6th Virginia Cavalry
Encyclopedia
The 6th Virginia Volunteer 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
.
Virginia’s 6th Cavalry completed its organization in November, 1861, at Manassas, Virginia. Men of this unit were raised in Loudoun
, Rappahannock, Clarke, Rockingham, Pittsylvania, Fairfax, Halifax, Fauquier, and Orange counties.
The unit served in Robertson's, “Grumble” Jones', Lomax's, and Payne's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. It fought in Jackson's Valley Campaign and in the conflicts at Second Bull Run, Brandy Station, Upperville, Fairfield, Bristoe, Mine Run, The Wilderness, Todd's Tavern, Spotsylvania, Haw's Shop, and Cold Harbor. The regiment went on to take part in Early's Shenandoah Valley operations and the Appomattox Campaign.
Only 3 men surrendered on April 9, 1865, as most of the cavalry cut through the Federal lines and later disbanded. The field officers were Colonels Charles W. Field
, Thomas Flournoy
, John S. Green, and Julien Harrison; Lieutenant Colonels J. Grattan Cabell and Daniel T. Richards; and Majors Cabell E. Flournoy and Daniel A. Grimsley.
Commanding officer Thomas Flournoy had been a United States Congressman as well as an unsuccessful candidate from the American Party
for Virginia governor.
Company A was known as both the Loudoun Dragoons and The Dulany Troop, and Company K was known as the Loudoun Cavalry. Company I was known as the Orange Rangers.
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
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 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...
.
Virginia’s 6th Cavalry completed its organization in November, 1861, at Manassas, Virginia. Men of this unit were raised in Loudoun
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
, Rappahannock, Clarke, Rockingham, Pittsylvania, Fairfax, Halifax, Fauquier, and Orange counties.
The unit served in Robertson's, “Grumble” Jones', Lomax's, and Payne's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. It fought in Jackson's Valley Campaign and in the conflicts at Second Bull Run, Brandy Station, Upperville, Fairfield, Bristoe, Mine Run, The Wilderness, Todd's Tavern, Spotsylvania, Haw's Shop, and Cold Harbor. The regiment went on to take part in Early's Shenandoah Valley operations and the Appomattox Campaign.
Only 3 men surrendered on April 9, 1865, as most of the cavalry cut through the Federal lines and later disbanded. The field officers were Colonels Charles W. Field
Charles W. Field
Charles William Field was a career military officer, serving in the United States Army and then, during the American Civil War, in the Confederate States Army. His division was considered as one of the finest in the Army of Northern Virginia...
, Thomas Flournoy
Thomas Flournoy
Thomas Stanhope Flournoy was a U.S. Representative from Virginia and a cavalry officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War....
, John S. Green, and Julien Harrison; Lieutenant Colonels J. Grattan Cabell and Daniel T. Richards; and Majors Cabell E. Flournoy and Daniel A. Grimsley.
Commanding officer Thomas Flournoy had been a United States Congressman as well as an unsuccessful candidate from the American Party
Know Nothing
The Know Nothing was a movement by the nativist American political faction of the 1840s and 1850s. It was empowered by popular fears that the country was being overwhelmed by German and Irish Catholic immigrants, who were often regarded as hostile to Anglo-Saxon Protestant values and controlled by...
for Virginia governor.
Company A was known as both the Loudoun Dragoons and The Dulany Troop, and Company K was known as the Loudoun Cavalry. Company I was known as the Orange Rangers.