsay, Col
Charles Town District Militia/ Regiment 1st Brigade (1778–1780) February 1775 William Moultrie, Col
New Acquisition District Militia/ Regiment 2nd Brigade (1778–1780)
Col Sumter (backcountry) (1780)
February 1775 Thomas Neel, Col
Cheraws District Militia/ Regiment 4th Brigade (1778–1780)
Marion's Brigade (1781)
February 1775 George Gabriel Powell, Col
Upper Saluda District Militia/ Regiment 2nd Brigade February 1775 September 1775 Thomas Fletchall, Col
1st Spartan Regiment 2nd Brigade (1778–1780) February 1777 John Thomas, Sr., Col
2nd Spartan Regiment 2nd Brigade (1778–1780)
Col Sumter (backcountry) (1780)
February 1777 Thomas Brandon, Col
Georgetown District Militia/ Regiment 4th Brigade (1778–1780) February 1775 Thomas Screven, Col
Berkeley County Militia/ Regiment 1st Brigade (1778–1780)
Marion's Brigade (1781)
February 1775 Richard Singleton, Col
Ninety-Six District Militia/ Regiment 3rd Brigade February 1775 John Savage, Col
Upper Ninety-Six Regiment 3rd Brigade (1778–1780) March 28, 1778 Andrew Pickens, Col
Lower Ninety-Six Regiment 3rd Brigade (1778–1780) March 28, 1778 LeRoy Hammond, Col
Colleton County Militia/ Regiment 1st Brigade (1778–1780) February 1775 Joseph Glover, Col
Orangeburgh District Militia/ Regiment 3rd Brigade (1778–1780)
Col Sumter (backcountry) (1780)
February 1775 William Thomson, Col
Craven County Militia/ Regiment Council of Safety February 1775 November 1775 Job Rotmahler, Col
Upper Craven County Regiment 4th Brigade (1778–1780)
Marion's Brigade
November 1775 George Hicks, Col
Lower Craven County Regiment 4th Brigade (1778–1780)
Marion's Brigade (1781)
November 1775 Job Rothmahler, Col
Fairfield Regiment 2nd Brigade (1778–1780)
Col Sumter (backcountry) (1780)
February 1775 Joseph Kershaw, Col
Granville County Militia/ Regiment 1st Brigade February 1775 June 1780 Benjamin Garden, Col
Upper Granville County Regiment 2nd Brigade June 1780 William Harden, LTC, Col
Lower Granville County Regiment 2nd Brigade June 1780 William Stafford, LTC
Kingstree Regiment 4th Brigade (1780)
Marion's Brigade (1781)
December 1779, January 1780 Archibald McDonald
Kershaw Regiment Col Sumter (backcountry) (1780) June 1780 James Postell, Col
Turkey Creek Regiment Col Sumter (backcountry) (1780) May 1780 Edward Lacey, Col
Polk's Regiment of Light Dragoons North Carolina's Mecklenburg County Regiment
South Carolina State Troops
July 1780 William Polk, Col
Hampton's Regiment of Light Dragoons Col Sumter (backcountry) (1780) July 1780 Henry/Wade Hampton, Col
Hill's Regiment of Light Dragoons Col Sumter (backcountry) (1780) July 1780 William Hill, Col
1st Brigade (after fall of Charleston) Council of Safety Aug 1780 Thomas Sumter, Col/BG
2nd Brigade (after fall of Charleston) Council of Safety Aug 1780 Francis Marion, Col/BG
3rd Brigade (after fall of Charleston) Council of Safety July 1781 Andrew Pickens, BG
Horry's Light Dragoons 2nd Brigade February 16, 1781 Peter Horry, LTC
Maham's Light Dragoons 2nd Brigade Mar 1781 Hezekiah Maham, Maj
Hammond's Light Dragoons Regiment 3rd Brigade April 1781 Samuel Hammond LTC/Col
4th Brigade (after fall of Charleston) Council of Safety September 1781 John Barnwell BG
Independent Company of Rangers Independent 1775 1776 John Bowie, CPT
Independent Company of Rangers Independent 1775 Robert Ellison, CPT
Independent Company of Rangers Independent 1775 1776 Benjamin Tutt, CPT
Independent Company of Rangers Independent 1775 1780 Ezekiel Polk, CPT
Indian Field Company Independent 1775 John Fullerton, CPT
Catawba Indian Company of Rovers Independent 1775 1776 Samuel Boykin, CPT
Charles Town Artillery Company Independent 1775 Owen Robert, CPT
Racoon Company Independent 1776 1780 John Allston, CPT
Indian Company of Rovers Independent 1776 John Withers, LT/CPT
Charles Town Artillery Company Independent 1778 1780 Sims White, CPT
Independent Company Independent 1781 1781 William Clay Snipes, Maj

Notes:

Provincial and state units

For clarification and comparison purposes, the South Carolina provincial and state troop units are listed below:

Unit Date established Disbanded Continental Line, Date Original Commander, Rank Ref
1st Regiment (Infantry) June 6, 1775 May 12, 1780 Yes, November 4, 1775 Christopher Gadsden, Col
2nd Regiment (Infantry) June 6, 1775 May 12, 1780 Yes, November 4, 1775 William Moultrie, Col
3rd Regiment (Rangers) June 6, 1775 May 12, 1780 Yes, July 24, 1776 William Thomson, LTC
4th Regiment (Artillery) November 14, 1775 May 12, 1780 Yes, June 18, 1776 Owen Roberts, LTC
5th Regiment (Rifles) February 22, 1776 Feb. 1780 Yes, March 25, 1776 Isaac Huger, Col
6th Regiment (Rifles) February 28, 1776 Feb. 1780 Yes, March 25, 1776 Thomas Sumter, LTC
Light Dragoons February 1779 May 12, 1780 No Daniel Horry, Col
1st Regiment of State Dragoons April 1781 1783 No Wade Hampton, I, Col
2nd Regiment of State Dragoons April 1781 1783 No Charles Myddleton, Col
Hampton's Regiment of Light Dragoons April 1781 1783 No Henry Hampton, LTC
Polk's Regiment of Light Dragoons April 1781 February 1782 No William Polk, LTC
Hill's Regiment of Light Dragoons April 1781 1782 No William Hill, Col
Hammond's Regiment of Light Dragoons September 1781 1782 No Samuel Hammond, Col
3rd Regiment of State Dragoons October 1781 1783 No Hezekiah Maham, LTC
4th Regiment of State Dragoons October 1781 1782 No Peter Horry, LTC

See also

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