Beaufort Develops Park to Honor 1st South Carolina Volunteers

Categories: Beaufort, SCBluffton, SCEvents/What's HappeningNews

A peaceful park with benches and trails commemorating the 1st South Carolina Volunteers.

News Summary

The city of Beaufort is establishing a park dedicated to the 1st South Carolina Volunteers, the first Black regiment to serve the Union during the Civil War. Covering six acres along Battery Creek, this park aims to educate visitors about the significant contributions of these soldiers, who largely comprised freed slaves. City Councilman Mitch Mitchell and local retired Army officers have been key advocates for the project, emphasizing the importance of recognizing Black Civil War soldiers. Additional features of the park will include interpretive signs, benches, trails, and potentially a statue.

Beaufort Develops Park to Honor 1st South Carolina Volunteers

The city of Beaufort is creating a new park to commemorate the 1st South Carolina Volunteers, the first Black infantry regiment to fight for the Union in the Civil War. Spanning six acres along Battery Creek, the park will serve as an educational resource for visitors.

City Manager Scott Marshall expressed that the park will provide insights into the significant contributions of the 1st South Carolina Volunteers:

The regiment comprised mainly of freed slaves from local plantations.
Approximately 180,000 men of African descent served during the Civil War.

City Councilman Mitch Mitchell emphasized Beaufort’s pivotal role in American history, advocating for the park since learning about the regiment three years ago. He noted:

The recognition of Black Civil War soldiers is crucial for local history.
The accomplishments of the 1st South Carolina Volunteers were largely unknown to the community, including himself.

Retired Army officers Chris Allen and Ben Hodges sparked initiatives to memorialize the regiment after discovering their story through a local high school student’s paper.

The 1st South Carolina Volunteers included notable soldiers such as:

Sgt. Prince Rivers
Cpl. Robert Sutton
William Bronson from St. Helena, the first Black man to enlist in the Union Army.

This regiment engaged in combat nearly a year prior to the more famous 54th Massachusetts Infantry and became the first Black regiment to deploy in combat on August 5, 1862, at St. Simons Island. Their success was acknowledged by President Abraham Lincoln in a letter dated April 1, 1863.

In February 1864, the regiment’s name changed to the 33rd U.S. Colored Troops, which contributed to its historical obscurity.

The planned park will include:

Interpretive signs
Benches
Trails
Potentially a statue or figure representing the soldiers.

The land for the park is currently owned by the city, Beaufort County, and the Beaufort Open Lands Trust. Additionally, the University of South Carolina’s Institute for the Study of the Reconstruction Era will host its third symposium on the 1st South Carolina Volunteers on April 25-26, 2024.