Nearly ten percent of all South Carolinians who fought in the Confederate army were members of Evans' Brigade, which included South Carolina's 17th, 18th, 22nd, and 23rd Regiments, the Macbeth Light Artillery, and the infantry companies of the Holcombe Legion. Later the 26th Regiment of South Carolina Volunteers joined the unit. The troops numbered more than 8,300 and hailed from nearly every district in South Carolina. Their letters, diaries, and official reports reveal much about the state's participation in the war, from combat and camp life to death, desertion, capture, and furlough.
The accounts also illustrate the diverse social, economic, and educational backgrounds of the soldiers and officers drawn together in the brigade. From the eloquent writings of William Porcher Dubose to the tall tales of Dock Owen, a multitude of voices give life to the brigade's wartime experiences.
