6th Regiment South Carolina Cavalry

6th South Carolina Cavalry

Flag of South Carolina
Active July 23, 1862 to 1865
Allegiance South Carolina
Confederate States of America
Type Cavalry
Nickname Dixie Rangers
Aiken's 16th S. C. Partisan Rangers
1st Partisan Rangers
Engagements American Civil War
Commanders
Current
commander
Colonel Hugh K. Aiken

The 6th South Carolina Cavalry Regiment (also called Dixie Rangers, Aiken's Partisan Rangers and 1st Partisan Rangers) was a regiment of cavalry in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. They were from the state of South Carolina and served at various times in both the Eastern and Western theaters.

Organization and history

This unit was originally called the 16th Battalion South Carolina Partisan Rangers - Aiken's Regiment, the 1st Reg. South Carolina Partisan Rangers, and Aiken's 1st Regiment South Carolina Partisan Rangers. It was a part of the state militia troops. The men were formally mustered into Confederate service as the 16th Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry on July 23, 1862. The 6th South Carolina Cavalry was then organized in January 1863, using the 16th Battalion as its nucleus.

Some of the men were from Columbia, including several students from The Citadel Academy. The 6th Cavalry saw action at Willstown and Pon Pon River in South Carolina, and then moved to Virginia with about 1,000 men and was assigned to the Cavalry Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. Assigned to General Matthew C. Butler's brigade, the regiment participated in the Wilderness and Cold Harbor operations and in various conflicts south of the James River. Later, it was engaged in the Carolinas Campaign assigned to Logan's Brigade.

The depleted regiment surrendered with the Army of Tennessee at Bennett Place in North Carolina.

Notable battles

Original commissioned officers

Noncommissioned officers

References

Further reading

The following manuscript may be found in the U.S. Army Military History Institute's archives: