West Virginia Civil War Confederate Units
Encyclopedia
The following is a list of West Virginia Confederate Units which were composed mostly or notably by citizens of the 50 counties of western Virginia which eventually became West Virginia. These units, with the exception of the Kentucky units, are designated "Virginia", as were the Union regiments from western Virginia. After the admittance of West Virginia as a state in 1863, those Union units from western Virginia changed their designation to "West Virginia", while the Confederate units remained "Virginia". Following the names of the units are the names of the counties, in parentheses, which contributed to those units, and does not include neighboring counties of Kentucky or Virginia.
western Virginia at the time of the war.
Infantry
- 2nd Virginia Infantry2nd Virginia InfantryThe 2nd Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in today’s West Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought as part of the Stonewall Brigade, mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia....
(Berkeley, Jefferson) - 7th Virginia Infantry7th Virginia InfantryThe 7th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
Co. D (Mercer, Monroe) - 13th Virginia Infantry13th Virginia InfantryThe 13th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
(Hampshire) - 22nd Virginia Infantry22nd Virginia Infantry22nd Virginia Infantry was a Confederate regiment during the American Civil War. Its commander was George S. Patton, the grandfather of World War II General George S. Patton.-Organization:...
(Boone, Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Monroe, Nicholas, Putnam, Wyoming) - 23rd Virginia Infantry Battalion (Mercer, Raleigh, Wyoming)
- 24th Virginia Infantry24th Virginia InfantryThe 24th 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 Northern Virginia....
(Mercer) - 25th Virginia Infantry25th Virginia InfantryThe 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...
(Braxton, Hardy, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Ritchie,Taylor, Upshur, Webster) - 26th Virginia Infantry Battalion (Greenbrier, Kanawha, Mercer, Monroe)
- 27th Virginia Infantry27th Virginia InfantryThe 27th 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 Stonewall Brigade of the Army of Northern Virginia....
(Brooke, Greenbrier, Monroe, Ohio, Wetzel) - 29th Virginia Infantry29th Virginia InfantryThe 29th 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 in western Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia....
(McDowell) - 30th Virginia Infantry Battalion (Sharpshooters) (Jackson, Mercer, Monroe, Raleigh, Roane, Wirt)
- 31st Virginia Infantry31st Virginia InfantryThe 31st 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 Northern Virginia....
(Barbour, Braxton, Gilmer, Harrison, Kanawha, Lewis, Monongalia, Pocahontas, Randolph, Taylor) - 33rd Virginia Infantry33rd Virginia InfantryThe 33rd Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in the Commonwealth of Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
(Hampshire, Hardy) - 36th Virginia Infantry36th Virginia InfantryThe 36th 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 in western Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky....
(Boone, Clay, Jackson, Logan, Nicholas, Putnam, Raleigh, Roane, Wayne, Wood) - 45th Virginia Infantry Battalion (Boone, Cabell, Logan, McDowell, Wayne, Wyoming)
- 59th Virginia Infantry59th Virginia InfantryThe 59th 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 Northern Virginia, and in the Carolinas....
(Greenbrier, Mercer) - 60th Virginia Infantry60th Virginia InfantryThe 60th 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 Northern Virginia and in Tennessee....
(Braxton, Fayette, Gilmer, Greenbrier, Jackson, Mercer, Monroe, Roane) - 62nd Virginia Mounted Infantry62nd Virginia Mounted InfantryThe 62nd Virginia Mounted Infantry Regiment, raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, served in many capacities including the war, including as an infantry regiment, a cavalry regiment, a mounted infantry unit, a partisan unit of rangers, and...
(Barbour, Braxton, Hampshire, Hardy, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Randolph, Tucker, Upshur, Webster)
Cavalry
- 1st Virginia Cavalry1st Virginia CavalryThe 1st Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
(Jefferson, Berkeley) - 2nd Battalion Kentucky Mounted Rifles (Wayne, Logan)
- 7th Virginia Cavalry7th Virginia CavalryThe 7th Virginia Cavalry also known as Ashby's Cavalry was a Confederate cavalry regiment raised in the spring of 1861 by Colonel Angus W. McDonald, Sr. The regiment was composed primarily of men from the counties of the upper Shenandoah Valley as well as from the counties of Fauquier and Loudoun...
(Berkeley, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson) - 8th Virginia Cavalry8th Virginia CavalryThe 8th 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....
(Boone, Cabell, Calhoun, Doddridge, Kanawha, Lewis, Mason, Putnam, Wayne, Wood) - 10th Virginia Cavalry10th Virginia CavalryThe 10th 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....
(Jackson, Kanawha, Raleigh, Roane) - 11th Virginia Cavalry11th Virginia CavalryThe 11th Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
(Berkeley, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Morgan, Pocahontas) - 12th Virginia Cavalry12th Virginia CavalryThe 12th Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
(Berkeley, Jefferson) - 14th Virginia Cavalry14th Virginia CavalryThe 14th 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....
(Boone, Calhoun, Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Roane) - 14th Kentucky Cavalry (McDowell)
- 16th Virginia Cavalry16th Virginia CavalryThe 16th Virginia Cavalry was present at Gettysburg. It was part of General Jenkins' Brigade that itself was part of General Jeb Stuart's Cavalry Division of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia....
(Cabell, McDowell, Kanawha, Putnam, Wayne) - 17th Virginia Cavalry17th Virginia CavalryThe 17th Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
(Braxton, Clay, Harrison, Jackson, Kanawha, Lewis, Mercer, Nicholas, Roane, Wirt, Wood) - 18th Virginia Cavalry18th Virginia CavalryThe 18th 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 with the Army of Northern Virginia, in southwest Virginia, and in the Shenandoah Valley....
(Hampshire, Hardy, Lewis, Pendleton, Randolph, Tucker) - 19th Virginia Cavalry19th Virginia CavalryThe 19th Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
(Braxton, Calhoun, Gilmer, Greenbrier, Harrison, Jackson, Kanawha, Lewis, Marion, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Preston, Randolph, Ritchie, Roane, Taylor, Webster, Wetzel, Wirt) - 20th Virginia Cavalry20th Virginia CavalryThe 20th 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 in western Virginia....
(Barbour, Calhoun, Harrison, Lewis, Marion, Monongalia, Ohio, Pleasants, Preston, Ritchie, Taylor, Wetzel, Wood) - 21st Virginia Cavalry21st Virginia CavalryThe 21st 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 in Southwest Virginia, East Tennessee, and the Shenandoah Valley....
(Monroe) - 23rd Virginia Cavalry23rd Virginia CavalryThe 23rd Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
(Hampshire, Hardy, Mercer) - 26th Virginia Cavalry26th Virginia CavalryThe 26th 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 in the Shenandoah Valley....
(Calhoun,Doddridge, Jackson, Lewis, Monroe, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Roane, Ritchie, Taylor, Tyler, Upshur, Webster, Wetzel, Wirt) - 34th Virginia Cavalry34th Battalion Virginia CavalryThe 34th Battalion, Virginia Volunteer Cavalry was a cavalry battalion raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
(Cabell, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Raleigh, Wayne, Wyoming) - 36th Virginia Cavalry (Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Clay, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Logan, Monroe, Nicholas, Ohio, Putnam, Roane, Wayne, Wood)
- 37th Virginia Cavalry37th Battalion Virginia CavalryThe 37th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry was a cavalry battalion raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly in western Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley....
(Jackson) - 43rd Virginia Cavalry43rd Battalion Virginia CavalryThe 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan cavalry in the Confederate army during the American Civil War...
, Mosby's Partisan Rangers (Jefferson) - 44th Battalion Virginia Partisan Rangers, formerly Amick's Rangers (Fayette, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Monroe, Nicholas, Raleigh, Wyoming)
- McNeillJohn Hanson McNeillJohn Hanson McNeill was a Confederate soldier who served as a Captain in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He led McNeill's Rangers, an independent irregular Confederate military company commissioned under the Partisan Ranger Act.McNeill was born near Moorefield, Virginia...
's Company of Virginia Cavalry, Partisan Rangers (McNeill's RangersMcNeill's RangersMcNeill's Rangers was an independent Confederate military force commissioned under the Partisan Ranger Act by the Confederate Congress during the American Civil War. The 210 man battalion-size unit was formed from Company E of the 18th Virginia Cavalry and the First Virginia Partisan Rangers...
) (Hampshire, Hardy, Pendleton) - Swann's Battalion of Virginia Cavalry (Boone, Cabell, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Putnam, Wayne, Wyoming)
- Thurmond's Rangers (Fayette, Greenbrier)
- Ashby Horse Artillery (Jefferson)
Artillery
- Bryan's Battery, Monroe Artillery (Monroe, Greenbrier)
- Chapman's Battery, Monroe-Dixie Artillery, Virginia Light Artillery (Monroe)
- Chew's Battery, Virginia Horse Artillery (Jefferson, Berkeley)
- French's Battery, Virginia Light Artillery (Mercer)
- Gauley Artillery, Capt. Stephen Adam's Battery (Raleigh)
- Capt. Thomas E. Jackson's Co., Virginia Horse Artillery (Kanawha, Mason, Wayne)
- Kanawha Artillery (Kanawha, Mason, Wayne)
- Lowry's Battery, Virginia Light Artillery (Monroe)
- Lurty's Company, Virginia Horse Artillery (Calhoun, Gilmer, Greenbrier, Harrison, Lewis, Marion, Upshur, Webster)
- McClanahan's Battery (Randolph)
- Penick's Company, Virginia Light Artillery (Greenbrier)
- Taylor's Company, Virginia Light Artillery (Berkeley)
- Western Artillery (Monroe)
- Wise Artillery (Berkeley)
Virginia State Line & Other Units
- 67th Regiment Virginia Militia (Berkeley)
- 89th Regiment Virginia Militia (Morgan)
- 151st Regiment Virginia Militia (Mercer)
- 190th Regiment Virginia Militia (Wyoming)
- 1st VSL, Capt. Daniel Elkins Co, Co. B (Boone)
- 1st VSL. Capt. Greene W. Taylor's Co., Co. A (Logan)
- 1st VSL, Capt. Wm. Dempsey's Co., Co. E (Logan)
- 1st VSL, Capt. Benj. Justice's Co., Co. H (Logan)
- 1st VSL, Capt. John Buchanan's Co., Co. I (Logan)
- 1st VSL, Capt. Robert Lawson's Co., Co. K (Logan)
- 1st VSL, Capt. Geo. Hackworth's Co., Co. F (Cabell)
- 2nd VSL, Capt. Mathias Harrison's Co., Co. H (Cabell, Logan, Wayne)
- 2nd VSL, Capt. William S. Chandler's Co., Co. K (Boone)
- 4th VSL, Capt. William Hensley's Co., Co. G (Cabell)
- 4th VSL, Capt. John E. Love's Co., Co. E (Kanawha)
- 5th VSL, Capt. Lorenzo D. Chambers' Co., Co. A (Logan)
- 5th VSL, Capt. Melvin B. Lawson's Co., Co. E, later part of Rebel Bill Smith's Battn. (Logan)
- 5th VSL, Capt. P.K. McComas Co., Co. I (Logan)
Guerrilla Units
These units were often called "Moccasin Rangers" in the North, but were designated "Partisan Rangers" or "Confederate States Rangers". They operated as such from 1861–62, and were later recruited into the Virginia State Line in the latter half of 1862, and then into the regular Confederate Army in March 1863. The counties from which they were mainly originated are in parentheses at the end of each name.- Capt. John W. "Big John" Amick's Co., Amick's Rangers (Nicholas)
- Black Striped Company (Logan)
- Capt. P.M. Carpenter's Co. (Logan)
- Capt. Perry Connolly's Co., formerly Capt. George W. Silcott's Co., 186th Regt. Va. Militia (Calhoun)
- Capt. James S.A. Crawford's Co., The Night Hawks (Wood, Jackson & Wirt)
- Capt. George Downs' Co., Co. No. 1 Va. State Rangers, formerly 186th Regt. Va. Militia (Calhoun)
- Capt. Daniel Dusky's Co., formerly Co. C, 186th Regt. Va. Militia (Calhoun, Roane, Wirt, & Jackson)
- Capt. Sampson Elza's Co., Dixie Boys (Randolph & Pendleton)
- Capt. Richard B. Foley's Co., Flat Top Copperheads, also known as Foley's Independent Co. of Infantry, formerly Co. F, 151st Regt. Va. Militia (Mercer)
- Capt. Ezekiel "Zeke" Harper's Co. (Tucker & Randolph)
- Capt. William Harris' Co., Co. No. 7, Va. State Rangers (Wood)
- Capt. W.A. "Devil Anse" Hatfield's Co., formed from the 129th Regt. Va Militia (Logan)
- Capt. Benjamin W. Haymond's Co., Co. No. 8 Va. State Rangers (Braxton)
- Capt. Jonathan Haymond's Co., Co. No. 10 Va. State Rangers (Marion)
- Capt. John E. Hays' Co., Co. No. 6 Va. State Rangers (Gilmer)
- Capt. Absolom Knotts' Co., Knott's Rangers, formerly 186th Regt. Va. Militia (Calhoun)
- Capt. James McCray's Co., Mountain Rangers, Co. No. 5, Va. State Rangers, formed from the 199th Regt. Va. Militia (Webster)
- Capt. Duncan McLaughlin's Co., Webster Dare Devils, formed from the 199th Regt. Va. Militia (Webster)
- Capt. William T. Meador's Co., Co. No. 9 Va. State Rangers (Mercer, Summers, Wyoming)
- Capt. (Rev.) John Elam Mitchell's Co., formerly 165th Regt. Va. Militia (Gilmer)
- Capt. William Franklin Pierson's Co. (Braxton)
- Capt. John Righter's Co., Co. No. 4, Va. State Rangers (Marion, Harrison, Taylor)
- Capt. Peter Sauerbourne's Co., formerly 186th Regt. Va. Militia (Calhoun)
- Capt. James E. Smith's Co., formerly 141st Regt. Va. Militia (Jackson)
- Capt. James W. Smith's Co. (Jackson)
- Capt. William "Rebel Bill" Smith's Co., formerly 167th Regt. Va. Militia (Wayne)
- Capt. John L. Sprigg's Co., Braxton Co. Rangers, Co. No. 2 Va. State Rangers (Braxton)
- Capt. Philip James Thurmond's Co., Thurmond's Rangers (Monroe, Greenbrier, Fayette, Raleigh, Kanawha)
- Capt. William D. Thurmond's Co., Thurmond's Rangers (Fayette)
- Capt. Marshall Triplett's Co., Co. No. 3 Va. State Rangers (Clay, Nicholas, Webster)
- Capt. Jack Tuning's Co. (Braxton, Webster)
Generals-Confederate & Virginia Militia
The following Generals were either born in, raised in, or living inwestern Virginia at the time of the war.
- Alfred Beckley Brig. Gen. of Virginia Militia
- James Boggs Brig. Gen. of Virginia Militia
- Augustus A. ChapmanAugustus A. ChapmanAugustus Alexandria Chapman was a 19th century politician and lawyer from Virginia.-Biography:Born in Union, Virginia , Chapman studied law as a young adult. He was admitted to the bar in 1825 and commenced practice in Union...
Brig. Gen. of Virginia Militia - Raleigh E. ColstonRaleigh E. ColstonRaleigh Edward Colston was a French-born American professor, soldier, cartographer, and writer. He was a controversial brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
- John EcholsJohn EcholsJohn Echols was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Biography:Echols was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, and was educated at the Virginia Military Institute, Washington College and Harvard College. A tall imposing man, standing 6 feet 4 inches tall, Echols...
- Birkett D. FryBirkett D. FryBirkett Davenport Fry was an adventurer, soldier, lawyer, cotton manufacturer, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. A survivor of four battle wounds, he commanded one of the lead brigades during Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg.-Early life:Fry was born in Kanawha...
- Walter GwynnWalter GwynnWalter Gwynn was a civil engineer and soldier who became a Confederate general in the American Civil War.-Early life:...
- Stonewall JacksonStonewall Jacksonຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
- William Lowther JacksonWilliam Lowther JacksonWilliam Lowther Jackson was a United States Army general.-References:...
- Albert G. JenkinsAlbert G. JenkinsAlbert Gallatin Jenkins was an attorney, planter, representative to the United States Congress and First Confederate Congress, and a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War...
- Alexander C. Jones
- Edwin Gray LeeEdwin Gray LeeEdwin Gray Lee was an American soldier from Virginia and a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War. He was a member of the Lee family and second cousin of Robert E. Lee.-Biography:...
- John McCauslandJohn McCauslandJohn McCausland, Jr. was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army, famous for the ransom of Hagerstown, Maryland, and the razing of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War....
- Alexander W. ReynoldsAlexander W. ReynoldsAlexander Welch Reynolds was a career United States Army officer and a Confederate Army general during the American Civil War, primarily fighting in the Western Theater. After the conflict he served as a staff officer in the Egyptian Army.-Early life and career:Alexander W...
- M. Jeff ThompsonM. Jeff ThompsonMeriwether Jeff Thompson was a brigadier general in the Missouri State Guard during the American Civil War. He served the Confederate Army as a cavalry commander, and had the unusual distinction of having a ship in the Confederate Navy named for him.-Early life:*Father: Meriwether Thompson b....