The 24th Virginia Infantry Regiment was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

raised in southwestern

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

for service in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. It fought throughout the conflict, mostly with the

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America 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 oft ...

. The 24th Virginia's most prominent field officers were Colonels Jubal A. Early (who was promoted to

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...

command after the battle and would become a key Confederate General) and

William R. Terry William Richard Terry (March 12, 1827 – March 28, 1897) was a merchant, who became Brigadier general (United States), brigadier general in the Confederate States Army, Confederate Army during the American Civil War and later served part-time in ...

; Lieutenant Colonels Peter Hairston, Jr. and Richard L. Maury; and Majors William W. Bentley, Joseph A. Hambrick, and J.P. Hammet.

History

The 24th Virginia was assembled in Lynchburg in June, 1861, with companies recruited from Floyd,

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...

, Carroll, Giles,

Patrick Patrick may refer to: * Patrick (given name), list of people and fictional characters with this name * Patrick (surname), list of people with this name People * Saint Patrick (c. 385–c. 461), Christian saint *Gilla Pátraic (died 1084), Patrick ...

, Pulaski,

Mercer Mercer may refer to: Business * Mercer (car), a defunct American automobile manufacturer (1909–1925) * Mercer (consulting firm), a large human resources consulting firm headquartered in New York City * Mercer (occupation), a merchant or trader, ...

, Montgomery County and

Henry Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) * Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...

Counties.Ralph White Gunn, 24th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, H.E. Howard Inc. Virginia Regimental History Series, 1st edition 1987) After fighting under former U.S. Army officer and Franklin County delegate Col.

Jubal Early Jubal Anderson Early (November 3, 1816 – March 2, 1894) was a Virginia lawyer and politician who became a Confederate States of America, Confederate general during the American Civil War. Trained at the United States Military Academy, Early r ...

at the

First Manassas The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassas

, the 24th Virginia was assigned to Brigades in the

often colloquially referred to by the commander's surname—first commanded by Early (hence "Early's Brigade"), then after his promotion, by future CSA General and Virginia state senator W. R. Terry (hence "Terry's Brigade"), who was temporarily disabled by a wound at 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 pi ...

and temporarily replaced as brigade commander by future CSA General and later Virginia Governor

James L. Kemper James Lawson Kemper (June 11, 1823 – April 7, 1895) was a lawyer, a Confederate general in the American Civil War, and the 37th Governor of Virginia. He was the youngest brigade commander and only non-professional military officer in the div ...

(hence "Kemper's Brigade"). The 24th Virginia participated in the Army of Northern Virginia's campaigns from the Peninsula Campaign to Gettysburg, except when it was detached to

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 (CSA), Lt. Gen. James Longstreet was placed in comm ...

under Gen. Longstreet. It was involved in the Drewry's Bluff (May 1862),

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...

(in

Washington, North Carolina Washington is a city in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States, located on the northern bank of the Pamlico River. The population was 9,744 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beaufort County. It is commonly known as "Original W ...

in April 1864), the Petersburg siege north of the James River (June 1864-March 1865), and the final Appomattox operations. The regiment contained 740 men in April, 1862. It reported 189 casualties at Williamsburg and 107 casualties at Seven Pines as it defended the Confederate capitol at Richmond during the Peninsula Campaign. It lost 4 killed, 61 wounded, and 14 missing at Frayser's Farm, and 8 men were wounded at Fredericksburg. About forty percent of its 395 soldiers engaged at Gettysburg were disabled. Many were lost at Sayler's Creek in the war's final weeks. After General Lee formally surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House, no officers but 22 men surrendered on April 9, 1865.

Companies and officers

References

*{{USGovernment, url=http://www.civilwar.nps.gov/cwss/regiments.cfm, title=Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, agency=National Park Service Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Virginia 1861 establishments in Virginia Military units and formations established in 1861 1865 disestablishments in Virginia Military units and formations disestablished in 1865

History

Companies and officers

See also

References