List of Virginia Civil War units Facts for Kids

Virginia played a very important role in the American Civil War. Even though the state left the Union to join the Confederacy, it still provided a huge number of soldiers. Virginia gave the third-highest number of troops to the Confederate army from a Southern state, after Tennessee and North Carolina. Along with the newly formed West Virginia, Virginia contributed about 22,000 soldiers. This article will tell you about the different military groups, called units, that Virginia provided during this major conflict, including those who fought for the Union Army.

Flag of Virginia during the Civil War

An unidentified soldier in a Confederate uniform with Virginia buttons

Confederate Army Units from Virginia

During the Civil War, Virginia supplied many different types of units to the Provisional Army of the Confederate States (PACS). These units were organized into brigades, regiments, and battalions, each with a specific role.

Infantry Units

Infantry units were made up of soldiers who fought on foot. They were the main fighting force in most battles.

Infantry Brigades

A brigade is a large military unit, usually made of several regiments. Virginia had several important infantry brigades, including:

1st Virginia Brigade (also known as the Stonewall Brigade, famous for its tough fighting)
2nd Virginia Brigade
3rd Virginia Brigade
Wise Legion

Infantry Regiments

A regiment was a smaller unit than a brigade, typically made up of about 1,000 soldiers. Many Virginia regiments fought bravely throughout the war. Some of these included:

1st Virginia Infantry (called the "Old First")
2nd Virginia Infantry (known as the "Innocents")
4th Virginia Infantry
5th Virginia Infantry
8th Virginia Infantry (known as "The Bloody Eighth")
27th Virginia Infantry (also called "The Bloody 27th")
32nd Virginia Infantry (sometimes called "Lousey Reg")
49th Virginia Infantry (known as "Extra Billy Smith's Boys")
62nd Virginia Mounted Infantry (which also acted as cavalry)

Infantry Battalions

Battalions were smaller than regiments. They often had specific tasks or were formed for local defense. Some notable Virginia infantry battalions were:

1st Virginia Infantry Battalion (known as the "Irish Battalion")
5th Virginia Infantry Battalion (Archer's)
25th Virginia Infantry Battalion (the "Richmond City Battalion")
44th Virginia Infantry Battalion (the "Petersburg City Battalion")
The VMI Battalion Virginia Infantry, made up of cadets from the Virginia Military Institute.

Cavalry Units

Cavalry units were made up of soldiers who fought on horseback. They were used for scouting, raiding, and quick attacks.

Second Lieutenant Theodore S. Garnett of Co. F, 9th Virginia Cavalry

Cavalry Brigades

Virginia's cavalry brigades were famous for their speed and daring. Some of them were:

1st (Stuart's) Virginia Cavalry Brigade
2nd Virginia Cavalry Brigade
3rd (Wickham's) Virginia Cavalry Brigade
4th Virginia Cavalry Brigade (known as the "Laurel Brigade")

Cavalry Regiments

Many cavalry regiments from Virginia played key roles in battles. Some examples include:

1st Virginia Cavalry (Jones'))
2nd Virginia Cavalry ((Munford's))
4th Virginia Cavalry (Company H of this regiment was the famous Black Horse Cavalry)
7th Virginia Cavalry ((Ashby's))
9th Virginia Cavalry (Johnson's)
18th Virginia Cavalry (these were "Partisan Rangers," who fought using guerrilla tactics)

Irregular Units

Some units were called "irregular" because they didn't follow the usual military structure. They often acted as "Partisan Rangers," carrying out surprise attacks and raids behind enemy lines. The most famous of these was Mosby's Rangers, led by John S. Mosby.

Artillery Units

Artillery units operated cannons and other large guns. They were crucial for breaking enemy lines and defending positions.

Unidentified soldier in Confederate uniform and Richmond Howitzers artillery unit hat

Private Alexander T. Harris of Richmond "Parker" Virginia Light Artillery Battery

Artillery Regiments and Battalions

Virginia had several artillery regiments and battalions, both light (more mobile) and heavy (for sieges and fortifications).

1st Regiment, Virginia Artillery
2nd Regiment, Virginia Artillery
1st Battalion (Hardaway's or Moseley's)
7th Battalion, Virginia Heavy Artillery

Light Artillery Batteries

A battery is a smaller artillery unit, usually with a few cannons. Light artillery could move quickly. Some famous Virginia light artillery batteries included:

1st Rockbridge Artillery (Pendleton's or Poague's)
Alleghany Rough Artillery
Danville Artillery
Fluvanna Artillery
Norfolk Light Artillery Blues
Purcell Artillery (Pegram's)
Richmond Howitzers (a very well-known unit)
Staunton Artillery

Captain William W. Cosby of H Company, 2nd Virginia Light Artillery Regiment

Heavy Artillery Batteries

Heavy artillery batteries used larger, less mobile cannons for defending fixed positions or attacking forts.

Bethel Artillery (Coffin's)
Coleman's Battery (Neblett's)

Captain James H.M. Neblett of Neblett's-Coleman's Virginia Heavy Artillery Battery

Horse Artillery

Horse artillery units were designed to keep up with cavalry, moving their cannons quickly across the battlefield.

1st Stuart's Horse Artillery (Pelham's)
Chew's Battery

Virginia State and Local Defense Units

Besides the main Confederate army, Virginia also had its own state military forces.

Virginia State Line

The Virginia State Line was a military force created by the state of Virginia to defend its borders and support the Confederate army. It included several regiments, such as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Regiments.

Virginia Militia Regiments

Before and during the war, Virginia had a militia system, where local citizens were organized into regiments for defense. These units were often made up of men from specific counties. For example, the 19th Regiment Militia was from the City of Richmond, and the 32nd Regiment Militia was from Augusta County. Many of these militia units eventually joined the main Confederate army.

Private William H. Presgraves of Company K, 97th Militia Virginia Infantry Regiment

Virginia Local Defense Battalions

These battalions were formed to protect specific areas or important facilities, like factories or government buildings, within Virginia. They included:

1st Battalion, Virginia Infantry, Local Defense (Ordnance Battalion, likely protecting weapons factories)
6th Battalion, Virginia Infantry, Local Defense (Tredegar Battalion, protecting the important Tredegar Ironworks in Richmond)

Union Virginia Units

Even though Virginia joined the Confederacy, some people in the state remained loyal to the Union. These "Unionists" formed their own military units to fight for the United States. Many of these units came from the western part of Virginia, which later became the new state of West Virginia.

Some of the Union units from Virginia included:

1st Regiment Loyal Eastern Virginia Volunteers
Loudoun Rangers (a famous cavalry unit that fought for the Union)
Several West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiments (like the 1st through 17th)
West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiments (like the 1st through 7th)
West Virginia Light Artillery Batteries (like Battery "A" through "H")

List of Virginia Civil War units facts for kids

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