The 59th 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 Virginia's western counties 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 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 ...

, and in the Carolinas. The 59th Virginia (also called 2nd Regiment, Wise Legion) was organized in August 1861. Part of this unit was captured at Roanoke Island in February 1862. Four of the companies were not captured and were reorganized as the 26th Virginia Infantry Battalion, along with additional recruits. These companies never returned to the 59th. The original composition of the 59th consisted of men from five counties in West Virginia, eight counties in Virginia, and one company each from Louisiana, North Carolina and Mississippi. After his exchange Gen. Wise spent several months trying to reorganize the regiment, which was completed on November 1, 1862. For most of 1863 the 59th was occupied in fortifying defensive positions around Richmond and Petersburg. Later the regiment was transferred to the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, and participated in various conflicts around Charleston. Returning to Virginia in the spring of 1864 it was placed in the Petersburg trenches, then fought in the Appomattox Campaign. Many were disabled at Sayler's Creek, and none of its members were present at the surrender. The field officers were Colonels

Charles F. Henningsen Charles Frederick Henningsen (1815 – 14 June 1877) was a Belgian Americans, Belgian-American writer, mercenary, Filibuster (military), filibuster, and munitions expert. He participated in Revolution, revolutions and Civil war, civil wars in ...

and William B. Tabb, Lieutenant Colonels Frank P. Anderson and Joseph Jones, and Majors John Lawson and Robert G. Mosby.

Companies

The four companies of the 59th Virginia that became part of the 26th Virginia Infantry Battalion were:.Dickinson, Jack L. ''Tattered Uniforms and Bright Bayonets: West Virginia's Confederate Soldiers''. Huntington: Marshall University Library Associates, 1995 *Company A: Charleston Sharpshooters, Captain John S. Swann *Company E: Scouts and Guides, Captain William D. Hefner *Company F: Red Sulphur Yankee Hunters, Captain Richard Woodrum *Company G: White Sulphur Rifles, Captain Z.F. Morris

References

* 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 {{AmericanCivilWar-unit-stub

Companies

See also

References