3rd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry Regiment (Colored)

The 3rd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry Regiment (Colored) was a unit of the United States Army raised during the American Civil War. Composed primarily of formerly enslaved African American men from South Carolina, it played a significant role in the Union war effort, particularly in the Department of the South.

The regiment was mustered into service between February and May 1863, largely under the command of Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson, a prominent abolitionist. Its formation was part of a broader effort to enlist Black soldiers in the Union Army, following the Emancipation Proclamation. Prior to its official designation as the 3rd South Carolina Volunteers, the unit was known as the 1st South Carolina Volunteers. The change in designation reflected the increasing number of Black regiments being formed in the region.

The 3rd South Carolina Volunteers engaged in various operations throughout the coastal regions of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. These included reconnaissance missions, skirmishes, and larger-scale attacks against Confederate positions. The regiment was involved in actions near Jacksonville, Florida, and served garrison duty in areas like Hilton Head and Beaufort, South Carolina.

The regiment's service was marked by challenges, including discrimination and unequal treatment compared to white Union soldiers. Despite these hardships, the men of the 3rd South Carolina Volunteers demonstrated bravery and dedication to the Union cause and to the fight for their own freedom and the freedom of others. Their service contributed to the eventual Union victory and the abolition of slavery.

The 3rd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry Regiment (Colored) was mustered out of service on January 31, 1866. The regiment’s service exemplifies the crucial contributions of African American soldiers to the Union war effort and the long struggle for civil rights and equality in the United States.