The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-06-03

- - ..,. . paIdiieiS ueGWeeu
S::gIments on the opposing
sides.
Pennsylvania championed the north
In the contest for first place on the roll
of honor, and trifle over Z per cent. of
her quota of soldiers met death on the
battle-fields. South Carolina led the
southern states and sacrificed over 23
per cent. of her military population as it
stood in 1861.
South Carolina furnished the regiment
that lost the highest number killed in
battle during the war-"Orr's 5. g..
Rifies''-which piled up death roll of
334. Maxcy Gregg's lst s. G. Vol.
scores 281, thus taking the second place.
Orr's Rifles was, however, much larger
organization at the start.
The first place on the Union side was
taken by the fifth New Hampshire with
a score of 295 and the second place fell
to the S3rd Pennsylvania regiment,
which has a score of 2S2. Th '3S3 rd
PENNSYLVANIA score of killed aud wound
ed was OIL, while the first 3. G. Vol.
had rolled up score of $50 killed aud
wounded.
The S3rd Pennsylvania came into be-
ing as reorganization Of regiment
composed of volunteers and militia COM
panies that responded to President Lin
coins first call and served three months.
The colonel, John w. McLane, had
served as a volunteer officer in the Mex
ican war and distinguished himself as "a
master in organization and drill.
The 1st South Carolina Volunteers
had q similar history, for it was formed
out of the disbanded 1st South Carolina,
of the provisional army called into baing
by the :Convention when the state Sc
ceded That regiment was made mp 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 both created and
led by the same colonel. Maxcy Gregg,
who had been a volunteer officer in the
war with Mexico, and had acquitted
himself as an able disciplinaran and
master of military tactics. And it hap
peped that at the very time. to the
month, and almost to a day, when Col.
Gregg was getting his Palmetto men out
of the old harness into the new and
touching them up with his Mexican war
"reminiscences, Col. McLane was doing
the same thing with his Keystone boys.
The 8ard was ready for orders ia the
fall of 1861 and the 1st South Carolina
also.
AT GAINES MILL.
Each went to its respective stations
for assignment to place in line and both
began their fighting careers on the same
day aud on the same field, within long
fange rifle shot of each other. The
Pennsylvanians numbered about $50
men, the Carollnians lrite less. They
were not directly opposed on that field,
Gaines Mill, June 81, 1862, but were
engaged for the whole three years In the
opposing armies of Northern Virginia
and the Potomac, often on the same
battle ground.
No fanciful comparison could heighten
the parallel. The regiments started
fairly equal, and both were in the thick
est Of the fight, with varying numbers
engaged and varying losses in different
battles against metal tempered by the
same heat They emerged with net
result almost equal.
The South CarOlinians struck "hard
lines'' In that first fight at Gaines Mill
s They were brigaded with four other reg
iments from the same state, and Col
Gregg, as brigadier general, led the
/ whole column.
The color guard went down TO mau,
and Col. d. H. Hamilton took the flag
and called on his men to stand. Gen.
Gregg, seeing the slaughter and the use
lessDess Of trying to advance, ordered
the regiment to retire by filing through
the interval line of the second line. The
!, lieutenant colonel, one captain and three
.'Iieutenants were killed and five lieuten-
ants were wounded, twenty men were
killed and i25 wounded-154 in all.
Tie following four days the 1st regi-
ment faired better at Seven Pines, Saw
ago Station, Frazer's Farm and Malvern
Hill, n~which last the 1st was not act
ually engaged, but its Union double was
terribly punished.
RAILROAD CUT AT 2ND MANASSAS.
The 1st South Carolina was not en-
gagged again until the second Manassas,
August 10Th, where the Carolina brigade
was ordered to defend the famous rail-