The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-03-02


L. Kilmer, writing in the New York
Sunday Advertiser.
Pennsylvania championed the North
in the contest for the first place on
the roll of honor, and trife over 9
per cent Of her quota of soldiers met
death on the battlefield. South Caro-
lima led the Southern States, and sac
rihced over % per cent of her military
population as it stood in 1861. Had
the combat been left to these two
commonwealths the Keystone would
have annihilated the Palmetto, and
have come out of the contest with an
army large enough to intimidate the
umpire, if SO disposed.
South Carolina furnished the regl-
ment that lost the highest number
killed in battle during the war-Orr S
South Carolina Rifes-which piled up
death roll of 334. She also furnish
ed one for second place on the South
.ern side-the 1st South Carolina Vol
anteers-which scored 2Sl.
The first place on the Union side
was taken by the 5th New Hampshire,
with a score Of 295, and the second
place fell to Pennsylvania regiment,
the SD, which had list of 2S2.
Here begins another duel between
the keystone and Palmetto. The SD
rolled up a score of 971 killed and
wounded, the deaths scoring 2S1.
The s3d Pennsylvania came into be-
ing as reorganization of regiment
composed Of volunteer and militia
companies that responded to Presi-
dent Lincoln first call, and served
three months.
The colonel at the head of both reg
iments, John W. McLane, had served
as volunteer officer in the Mexican
war, and distinguished himself as
master in organization and drill. The
1st South Carolina had similar his
tory; for it was formed out of the dis
banded 1st South Carolina of the Pro-
yisional army, called into being by
the Convention when the State seced
ed in December, 1860. That regi-
ment was made up of the old militia
companies and volunteers, enlisted to
serve the State six months.
This Provisional regiment and the
one formed out of it were created and
led by the same colonel, Maxcy Gregg,
who had been volunteer oficerin the
Mexican war, and had acquitted him
SELF as an able disciplinarian and mas
ter Of drill. And it happened that at
the very time to month, and almost
to day, when Col. Gregg was getting
his Palmetto men out Of the old har-
ness into the new and touching them
up with his Mexican war reminis-
cences, Col. McLane was doing the
same with his Keystone boys. The
SD was ready for orders in the fall Of
1861, and the 1st South Carolina also.
Each went to its respective station
for assignment to place in line, and
both began their fighting careers on
the same day and On the same field,
within long range rife shot of each
other. The Pennsylvanians numbered
about $50 men, the Carolinians but
,trife less. They were not directly op-
posed on that field, Gaines Mill, June
~, 1862, nor upon any other exccptat
North Anna, Va, May 2l, 1862, but
we're engaged for the whole three
years in the opposing army Of North
ern Virginia and the Potomac, often
on the same battle ground.
No fanciful comparison could
aeighten the parallel. The regiments
started fairly equal and both were in
the thickest Of the fight, with varying
numbers engaged and varying losses
in different battles against metal tenn
nered by the same heat. They emerged
with net result almost equal. Oh,
no. twas not duel; but twas very
like it.
The South Carolinians struck hard
lines in that first fight at Gaines
Mill. They were brigadcd with four
other regiments from the same State,
9th, 18th, 14th and Orr s Rifles,
mentioned above) and Col now Gen.
Gregg became leader of the whole col
umn.
The color guard went down to
man, and the colonel, b. II. Hamil-
ton, took the flag and called on his
men to stand. Gregg, seeing the
slaughter and the uselessncss of trying
to advance, ordered the regiment to
retire by filing through the intervals
of the second line. Phe lieutcnant-
colonel, (Augustus NJ. Smith, of Ab-
/h u