Holcombe's Legion Company 'C' / Company 'G'

The Lucy Holcombe Legion, named for Lucy Holcombe Pickens, wife of the governor of South Carolina, was organized November 13, 1861. Most of these men came from the districts of Newberry, Fairfield and Spartanburg. A Legion consisted of infantry, artillery and cavalry but the Holcombe Legion never had an artillery arm; the Legion cavalry later became the 7th South Carolina. The Legion is said to have been financed by Mrs. Pickens using money from the sale of jewels given to her by Czar Alexander II when her husband, Francis Pickens, was ambassador to Russia. The first Colonel of the Legion, Phillip Stevens, named it in honor of its benefactor. The Legion’s flag was presented on June 4, 1862 along with a letter from Mrs. Pickens. "On November 13, 1861 Holcombe's Legion went into service for thirteen months in state defense.The Legion served with a cavalry unit consisting of five companies along with a battalion and infantry unit with ten companies. It was under the jurisdiction of the Third Military District Department of South Carolina and Georgia under Brigader General Nathan G. 'Shanks' Evans....On April 15, 1862, Holcombe's Legion entered Confederate service. The Legion participated in the Battle of Seven Pines near the Chickahominy River on the Richmond, Virginia peninsula on May 31, 1862. Between July and August the cavalry moved to Richmond with the 17th South Carolina Volunteers, Benbow's 23rd Regiment South Carolina Volunteers, Leake's Virginia Battery, and Boyce's South Carolina Battery. A portion of the troops were sent to Charlotte, North Carolina. By July, the infantry and cavalry units of Holcombe's Legion were separated. On October 1, 1862 Holcombe's Legion was picketted on the Peninsula with 158 men. By October 31st, they had 138 men. During November and December, 1862 the Legion was at Camp Walker near Forge Bridge about 20 miles southeast of Richmond on the Chickahoming River. By December 10th they had 127 men. " "The South Carolina 7th Cavalry Regiment was organized by the increase in the Calvary Battaltion of the Holcombe Legion to a regiment on March 18, 1864, per S.O. #65, Adjutant and Inspector's General's Office. The unit surrendered at Appomattox Court House, Virginia on April 9, 1865...." The following has been taken from the "Annals of Newberry" by John A. Chapman, pg 429-30 COMPANY 'C', HOLCOMBE LEGION This company was mustered into service December 3, 1861. Names only of those from Newberry County are given, except that of the second captain. John R. Spearman, Captain, resigned and was succeeded by J. Wash. Williams, Laurens. Levi Slawson, 1st Lieutenant Silas Walker, 1st Lieutenant, from 2nd Ebenezer P. Chalmers, 2nd Lieutenant, wounded at Cold Harbor Chesley D Spearman, 3d Lieutenant, discharged at Adam’s Run with measles James L. Blackburn, 2nd Lieutenant James W. Spearman, 1st Sergeant Richard W. Hill, Orderly Sergeant Wilson W. Waidrop, 2nd Sergeant Robert B. Hill, 2nd Sergeant G. Calvin Ridlehuber, 3d Sergeant Daniel Dandy, killed at Ridgeley’s Shoals, Va. William L. Chalmers, 4th Sergeant John F. Watkins, 4th Sergeant Graves W. L. Spearman, 4th Sergeant Calvin Satterwhite, 5th Sergeant Jas. R.. Payne, died of disease at Adam’s Run, S. C., May 6, 1862 Henry D. Boozer, 1st Corporal Frank 0. Spearman, 2nd Corporal, discharged to Arsenal (Citadel) Academy John A. Workman, 2nd Corporal Lewis G. Ferguson, 3d Corporal Samuel W. Spearman, 3d Corporal Charles C. Teague, 4th Corporal William G. Glenn, 4th Corporal Privates Thomas H. Adams Aaron D. Burton, wounded at Cold Harbor John P. Buzhardt Henry D. Boozer John C. Chalmers, died of disease in Virginia William Y. Cradock Wm. L. Davis Jno. M. Davenport, died of disease in Virginia James A. Davis, wounded at Cold Harbor Thomas J. Denson, discharged, over age Richard J. Dean James J. Denson Napoleon B. Davenport Thomas Floyd David Garrett of measles at Adam’s Run, March 9, 1862 William G. Glenn wounded at Cold Harbor Elijah M. Lake, wounded by shell at Adam’s Run, February 8, 1862, died Samuel W. Spearman James K. P. Spearman, died of measles at Adam’s Run John F. Spearman, died of disease at home February 1862 Jacob Smith John M. Penriington Henry Willen died of disease in Virginia Seth Williams William R. Spearman, discharged to Arsenal Academy Harry P. Wadlington John C. Whitman R. G. Gilliam William Boozer W. A. Clark R. C. Davis J. C. Davis R. Julius Dean Thomas Hatton G. W. Johnson Miller Johnson Abe Johnson Wash. Johnson Warren H. Jones George P. Lake, died of measles at Adam’s Run William Pope Mangum John W. Miller Wash Monroe, wounded at Drill Ground, Va. Drayton Pitts John W. Satterwhite Thomas P. Slider E. P. Stiliwell J. Davis Taylor wounded at Darbytown, Va. I find the following remarks written upon this roll. "Volunteered for 12 months for local defence, but resigned when the company was mustered in for the War after the conscript law was passed; and J. Wash Williams was elected captain of the Company. Good many of the members of the company were over the conscript age, but were not released they were carried to Virginia, and, notwithstanding they volunteered for local defence, they were carried against wishes. The matter was reported to the War Department they were ordered discharged - JOHN B. SPEARMAN. Of the 72 from Newberry, died of disease, 8; killed in battle, 1; wounded, not mortally, 7; discharged over age and disabled, 4. Company 'G', Holcombe Legion, S.C.V. Taken from the "Annals of Newberry", pg 418-20 Joel B. Holler, Captain—resigned; living J. E. Brennan, Captain—promoted from 1st Lieutenant; dead B. B. McCreery, Captain, resigned—promoted from 3d Lieutenant; living in New York John Williams, Captain—from private elected 3d Lieutenant and promoted to Captain; died since the war William Hatton, First Lieutenant—from 1st Sergeant elected to 1st Lieutenant; killed at Second Manassas Nathan Hipp, 1st Lieutenant—from private elected 1st Lieutenant—discharged from Union prison at surrender; living John Chaplin, 2nd Lieutenant—elected at the organization of the company; died at home Wm. Suber, M. D., 2nd Lieutenant —elected from corporal: dead J. J. Reedor, 2nd Lieutenant —elected from private—wounded at Petersburg; died in Union prison unknown James Wilson, 1st Sergeant—promoted from private; killed at Petersburg Wesley Koon, 1st Sergeant— promoted from private—discharged at Point Lookout; living Frank Lominick, 1st Sergeant—promoted from private; killed at Second Manassas John M. Glymph, 2nd Sergeant promoted from private; discharged at Point Lookont Drayton Pitts, 3d Sergeant, killed at Petersburg Henry Hendrix, 4th Sergeant, mortally wounded at Second Manassas W. W. Waldrop, 4th Sergeant, discharged at Point Lookout; living J. M. Suber, 1st Corporal, mortally wounded at Second Manassas Drayton Suber, lst Corporal, lost near Gordonville C. S. Clelaud, 2nd Corporal, discharged at Point Lookout; living N. W. Longshore, 2nd Corporal, discharged at Point Lookout; living W. Pinckney Johnson, 3d Corporal, wounded at Petersburg; discharged at Poiat Lookout; living Pinckney Hendrix, 4th Corporal, mortally wounded at Petersburg Madison McClung, 5th Corporal, wounded at Suponey Church; discharged at Point Lookout Privates Hampton Abrams, dead James Abrains, wounded at Suponey Church; discharged at Point Lookout Jas. Ashford, Fairfield, wounded at Second Manassas; discharged at Point Lookout Richard Anderson, Abbeville, discharged at Point Lookout Thomas H. Alewine Thomas H. Adams, wounded at Rappahanuock, Kinston, Suponey Church and Petersburg; discharged from prison in New York Melvin Adams, discharged at Point Lookout David Blair, killed at Goldsboro George Beam, Fairfield, transferred to 17th S. C. Regiment John Boozer, discharged at Point Lookout John Barksdalo, Laurens, discharged at Point Lookout Martin Butler J. H. P. Cromer, wounded at Second Manassas; disabled and discharged James C. Clary, discharged at Point Lookout Samuel Cohen, wounded at Suponey Church; discharged at Point Lookout; living in New Jersey George S. Cannon, discharged at Point Lookout Franklin H. Cromer, died at Adams Run, June 30, 1862 Stephen Cromer, killed at Second Manassas Ivy Cromer, discharged from prison in New York Robert Cromer, discharged at Point Lookout; dead Franklin Cromer, discharged at Point Lookout William Chapthan, killed at Petersburg George Cromer, discharged at Point Lookout; dead Whitfield Cromer, killed at Petersburg Frederick J. Crorner, discharged at Point Lookout; dead Drayton S. Chandler; living in Greenville County Marion Dickert, discharged disabled E. P. Davis, discharged disabled John Davenport, discharged at Point Lookout Jacob W. Felker, wounded at Suponey Church; discharged at Point Lookout Adam F. Felker, discharged at Petersburg Thomas Felkman, discharged at Point Lookout D. B. Glymph, Abbeville John Gibson, Abbeville, discharged at Point Lookout Jefferson Gregory, Union, discharged; over age. Newt. F. Gilliam, killed at Kinston A. Y. W. Glymph, discharged on detached service J. H. Hayes, discharged at Point Lookout; dead Elijah Hipp, mortally wounded at Second Manasass George Harvey, wounded at Second Manassas; disabled and discharged Wm. Hoyle, Fairfield, died of disease in service Thomas D. Hogg, killed at Second Manassas John N. Hendrix, killed at Second Manassas John H. Harmon, discharged at Point Lookout Simeon Johnson, wounded at Petersburg and discharged from hospital Wm. P. Jackson, Union Wm. Kersey Ivy Ropp, died of disease, not known where M. W. Longshore, killed at Petersburg Levi F. Longshore, discharged at Petersburg Madison Longshore, discharged at Point Lookout Young Longshore, discharged at Point Lookout Jacob Lietzsey, died in prison at Point Lookout John Reeder, discharged at Point Lookout Hilliary Mangum, discharged at Point Lookout James Morris, died of disease at home Robert McClung, died, place and time unknown J. J. McAfee, Kentucky, transferred to Kentucky Cavalry Abner Reeder, wounded at Suponey Church John Oxner, discharged at Point Lookout; dead Uriah Oxner, wounded at Suponey Church; discharged at home Isaac Roebuck, died at home on furlough John Pitts, discharged at Point Lookout Jonathan Pitts, discharged at Point Lookout Joe Pitts, discharged at Point Lookout William Rutherford, discharged at Point Lookout E. W. Reese, discharged at Petersburg John Thomas Suber, discharged disabled David F. Suber, discharged at Point Lookout Edward Stokes Thomas Stokes, dead Jacob Smith, discharged over age Richard S. Satterwhite, discharged at Point Lookout Simpson Sligh, discharged at Point Lookout James Singley, killed at Petersburg William Senn, wounded at Petersburg James Turner, Union,, died of disease at Adam’s Run Press Thompson, died of disease in hospital at Richmond Arnold Thomasson, lost near Gordonsville, Va. Samuel Wicker, wounded at Second Manassas and Kinston; discharged at Point Lookout B. F. Williams, Greenville, killed in battle, time and place not known Walker Willingham, wounded at Second Manassas; discharged at Point Lookout Total rank and file, 105 men. Of that number, were killed in battle, 13; mortally wounded, 2; died of sickness, 8; total loss by death, 23. The reader will also perceive that several were rendered unfit for service by being severely wounded and were in consequence discharged.