3rd Regiment, Virginia Cavalry - Confederate

Virginia

Virginia Military

Virginia in the Civil War

3rd Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)

Brief History

The 3rd Regiment, Virginia Cavalry was organized with independent companies and entered Confederate service on July 1, 1861. The regiment was formed with eleven companies, later reduced to ten. It was also called 2nd Regiment until October 1861. It surrendered on April 9, 1865. The commanders were Colonels Thomas F. Goode, Robert Johnston, and Thomas H. Owen; Lieutenant Colonels William R. Carter, William M. Feild, and John I Thornton; and Majors Henry Carrington and Jefferson C. Phillips.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin

Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived, though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. If you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

Its members were raised in the counties of Mecklenburg, Elizabeth City, New Kent, Halifax, Nottoway, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, and Prince Edward.

Company A (Boydton Cavalry or Mecklenburg Dragoons) - many men from Mecklenburg County

Company B (Old Dominion Dragoons) - many men from Elizabeth City County

Company C (Black Walnut Dragoons or Light Dragoons) - many men from Halifax County

Company D (Charles City Troop or Light Dragoons) - many men from Charles City County

Company E (Nottaway Troup) - many men from Nottoway County

Company F (New Kent Cavalry or Light Dragoons) - many men from New Kent County

Company G (Cumberland Light Dragoons) - many men from Cumberland County

Company H (Catawba Troop) - many men from Halifax County

Company I 1st (James City Troop or Calvary) - many men from James City County

Company I (2nd) (Dinwiddie Calvary) - many men from Dinwiddie County

Company K (Prince Edward Dragoons) - many men from Prince Edward County

The information above is form3rd Virginia Cavalry, by Thomas P. Nanzig.

Other Sources

• Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in Virginia in the Civil War and United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865.

• National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.

• Virginia in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Virginia, and how to find them. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.

• United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.

• A Guide to the Dept. of Confederate Military Records. Lists Series containers and their contents held at The Library of Virginia. Series IV holds Confederate Rosters.

• Dabney, Robert Lewis. A Memorial of Lieut. Colonel John T. Thornton, of the Third Virginia Cavalry, C.S.A. Richmond, Va.: Presbyterian Committee of Publication, 1864. Digital version at Internet Archive; FS Library film 6082792.

• Lamb, John. Malvern Hill (July 1st, 1862): An Address Delivered Before Pickett Camp, Confederate Veterans, Richmond, Virginia, on March 8th, 1897. Richmond, Va.: J.E. Goode Print. Co., 1897. FS Library film 6082793.

• Nanzig, Thomas P. 3rd Virginia Cavalry. Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1989. FS Library book 975.5 M2vr v. 61.

• Sifakis, Stewart. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia. New York, NY: Facts on File, 1992- 1995. FS Library book 975 M2ss, Ten Volumes. This gives organization information for each unit and its field officers, assignments, and battles. It also lists sources further reading. Volume 5 is for Virginia.

• Wallace, Lee A. A Guide to Virginia Military Organizations, 1861-1865. Lynchburg, Virginia: H. E. Howard, 1986. (FS Library book 975.5 M2vr, Volume 29.) This gives brief historical sketches of each regiment and lists officers, company names, and commanders.