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1st Regiment Virginia Volunteers
N-SSA Seniority Number: 1
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May 1,1851: Governor John B. Floyd used his authority
under General Order #1 to cause the formation of the 1st Regiment
of Virginia Volunteer Infantry. This happened after the General
Assembly passed an act authorizing the formation of volunteer
companies,and directed the organization of a regiment to be formed
from the volunteer militia companies of the City of Richmond and
it's neighboring counties of Henrico and Chesterfield.
During the following ten years of
peace, the Volunteers occupied themselves by attending public
events, ceremonies, and galas in addition to regular training
and drilling. Unlike the regular volunteer militia, a duty required
of healthy men between the ages of 18 and 45, The 1st Regiment
of Virginia Volunteer Infantry sported grey uniforms. When President
Millard Fillmore visited Richmond on June 27,1851, it was the
1st Virginia Infantry who greeted and escorted the President to
the Capital. Participating in the Fourth of July celebration,
the biggest civil-military celebration of the year, The 1st Virginia,
in their freshly brushed uniforms, paraded into the capitol square
where spectators delighted in watching the firing of salutes at
noon.
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The men of the 1st Virginia Volunteer
Infantry in Charles Town circa 1859. Although this picture has
been said to have been taken in 1861 in Richmond, it was in fact
taken in Charles Town while the 1st Virginia was there to guard
the gallows during John Brown's execution. This picture has also
wrongly been stated as having been taken in Harpers Ferry. |
April 17,1861: The orders from Governor Letcher went out
for immediate mobilization within hours after the State Convention
voted for succession. The next few weeks saw numerous changes
to the organization of the 1st Virginia Infantry. The first company
to be removed from the regiment was the Howitzer's who mobilized
at the Apotswood Hotel on April 19. Reporting shortly after to
the Richmond College Artillery barracks with 225 men and six Dahlgren
Howitzers. Applications to join increased so rapidly, it was pulled
from the 1st Virginia and formed into a Battalion of three companies.
Company "F" and the Richmond
Light Infantry Blues were removed from the 1st Virginia not long
after they were sent to Fredericksburg following news that Union
forces were landing at Aquia Creek, which later proved to be false.
They established Camp Mercer on the town's fairgrounds. Although
their separation from the 1st Virginia Regiment was intended to
be temporary, they never returned, voting unanimously on April
23 to attach themselves "To some new regiment to be placed
under the command of a former United States Officer who is a tactician
and disciplinarian."
May 26, 1861: The morning saw the arrival of the 1st Virginia
Regiment at Manassas Junction, two days after the Union forces
had moved across the Potomic, ready for battle. General James
Longstreet, who commanded the brigade to which the 1st Virginia
Regiment belonged wrote: "The
old First Regiment was with me at Bull Run on the 18th of July,
and made the first fight of Bull Run, which drove the Federals
and forced them around Sudley Springs. This move on their part
was the cause of delay that gave us time to draw our troops down
from the Valley and concentrate for the fight of the 21st. The
heavy part of this fight was made by the old First Regiment, so
that it can well claim to have done more towards the success of
the First Manassas than any one regiment. This, too, was their
first battle, and I can say that its officers and men did their
duties as well, if not better, than any troops whose service came
under my observation".
December 13, 1862:The 1st Virginia, with Pickett's division
was in reserve on Longstreet's right. Burnside had crossed the
Rappahannock and occupied Fredericksburg. General
Kemper addressed the regiment while in route to strengthen
Longstreet's center: "Men
of the First Virginia Regiment - you who have on so many hard
fought fields gained the name of the BLOODY FIRST - today your
country calls on you again to stand between her and her ENEMY!" To this the men responded with one of those
yells that could be heard for miles.
July 3, 1863: In Gettysburg Monk Windfield, recently regained
to the 1st Regiment of Virginia Volunteers from a Union prison,
asked Sergeant Loehr,"Charlie, where are our reinforcements?"
Upon hearing the reply they would see no reinforcements. Monk's
blood must have run cold as he looked out from their position
on the right of Seminary Ridge. The Union artillery shells, meant
for the gunners, were falling short with deadly force upon the
infantry. Monk lay belly flat to the ground with the rest of the
infantry, trying to survive the barrage. "We shall be whipped.
See if we don't." Monk prophesied the outcome of the approaching
charge. Of the 209 gallant men of the 1st Virginia Volunteers
who were placed in position at 7:00 am and heard the firing of
the first signal guns to charge at 1:00 pm, only 40 remained alive
and unwounded by 4:00 pm.
Later in the war the unit was involved
in the Capture of Plymouth, the conflicts at Drewry's Bluff
and Cold Harbor, the Petersburg
siege, north and south of the
James River, and the Appomattox
Campaign. Only seventeen men
surrendered at Appomattox on April
9, 1865.
Captain Edward P. Reeves paid tribute
to the 1st Virginia with these words." No Nobler band ever shouldered arms
for home and duty, or bore them with greater gallantry and fortitude.
God, bless them wherever they may be, as successful in their peaceful
pursuits as they were gallant and heroic in war."
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