1st South Carolina Volunteers  was a Union Army regiment active between the years of 1863-1864.  The volunteers did not participate in any major battles but were involved in several skirmishes and actions along the eastern Atlantic coast of  South Carolina,  Florida and Georgia.   It's commander was Missionary Thomas Wentworth Higginson, a rumored member of John Brown's secret six.  Harriet Tubman had family members serving in this unit and Susie King Taylor a Savannah nurse served as a laundress and a cook for the regiment.  They officially mustered out in February 1866 and are immortalized by their regiment commander in his book, "Army Life in a Black Regiment."

 

The First South Carolina would be the first of the Sea Island units mustered into service.  Units like the 21st, the 34th and the 35th Regiment United States Colored Troop would soon follow.

 

This is the story of men of South Carolina's Colored Volunteers from the American Revolution all the way up to the 1st South Carolina, United States Colored Volunteers.