The regiment was attached to Viele's 1st Brigade, Sherman's South Carolina Expeditionary Corps, to April 1862.

In the siege operations against Fort Pulaski, Ga., the 48th took a prominent part and after the fall of the fortress was assigned to garrison duty there with expeditions in September and October to Bluffton, Cranston's Bluff and Mackay's Point.

In August it formed a part of the Florida expedition; was posted for some time at St. Augustine; participated in the disastrous battle at Olustee, with a loss of 44 in killed, wounded and missing; then retired to Jacksonville; proceeded up the river to Palatka on March 10, 1864, remained there until April when it was transferred to the Army of the James at Bermuda Hundred, and was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 10th Corps.

In the engagement at Port Walthall Junction the regiment again showed its mettle by heroic conduct in spite of severe loss.

It took a prominent part in the battle of Cold Harbor; was in the first assault on Petersburg and in action at the explosion of the mine; and was engaged at Strawberry Plains and Fort Harrison.

In Dec., 1864, with the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 24th Corps, the 48th was ordered to Fort Fisher, N. C., was active in the capture of the fortifications there in Jan., 1865, and served for some months in that vicinity.

During its term of service 2,173 members were enrolled, and of these 236 or over 10 percent, were killed or mortally wounded in action, a loss exceeded among the regiments of the state only by the 69th and 40th.