By May, 1864 Chase was first lieutenant, second in charge under the captain, of Company K, with 100 men, of the 26th Regiment Infantry U.S. Colored Troops. He claimed to be 19 years old but was in fact two months passed his 17th birthday. A company would normally be 60 to 80 privates, a wagoner, 2 musicians, 8 corporals, 4 sergeants, 1 first sergeant, 1 second and 1 first lieutenants, and 1 captain. About 1000 men, the regiment was mustered and practiced on Rikers and Hart Islands and would have received its "colors" (its flags) on March 26, 1864, however, a severe storm struck. On July 5 and 7 the unit fought two battles south of Charleston, S.C. in and around John's Island, especially around Fort Pringle; two officers were wounded during battles in South Carolina during this first deployment – Chase was wounded by an exploding cannon, permanently injuring the hearing in his left ear, (the other was the commander of the regiment who was killed December 17, 1864.) Chase is listed returning to New York in November as "James B Chase".