Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/123

 The Wee Nee Volunteers of Williamaburg District. 117

Both Hagood's regiment and Gregg's were known as the First South Carolina volunteers. Colonel Gregg's was called the First because organized first in regard to time, and was the only regiment organized under the call of the Convention for troops for the Fort Sumter campaign. Upon its reorganization and reception by the Confederacy it was allowed to retain its name. Colonel Hagood's was organized under an act of the Legislature providing for the raising often regiments and in designating these regiments so raised, it was designated as the First. It was, in August, 1861, encamped at Summerville. Captain Pressley at once reported the organization of his company to Colonel Hagood, and soon after received orders to report for duty in Charleston.

The following letter from the regimental quartermaster may be of interest, as showing the preparation which soldiers were then required to make for service :

CAMP HAGOOD, SUMMERVILLE, S. C.

Captain ]. G. PRESSLEY,

Kingslree Pos (office, Soitlh Carolina:

Dear Sir, I write to inform you that it will be well for each of your men to bring his blanket with him, otherwise he will have to supply himself out of the money allowed him to buy his clothes.

It is also advisable for each of the officers to come prepared with all his camp equipage except tents, axes, hatchets and spades, as these are the only articles allowed them. Yours truly, etc.,

G. B. LARTIGUE. August 27, 1861.

About the first of September the company took the train for Charles- ton, the most of them embarking at Kingstree. The men were all in high spirits. Joseph Ard.from the neighborhood of Clocktown, de- serves special mention. Owing to a defect in his organs of speech, he could not make himself understood by one not accustomed to hear- ing him talk. Some days before the company took its departure he applied for membership, and was kindly, but firmly, refused by me, because of his infirmity. While standing on the platform super- intending the embarkation of the men and their baggage, in the dim twilight of the morning, Ard approached me in company with one of his friends, who came with him to interpret. He tried to tell me something, which the interpreter said was that he was very anxious to go with the company.