Joining the 3d S.C. Batt'n


Why should I join the 3d S.C. Batt'n?

This is the unit for serious campaign marchers. Frankly, the march planned by the rest of the brigade on Friday is weak. It is strong on living history and route, but there's not much distance involved. Even the largest tubby bearded guy can make the three miles presently planned for Friday.

On Thursday, the 3d S.C. Batt'n will be marching through from Fox's Gap to the rendevous site for Drayton's Brigade at the St. James School. The direct distance is approximately twelve miles.

This is a one day march. Due to the extra mileage, this march is not for everyone. Accordingly, the 3d S.C. Batt'n will be filled by persons with campaign attitude and a desire to test said attitude on an extended march. Due to the physical nature of the march, the unit should have a younger attitude than the other units of the brigade. For more information about the march, click here.

Small in size, but large in stature

The recreated brigade is limited to a total of 227 participants as this is the same number of soldiers who marched into the Battle of Sharpsburg. The largest unit in the brigade will be the 15th South Carolina which may field a total of eighty four men of all ranks. Next will be the 51st Georgia with sixty eight men. Then will be the Phillips Georgia Legion Infantry with fifty one men. The smallest - by far - will be the 3d S.C. Batt'n with twenty four men of all ranks.

Why so small? The 3d S.C. Batt'n suffered the heaviest percentage of casualties of any unit at Fox's Gap (also known as Boonesburo Gap) on 14 September 62. There, 160 of the 3d S.C. Batt'n entered the fight. With casualties of 136 men, only 24 remained for the next battle. Since they only had 24, we are limited to 24.

Yeah, but the 3d is still the smallest unit

This means you should see more action. Large units can be cumbersome and unwieldy. A small unit can react quickly to changing orders and situations. Expect to be called into unexpected hot spots or moved from one flank to another. Also with the unit being roughly one tenth the size of the entire brigade, regular skirmish duties are a natural.

The 3d's experience is one day greater than the rest of the battalion

The experience commences Wednesday night at Turner's Gap where the unit will camp on this historic battlefield. At first light, the unit will proceed to Fox' Gap and then to St. James School near Hagerstown.

As the brigade forms Thursday night, others will be fresh and trying to get into the spirit of the weekend. Those in the 3d S.C. Batt'n will already be deep into the experience of soldiering.

Being worn down from a respectible march, the living history on Friday will seem more real to the members of the 3d Batt'n than to those who did not march the day before.

Okay, I'm interested. Who do I contact?

Contact me, Mark (Silas) Tackitt, of the 44th Tennessee Consolidated Infantry. I'm organizing the march and commanding the 3d S.C. Batt'n.


Drayton's Brigade homepage

3d S.C. Batt'n / 15th S.C.V. / 51st GA / Phillips Legion

Uniform Standards / Registration for Drayton's Brigade / Links


Civilian Adjunct homepage


Last updated 21 July 2002 at 1245 hrs.

This page hosted by Silas of the 3d S.C. Batt'n. Email him here.