SOUTH CAROLINA PALMETTO SHARPSHOOTERS
Company H
The men listed on this page were all present at the Appomattox surrender.
OFFICERS:
Brown, T. C. 1st Serg't.
Exell, L. C. 2nd Serg't.
Quinn, J. W. 3rd Serg't.
PRIVATES:
Amos, C. M.
Black, John
Byers, N.
Burk, Alfred
Cash, Alex.
Calvert, A. F.
Calvert. E. M.
Cudd, W. H.
Martin, J. W.
Martin, J. M.
Martin, B. B.
Moore, Hugh
Poole, J. T. L.
Prichard, James
Rodgers, W. E.
West, W. J.
Whitlock, D. G.
"As a part of the general reorganization of the Army of Northern Virginia in April 1862, Col. Micah Jenkins was authorized by congress to organize a new regiment which he called "Jenkins Palmetto Sharpshooters" This regiment was intended to be a detached specialty unit, the companies of which could be separately attached to various infantry regiments for sharp shooting support. Unfortunately this never occurred and the regiment was more or less permanently assigned to Gen. R. H. Anderson's 2nd Brigade of Gen. Longstreet's Division.
BATTLE OF WILLIAMSBURG
The Palmetto Sharpshooters, though a newly organized regiment, was composed of a large number of seasoned soldiers and was immediately ordered to a position to stop the advance of Gen. McClellan's federal forces.
On April 16, 1862, the regiment was transported by steamer down the James River to a landing near Yorktown, VA where they were entrenched and performed picket duty as required for the remainder of April. On May 3 the Army of Northern Virginia was ordered to withdraw to Richmond. Gen. Longstreet's Division, which included the 5th Regiment and the Palmetto Sharpshooters were assigned to defend the rear of the retreat up the peninsula by defending Fort Magruder near Williamsburg. The federal troops began their assault on Fort Magruder on May 5, and Longstreet's forces were in their first battle since the reorganization. They held off the assault for the remainder of that day and through the night. The following morning the Palmetto Sharpshooters rejoined the main force in their retreat toward Richmond. The Battle of Williamsburg provided much needed time for the major force to retreat.
After arriving at the outskirts of Richmond on about the 17th of May, Jenkins regiment was only allowed a couple of days rest before they were sent to protect against a possible attack at Chafins Bluff, about 5 miles south of Richmond. The regiment stayed on post at Chafins Bluff for several days, and when the expected attack never materialized were returned to their camp several miles northeast of Richmond. It was here on the 29th of May 1862 that General Longstreet presented Colonel Jenkins Palmetto Sharpshooters with the battle flag depicted at the top of this page.
BATTLE OF SEVEN PINES
On the night of May 30, Col. Jenkins received orders and by five o'clock the next morning the Palmettos were on the march with Gen. Longstreet,s division to Seven Pines, a place about 5 miles east of Richmond, where Nine Mile Road meets Williamsburg Road. Two Union divisions, which made up Gen. Keyes' IV Corps, were positioned near Seven Pines with their right flank near Fair Oaks Station.
The following book provides a definitive history of Col. Micah Jenkins and the Palmetto Sharpshooters."
THE STRUCK EAGLE, by James J. Baldwin, III Burd Street Press, 1996 ISBN 1-57249-017-9
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