tndirtdigger
Full Member
- Feb 21, 2015
- 108
- 754
- 🥇 Banner finds
- 2
- Detector(s) used
- Minelab Equinox 800, Garrett AT Pro, Garrett AT Max
- Primary Interest:
- Relic Hunting
Just finished a week long vacation in the low country of South Carolina. I have been hunting a plantation there for the past few years when we make the trip to see my in-laws. Before the trip started I made a goal to find something gold, something silver, or something Rev war with identifiable markings. On the third and shortest trip out to the plantation with my brother in-law I made the find of a lifetime. Over the last 3 years I have found approximately 200 flat buttons, musket balls, parts of flintlock pistols and muskets, two cannonballs, several colonial coppers, and a solid gold thimble last year. I knew there had to be a couple of marked Rev war relics on the property.
We have been all around the live oak trees in the photo for the past three years and I got my coil over a several pewter buttons in that time frame. Most are just plain faced with a back mark of P on one side and N on the other side of the shank. Some internet sites say those may be Rev war but I suppose they could also be civilian from that time frame. But when this button came out I knew I had something special. A 3rd Regiment South Carolina button that is in pretty good condition considering it is 240+ years old.
After some research in a Facebook group it was identified and I could not be more stoked. I have looked all over the internet for an identical 3rd Regiment button but have yet to find one so I assume they are fairly rare. The other variety with SC 3 on them seems to be the more common variety but no variety is easy to come by. The one in the button book shows a little more wear/tear than the one I found but it is easily identifiable by that numeral 3 design.
I have done some research of the 3rd Reg South Carolina and attached below. This regiment was formed in Western South Carolina and this was found just North of Charleston. I assume it was dropped on the way through to Sullivan's Island or to the siege of Charleston. I guess there are some things I will never know but the regiment was made up of around 450-600 soldiers. There is also a list of those soldiers on a website I found. Its a great feeling to look at that list and know the button came off one of those soldier's uniform. https://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/revolution_sc_third_regiment.html
Here is a list of the other finds: Handful of musket balls, trigger guard for a flintlock musket, approx. 35 flat buttons, pewter rosettes, pewter spoon, 3 KG coins, a blood letter or fleam (cool find), brass candle holder, some type of copper lid, shoe buckle mechanism, solid shot cannonball, and a few other odds and ends.
Thanks for looking!
History of the 3rd:
Authorized June 6, 1775 in the South Carolina Provincial Troops as the South Carolina Regiment of Horse (Rangers). Organized in summer 1775 at Ninety-Six Courthouse to consist of nine companies from western South Carolina. Redesignated November 12, 1775 as the 3rd South Carolina Regiment. Adopted July 24, 1776 into the Continental Army and assigned to the Southern Department. Captain Ezekiel Polk's Independent Company (organized in summer 1775 in western South Carolina) concurrently redesignated as the 10th Company, 3rd South Carolina Regiment.
Assigned November 23, 1776 to the 1st South Carolina Brigade, an element of the Southern Department. Relieved August 26, 1778 from the 1st South Carolina Brigade and assigned to the 2nd South Carolina Brigade, an element of the Southern Department. Relieved January 3, 1779 from the 2nd South Carolina Brigade.
Assigned February 1, 1779 to the South Carolina Brigade, an element of the Southern Department. Reorganized February 11, 1780 to consist of nine companies. Captured May 12, 1780 at Charleston by the British Army. Disbanded January 1, 1781.
Engagements:
Charleston 1775-1776
Southern Highlands
Savannah
Charleston 1780
Detachments additionally served in the following:
Cherokees 1776
Florida 1778
The regiment was established by the South Carolina Provincial Congress in June 1775 as mounted riflemen who used horses for transportation but dismounted to fight on foot. It consisted of a lieutenant colonel commandant, a major, nine captains, eighteen lieutenants, a surgeon, a paymaster, an adjutant, and a quartermaster, and with each of its nine companies having two sergeants, a drummer, and fifty privates. The regiment was placed on the Continental Establishment in September 1776 as mounted riflemen, and in October its complement increased to 600 men in twelve companies, with the commanding officer, the major, and the senior captain, all being promoted one grade.
The regiment was recruited in the backcountry and on the frontiers, and normally served in multi-company detachments, one of which took over Fort Charlotte in July 1775. Another detachment was bloodied in the fighting at Ninety Six in November 1775 and in the "Snow Campaign," which followed.
In June 1776, the whole regiment defended the eastern end of Sullivan's Island when the British attempted an amphibious assault during the naval attack on the fort, which was later named Fort Moultrie.
We have been all around the live oak trees in the photo for the past three years and I got my coil over a several pewter buttons in that time frame. Most are just plain faced with a back mark of P on one side and N on the other side of the shank. Some internet sites say those may be Rev war but I suppose they could also be civilian from that time frame. But when this button came out I knew I had something special. A 3rd Regiment South Carolina button that is in pretty good condition considering it is 240+ years old.
After some research in a Facebook group it was identified and I could not be more stoked. I have looked all over the internet for an identical 3rd Regiment button but have yet to find one so I assume they are fairly rare. The other variety with SC 3 on them seems to be the more common variety but no variety is easy to come by. The one in the button book shows a little more wear/tear than the one I found but it is easily identifiable by that numeral 3 design.
I have done some research of the 3rd Reg South Carolina and attached below. This regiment was formed in Western South Carolina and this was found just North of Charleston. I assume it was dropped on the way through to Sullivan's Island or to the siege of Charleston. I guess there are some things I will never know but the regiment was made up of around 450-600 soldiers. There is also a list of those soldiers on a website I found. Its a great feeling to look at that list and know the button came off one of those soldier's uniform. https://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/revolution_sc_third_regiment.html
Here is a list of the other finds: Handful of musket balls, trigger guard for a flintlock musket, approx. 35 flat buttons, pewter rosettes, pewter spoon, 3 KG coins, a blood letter or fleam (cool find), brass candle holder, some type of copper lid, shoe buckle mechanism, solid shot cannonball, and a few other odds and ends.
Thanks for looking!
History of the 3rd:
Authorized June 6, 1775 in the South Carolina Provincial Troops as the South Carolina Regiment of Horse (Rangers). Organized in summer 1775 at Ninety-Six Courthouse to consist of nine companies from western South Carolina. Redesignated November 12, 1775 as the 3rd South Carolina Regiment. Adopted July 24, 1776 into the Continental Army and assigned to the Southern Department. Captain Ezekiel Polk's Independent Company (organized in summer 1775 in western South Carolina) concurrently redesignated as the 10th Company, 3rd South Carolina Regiment.
Assigned November 23, 1776 to the 1st South Carolina Brigade, an element of the Southern Department. Relieved August 26, 1778 from the 1st South Carolina Brigade and assigned to the 2nd South Carolina Brigade, an element of the Southern Department. Relieved January 3, 1779 from the 2nd South Carolina Brigade.
Assigned February 1, 1779 to the South Carolina Brigade, an element of the Southern Department. Reorganized February 11, 1780 to consist of nine companies. Captured May 12, 1780 at Charleston by the British Army. Disbanded January 1, 1781.
Engagements:
Charleston 1775-1776
Southern Highlands
Savannah
Charleston 1780
Detachments additionally served in the following:
Cherokees 1776
Florida 1778
The regiment was established by the South Carolina Provincial Congress in June 1775 as mounted riflemen who used horses for transportation but dismounted to fight on foot. It consisted of a lieutenant colonel commandant, a major, nine captains, eighteen lieutenants, a surgeon, a paymaster, an adjutant, and a quartermaster, and with each of its nine companies having two sergeants, a drummer, and fifty privates. The regiment was placed on the Continental Establishment in September 1776 as mounted riflemen, and in October its complement increased to 600 men in twelve companies, with the commanding officer, the major, and the senior captain, all being promoted one grade.
The regiment was recruited in the backcountry and on the frontiers, and normally served in multi-company detachments, one of which took over Fort Charlotte in July 1775. Another detachment was bloodied in the fighting at Ninety Six in November 1775 and in the "Snow Campaign," which followed.
In June 1776, the whole regiment defended the eastern end of Sullivan's Island when the British attempted an amphibious assault during the naval attack on the fort, which was later named Fort Moultrie.
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