Hello PF,
Thanks for the response. But I think Edmund Ruffin was a member of the "Palmetto Guard", which if I am not mistaken was a company in another regiment. South Carolina had several "Palmetto" units; ie; Palmetto Guard, Palmetto Rifles, Palmetto SharpShooters, etc.. There was a unit called the Palmetto Regiment or something like that.

The Palmetto SharpShooters was never or intended to be a numbered regiment, designed by Col. Micah Jenkins and ordained by Confederate Congress from the beginning to be a special regiment of SharpShooters to be used when and where needed, similar to what Berdan's SharpShooters (Union) were and how they were used. I think its parts possibly were known as 1st Bn. Palmetto SharpShooters, or 2nd Bn., etc.. In its beginning it was a huge regiment with something like 1100 or more members. At Appamattox it was one of the largest units to surrender. My g.g.grandfather's old company, Co. "H" (he was dead by then) had 25 or 26 members left when it surrendered. Heck, the 7th Virginia Infantry had only 7 men total at Appamattox.

But due to the pressing war needs and shortage manpower and of things like special sniper rifles the regiment wound up just being used as infantry most of the time. Although there were a few Kerr rifles in the unit.

The reason I was wondering about uniforms is because it was designed to be a special crack unit of sharpshooters from the outset. Col. Micah Jenkins formed the unit in 1862, its first major battle being the Battle of Seven Pines. But I read a quote by a memeber of the unit in a letter home saying, "I now belong to a magnificant new regiment of sharpshooters....!", or something to that extent. I definatly remember his description and the word "magnificant" being used. I figured that early in the war before the South and its States were destitute that it was probably given special uniforms either by the government (since its conception and use was oked and passed by congress) or by the State of South Carolina. I have read that they had frock coats with green trim. I have also read that they had white tape trim around the edges of their colloars, officers having silver. I even have a pic of someone, possibly a descendent of mine that I found in a box under my grandmother's bed after her death. He is wearing a frock coat with white or silver tape trim, a kepi with a SC tree on the front and officer's accoutrements.

I just have never understood why there is hardly anything known now about the regiment, it being a supposedly crack unit formed with the approval of congress of all things, etc., etc..
ell, I have to go and sorry for the long post. If you want to hollar at me by e-mail my address is below (this website does not notify me about responses like other discussion boards do). Thanks for the response though,
Take care,
Dave
Millbrook, Al..
k98@bellsouth.net