Wednesday, November 21, 2007

2nd South Carolina


2nd Regiment South Carolina Infantry
Commander
Lt. Col. Franklin Gaillard
Monument #1349

South Carolina markers are pretty simple, just regiment and commander. I did a little searching online to flesh out some more details on Franklin Gaillard. He served with the 2nd South Carolina his whole career. He enlisted as 2nd lieutenant in Company A, was a major by Antietam, and commanded the regiment thereafter as lieutenant colonel, excepting periods that the colonel returned for duty after his own woundings. Gaillard was killed at the Wilderness and his cousin, William DuBose, the chaplain for the 2nd South Carolina, wrote of this, "What his loss is to us of the brigade as an officer and as a man it is impossible to overestimate. It would gratify his friends to see how deep and universal the feeling has been and how irreparable his loss is regarded. . . . I do not think that any death outside of my immediate family has ever affected me more deeply."
Lt. Col. Franklin Gaillard with his daughter, Maria Porcher Gaillard, and son, David Lellair Gaillard.
His grave in Fredericksburg. The family photo and the grave photo I found at findagrave.com

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello, Nick...I enjoyed reading your blog. I've been a CWNut for quite a few years and have made 5 major Civil Wargasms [have you read Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz?] to numerous ACW sites. I enjoy tying together various soldiers,leaders,etc with various battlefields. Speaking of Chickamauga and Fredericksburg in the same chapter, your writing brought to mind Richard Kirkland, also of the 2nd SC and also famed at Fredericksburg -- The Angel of Marye's Heights. Killed at Horseshoe Ridge at Chickamauga. I've been both places so have made that particular "connection." Also was interested in 1st Minnesota going to the eastern theater [Gettysburg in particular] whilst 2nd Minnesota [impressive monument on Missionary Ridge at Chattanooga] stays in the west. Who made those decisions? Why didn't those two regts wind up close together in the ranks? Just one of my mental wanderings. Happy hiking!
Art Bagley
Tampa, Florida

Anonymous said...

Hi Nick! Thanks so much for this information on Franklin Gaillard. Our family is related to him and I am just doing some research. It was nice to find the pictures!