5th South Carolina Cavalry Regiment
Company D
(South Carolina Rangers)

This company was raised in Charleston District in June 1861, by Robert Josiah Jeffords (1834-1864), a Charleston merchant and former first lieutenant of the Charleston Light Dragoons. The company was assigned to the 1st (Martin's) SC Mounted Militia Regiment in September 1861, and was called up for active duty in response to the Federal occupation of Port Royal on November 1861. Following the dissolution of Martin's Regiment in February 1862, Jefford's Co. was mustered into Confederate service as part of Jeffords' Squadron SC Cavalry, and later became Co. A, 6th (Jeffords') Battalion SC Cavalry, in April 1862.

Record of Events:

CPT R. J. Jeffords' Co., 1st (Martin's) SC Mounted Militia:

[The Record of Events section of the original muster roll is blank, but company records indicate the following activities during the period. 14-17 November: Scouting parties sent to the Ashepoo and Combahee Rivers.
18-19 November: scouting parties sent to the Ashepoo River and Tar Bluff.
23, 26 & 29 November: Scouting parties sent to Chapman's Fort and Fields Point.
1 December: Scouting party sent to Fields Point.
3 December: Scouting parties sent to Chapman's Fort and Fields Point.
4 December: Scouting party sent to Chapman's Fort.
6 December: Scouting parties sent to Chapman's Fort and Fields Point.]

1 Jan–16 Feb 1862. Station: Not stated [Chehaw Neck, SC]. 17–28 Feb 1862. Station: Cheeha, SC.

This Company was ordered into service on 6th Nov. [1861] as S.C. Militia & when the Regiment was disbanded to which it was attached, entered Confederate Service at this Camp without accepting furlough offered. The Squadron to which they will be attached is nearly ready. They have occupied post in Cheeha, S.C., 8 miles from Port Royal, S.C., for 4 months. Company of Mounted Riflemen, numbering 88 aggregate, entered Confederate Service on 17 February 1862, for one year, armed with Sabers, double guns and Navy revolvers.

Co. A, 6th/17th Battalion SC Cavalry:

Mar & Apr 1862. Station: [Chehaw Neck, SC].

[The Record of Events section of the original muster roll is blank, but company records indicate the following activities during the period.
7-18 March: Pickets dispatched on alternate days to Fields Point and Warren's Point.
7 March-4 April: 2 couriers provided on alternate days to headquarters, 12th (Dunovant's) SC Infantry, stationed at Camp Blake near the head of the Chehaw River, and to headquarters, 13th (Edward's) SC Infantry, stationed at Camp Gregg near Combahee Ferry. 19 March - 15 April: Pickets dispatched every other day to Fields Point. 31 March: 12-man detachment sent to Heyward's plantation. 1 April: 9-man detachment sent to W. H. Heyward's plantation. 4 April: 23-man detachment sent to Kirkland's plantation.

17 & 19 April: Pickets dispatched to Fields Point and Chapman's Fort. 21-30 April: Pickets dispatched every other day to Fields Point, Riverside, and Chapman's Fort.]

May & Jun 1862. Station: Chisolmville, SC.

[The Record of Events section of the original muster roll is blank, but company records indicate the following activities during the period. 1, 3, 5 & 7 May: Pickets at Chapman's Fort, Fields Point, and Riverside. 9 & 11 May: Pickets at Riverside, Chapman's Fort, Warren's Point, and Fields Point. 13 May: Pickets at Riverside and Fields Point.

15 May: Pickets at Riverside and Fields Point; couriers at Combahee Ferry.

17 May: Pickets at Chapman's Fort and Warren's Point; couriers at Combahee Ferry.

18-20 May: Pickets at Chapman's Fort and Warren's Point.

19 May: Pickets at Fields Point and Riverside.

20 May: Pickets at Chapman's Fort and Riverside. 22 May: Pickets at Chapman's Fort and Warren's Point. 23 May-8 June: Pickets at Fields Point and Chapman's Fort. 9-30 June: Pickets at Warren's Point and Riverside.]

Jul & Aug 1862. Station: Chisolmville, SC.

[The Record of Events section of the original muster roll is blank, but company records indicate the following activities during the period. 1 July: Pickets at Warren's Point and Riverside. 1-6 July: Pickets at Warren's Point and Fields Point; videttes at Means'.
7-13 July: Pickets at Warren's Point and Fields Point; videttes at Heyward's.
14 July: Videttes at Heyward's. 15 July: Pickets at Fields Point; videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
17 July: Pickets at Fields Point; videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
18 July: idettes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
20 July: Videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
21 July: Pickets at Fields Point; videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
23 July: Pickets at Fields Point; videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
24 July: Videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
26 July: Videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
27 July: Pickets at Fields Point; videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
28 July: Vidette at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
29 July: Pickets at Fields Point; videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
30 July: Videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
31 July: Pickets at Fields Point; videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
1 August: Videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
2 August: Pickets at Fields Point; videttes at Chapman's Fort.
4 August: Pickets at Fields Point; videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
5 August: Videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
7 August: Videttes at Heyward's and Chapman's Fort.
8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 & 30 August: Pickets at Fields Point.]

Sep & Oct 1862. Station: Green Pond, SC.

On the 1st Oct., the Company moved with the Battalion from Camp at Chisolmville to the present in the immediate vicinity of Green Pond–distance 7 miles. On the 23 Oct., orders were received from Col. W. S. Walker for the Batt. to proceed immediately to Salkehatchie Bridge to protect it & there await further orders, as the abolitionists were marching in force from Mackey's Point towards the Rail Road. We remained at Salkehatchie Bridge until the following night, when we were relieved & returned to camp. Distance marched in all about forty miles. We were not engaged with the enemy, therefore, but Private E. B. Bell, who was serving with Col. Walker on detached service, was wounded in the left arm by a minnie ball. Wound not severe.

Nov & Dec 1862. Station: Green Pond, SC.

On the 26th of December 1862, a detachment of 14 men, under command of Orderly G. H. Smith, made a reconnoisance of Hutchinson's Island, but found that the abolitionists had evacuated the island. The distance traveled by water by this detachment was about sixty miles.

Jan & Feb 1863. Station: Green Pond, SC.

March 8: E. B. Bell detached by Genl. Walker as Scout accompanied by Privates J. M. Muirhead & J. T. E. Fripp made a successful reconnoisance of St. Helena Sound thro' Station Creek. Absent 5 days. [March] 13–20: Private W. Cartledge accompanies scouting parties to Hutchinson's, Fenwick's, & Otter Islands. [March] 20: Privates E. B. Bell, J. M. Muirhead, J. B. Prevost & [C.] E. Carr made a reconnoisance to St. Helena Sound. April 1: Privates Muirhead, B. Chaplin, Jr. & J. T. E. Fripp paid another visit to St. Helena Island two days previous to the attack up on Charleston. All three expeditions were hazardous & were managed with courage & skill. [April] 17: The Company removed from Camp at Green Pond to a position on the Chehaw Road seven miles distant & nearer the picket posts. April 20: A detachment of 10 men under command of Sgt. Jno. D. Brown accompanied Capt. Stephen Elliott, Jr. of the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery upon an expedition for the purpose of blowing up with torpedoes a Yankee gunboat lying at the mouth of the Ashepoo in St. Helena Sound, which was partially successful. Absent two days & nights. April 27: Pursuant to orders from Genl. Beauregard, this company with five others of the Regmt. began to march to Charleston, arriving at the Ashley River Bridge on the 29[th] at 10 A.M. & reported for duty to Brig.Gen. Ripley, Comdg. 1[st] Mil. Dist. S.C. thro' Lt. Col. R. Jeffords, Commanding the Regmt. Distance marched about fifty miles.

May & Jun 1863. Station: Charleston, SC.

Private J. T. E. Fripp being on sick furlough at his house in Colleton District, S.C., at the time of the Yankee raid on Combahee River on the 2 June 1863, acted as guide for our forces in which capacity and while in the advance he received four (4) wounds which resulted mortally on the 13 day of June '63.

Jul & Aug 1863. Station: Charleston, SC.

The company having furnished detachments as on Morris Island, the following horses were killed & wounded. July 22: horse of Pvt. J. Warner killed. Valued at $800. Horses of Sgt. Jno. Marshall, Jr., Pvts. J. J. Murray, H. H. Murray & G. F. Von Kolnitz wounded by fragments of Shell. Aug. 22: Pvt. S. H. Kingman wounded in foot severely while on duty at Battery Wagner.

Sep & Oct 1863, Station: Ballouville, SC.

In pursuance of Special Orders No. 192, this Co. moved from Charleston on 28 Sept. & arrived at Green Pond on the 29, encamping at Ballouville about three miles from Combahee Ferry. Distance marched about fifty miles. During the month of Oct., several reconnoisances have been made within the enemy's lines in which the following Officers & enlisted men participated. Lt. J. P. DeVeaux, Lt. Geo. H. Smith, Sgt. R. D. Zollers, Corp. J. W. Prevost & Privates Bell, Cartledge, Chafee, Cook, Fehrenbach, Muirhead and Ward. These officers & men deserve credit for the manner in which their several Scouts & reconnoisances were conducted & for their boldness & courage.

Nov & Dec 1863. Station: Camp Chehaw, SC.

Pursuant to orders of Lt. Col. Wm. Stokes, Comdg. Sub Dist., this company moved the 30 Nov 1863 from Ballouville on Combahee Road to Camp Chehaw, SC, Chehaw Road, a point more central to picket stations. During the month of Nov., Lt. J. P. DeVeaux, Sgt. R. D. Zollers, Corp. J. W. Prevost and Privates J. M. Muirhead made a reconnoisance of the Mouth of the Ashepoo River and discovered that the enemy had established a water picket at the Mouth of said river. They also made several trips to Fenwick Island. In the same month, 2Lt. G. H. Smith, Privates Seile, Ward, F. Davis and E. A. Chaplin were ordered on reconnoisances of St. Helena Sound. They landed on Morgan Island and captured a Negro fellow from whom valuable onformation was obtained. In this month [of] Dec., Lt. Smith, Privates Barton, Seile, Muirhead and Fehrenbach made several trips to Warren's Island. These officers and men deserve much praise for the gallant and valuable services they have thus rendered our cause.

Jan & Feb 1864. Station: Green Pond, SC.

At the time of this muster, 30th April 1864, this company was on the march from Columbia, S.C., to Richmond, Va., at Greensboro, N.C.

30 Apr–31 Aug 1864. Station: Gravelly Run, VA.

The following is a list of the several engagements my company has participated in since last Muster, viz. May 10 Chester [Station]. May 12–13 & 14 near Petersburg. May 16 Druries Bluffs. May 24 Kenner's Point. May 28 Hawes' Shop, May 30 Cole [Cold] Harbor. June 11 & 12 Trevilian [Station]. June 20 & 21 White House. June 24 Nance's Shop. June 29 Sappony Church. July 31 Lee's Mills. Aug. 23 Gravelly Run Farm. In the above fights, my loss was as follows, viz., Killed 3, Wounded 5, Captured 3, Missing 1, and died in hospital 2. Total 14.

Sep & Oct 1864. Station: Quaker Road, VA.
Nov & Dec 1864. Station: "Battlefield," VA.

If you have any information about these troops or these units, please contact:
Fred Knudsen

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