Kershaw's Brigade, and the 2nd South Carolina, missed the battle as they were on detached duty; but they rejoined the main army in time for the first invasion of the north.

At the beginning of the First Invasion of the North, the 2nd along with McLaws Division and Jacksons Wing successfully forced the surrender of the Harpers Ferry garrison.

Kershaw's Brigade fought here for the entire day, eventually helping to retake the lost grounds at the Dunker Church, it was here that Colonel Kennedy was wounded.

After the days fighting, Sergeant Richard Rowland Kirkland of Company E/G gave water to the wounded union soldiers, earning him the nickname "The Angel of Marye's Heights".

Thousands of pieces of shrapnel and canister hit their lines, and the 2nd lost about 50% of their numbers when an unknown officer ordered the regiment to turn, a perfect opportunity for the federal artillerist.

When they arrived in northern Georgia, the Battle of Chickmauga had occurred all the day before and Longstreet's fresh troops were chosen to lead an assault on the federal line.

When the assault began, Kershaw's Brigade fought troops from Maj Gen Thomas L. Crittenden's XXI Corps and pushed them back until stopped at Snodgrass Hill, where 2nd Lieutenant Richard R. Kirkland, the "Angel of Marye's Heights" was killed.

Here they successfully pushed back troops of the federal II Corps under Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, before the end of the battle Lt. Col. Franklin Gaillard was mortally wounded.

After First Deep Bottom, the 2nd and the rest of the brigade, commanded by now Brigadier General Kennedy, as well as other units were sent to join the Army of Tennessee; which was a force falling apart that could no longer fight independently.

On March 16, 1865, Kennedy's Brigade as well as other units successfully delayed the federal army facing them under Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman at the Battle of Averasboro.

Soon afterwards, on April 9, 1865, exactly 4 years after their acceptance into state service, they were consolidated with the remains of the 20th South Carolina Infantry and part of Blanchard's Reserves.