5th Regiment, Virginia Infantry - Confederate
Brief History
The 5th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate) was organized in May, 1861, under Colonel K. Harper. Eight companies were from Augusta County and two from Frederick County. The unit became part of the Stonewall Brigade and served undder Generals T.J. Jackson, R.B. Garnett, Winder, Paxton, J.A. Walker, and W. Terry. It surrendered 8 officers and 48 men. The field officers were Colonels William S.H. Baylor, John H.S. Funk, William H. Harman, and Kenton Harper; Lieutenant Colonel Hazel J. Williams; and Majors Absalom Koiner and James W. Newton.[1]
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. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.
Company A ( Marion Rifles) - many men from Frederick County
Company B ( Rockbridge Rifles) - many men from Rockbridge County
Company C ( Mountain Guard) - many men from Augusta County
Company D ( Southern Guard) - many men from Augusta County
Company E ( Augusta Greys) - many men from Augusta County
Company F ( West View Infantry) - many men from Augusta County
Company G ( Staunton Rifles ) - many men from Augusta County
Company H ( Augusta Rifles) - many men from Augusta County
Company I ( Ready Rifles) - many men from Augusta County
Company K ( Continental Morgan Guards) - many men from Frederick County
Company L ( West Augusta Guard) - many men from Augusta County
The information above is from 5th Virginia Infantry, by Lee A. Wallace, Jr.
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 (see below).
- 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.
- Wallace, Lee A. 5th Virginia Infantry. (Lynchburg, Virginia : H.E. Howard, c1988), FHL book 975.5 M2vr v. 40.
References
- ↑ National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, (accessed 6 December 2010).