infantry
Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation.
In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...
raised in the
Commonwealth of Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
for service in the
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...
during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
. It fought mostly with the
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was a field army of the Confederate States Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed agains ...
.
The 1st Virginia completed its organization at
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...
, in May, 1861. At the outbreak of the war it had ten companies, but in April three were detached. Thus the unit contained seven companies from Richmond and in mid-July a company from Washington, D.C. was added. Its first colonel, Patrick T. Moore, was severely wounded on July 18, 1861, in the skirmish at
Blackburn's Ford
Blackburn's Ford was the crossing of Bull Run (Occoquan River), Bull Run by Centreville Road between Manassas, Virginia, Manassas and Centreville, Virginia, Centreville, Virginia, in the United States. It was named after the original owner of the ...
, and Lt. Col. W.H. Fry commanded at the
First Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run, called the Battle of First Manassas . by Confederate States ...
(First Manassas).
The companies (with original commanders) were:
*Co. A (Richmond Grays): Capt. W.M. Elliott – Detached to
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...
, during April, 1861 and assigned to the
12th Virginia Infantry
The 12th Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment mostly raised in Petersburg, Virginia, for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, but with units from the cities of Norfolk, Virginia, Norfolk and Richmon ...
as Co. G, August 31, 1861.
*Co. B (Richmond City Guard): Capt. R. Harrison – Captain J.K. Lee was killed at Blackburn's Ford on July 18, 1861.
*Co. C (Montgomery Guard): Capt. J. Dooley
*Co. D (Old Dominion Guard): Capt. J. Griswold
*Co. E (1st) (Richmond Light Infantry Blues): Capt. O.J. Wise – Sent to
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 27,982. It is south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond, Virginia, R ...
and later assigned to the
46th Virginia Infantry
The 46th Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly in Virginia and the Carolinas.
46th Infantry Regiment (also called 1st or ...
, prior to the Battle of First Manassas.
*Co. E (2nd) (Washington Volunteers): Capt. C.K. Sherman – Temporarily attached to the regiment during the middle of July and transferred to the
7th Virginia Infantry
The 7th Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia.
The 7th Virginia was organized in May, ...
as Company F in April 1862.
*Co. F (1st) (Cary's Company): Capt. R.M. Cary – Sent to Fredericksburg and assigned to the 21st Virginia Infantry, under the command of Capt. R.H. Cunningham, Jr., prior to
First Manassas
The First Battle of Bull Run, called the Battle of First Manassas . by
G.W. Randolph – In early May, the company left the regiment and was expanded into a battalion of three companies under then-Maj. G. W. Randolph.
*Co. H (2nd) (Richmond Greys, Company B): Capt. F.J. Boggs
*Co. I (Taylor's' Company): Capt. W.O. Taylor
*Co. K (Virginia Rifles, at one time German Rifles): Capt. F. Miller – Disbanded when the regiment was reorganised in April 1862.
*Fayette Artillery: Capt. H.C. Cabell – Detached and assigned to John Magruder's command on the
Virginia Peninsula
The Virginia Peninsula is the natural landform located in southeast Virginia outlined by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay. It is sometimes known as the ''Lower Peninsula'' to distinguish it from two other penins ...
2nd Virginia Infantry
The 2nd Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in today's western Virginia and what became West Virginia during the American Civil War for service in the Confederate States Army. It would combine with the 4th, 5th, 27th, an ...
, prior to June 30, 1861.
*Band: Capt. J.B. Smith – Mustered in as Co. I and detached to form the a 13 piece regimental band.
*Drum Corps: Drum Major C.R.M. Pohle – 14 drummers including the drummer on duty with the Richmond Greys in Norfolk. The Drum Corps was mustered in as a body.
It fought at the
Battle of First Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run, called the Battle of First Manassas . by Confederate States ...
(First Manassas) in a brigade under
James Longstreet
James Longstreet (January 8, 1821January 2, 1904) was a General officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War and was the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Ho ...
and in August totaled 570 men. During April, 1862, when the regiment was reorganized, it contained only six companies. The 1st Virginia Infantry was assigned to A. P. Hill's, Kemper's, and W. R. Terry's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. It was active from the
Battle of Williamsburg
The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862, in York County, James City County, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the first pitc ...
to the
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...
, except when it was with Longstreet at the
Siege of Suffolk
The siege of Suffolk, also known as the Battle of Suffolk, took place from April 11 to May 4, 1863, near Suffolk, Virginia during the American Civil War.
Background
In 1863 Lieutenant General James Longstreet was placed in command of the Confe ...
, Virginia. Later the unit was involved in the capture of Plymouth, the conflicts at
Drewry's Bluff
Drewry's Bluff is located in northeastern Chesterfield County, Virginia, in the United States. It was the site of Confederate Fort Darling during the American Civil War. It was named for a local landowner, Confederate Captain Augustus H. Drewry ...
and
Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought during the American Civil War near Mechanicsville, Virginia, from May 31 to June 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3. It was one of the final battles of Union Army, Union Lieuten ...
, the
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the siege of Petersburg, it was not a c ...
south and north of the
James River
The James River is a river in Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows from the confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers in Botetourt County U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowli ...
, and the Appomattox Campaign. This regiment lost twenty-two percent of the 140 engaged at the
Battle of Second Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederate ...
(Second Manassas), had 9 wounded at the
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat between the Union Army, Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Major general ( ...
, and had more than half of the 209 at Gettysburg disabled. Its casualties were 12 killed and 25 wounded at Drewry's Bluff, 1 killed and 77 wounded at the
Battle of Five Forks
The Battle of Five Forks was fought on April 1, 1865, southwest of Petersburg, Virginia, around the road junction of Five Forks, Dinwiddie County, at the end of the Siege of Petersburg, near the conclusion of the American Civil War.
The Union A ...
, and 40 captured at the
Battle of Sayler's Creek
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force c ...
. Only 17 surrendered at Appomattox on April 9, 1865.
The field officers were Colonels Patrick T. Moore, Franklin G. Skinner, and Lewis B. Williams, Jr; Lieutenant Colonels William H. Fry and Frank H. Langley; and Majors John Dooley, William P. Mumford, George F. Norton, and William H. Palmer.
See also
*
List of Virginia Civil War units
A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, but ...