Palmetto Regiment
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The Palmetto Regiment of Volunteers of South Carolina was an infantry regiment that participated in the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...
. It suffered heavy losses and was known for the first American colors over Mexico City, when it raised its regimental flag.


History

President
James K. Polk James Knox Polk (; November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the 11th president of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849. A protégé of Andrew Jackson and a member of the Democratic Party, he was an advocate of Jacksonian democracy and ...
called for volunteers for the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...
. During the war, the South contributed many more troops than did the North. It supported the war in the hopes of extending slavery into the Southwest Mexican territories. Soon in 1846 South Carolina's "Palmetto Regiment" was formed. The regiment provided 10 companies of men, from both US Regular Army and Volunteers. On December 24, 1846, Thomas L. Hutchinson presented the regiment with its first flag. The regiment was trained by cadets of the
South Carolina Military Academy The South Carolina Military Academy was a predecessor, two-campus institution to The Citadel. It was established in 1842 by the South Carolina Legislature and classes began at the Arsenal (Columbia) in 1843. South Carolina had constructed a series ...
(now
The Citadel The Citadel Military College of South Carolina (simply known as The Citadel) is a public senior military college in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Established in 1842, it is the third oldest of the six senior military colleges ...
), who served as the first "drillmasters". The regimental flag was described as being made of blue silk, with the coat of arms of the state of South Carolina upon one side, and the United States arms and a palmetto tree upon the other side, with the inscription "Presented by the City of Charleston." The flag was also reported to have the motto "Not for ourselves we conquer, but our country." The regiment would serve throughout the campaigns in Mexico, most notably; Vera Cruz, Contreras, Churubusco, Chapultepec, and the Gaita de Belen (a main gate into Mexico City). At the
Battle of Churubusco The Battle of Churubusco took place on August 20, 1847, while Santa Anna's army was in retreat from the Battle of Contreras or Battle of Padierna during the Mexican–American War. It was the battle where the San Patricio Battalion, made u ...
on August 20, 1847, Colonel
Pierce Mason Butler Pierce Mason Butler (April 11, 1798August 20, 1847) was an American soldier and statesman who served as the 56th Governor of South Carolina from 1836 to 1838. He was killed while serving as colonel of the Palmetto Regiment at the Battle of Ch ...
and Lieutenant Colonel Dickinson were both mortally wounded while carrying the flag. Dickinson passed the flag to Major Adley H. Gladden, who passed it to Lieutenant Baker of Company A, who carried it a short time before giving out due to illness. He turned the banner over to Major Gladden. Major Gladden passed the flag to Private Patrick Leonard of Company H, who carried it through the remainder of the battle. At the
Battle of Chapultepec The Battle of Chapultepec took place between U.S. troops and Mexican forces holding the strategically located Chapultepec Castle on the outskirts of Mexico City on the 13th of September, 1847 during the Mexican–American War. The castle was buil ...
and the fighting at the Belen Gate on September 13, 1847, this flag was the first American color to be raised over the City of Mexico. After the war Captain Charles Naylor wrote:
"After we had been there sometime, it was suggested that a Flag should be raised to announce our position and success to the other Division's of the Army. General Quitman ordered a flag to be raised for the purpose. So far as I can remember there was no American Flag there; there was certainly none produced or exhibited. A young officer (whose name I am sorry to say I do not recollect) of the South Carolina Regiment, brought forward the Palmetto Flag, the flag of his regiment and State, and with two of his men and Lieutenant Wilcox (of Quitman's Staff) clambered to the top of a little shed adjoining the aqueduct, and upon the right of the gate as we enter the city, and from the top of that little shed he raised the Palmetto Flag over the aqueduct, and there held it amid a tremendous fire, provoked for a time into increased severity upon that point by the display of the Flag. There being no means to secure the flag in its place, General Quitman ordered it down; but before this could be done the gallant officer who had planted it and held it, was shot. I aided in getting him down. One of the two men who had charge of the flag, when this officer was wounded, was himself shot just as he leaped down from the shed, and he fell with the flag in his hand, by the side of General Quitman, who was at this time in a greatly exposed position, smoking a cigar, as was his custom, and inspiring the breasts of all around him with his own cheerful daring, unpretentious heroism, and confident security of an immediate, glorious, and final triumph."
Frederick William Selleck of the famed Palmetto Regiment was the officer who raised the Palmetto Flag over Mexico City, sustaining serious wounds as he did so. A monument was erected in his honor by his captain, Foster Marshall, in
Abbeville, South Carolina Abbeville is a city and county seat of Abbeville County, in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is located west of Columbia and south of Greenville. Its population was 5,237 at the 2010 census. Settled by French Huguenot settlers, it was n ...
, and his portrait was hung in the State House in Columbia.


Palmetto Medal

On 8 December 1848 the
South Carolina House of Representatives The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly. It consists of 124 representatives elected to two-year terms at the same time as U.S. congressional elections. Unlike many legislatures, seatin ...
authorized the presentation of medals to the officers and men of the Palmetto Regiment. The
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
concurred five days later. Production and distribution occurred in 1850. It was issued in gold to commissioned officers and in silver to non-commissioned officers and privates. The medal measures 48 mm in diameter. One of the recipients of the medal was Sgt. Carey Wentworth Styles who went on to found ''
The Atlanta Constitution ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' (''AJC'') is an American daily newspaper based in metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia. It is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' is the result of the merge ...
''. Styles' Palmetto Medal was sold in an online auction, in the late 2010s. The 16 May 1850 ''
Charleston Courier ''The Post and Courier'' is the main daily newspaper in Charleston, South Carolina. It traces its ancestry to three newspapers, the ''Charleston Courier'', founded in 1803, the ''Charleston Daily News'', founded 1865, and ''The Evening Post'', f ...
'' described the medal as follows: "... On one side is represented the landing of the American troops at Vera Cruz, the gallant leader of the Palmetto Regiment, Colonel Butler, having sprung from the boat that bore him to the shore, and with drawn sword, is calling on his command to follow—a figure, bearing the beloved Palmetto Flag, is on the prow of the boat, about to leap on shore, and plant the Standard, around which all appear eager to rally. To the right, are serried columns of troops on the line of march toward the Castle at San Juan; while in the distance is seen the American fleet, covering the landing of more troops, which are approaching the shore in boats. Around the edge of this side of the Medal, in raised letters, are the names 'Vera Cruz', 'Contreras', 'Churubusco', Chapultepec', 'Garita de Belen'.


Iron Palmetto

Christopher Werner, a master ironworker in Charleston, created the Palmetto Regiment Monument in 1853 and had it installed on the grounds of the state Capitol. It was tri-colored (based on three metals used) and considered amazingly lifelike. Becoming known as the "Iron Palmetto", it commemorated the regiment's achievements and losses in the Mexican War."The State"; December 22, 1907; Issue: 6134; Page: 17 (column 3) "But the crowning achievement of Werner's artistic life was the making of what is at the same time his loveliest and most famous piece of work – namely, his wonderfully beautiful palmetto tree, which was bought by the State of South Carolina to serve as a noble monument to the memory of the splendid Palmetto regiment, whose achievements are among the finest in the whole long list of gallant feats in the history of American arms. This tree is made of iron, copper and brass and was built in 1853..." It was the first monument on the grounds.


Notable members

*
Preston Brooks Preston Smith Brooks (August 5, 1819 – January 27, 1857) was an American slaver, politician, and member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina, serving as a member of the Democratic Party from 1853 until his resignation i ...
– Captain, later a member of the US House of Representatives * Pierce M. Butler – Colonel, was a South Carolina governor * James Cantey – Adjutant, Captain, later Confederate Brigadier General * James Willis Cantey – Lieutenant, died at the
Battle of Chapultepec The Battle of Chapultepec took place between U.S. troops and Mexican forces holding the strategically located Chapultepec Castle on the outskirts of Mexico City on the 13th of September, 1847 during the Mexican–American War. The castle was buil ...
*
James Holt Clanton James Holt Clanton (January 8, 1827 – September 27, 1871) was an American soldier, lawyer, legislator, and was later also a Confederate soldier. He enlisted in the United States Army for service during the Mexican–American War, and later was ...
– Private, later Confederate Brigadier General * Jonathan R. Davis – Honorary captain *
John Dunovant John Dunovant (1825-1864) was a brigadier general with temporary rank in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands''. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. ...
– Captain, later Confederate Brigadier General * Adley H. Gladden – Major, later Lieutenant Colonel, later Confederate Brigadier General *
Joseph B. Kershaw Joseph Brevard Kershaw (January 5, 1822 – April 13, 1894) was an American planter and slaveholder from South Carolina. He was also a lawyer, judge, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. Early life Kershaw was born on January 5 ...
– 1st Lieutenant, later a Confederate Major General *
Arthur Middleton Manigault Arthur Middleton Manigault (October 26, 1824 – August 17, 1886) was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Early life and career Manigault was born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1824. His parents w ...
– First Lieutenant, later Confederate Brigadier General * Samuel McGowan – Private, later Captain, later Confederate Brigadier General * Carey Wentworth Styles – Sergeant, later Confederate Colonel, founder of ''
The Atlanta Constitution ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' (''AJC'') is an American daily newspaper based in metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia. It is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' is the result of the merge ...
''


See also

* List of United States military and volunteer units in the Mexican–American War


References


Notes


Citations


External links


South Carolinians in the War with Mexico
{{The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina Military units and formations in South Carolina Military units and formations of the Mexican–American War