A history of the 2nd South Carolina Infantry, 1861-65

"A History of the 2nd South Carolina Infantry: 1861-65" by Mac Wyckoff (Sergeant Kirkland's Museum and Historical Society, Inc., 1994, 278 pages), is a vivid and stirring account of this hard fighting regiment that fought in the Army of Northern Virginia in General Joseph Kershaw's Brigade. Mr. Wyckoff tells the history of the 2nd South Carolina in a fascinating and dramatic hsitory that endured the hardships of war. The regiment fought in most of the Army of Northern Virginia's battles against the Army of the Potomac and in 1864 transferred to the western theater of the war with General James Longstreet's Corps fighting in Georgia and Eastern Tennessee. Not only does Mr. Wyckoff give the history of the regiment but gives many accounts of the personal lives of the soldiers in the 2nd South Carolina, and a day by day account of the regiment. The regiment first saw action at First Manassas (Bull Run) and fought in their last battle in Greensboro. In every battle, the regiment was in the thick of the action. This book compliments Mr. Wyckoff's book "A History of the Third South Carolina Infantry 1861-1865". Truly they were brother regiments having fought in most of the battles together. During the second day of Battle at Gettysburg on July 2, 1863, the fought in hard action across the Emmitsburg Road along with the 8th, 3rd, 7th, and 15 South Carolina Regiments going toward the Stony Hill and being shelled and shot by the regiments and batteries including the famed Irish Brigade The 2nd swarmed into the Wheatfield and did hard fighting that claimed many soldiers lives. The 2nd would also be in the Battle of Chickamauga, the East Tennessee Campaign, The Overland Campaign, Petersburg, Cedar Creek, Richmond, before finally surrendering at Greensboro, North Carolina under General Joseph E. Johnston. This is an excellent book about a brave and famed regiment and Mr. Wyckoff has included an outstanding muster roll and history of the soldiers of the 2nd South Carolina that enhances this book tremendously. This is a fascinating read that is highly recommended for Civil War scholars, students, "arm chair-generals" who want to know more about the Army of Northern Virginia, the major battles of the eastern theater of the Civil War, the western theater of the war, Confederate and South Carolina Military History. It truly is an accomplished study of one of the most distinguished regiments of Kershaw's South Carolina Brigade.