• Authorized on June 6, 1775 in the South Carolina State Troops as the South Carolina Regiment of Horse Rangers.
• Organized in summer 1775 at Ninety-Six Court House to consist of nine companies from western South Carolina.
• Redesignated on November 12, 1775 as the 3rd South Carolina Regiment.
• Adopted on July 24, 1776 into the Continental Army and assigned to the Southern Department; Capt. Ezekiel Polk's Independent Company (organized in summer 1775 in western South Carolina) concurrently redesignated as the 10th Company, 3rd South Carolina Regiment.
• Assigned on November 23, 1776 to the 1st South Carolina Brigade, an element of the Southern Department.
• Relieved on August 26, 1778 from the 1st South Carolina Brigade and assigned to the 2nd South Carolina Brigade, an element of the Southern Department.
• Relieved on January 3, 1779 from the 2nd South Carolina Brigade.
• Assigned on February 1, 1779 to the South Carolina Brigade, an element of the Southern Department.
• Reorganized on February 11, 1780 to consist of nine companies.
• Captured on May 12, 1780 at Charleston by the British Army.
• Disbanded on January 1, 1781.

Lineage taken from "The Continental Army" by Robert K Wright

• Charleston 1775-1776
• Florida 1778
• Savannah
• Charleston 1780

Detachments additionally served in the following:

• Cherokees 1776
• Florida
• Florida 1778

The 3rd South Carolina Regiment was raised on June 6, 1775, at Ninety-Six Court House, South Carolina, for service with the Continental Army. The regiment saw action at the Siege of Savannah and the Siege of Charleston. The regiment was captured by the British Army at Charleston on May 12, 1780, together with the rest of the Southern Department. The regiment was disbanded on November 15, 1783.

Charleston, South Carolina Siege Charleston Campaign 7 March - 12 May 1780

American Forces Commanding Officer - Major General Benjamin Lincoln21 Continentals Brigadier General William Moultrie 22 South Carolina Continental Brigade Colonel Charles Cotesworth Pinckney Lieutenant Colonel William Henderson 29 3rd South Carolina (Ranger) Regiment 30 302 Major Edmund Hyrne Light Infantry Company 31 34 Captain Felix Warley 1st Company 32 24 Captain Joseph Warley 2nd Company 16 Captain Uriah Goodwyn 3rd Company 19 Captain John Buchanan 6th South Carolina Regiment 17 Captain Jesse Baker 5th Company 15 Captain Field Farrer 6th Company 15 Captain George Liddell 7th Company 17 Captain Richard Pollard 8th Company 9 Captain John Carraway Smith 9th Company Captain Oliver Towles 10th Company