The 1st Virginia Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry

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 conscript ...

raised in

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 ...

. 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 ...

Organization

The 1st Virginia Cavalry completed its organization at

Winchester, Virginia Winchester is the most north western independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Frederick County, although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Winchester wit ...

, in July 1861, under the command of Colonel James Ewell Brown (J.E.B.) Stuart at the command of General Thomas Jackson. Unlike most regiments, the First contained twelve

companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared go ...

. The men were from the counties of Amelia, Augusta, Berkeley, Clarke,

Frederick Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode *Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederick ...

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east ...

, Jefferson,

Loudoun Loudoun ( gd, Lughdan) is a parish in East Ayrshire, Scotland and lies between five and ten miles east of Kilmarnock. The parish roughly encompasses the northern half of the Upper-Irvine Valley and borders Galston Parish (which encompasses the ...

, Rockbridge, Rockingham, and

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

History

Unidentified soldier in 1st Virginia cavalry great coat LCCN2012646167

The First Virginia Cavalry participated in more than 200 engagements of various types throughout the American Civil War, during which it was reorganized several times. Its significant casualties at the

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

led to reorganization and placement under the command of Brigadier General J.E.B. Stuart. However, members were allowed to elect their lower officers, and they failed to re-elect career U.S. army officer and future Confederate general William E. Jones, who was then transferred to lead the

7th Virginia Cavalry The 7th Virginia Cavalry Regiment also known as Ashby's Cavalry was a Confederate cavalry regiment raised in the spring of 1861 by Colonel Angus William McDonald The regiment was composed primarily of men from the counties of the Shenandoah Va ...

. Thus, Gen. Stuart relayed his orders to Lt. Col. (and future Virginia governor)

Fitzhugh Lee Fitzhugh Lee (November 19, 1835 – April 28, 1905) was a Confederate cavalry general in the American Civil War, the 40th Governor of Virginia, diplomat, and United States Army general in the Spanish–American War. He was the son of Sydney S ...

. In 1863, further Confederate Army reorganization placed the First Virginia Cavalry under the command of General Williams Carter Wickham (formerly of the 4th Virginia Cavalry). Although decimated by casualties and surrenders under General

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 ...

as it defended the Shenandoah Valley at the war's end, the First Virginia Cavalry technically ended the war under the command of Gen. Thomas T. Munford (formerly of the

2nd Virginia Cavalry The 2nd Virginia Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry 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 unit was organized by Colonel Jubal E ...

). During 1862, the First Virginia Cavalry participated in the

Seven Days Battles The Seven Days Battles were a series of seven battles over seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, comman ...

and Stuart's ride around McClellan. The regiment then participated in cavalry clashes at Gainesville,

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 Confederat ...

Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union G ...

, Fredericksburg, Kelly's Ford, Chancellorsville, Brandy Station, Gettysburg, Bristoe Station, the Wilderness, Todd's Tavern, Spotsylvania, Bethesda Church, 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 Lt. Gen. Ulysses S ...

. In 1864, the First Virginia was involved in

's operations in the Shenandoah Valley. Although many of the remaining soldiers either became casualties or were allowed to return to their homes by early 1865, members did participate in the defense of Petersburg, and the Appomattox Campaign. The remains of the cavalry unit cut through the Federal lines at Appomattox, shortly before it was formally disbanded. Only one man from this unit was present at the surrender. In April 1862, the First Virginia Cavalry totaled 437 men. It lost eight percent of the 310 engaged at Gettysburg in July 1863, and had 318 fit for duty in September 1864. Other field officers (alphabetically) included Colonels R. Welby Carter (of Company H; son of Sen.John A. Carter), James H. Drake, and William A. Morgan; Lieutenant Colonels L. Tiernan Brien and Charles R. Irving; and Major Robert Swan. Future U.S. Solicitor General

Holmes Conrad Holmes Conrad (January 31, 1840 – September 4, 1915) was an American politician, lawyer and military officer. Early life Conrad was born in Winchester, Virginia. He was the son of Robert Young Conrad, a prominent lawyer of Winchester, a ...

enlisted in Company A at the beginning of the war. He was commissioned a lieutenant and eventually transferred to

division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military *Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...

headquarters. Company F boasted a namesake to Abraham Lincoln, a Private from Jefferson County. However, in 1864, he deserted. The 1st Virginia Cavalry at a halt LCCN2004660497

The 1st Virginia Cavalry at a halt LCCN2004660497

Temporary Attachments

Captain Martin's Independent Company Mississippi Cavalry and Captain Stone's Independent Company Alabama Cavalry were temporarily attached to this regiment as Company N and O.

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:1st Virginia Cavalry Regiment Berkeley County, West Virginia, in the American Civil War 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

Organization

History

Temporary Attachments

See also

References

Sources