This company was organized in 1856 at Deep Creek, in Norfolk County, on the edge of the Dismal Swamp. Deep Creek was a small village and the neighborhood thinly populated, the people, therefore, deserve commendation for their zeal and spirit in organizing and maintaining such a large and efficient company. At the breaking out of the war in 1861 the officers of the company were:

And the company was attached to the 3^rd Virginia Volunteer Regiment.

In anticipation of trouble in Portsmouth with the Federal authorities in possession of the Gosport Navy Yard, and apprehending that orders would be issued by the Governor calling the regiment to arms, Captain Choat mustered his company on the 19^th of April and marched with them to town. This was the day before the Navy Yard was burned. The next day the Governor’s orders came and found the Dismal Swamp Rangers already under arms. The company was with the Portsmouth companies that night, and the next morning was sent to the Naval Hospital and assisted in building to batteries there.

In the shifting of the original companies composing the 3^rd Regiment the Rangers were retained on it and became Company A. Shortly after being mustered into service Sergeant Thomas M. Hodges was elected 3^rd Lieutenant. Captain Choat resigned in the fall of 1861. Lieutenant White became captain. The other Lieutenants were promoted one grade, and Sergeant Littleton H. White was elected 3^rd Lieutenant, and these officers continued on duty until the reorganization of the company in April, when several changes were made. Captain White was appointed commissary in charge of the purchase of provisions. Lieutenant Stewart was appointed Adjutant of the regiment and the following were elected officers:

The company left the Hospital battery on the 7^th of June, 1861, with the regiment and went to Burwell’s Bay, where it remained until the middle of March,1862, when it was ferried over the James river to reinforce General Madruger on the lines at Yorktown. It took part in a skirmish at Dam No. 2, and assisted in repulsing McClellan’s attempt to cross; was in the battle of Williamsburg and fell back with the army toward Richmond. It took part in the day fighting except Malvern Hill, where it was held in reserve. The company suffered severely at Frazier’s farm July 30^th. It carried sixty-eight men into the battle and five of them including Lieutenants Martin and Williams, were killed and seventeen others were wounded, of whom five subsequently died from their wounds.

Shortly after the seven days battles Lieutenant L.H. White was retired on account of physical disability and John R. Edwards was elected 1^st lieutenant, S.W. Gary 2^nd, and Osceola White 3^rd. The company went through the campaign of 1862, beginning with Second Manassass, taking in Harper’s Ferry and Sharpsburg, and terminating in the crushing defeat of Burnside’s army at Fredricksburg December 13^th. At the battle of Gettysburg Company A was deployed as skirmishers, and, under command of Captain Hodges, led the charge of Kemper’s brigade of Pickett’s Division up Cemetery Hill. Captain Hodges and Lieutenant White were wounded and Lieutenant Gary was captured. They recovered from their wounds and rejoined the company. Lieutenant Osceola White was killed at the battle of Dinwiddie Courthouse on the 31^st of March, 1865 (the day before the battle of Five Forks), in which a portion of Pickett’s Division defeated Sheridan’s Calvary. Captain Hodges had command of the 34^th Regiment at the battle of Five Forks, and surrendered it at Appomattox.

It is a singular fact that, though the company was in the line of skirmishers at Gettysburg and received the fire of the entrenched Federals before the main line of battle, none of its men were killed. A number were wounded.

The company had three Orderly Sergeants during the war - Thomas M. Hodges, who was promoted to lieutenant and after wards to Captain; Nathan Hodges, who was captured at Gettysburg and died in prison at Point Lookout, and Patrick Henry Miller who was captured at Gettysburg and exchanged. He was appointed Orderly Sergeant upon his return and filed that position until the close of the war. He was wounded at the battle of Dinwiddie Courthouse March 31^st , 1865, and conveyed to the hospital at Farmville, where he again fell into the hands of the enemy upon the retreat of the army to Appomattox.

Maurice Liverman, of Company A, was mortally wounded at the battle of Frazier’s Farm June 30^th, 1862, and turning to some of his comrades, he said: "boys, I can’t live much longer, so hold me up so that I can fire one more shot and kill one more Yankee before I die, to get even with them for my own death." His comrades complied with his request.

The following members of the company were in the charge of Pickett’s Division at Gettysburg. The company was detailed as skirmishers for the 3^rd Regiment:

PRIVATES

Captain, James C. Choat, resigned 1861.

First Lieutenant John R. White, promoted Captain, appointed A.C.S. in 1862.

Second Lieutenant John F. Stewart, appointed Adjutant 3^rd Regiment, Wounded Aug. 30^th, 1862, 2^nd Manassas, and July 3^rd 1863, Gettysburg, captured at Five Forks.

Third Lieutenant Thomas M. Hodges, promoted Captain, wounded July 3, 1836, Gettysburg, and Frazier’s Farm June 30, 1862, surrendered at Appomattox.

First Sergeant Littleton H. White, promoted Lieutenant, discharged for disability 1862.

Second Sergeant Littleton H. White, Promoted Lieutenant, captured at Gettysburg and not exchanged.

Third Sergeant Fred Martin, promoted 1^st Lieutenant, killed June 30^th, 1862, Frazier’s Farm.

First Corporal John H. Cherry, wounded Gaines’ Mill June 27^th, 1862, and Dec. 13^th, 1862, Fredericksburg.

Second Corporal Nathan Hodges, captured at Gettysburg and died at Point Lookout.

Third Corporal John C. Nash, wounded June 27^th, 1862, Gaines’ Mill.

Fourth Corporal Thomas B. Bartee, wounded slightly June 30^th, 1862, Frazier’s Farm, and captured at Five Forks April 1, 1865.

Musician Ralph Cherry (Colored).

Musician Gearge Blamire (Colored).

Brown, Bartlett, detailed to work in Charlotte, 1862.

Barnes, Edward.

Bateman, Raynor, discharged 1862, disability.

Benton, Joseph J., wounded September 17^th, 1862, Sharpsburg.

Britton, James J., captured at Five Forks.

Bright, Thomas J., died in hospital 1863, Staunton.

Cherry, James C., killed June 30^th, 1862, Frazier’s Farm.

Cherry, James E., wounded September 17^th, 1862, Sharpsburg.

Casey, Raynor, died in hospital March, 1862, died in hospital March, 1862, Camp Pemberton.

Culpepper, Maurice, severely wounded June 30^th, 1862, Frazier’s Farm, and appointed Provost Marshall at Waverly.

Culpepper, Miles.

Culpepper, Marshal, wounded June 30^th, 1862, Frazier’s Farm, disabled and discharged.

Coffeld, J.A., transferred to Maryland calvary.

Creekmore, Malachi, wounded April 1^st, 1865, Five Forks.

Duke, Gideon, died in hospital August, 1863, at Gordonsville.

Eason, George W., wounded slightly April 1^st, 1865, Five Forks, captured and died from disease contracted at Point Lookout.

Edwards, Leroy B.

Edwards, John R., promoted to Lieutenant, wounded September 17, 1862, Sharpsburg.

Etheredge, Evan D., died in hospital 1862.

Etheredge, James M., died in hospital 1862.

Fentress, Batson.

Fentress, Joshua, died in hospital December, 1862.

Friedlin, John.

Fisher, William C., killed January, 1865, Dutch Gap.

Forward, John W., captured at Five Forks.

Gallop, Samuel, discharged 1862, over age

Gallop, John, Sr.

Gallop, John, Jr., wounded slightly at Cold Harbor, 1864.

Godfrey, Stephen, died in hospital, 1862.

Godfrey, Mark, surrendered at Appomattox.

Gordon, Benjamin F., died in hospital, December, 1862.

Hodges, James, captured at Gettysburg and not exchanged, supposed to have died in prison.

Hodges, Joshua, mortally wounded April 5^th, 1862 at Williamsburg and died in hospital, Richmond.

Hodges, Patrick H., captured at Gettysburg.

Hodges, Josiah.

Herring, Gideon, captured at Five Forks.

Halstead, Wilson.

Herbert, William, captured at Gettysburg and not exchanged.

Hanbury, Samuel W., killed November , 1864, Dutch Gap.

Jolliff, John W., wounded June 3^rd, 1864, Cold Harbor.

Joynes, William P.

Joynes, Custis T., transferred to artillery.

Keeling, Robert N. W., detailed for hospital duty, transferred to Signal Corps.

Kilgore, Malory, captured at Five Forks.

Liverman, Hardy, wounded June 30^th, 1862, Frazier’s Farm and Gettysburg, captured at Gettysburg and not exchanged.

Liverman, Maurice, killed June 30^th, 1862, Frazier’s Farm.

Miller, Patrick H., promoted 1^st Sergeant, wounded and captured at Gettysburg, exchanged and wounded at Dinwiddie Courthouse March 31^st, 1865, and captured at Farmville on retreat.

Morse, Luke, discharged 1862, disability.

McGuire, Dudley P., transferred to Kentucky regiment and promoted to Assistant Surgeon.

McConnell, G. B., transferred to Kentucky regiment.

Nash, James E.

Nash, William H., detailed in hospital.

Peaks, John D., detailed in hospital, Richmond.

Reed, Thomas P., wounded 1865 on picket, Dutch Gap.

Simmons, W. A., discharged 1861, disability, and died.

Sawyer, Kader, killed June 30^th, 1862, Frazier’s Farm.

Tucker, James A., died in hospital in Richmond, July, 1862.

Tucker, Willis, discharged 1861, disability.

Taylor, John.

White, Edward P., transferred to 14^th Virginia Regiment.

Whitehead, John D., died in hospital, January, 1863.

Williams, Wm. J., promoted 2^nd Lieutenant, killed June 30^th, 1862 at Frazier’s Farm.

White, Osceola T., promoted 3^rd Lieutenant, wounded July 3^rd, 1863 at Gettysburg, killed March31st, 1865, at Dinwiddie Courthouse.

Weston, W. W., captured at Five Forks.