The Bloody First: A History of the 1St Regiment of Virginia Volunteers in the American Civil War

By Anthony Powell

Their nickname was the Bloody First, given to them in recognition of their courageous conduct and supreme sacrifice in battle. In the midst of the Battle of Fredericksburg, General James Kemper declared, Men of the First Virginia Regimentyou who have on so many hard-fought fields gained the name of the Bloody Firsttoday your country calls on you again to stand between her and her enemy, and I know you will do your duty.

The Bloody First follows the exploits of this brave group of young men who left their families and went off to war in defense of their homeland. Through their own words, newspaper accounts, official reports, correspondence, and articles, we can relive their hardships and pain as they experience the most devastating war in our nations history. Three days before the Battle of Manassas, they were the first Confederate unit to engage in battle with the Union Army along the banks of Bull Run, and four years later their remnants were at Appomattox Court House for the final surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia.

Among their many battle honors, the Bloody First made that immortal charge up Cemetery Hill in Gettysburg, as part of Kempers brigade in Picketts division. On that day, July 3, 1863, they suffered the highest percentage of casualties of any regiment in Kempers brigade. The Bloody First tells their story, keeping their memory and their history alive today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: May 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781489716552

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Copyright © 2018 Anthony Powell.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Interior Image Credit: Anthony Powell maps

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ISBN: 978-1-4897-1656-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-1657-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-1655-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018903945

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 04/25/2018

Dedicated to My Family,

To my brother Mike, who not only encouraged me to write this book but also instilled in me a love of history when we were youngsters, so many years ago. If not for his support and encouragement I would never have completed this work.

To my son Brian, who spent countless hours editing and correcting my many grammatical errors. His insight and dedication to this project made its completion possible.

To my wife Sue, and my daughter Melanie, who showed great patience with me over the years, while I turned our kitchen into an office.

I would also like to thank my good friend, Bob Mullauer, who gave me unlimited access to his vast library. He generously allowed me use of the Official Records for months at a time, which proved to be invaluable to tell this story.

A very special thank you to Mr. Bill Rose who spent many years researching the 1st VA and shared every page of that research with me. This book would not have been possible without his generosity and selflessness. His contribution to this book cannot be overstated.

The following institutions supplied me with documents and information. It is reassuring to know that our nation’s history is in the hands of such competent institutions.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Southern Historical Collection.

The American Civil War Museum, Formerly The Museum of the Confederacy.

New York Public Library, Manuscript and Archives Division.

Gettysburg National Military Park, National Park Service.

Virginia Historical Society, Richmond VA.

Maymont in Richmond VA.

University of Virginia Charlottesville, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections.

And finally, I want to thank those who I have served with in the 1st VA, Company D, (reenactment unit) over the past 25+ years. Their names are too numerous to mention but their dedication to keeping history alive and their portrayal of the 1st VA has been a huge inspiration and source of encouragement to me throughout this endeavor. A special mention to Mr. Bob Lyons who not only kept the reenactment unit alive but also dedicated a large portion of his adult life to the memory of the Confederate soldiers.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX OF MAPS

INTRODUCTION

PREWAR HISTORY

BAPTISM OF FIRE

CAMP HARRISON AND WINTER QUARTERS

WILLIAMSBURG

DEFENDING RICHMOND

BACK TO BULL RUN

MARYLAND

FREDERICKSBURG

SPRING OF 1863

GETTYSBURG

RETURN TO DIXIE

THE TRENCHES OF VIRGINIA

THE FINAL BATTLES

POSTWAR

EPILOGUE

MAJOR ENGAGEMENTS - 1st VA, 1861 - 1865

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX OF MAPS

1)     Overview of Bull Run

2)     Battle of Bull Run, Blackburn’s Ford

3)     Battle of Williamsburg

4)     Battle of Frazier’s Farm, Whitlock House

5)     Battle of Frazier’s Farm, Kemper’s Retreat

6)     Battle of ²nd Manassas, Chinn Ridge

7)     Battle of ²nd Manassas, Attack on Leppian’s Battery

8)     Battle of South Mountain, Turner’s Gap

9)     Battle of Sharpsburg

10)   Battle of Sharpsburg, Advance of ⁹th Corps

11)   Battle of Sharpsburg, Confederate Counter Attack

12)   Battle of Gettysburg, Position during Bombardment

13)   Battle of Gettysburg, Confederate Advance

14)   Battle of Gettysburg, Confederate Retreat

15)   Battle of Pymouth

16)   Battle of Drewry’s Bluff

17)   Battle of Five Forks, The Union Advance

18)   Battle of Five Forks, The Confederate Collapse

19)   Battle of Sailor’s Creek

INTRODUCTION

This is the story of a group of young men who left their families, their friends and their sweethearts to answer the call from their home state of Virginia. The regiment was made up of Companies from Richmond and the surrounding counties. Some of those companies had distinguished pasts dating back to the French and Indian War. They fought in the American Revolution and the Mexican War, proudly fighting under the flag of the United States. Other Companies were formed anew in those heady days leading up to Virginia’s secession from the Union. When the fateful decision was made to secede on April 17, 1861, the men of the 1st VA were organized, ready and even eager, to defend their state. They were immediately sworn into service and their four year journey into the depths of war began.

They marched out of Richmond full of pomp and bravado, completely unaware of the hardships and pain that awaited them on the field of battle. They believed their vigorous training had prepared them for anything that the Union Army could send their way. On the banks of Bull Run, three days before the Battle of Manassas, they were the first Confederate unit to meet the Union army when it ventured out from the confines of Washington, D.C. Their initial success filled their heads with visions of glory, a short war and a return to Richmond and their families. It did not take long for the severity of their struggle to set in.

The men of the 1st VA were Richmond’s favorite sons and the newspapers followed their progress as they moved from battlefield to battlefield. The soldiers themselves left us their letters, articles and memoirs to tell their story of survival, death and even levity in a war that ravaged their homeland before their very eyes. They watched as their ranks were thinned to the point of disbandment, only to be saved from obscurity by Robert E. Lee, himself.

This book is their story as they crisscrossed Virginia, meeting a determined foe at every stop. As part of the Army of Northern Virginia, they bravely marched into battle at Williamsburg, the Peninsula, and Manassas. They traveled into Maryland with ranks so thinned that the entire regiment was less than a full-sized company. These courageous young men secured their place in history on July 3, 1863, when as part of Kemper’s brigade in Pickett’s division they made that immortal charge up Cemetery Hill in the small Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg. Their own accounts take us step by step up that blood stained hill on a hot July day where they suffered the highest percentage of casualties in Kemper’s brigade.

For two more years they withstood the agonies of war, traveling to North Carolina and returning to trenches that defended Richmond and Petersburg. They were present at the devastating losses at Five Forks and Sailor’s Creek. They had the distinction of being the first to meet the Union army back in 1861 and finally their remnants were there at Appomattox when Gen. Lee surrendered in 1865.

But this was not the end of their story. In post-war Virginia men of the regiment formed the Old 1st VA Association. Through this association they continued to work for the benefit of the living veterans and memory of those that died on both sides of the conflict. They joined forces with the veterans of the Philadelphia Brigade of the Union army, the same men with whom they had fought so violently on Cemetery Hill in Gettysburg. These two organizations showed the same dedication to binding the wounds of a divided country as they did while inflicting those wounds. Two men in particular, Edward Payson Reeve and Charles Loehr, were instrumental in keeping alive the memory of the 1st VA while at the same time recognizing their roles as loyal citizens of the postwar United States. Both of these men were original members of the 1st VA and both somehow managed to survive the entire war, suffering wounds and hardships throughout.

Along with their comrades in Virginia’s 1st Regiment, they carved their names in the history of the American Civil War and this is their story.

PREWAR HISTORY

They were men of Virginia. Some belonged to families who had lived in the city of Richmond for generations; others came from surrounding counties. Some were born in the northern states and relocated in the south. And still others were born overseas; they came from countries such as Ireland, Germany, Italy and Poland. They represented virtually every occupation, including carpenters, machinists, doctors, lawyers, clerks, and farmers. Some were discharged for being too young and others for being too old. For all of their differences, they had one thing in common: when their state called, they were all men of Virginia. They were the men of the 1st VA.

Although this history will focus on the years of the American Civil War, the First Regiment of Virginia Volunteers traces its lineage back to colonial Virginia, through the militias of Henrico and Chesterfield counties as well as Richmond City. Colonial Virginia was dependent on individual companies of Militia for their defense. In times of peril the Governor and the Virginia Legislature called for a muster of the troops and the various militias responded. Such a need occurred in 1754 in response to French incursions along the contested Ohio River. The French, in an effort to expand their territory in North America, moved along the Ohio from Canada and began to build fortresses. British subjects who lived and traded in the area were arrested and sent back to Canada as prisoners. Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia requested the legislature to sanction a military force to be sent to the Ohio River in an effort to counter the threat posed by the French incursion. On February 16, 1754, the Virginia Council confirmed the resolution of the House of Burgesses in support of the Governor. With this resolution the Governor formed the Virginia Regiment which was composed of the various militia units including those from Henrico and Chesterfield counties. It can be argued that this was the birth of the 1st VA Infantry. ¹

The regiment left Alexandria under the command of a prominent Virginian, Col. Joshua Fry and Major George Washington. During the expedition Col. Fry died from injuries received when he fell from his horse and George Washington, a newly commissioned Colonel as of June 4th, 1754, took over command. Washington was defeated at Great Meadows and the regiment returned to Alexandria in the latter part of July. The British government, in London, determined the incursions of the French could not be tolerated and sent two regiments of British regulars under the overall command of Major General Edward Braddock. The size of the Virginia regiment was increased to 1,000 men before it joined the newly arrived British troops in a second expedition to the Ohio River region. On the 9th of July, 1755, Braddock’s force was defeated by the French and returned to Virginia where the regiment spent the next two years fighting hostile Indians on Virginia’s borders. The local events in the colonies became globalized when England declared war on France on May 17th, 1756.²

In 1758 the regiment was increased to 2,000 men and separated into two separate regiments with the designations 1st and 2nd Virginia regiments. George Washington retained command of the 1st Virginia. The regiment took part in a third expedition against the French that was successful and culminated in the capture of Fort DuQuesne, which the colonists rebuilt and renamed Fort Pitt. The Virginians returned home and the 2nd regiment was disbanded. The 1st regiment was sent to southwest Virginia where they continued to serve against hostile Cherokee Indians. The regiment was mustered out in 1762 and the men reverted back to service with their individual militia companies.³

In March of 1775 Virginia held a convention to discuss the current hostile situation between the colonies and Great Britain. Many of the delegates were skeptical of joining their neighbors to the north in a rebellion against the king. On the 23rd Patrick Henry gave his famous Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death speech which persuaded the convention to approve Henry’s resolutions. One of these was to establish a state militia for the protection of Virginia. The convention approved the formation of two regiments and the 1st VA was restored with Patrick Henry as its commander. The Royal Governor abandoned Williamsburg and moved to Portsmouth. The colonists quickly occupied Williamsburg and Patrick Henry chose the college of William and Mary in that city as the rendezvous point for his regiment. The first to arrive was the company from Henrico County on October 14th, 1775. The regiment was incorporated into the Continental Line but Patrick Henry resigned his commission after being passed over for promotion. The men of the regiment were outraged and threatened to leave the army. In an impassioned speech, Patrick Henry persuaded the troops to remain in the army and fight for the new nation’s independence. The regiment went on to join Washington’s Continental Army and participated in the battles of Trenton, Princeton, and Monmouth. The regiment then went south and fought in the battles of Eutaw Springs, Ninety-Six, and Guilford Court House. They returned to Virginia and took part in the Battle of Yorktown which culminated in the surrender of Gen. Cornwallis’s command.⁴

After the revolution the regiment once again reverted back to individual companies within the militia system. The Richmond City militia was separated from the Henrico County militia in 1791. In 1792 the militia units were given numeric designations, Richmond City was known as the 19th, Henrico County the 33rd and Chesterfield County the 23rd. The regiments continued in this capacity serving their individual jurisdictions until the War of 1812 when they were once again called into Federal service. After peace was restored with Great Britain the regiment returned to militia duties until they were called upon to serve in the War with Mexico in 1846. The First Virginia Regiment was reformed with companies from Henrico County and other jurisdictions in the state. The regiment sailed to Mexico where they spent most of the war guarding supply trains for General Taylor. After their return from Mexico the regiment was once again mustered out, in 1848, and the companies returned to their home units. ⁵

The 1st Regiment of Virginia Volunteers that would fight in the American Civil War began its career on May 1, 1851 with the issuance of General Order #1 which follows:

"Adjutant General’s Office

Richmond, Va. May 1, 1851

General Orders

No. 1

The Commander in Chief directs that the volunteer corps of the 19 and 179 Regiments and attached thereto, with those (if any) of the 23 Regiment, Chesterfield and 33 Regiment of Henrico, shall from this date constitute a new regiment to be denominated the First Regiment Virginia Volunteers, headquarters at the city of Richmond.

The senior captain will immediately assume the command until field officers shall be chosen, and will assemble the officers of the Regiment as speedily as may be for the purpose of prompt and effective organization. The election of field officers may be made without further orders from this department at any time most acceptable to the officers of the Regiment, but the Regimental muster shall be during the present month.

Officers will send their commissions to the Adjutant General that they may be made comfortable to the new organization.

By Command:

Wm. H. Richardson

Adj. Genl.

A copy:

Walter H. Harrison

Adj. 1st Regt. Va. Volunteers"

This order combined the various militia companies (the 19th, 23rd, 33rd, and179th regiments of militia) of Henrico and Chesterfield counties with the militia companies of Richmond into a single regiment of volunteers. And thus started the career of a valiant regiment of Virginians, who came to be known for their bravery on the battlefield and their frivolity in the camp. Their nicknames of The Bloody First and The Rowdy First proved to be most fitting.

The officers of the regiment were elected on May 2, 1851. Walter Gwynn was elected the Colonel and commander of the 1st VA. Gwynn graduated from West Point in 1822 and served in the United States Army until 1838. He also served in several militias, both in North Carolina and Virginia. Christopher Tompkins was elected Lt. Colonel. Tompkins was also a graduate of West Point, class of 1836, and served in the Seminole and Mexican Wars. Thomas Pearson August was elected Major. August was a prominent lawyer in Richmond and also served in the Virginia legislature. During the Mexican War he served with the Richmond Grays as a Lieutenant. On May 5, 1851, Lt. Col. Tompkins issued orders listing the following nine companies that formed the regiment: the Richmond Light Infantry Dragoons, the Richmond Fayette Artillery, the Richmond Light Infantry Blues, the Richmond Grays, the Montgomery Guard, the Richmond Eagle Infantry, the German Rifles, the Richmond Young Guard and the Caledonian Guard. ⁶

During the peacetime years of the 1850’s, the regiment formed for parades and public celebrations usually marking some patriotic anniversary such as the 4th of July, Washington’s Birthday or the Battle of New Orleans. These anniversaries were commemorated with the firing of salutes by the Richmond Fayette Artillery, after which the entire regiment, dressed in their finest uniforms, paraded through the streets of the city culminating with a formation at Capital square. At the conclusion of the ceremonies each company held a banquet which normally involved a round of patriotic toasts. Individual companies hosted balls throughout the year, sometimes to celebrate the anniversary of the company’s formation. Several companies hosted annual moonlight excursions on the James River complete with refreshments, music and dancing on board the steamers CURTIS PECK and GLEN COVE. Occasionally, the regiment would escort dignitaries who visited the city of Richmond. Such was the case when President Millard Fillmore came to Richmond on June 27, 1851. Besides the pomp of parades and ceremonies the regiment was expected to perform as a military unit in defense of the state. Therefor regular drills, shooting competitions and instruction in the military arts were scheduled throughout the year. The 1st VA was an integral part of Richmond society and their activities were widely reported in all of the Richmond newspapers.

Throughout the 1850’s the regiment went through many changes, with some companies being disbanded and new companies joining the ranks of the 1st VA. Colonel Gwynn resigned in 1853 and was replaced by Major August as commander of the regiment. The 1st VA continued to move toward a regimental concept as opposed to the old system of individual companies. In 1856, the companies began to use lettered designations. Order #5, dated January 1, 1856, which was posted in the local newspapers, appointed Ensign Oscar G. Cosby of Company H as regimental color bearer and forbade the carrying of company colors at regimental musters and parades.⁷

On July 5, 1858, the 1st VA took part in the ceremonies for the re-interment of President James Monroe at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. The fifth President of the United States died at his daughter’s house in New York, 27 years before, on July 4, 1831. Through the efforts of Governor Henry Wise, President Monroe a native Virginian, was coming home to Richmond to be buried. After being exhumed on July 2, 1858, Monroe’s body was taken to City Hall in New York where he laid in state till the following day. Monroe’s remains were escorted to the docks by the 7th New York Regiment, who along with their magnificent 45-piece band accompanied the deceased president to Richmond.

On the morning of July 5, the 1st VA and other militia units marched down Main Street to the public wharf in Richmond, known as Rocketts. The steamer JAMESTOWN approached with the remains of President Monroe and the steamer GLEN COVE followed behind carrying the 7th New York Regiment. The 1st VA came to present arms, saluting their northern counterparts, as the 7th New York disembarked. The troops took part in a procession which escorted the remains of the President back up Main Street to the sound of church bells, the firing of salutes by the guns belonging to the Fayette Artillery and the music of the band belonging to the 7th NY. At Hollywood Cemetery the troops stood in formation around the grave as the casket was lowered into the ground. Following the ceremonies the 7th NY was treated to a sumptuous banquet in Richmond. An otherwise auspicious occasion was marred by the death of one soldier from the 7th NY who apparently drowned during the festivities. The drowned New Yorker, was Lawrence Hamilton, the grandson of Alexander Hamilton.⁸

At the time of President Monroe’s interment at Hollywood Cemetery, the 1st VA consisted of the following seven companies:

Co. A – Richmond Grays: Capt. Wyatt Elliott

Co. C – Montgomery Guard: Capt. Patrick Moore

Co. D – Rocky Ridge Rifles: Capt. F. Clopton

Co. E - Richmond Light Infantry Blues: Capt. William Fry

Co. F – Richmond Fayette Artillery: Capt. Charles Robinson

Co. I – National Guard: Capt. J. H. Johnston

Co. K – Virginia Rifles: Capt. Alfred Lybrock

The first rate military appearance of the 7th New York left a positive impression on the people of Richmond, in general, and the 1st Virginia in particular. The individual companies of the 7th New York were all outfitted in the same cadet gray uniforms, unlike the companies of the 1st Virginia which were clothed in their own distinctive uniforms of different style and color. The uniformity of the 7th New York so impressed the members of the 1st VA that they slowly adopted a standard uniform of gray frock coats for each of the individual companies within the regiment. Some companies continued to use their company uniform for company events, but donned the new Frock coats for regimental events. The appearance of the 7th New York in Richmond also helped in recruiting for the 1st VA. Within a year two new companies were raised and added to the regiment. ⁹

The following year, the abolitionist John Brown and his followers attacked Harper’s Ferry in an attempt to seize the arsenal and arm a slave rebellion. Governor Wise ordered several companies of the 1st Virginia to that place in October of 1859 to help quell the uprising. When they arrived in Washington, where they were to board the trains for Harper’s Ferry, the regiment was told the crisis had passed and they would not be needed. On the 19th of November, Governor Wise received a dispatch from Col. Davis, the officer in command at Charlestown Virginia, which stated A large force, armed with pikes and revolvers is marching from Wheeling. John Brown was being imprisoned in Charlestown and the rumored force from Wheeling presumably had plans to free him. Within 3 hours of the alarm being given, seven companies of the 1st VA were boarding trains headed for Charlestown. The rumors proved to be false and no rescue of John Brown was ever attempted. But the 1st VA remained in Charlestown as a precaution and witnessed the hanging of John Brown on Dec. 2, 1859. Among the ranks, although not a member of the regiment, was the actor and future Presidential assassin, John Wilkes Booth. Booth happened to be performing in Richmond, at the Marshall Theater, when the alarm was sounded. Ironically he was performing in a production of My American Cousin, the same comedy that was playing at Ford’s Theater when John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln in 1865. The 1st VA boarded their train directly across the street from the theater. Booth appeared at the door to the baggage car and asked the two guards inside, George Libby and Louis Bossieux, both of whom were members of the Richmond Grays, if he could go with them to Charlestown. The actor was promptly told that only men in uniform were allowed on the train. At which point he quickly offered to buy a uniform. After some discussion the guards allowed Booth to board the train, giving him enough articles of clothing to pass muster. Booth remained with the men of the 1st VA while they were stationed in Charlestown and even regaled them with recitations from Shakespeare around the camp fire in the evenings. In this way he was able to stand in their ranks and watch as John Brown was hung.¹⁰

Philip Whitlock, a twenty-one year old Polish immigrant and a private in Company A, the Richmond Grays, stood next to Booth and left us this account: John Wilkes Booth, being about the same height as I, was right next to me in rank. When the drop fell, I noticed he got very pale, and I called his attention to it. He said that he felt very faint and that he would give anything for a good drink of whiskey. Of course, he did not get it then. Because of the John Brown crisis Southerners feared there would be more insurrections. This fear caused recruitment into the regiment to soar. ¹¹

A welcome addition to the regiment came in April of 1860 when the Armory Band, under the leadership of James B. Smith, was detached from the Public Guard and transferred to the 1st Virginia. Smith, who was born in England in 1811, joined the Armory band in the mid 1850’s. The Armory Band boasted thirteen pieces and was considered one of the premier bands in Richmond. They also performed in various cities along the East Coast. Following a parade in Philadelphia, where the Armory Band accompanied the Richmond Light Infantry Blues, the Baltimore Clipper newspaper wrote that the band, could be excelled in the execution of music by but few bands in the country. Shortly thereafter, the 1st Virginia formed a regimental drum corps, with fourteen drummers. Sergeant Rudolph Maximilian Pohle of Company K was appointed Drum Major. Pohle was a Prussian immigrant, born near Leipzig in April of 1821. His father was General Carl Golieb Von Pohle, the military governor of Mayence. After living in New York, he moved to Richmond where he worked for Tredegar Locomotive Works and joined the Virginia Rifles, which became Company K of the 1st VA. The addition of the two musical organizations greatly enhanced the appearance and reputation of the regiment.¹²

In September of 1860 Colonel August resigned as commander of the 1st Virginia after being appointed Brigadier General of the Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Virginia Militia. Captain Patrick T. Moore of the Montgomery Guard, Company C, was elected colonel to replace him. Moore was born in Galway, Ireland on September 22, 1821. His family immigrated to Canada in 1835 and later moved to Boston when his father was appointed British consul. Moore then moved to Richmond where he became a successful merchant. In 1849 Moore was instrumental in the formation of the Montgomery Guards militia company. The company was predominantly, if not entirely, formed from Irish Americans who lived in the Richmond area. The founders of the company used St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Richmond to organize the unit. Moore was elected the company’s first commander, a position he held until being promoted to colonel of the 1st VA.¹³

In addition to the promotion of Col. Moore, there were other changes of regimental officers in the 1st VA. William H. Fry took over as Lt. Colonel on Sept. 18, 1860. Fry was born in Fredericksburg on October 8, 1821. Before the war he was a merchant in Richmond where he joined the Light Infantry Blues, rising to the rank of Captain. At the same time, William Munford was appointed Major of the regiment. Munford was born in Richmond on Aug. 16, 1829. He joined the Richmond Light Infantry Blues in 1850 and also served as Captain in the Eagle Infantry in 1855. He also served as Adjutant of the regiment from 1856-1860.¹⁴

As tensions between the north and south grew in the waning months of 1860, so did the ranks of the 1st VA. The threat of secession and possibly war caused the Regiment’s drill to take on a more serious tone. The crowds of onlookers grew to record numbers when the regiment marched in parades or conducted maneuvers at the fairgrounds. The reality of the Union breaking apart was apparent in Richmond as is evidenced by a seemingly minor incident in early January. Each year on the 8th of January, the regiment would parade to commemorate the American victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812. January 8, 1861 was no exception; the regiment formed and marched through Richmond. However as The Richmond Dispatch reported, After returning to the Square the Regiment was reviewed by Col. Moore and we noticed that the band instead of playing National airs as on similar anniversaries heretofore played the Marselleise. Clearly, allegiances in Virginia had shifted. The next large patriotic event, which took place on February 22, 1861, was the celebration of Washington’s Birthday and the crowds grew even larger. Governor Letcher was among the many dignitaries who attended the parade. The Richmond dispatch reported, When the regiment formed on the square, where they were reviewed by the largest collection of fair women and brave men that we ever recollect to have seen congregated there on a similar occasion. By the time of Washington’s Birthday celebration, seven southern states had seceded. ¹⁵

New companies of militia were being formed throughout the state of Virginia. What was later to become Company D of the 1st VA was organized in March of 1861 as the Old Dominion Guard. Much of what was later written about the 1st VA came from the men of Company D. Charles Loehr, Edward P. Reeve, Howard Malcolm Walthall, Edwin H. Chamberlayne Jr. and John Dooley Jr. all wrote of their war time experiences and all were members of Company D. The organizers of The Old Dominion Guard used a vacant storefront on Main Street as their recruiting center. With the fervor of the times, they soon had enough recruits to form their company and offer their services to the State of Virginia. Joseph W. Griswold, a 26-year old Richmond lawyer was elected Captain of the Old Dominion Guard. Also elected were 1st Lieutenant William H. Palmer and 2nd Lieutenant Henry Harney. The Old Dominion Guard soon numbered over 80 men and went into barracks on Main Street between 7th and 8th streets. Not long afterward they were attached to the 1st Virginia Infantry as Company D, becoming the newest company in the old regiment. Originally, they were not as well equipped as the more established companies in the regiment, but they took their training and drill very seriously and soon began to look like soldiers. ¹⁶

As Virginia neared secession and the country headed toward a heretofore unthinkable war, the 1st Virginia was comprised of the following officers and companies:

Colonel – Patrick T. Moore

Lt. Colonel – William H. Fry

Major – William Munford

Adjutant –Samuel P. Mitchell

Surgeon – Dr. J.S.D. Cullen

Asst. Surgeon – T.F. Maury

Quartermaster – LT. W.G. Allan

Commissary – Capt. DV Bridgeford

Paymaster – J. Adair Pleasants

Non-commissioned Staff

Sergeant Major – William O Harvie

Quartermaster Sergeant – C. E. Gronwald

Commissary Sergeant – E.P. Hudgins

Ensign – E.P. Reeve

Company A – Richmond Grays, Capt. Wyatt M Elliott

Company B – Richmond City Guard, Capt. James K Lee

Company C – Montgomery Guard, Capt. John Dooley

Company D – Old Dominion Guard, Capt. Joseph W. Griswold

Company E – Richmond Light Infantry Blues, Capt. O. Jennings Wise

Company F – Capt. R. Milton Cary

Company G – Capt. William H. Gordon

Company H – Howitzer Company, Capt. George W. Randolph

Company I – Capt. Robert Morris

Company K – Virginia Rifles, Capt. Florence Miller

Band – Captain James B. Smith

Drum Corps – Drum Major, Sergeant Rudolph Maximilian Pohle¹⁷

BAPTISM OF FIRE

Immediately following Virginia’s secession from the Union, Governor Letcher called for the mobilization of the state’s volunteers on April 17, 1861. The 1st Virginia went through several significant organizational changes in these first few days following the state’s secession. The first change was the removal of the Howitzer Company from the regiment. The Howitzer Company became the nucleus used to form the Richmond Howitzers, a new artillery battalion. Captain Randolph was promoted to Major of this new battalion.¹⁸

The Howitzers were just the first of four companies that were to be taken from the 1st Virginia. Since the older companies of the 1st VA were already established, they were equipped, trained and ready to take the field immediately. In these early days there was a sense of urgency that the fighting could commence at any time. Therefore, established units were in great demand to protect vulnerable points within the state. Company A, the Richmond Grays, was sent to Norfolk on April 21, 1861 never to be returned to the regiment. Instead they were eventually incorporated into the 12th Virginia. On April 24, Company E, the Richmond Light Infantry Blues, and Company F were sent to Fredericksburg in response to the news of an enemy landing at Aquia Creek. The reports turned out to be unfounded, but the companies remained in Fredericksburg. According to a letter from the commander at Fredericksburg, Daniel Ruggles, to General Richard Garnett, Adjutant General, Virginia Forces, the return of the two companies to the 1st VA would cause irreparable injury to his command. He also wrote, I have also to state (on information) that the officers and men in said companies are anxious to remain here, to be incorporated with a regiment about to be organized. Their return to Richmond, it is said, would give the greatest dissatisfaction and very probably break up these fine companies. In fact Captain Cary, of Company F, had petitioned John B. Baldwin, the inspector-general of his unwillingness to be mustered into the 1st VA from the beginning. The Captain wished for his company to be mustered into the service of Virginia as an independent company. Cary was told this would result in a total disorganization of the regiment