Following its Secession from the Union in December, 1860, South Carolina militia seized Castle Pinckney and the Charleston Arsenal and their supplies of arms and ammunition. On January 9, 1861, Citadel cadets fired upon the merchant ship Star of the West as it was entering Charleston's harbor. The ship had been sent by the Buchanan administration with relief supplies of men and material for Ft. Sumter's small garrison. As the new Confederate States of America came into being late that winter, old and abandoned forts were revamped around Charleston to focus upon the massive, though not completed, Federal fort. This book is the story of the men who fought in Charleston until its fall, then participated in the Carolina's Campaign to its bitter end.

The South Carolina 19th Infantry Regiment was organized during the winter of 1861-1862. It, along with the 18th was created as the last of the units formed in 1861 and did not participate in the early deployment. The 19th was involved the reorganization of the troops in the spring of 1862. They then moved to Mississippi, then to Kentucky where it saw action at Munfordsville. The 19th served with the Army of Tennessee from Murfreesboro to Atlanta, fought with Hood in Tennessee, and was active in the South Carolina Campaign and the North Carolina operations. The regiment lost 8 killed and 72 wounded at Murfreesboro, and the 10th/19th sustained 236 casualties at Chickamauga and totaled 436 men and 293 arms in December, 1863. During the Atlanta Campaign, July 22-28, the 19th reported 12 killed, 60 wounded, and 25 missing, and there were 9 killed, 34 wounded, and 8 missing at Ezra Church. It surrendered on April 26, 1865, with 76 men.

The South Carolina 23rd Infantry Regiment [also called Coast Rangers] was assembled at Charleston, South Carolina, in November, 1861. Most of the men were from Horry, Georgetown, Charleston, and Colleton counties. After being stationed in South Carolina, the regiment moved to Virginia and during the war served in General Evans', Elliot's, and Wallace's Brigade.

The South Carolina 10th Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Marion, near Georgetown, South Carolina, in July, 1861. Its members were raised in the counties of Georgetown, Horry, Williamsburg, Marion, and Charleston. The regiment moved to Cat Island where many of the men suffered from typhoid fever, measles, and mumps. In March, 1862, it was sent to Mississippi, then in the Kentucky Campaign it was involved in the capture of Munfordsville. During the war it was assigned to General Manigault's and Sharp's Brigade and from September, 1863 to April, 1864, was consolidated with the 19th Regiment. The unit served with the Army of Tennessee from Murfreesboro to Atlanta, endured Hood's winter campaign in Tennessee, and saw action in North Carolina. It lost 16 killed, 91 wounded, and 2 missing at Murfreesboro, and the 10th/19th had 236 killed or wounded at Chickamauga and totaled 436 men and 293 arms in December, 1863. During the Atlanta Campaign, July 20-28, the 10th Regiment lost 19 of 24 officers engaged.