25th Virginia Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 25th Virginia Volunteer 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 the Northwest
and Army of Northern Virginia
. It's brave soldiers saw action from the first battle (Philippi) until the last (Appomattox).
The 25th Virginia was organized during the early summer of 1861. Its members were raised in Upshur, Augusta, Highland, Bath, Pendleton, and Rockbridge counties. The unit participated in Lee's Cheat Mountain
Campaign and Jackson's Valley Campaign. In the spring of 1862 the 9th Battalion, Virginia Infantry, four companies under the command of Lt. Colonel George W. Hansbrough that had served in the Army of the Northwest
and fought at Greenbrier River
and Camp Allegheny were merged into the 25th Virginia. After the July 11, 1861 battle of Rich Mountain, the regiment was severely depleted due to Col. Pegram's surrender of Camp Garnett. Members of 1st Co. A (Upshur Grays) and 1st Co. B (Rockbridge Guards) were dispatched to Hart's Farm under command of Capt. Julius A. DeLagnel to ward off an expected Federal assault. Men of the 20th VA and 25th VA, along with a lone cannon took position in the stable yard of the Hart farm and awaited the Federal assault. As the Federals appeared on the hillside, the long-awaited battle that the boys of Virginia had anticipated commenced. The small (310 men) force of Confederates held back the initial attacks, but overwhelming numbers, along with a final charge of the 19th Ohio forced the surviving members of the Confederate outpost to flee. The following morning, being cut off and surrounded, Col. Pegram surrendered the balance of his command at Camp Garnett, including the majority of the 25th VA. The 25th lost 5 killed, 11 wounded, and 2 captured at Hart's farm. Included in the dead were Upshur Gray privates Henry Clay Jackson and Oscar Sherwood, whose names can be seen engraved in the rock that they defended to this day.
After Jackson's campaign finished, the regiment was assigned to General Early's, J.R. Jones', and W.Terry's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. It took an active part in the campaigns of the army from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor, then fought with Early in the Shenandoah Valley and in various conflicts around Appomattox.
This regiment reported 18 casualties at Camp Alleghany, 72 at McDowell, and 29 at Cross Keys and Port Republic. It lost 1 killed and 24 wounded at Cedar Mountain, had 3 killed and 20 wounded at Sharpsburg, and reported 1 killed and 13 wounded at Fredericksburg. Of the 280 engaged at Gettysburg, twenty-five percent were disabled. There were 15 members (1 officer, 14 enlisted) of the 25th at Appomattox on April 9, 1865.(25th VA Inf. Richard Armstrong pg. 88)
The field officers were Colonels John C. Higginbotham, George A. Porterfield, and George H. Smith
; Lieutenant Colonels Patrick B. Duffy, Jonathan McGee Heck, Robert D. Lilley
, and John A. Robinson; and Majors Wilson Harper, Albert G. Reger, and William T. Thompson.
When the regiment was reorganized in 1862 to bring it back to full strength the following companies were added from the 9th Battalion Virginia Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
raised in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
for service in the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It fought mostly with the Army of the Northwest
Army of the Northwest
Army of the Northwest may refer to:* Army of the Northwest , formed during the early American Civil War, and commanded by Robert S. Garnett, Henry R. Jackson, and William W. Loring* Army of the Northwest...
and Army of Northern Virginia
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, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
. It's brave soldiers saw action from the first battle (Philippi) until the last (Appomattox).
The 25th Virginia was organized during the early summer of 1861. Its members were raised in Upshur, Augusta, Highland, Bath, Pendleton, and Rockbridge counties. The unit participated in Lee's Cheat Mountain
Battle of Cheat Mountain
The Battle of Cheat Mountain, also known as the Battle of Cheat Summit Fort, took place from September 12 to 15, 1861, in Pocahontas County and Randolph County, Virginia as part of the Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War. It was the first battle of the Civil War in which Robert...
Campaign and Jackson's Valley Campaign. In the spring of 1862 the 9th Battalion, Virginia Infantry, four companies under the command of Lt. Colonel George W. Hansbrough that had served in the Army of the Northwest
Army of the Northwest
Army of the Northwest may refer to:* Army of the Northwest , formed during the early American Civil War, and commanded by Robert S. Garnett, Henry R. Jackson, and William W. Loring* Army of the Northwest...
and fought at Greenbrier River
Battle of Greenbrier River
The Battle of Greenbrier River, also known as the Battle of Camp Bartow, took place on October 3, 1861 in Pocahontas County, Virginia as part of the Operations in Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War....
and Camp Allegheny were merged into the 25th Virginia. After the July 11, 1861 battle of Rich Mountain, the regiment was severely depleted due to Col. Pegram's surrender of Camp Garnett. Members of 1st Co. A (Upshur Grays) and 1st Co. B (Rockbridge Guards) were dispatched to Hart's Farm under command of Capt. Julius A. DeLagnel to ward off an expected Federal assault. Men of the 20th VA and 25th VA, along with a lone cannon took position in the stable yard of the Hart farm and awaited the Federal assault. As the Federals appeared on the hillside, the long-awaited battle that the boys of Virginia had anticipated commenced. The small (310 men) force of Confederates held back the initial attacks, but overwhelming numbers, along with a final charge of the 19th Ohio forced the surviving members of the Confederate outpost to flee. The following morning, being cut off and surrounded, Col. Pegram surrendered the balance of his command at Camp Garnett, including the majority of the 25th VA. The 25th lost 5 killed, 11 wounded, and 2 captured at Hart's farm. Included in the dead were Upshur Gray privates Henry Clay Jackson and Oscar Sherwood, whose names can be seen engraved in the rock that they defended to this day.
After Jackson's campaign finished, the regiment was assigned to General Early's, J.R. Jones', and W.Terry's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. It took an active part in the campaigns of the army from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor, then fought with Early in the Shenandoah Valley and in various conflicts around Appomattox.
This regiment reported 18 casualties at Camp Alleghany, 72 at McDowell, and 29 at Cross Keys and Port Republic. It lost 1 killed and 24 wounded at Cedar Mountain, had 3 killed and 20 wounded at Sharpsburg, and reported 1 killed and 13 wounded at Fredericksburg. Of the 280 engaged at Gettysburg, twenty-five percent were disabled. There were 15 members (1 officer, 14 enlisted) of the 25th at Appomattox on April 9, 1865.(25th VA Inf. Richard Armstrong pg. 88)
The field officers were Colonels John C. Higginbotham, George A. Porterfield, and George H. Smith
George Hugh Smith
George H. Smith was a Confederate Civil War veteran and prominent Los Angeles lawyer and judge.-Early life and career:...
; Lieutenant Colonels Patrick B. Duffy, Jonathan McGee Heck, Robert D. Lilley
Robert D. Lilley
Robert Doak Lilley was a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War. He served in most of the leading battles of the Army of Northern Virginia and led a brigade of infantry in the Shenandoah Valley in the last years of the war.-Early life and career:Robert D. Lilley was born near...
, and John A. Robinson; and Majors Wilson Harper, Albert G. Reger, and William T. Thompson.
Companies
- Company A, Upshur Grays, Capt. John C. Higginbotham
- Company B, Rockbridge Guards, Capt. David P. Curry
- Company C, Augusta Lee Rifles, Capt. Robert D. Lilley
- Company D, Highland Rangers, Capt. George M. Kiracafe
- Company E, Pendleton Rifles, Capt. George H. Smith
- Company F, Franklin Guards, Capt. John B. Moomau
- Company G, Bath Grays/Bath Rifles, Capt. William D. Ervin
- Company H, Hardy Blues, Capt. J.C.B. Mullin
- Company I, Mt. Crawford Cavalry, formerly Valley Rifles, Capt. William N. Jordan
- Company K, South Branch Riflemen, Capt. John H. Everly
When the regiment was reorganized in 1862 to bring it back to full strength the following companies were added from the 9th Battalion Virginia Infantry
- Company A, Letcher Guards, Capt. John A. Robinson
- Company C, Braxton Blues, Capt. Patrick B. Duffy
- Company E, Fighting Company E (composed from several parts of depleted companies)
- Company G, Mollohan's Company, Capt. William H. Mollohan
- Company I, Pocahontas Rescuers, Capt. Daniel A. Stofer
- Company K, Pendleton Minute Men, Capt. D.C. Anderson (company transferred from the 31st Virginia Infantry to the 25th)