The SC State Guard is charged with preserving and maintaining the honor and traditions of the First South Carolina Regiment which was organized by volunteers from the militia in 1775. Many members of this unit fought at the Revolutionary War battles of Kings Mountain (1780) and Cowpens in 1781. Both victories were considered to be major turning points in America's fight for independence.
Individual members of the militia volunteered for service again during the French threat of 1797, The War of 1812 and the Seminole (1830) and Mexican Wars (1846).
With the advent of the Civil War (1861-65), new units were formed from existing militia leaving what remained of the structure with the duty of executing the draft, including medical examinations and maintaining the peace. In 1862, South Carolina formed six regiments of troops for internal security.
After 1865, all militia systems in the US were disbanded but reactivated again in 1916 for WWI and prior to WWII. Authorization for a new state Defense Force was passed by Congress in 1954 and laws enacted in 1980 and 1981 resulted in the establishment and maintenance of The South Carolina State Guard of today.