41st Virginia Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 41st Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry
regiment
raised in the Commonwealth of Virginia
for service in the Confederate States Army
during the American Civil War
. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia
in Longstreet's corps
and, later, that army's Third Corps
.
The regiment was formed from independent militia companies operating in the Norfolk
area, with men from the surrounding counties, as far west as Petersburg. Throughout the war it operated in brigades under William Mahone
and David A. Weisiger, and the divisions of Benjamin Huger, Richard H. Anderson
, and William Mahone. The regiment participated in the capture and later abandonment of Norfolk Naval Yard, and every major campaign of the Army of Northern Virginia. Several dozen men and officers of the regiment also served on the CSS Virginia
in the Battle of Hampton Roads
. The 41st Virginia was also involved in the friendly fire incident that severely wounded James Longstreet
during the Battle of the Wilderness
.
, mostly firemen. By the time Virginia's secession convention met on April 17, he had procured a few light artillery pieces. William H. Etheridge had also formed a company of infantry, dubbed the Norfolk County Rifle Patriots of men from around Great Bridge, Virginia
.
Immediately after the secession convention announced their vote, Norfolk's mayor ordered the local militia, including Kevill and Etheridge, to seize strategic points. Kevill took Fort Norfolk on the Elizabeth River
below the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
and moved heavy artillery pieces from the War of 1812
found in the basement of city hall there to defend the harbor. Etheridge's company occupied Washington Point across the Elizabeth River from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
.
Private Isaac Walling of Kevill's United Artillery Company was a professional diver and helped raise the hull of the scuttled screw-frigate Merrimac
, destroyed by Federal forces while abandoning the Navy Yard. Confederate engineers planned to use the iron hull to build an ironclad ram.
Virginia Governor John Letcher
appointed Robert E. Lee
a major general
in charge of the Commonwealth's military force on April 23. Lee distributed arms from the state's arsenals and issued a call for volunteer troops. Thomas Junius Eppes, a 33-year old wealthy planter, formed the Sussex Sharpshooters from men in Sussex
with the help of his lieutenant, William Allen "Gus" Parham. State Senator Benjamin Hatcher Nash formed the Confederate Grays with men from Chesterfield
, Henrico
, and Hanover Counties
, as well as Richmond
, where they were sworn in at Capitol Square wearing elaborate uniforms paid for by the wealthy Clay Drewry. James Skelton Gilliam recruited for his McRae Rifles from Petersburg
, but heavy recruiting in the area forced him to also bring in men from surrounding counties. Asa Reynolds Smith formed the Rough and Ready Volunteers from among the coal miners and workers around his Clover Hill
farm, many foreign born, and including his brother and the son of the mine owner. Portsmouth businessman Charles R. McAlpine recruited for his Bilisoly Blues among the dock workers and laborers in Portsmouth
and Suffolk, though he was only able to recruit 68 men thanks to heavy recruiting in the area already and suspicion about the loyalties of the many foreigners in his company.
. The Virginia State Militia became part of the Confederate States Army and Virginia Brigadier General
Benjamin Huger was put in charge of the Department of Norfolk, becoming a Confederate brigadier two weeks later. On July 1, he signed an order organizing the various companies of state militia into regiments, including the 41st Virginia, which he formed with seven companies, intending to bring the total up to ten with additional recruitment, with West Point graduate John R. Chambliss
in command as colonel.
The original seven companies were:
Additionally, three companies were recruited to fill out the regiment's ranks throughout July and August.
Also attached to the 41st Virginia by Huger, though not companies of the regiment were:
Chambliss established regimental headquarters at Portsmouth Naval Hospital
with Companies A, B, H, I, and K headquartered nearby and began drilling the regiment in expectation for a Union attempt to regain the naval yard. The remaining companies were left at the positions they had taken up after seizure of the naval yard, complicating efforts to train them. Company D was across the Elizabeth River at Lambert's Point
, Company G was at Craney Island
supporting Company C, which was manning the heavy artillery defending the mouth of the river, Company F was guarding the Portsmouth shipyards, and Company E was still manning the heavy guns at Fort Norfolk.
Huger ordered Chambliss to move his headquarters and the five companies surrounding it to Camp Anderson established on Sewell's Point
on October 3. The men still carried flintlock
muskets, though many had been retrofitted to use percussion caps. Huger also began to slowly sort out men who were unfit for duty that had been enlisted by overzealous recruiters. On October 15, the regiment was brigaded with the 6th
, 12th
, 16th
, 49th Virginia
infantry regiments under Colonel William Mahone
. Confederate States President Jefferson Davis
declared martial law and Lieutenant William "Gus" Parham of Company A became provost marshal of Norfolk.
led a Union expedition to seize Roanoke Island
in North Carolina
, raising concern that the next attack would be on Norfolk. In November, Chambliss had asked for volunteers from his regiment to man the rebuilt Merrimac, now the CSS Virginia
. Of the 282 men that crewed the vessel, 31 were recruited from the 41st Virginia, mostly from the United Artillery (Company E), including Kevill, as well as Private Albert Griswold, who had been ship's tailor on the Merrimac before the war. On March 8, the Virginia engaged the USS Monitor
in the Battle of Hampton Roads
, the first battle between two ironclad ships.
Also on March 8, the regiment absorbed 195 conscripted soldiers, drafted that winter from all over Virginia, filling all the companies to as near one hundred men as possible. Captain Etheridge's Norfolk County Rifle Patriots (Company F) had too many men at 158 strong, and sent a third of them to join the newly formed 61st Virginia Infantry
.
In late April, Kevill's United Artillery left the regiment to become Company C of the 19th Virginia Battalion, Heavy Artillery manning Fort Darling
on the James River
. The Cockade Cadets formerly became part of the regiment as the new Company E still under Captain Laurens. Captain Maney's Ragland Guards also replaced the Bilisoly Blues as Company G when they were also transferred to the 61st Virginia.
During April the Confederate Congress had passed a law requiring new elections for officers in the army's regiments. The men as a whole voted for company officers and the company officers together elected field officers. Of the 42 officers in the 41st Virginia, 28 percent were not reelected, though many appear to have left the service. Captain Benjamin Hatcher Nash of Company B, for example, left to serve full time in the Virginia State Senate and was replaced by Clay Drewry. Lieutenant William "Gus" Parham of Company A was elected lieutenant colonel
and Joseph P. Minetree was elected the new major.
May 5 also saw the Battle of Williamsburg
on the Virginia Peninsula
where forces from Joseph E. Johnston's
Army of Northern Virginia under James Longstreet
fought a rear-guard action against the pursuing Union Army of the Potomac
under the overall command of George B. McClellan
. The retreat of the Army of Northern Virginia towards Richmond left Huger's division in Norfolk exposed to a Union attack and he received orders to begin planning a withdrawal. The Virginia was burned and all supplies that could be evacuated were, as a Union bombardment ordered by Abraham Lincoln
himself began.
On May 10, a Union force under John E. Wool
landed in Norfolk and the 41st Virginia acted as rear-guard, skirmishing with Wool's man until falling back and burning Tanner's Creek Bridge. Numbering 1,084, the regiment fell back to Suffolk, where it boarded trains for Petersburg where it was united for the first time, then crossed over to Dunn's Hill
and on to Drewry's Bluff, on the north bank of the James River
. On May 15, Mahone deployed the 41st Virginia in the woods around Fort Darling
during the Battle of Drewry's Bluff
to snipe at Union sailors on the USS Galena
and the Monitor.
McClellan brought his army within several miles of Richmond and in late May, Johnston planned an offensive
to attack the two Union corps south of the Chickahominy River
. Huger's Division was to follow in support of the division of D.H. Hill, traveling down the Williamsburg Road. On May 31, when the plan was put into motion, though, James Longstreet
led his division down the Williamsburg Road, delaying the entire offensive. Huger's Division spent the first night of the battle on the Charles City Road, with Mahone's Brigade guarding the army's right flank.
At dawn on the morning of June 1, the brigade traveled down a farmer's wagon road to Seven Pines, which they reached by 7:00 am. Hill ordered Mahone to deploy his brigade in a line near some woods and advance, but Colonel Chambliss paused long enough to send out Company K as skirmishers for the regiment, the only one to do so. As the brigade advanced through dense woods at 8:30 am, a hidden Union brigade under William French
opened fire on them at fifty feet. The regiment had advanced unevenly and began to run under the heavy fire, but Captain Etheridge kept his Norfolk County Rifle Patriots (Company F) in line and Chambliss and Parham were able to reform the regiment on Etheridge's position. In the confusion, Huger brought up another brigade under Lewis Armistead to support Mahone, but the two began firing at each other. By 10:00 am, fighting in the 41st Virginia's sector was over, and Mahone's Brigade had captured a small strip of woods that had formed part of the Union line. The next morning the Confederates withdrew to their defenses, having failed to drive McClellan away, but also stopping his advance.
advancing through Seven Pines. Huger responded with an attack by the brigade of Ambrose Wright at King's School House
and Wright sent to Mahone for help. Near the end of the day, the 41st Virginia surprised Hooker's left flank and McClellan gave orders for Hooker's men to be withdrawn.
While other elements of the army engaged McClellan's force at Mechanicsville
, Gaines' Mill
, and Garnett's and Golding's Farm, Huger's Division maintained its position. On June 29, it was ordered down the Charles City Road to cut off the Union retreat, but Huger proceeded cautiously and lost the opportunity to do so. During the following day, while the division tried to struggle through felled trees along the road, some of Mahone's Brigade was detached to cover Mooreman's Battery, engaged in an artillery duel near White Oak Swamp. In Mahone's report at the end of the Seven Days he wrote that the regiment "suffered more severely than any other regiment, owing to its position" and "behaved well under the authority of the gallant Parham."
Mahone returned his men to the division on Charles City Road, where Huger held them, not moving to support either Thomas Jackson
further east in White Oak Swamp
or Longstreet at Glendale
. The morning of July 1, Mahone's men traveled south towards the Union fall-back position at Malvern Hill
and took up position on the Confederate right flank. At 4:00 pm, John Magruder
bypassed Huger and ordered Mahone to charge the Union position. Instead, Mahone lead the two other brigades in Huger's division through the woods in an attempt to surprise the Union left flank. Union sharpshooters spotted the movement and joined artillery and naval bombardments in defeating the attack. The men of the 41st Virginia spent the night only a few hundred yards from Union lines, while a bombardment covered the Union withdrawal to Harrison's Landing.
The 41st Virginia remained near the Army of the Potomac until July 10, when it was moved to Chesterfield County while Lee reorganized the army. Huger was replaced by Richard H. Anderson
and the division became part of Longstreet's wing of the army. Colonel Chambliss, who had been recruiting for the 13th Virginia Cavalry
for several months already, formally left the regiment to lead that unit and Lt. Colonel Gus Parham was tapped to replace him when he returned from a minor wound received guarding Moorman's Battery, with Major Minetree taking over his battalion
, and Captain Etheridge taking over Minetree's battalion. During the campaigns on the peninsula the 41st Virginia had replaced its flintlocks with .58 caliber rifles captured from the Union army. The regiment had lost 186 officers and men during combat on the Virginia Peninsula, but with losses from desertion, less than 500 were present in Chesterfield County.
and placed it under the command of John Pope
, commander of the recently formed Army of Virginia
. On August 17, the 41st Virginia was transported by rail to Louisa Court House
in central Virginia, and marched to Gordonsville
the next day. The regiment spend the next week moving through Culpeper
, holding at Jeffersonton (now Jefferson) on the southern bank of the Rappahannock River
. Anderson's Division remained in Culpeper while Longstreet continued north, but when Jackson burned Pope's supply depot at Manassas on August 28, the division was ordered to rejoin the rest of Longstreet's wing.
on August 29. The next day, Anderson's Division waited in the rear while Longstreet's lead units fought to clear their way through Thoroughfare Gap
and the regiment slept a few hours just to the east of it. At midnight, the 41st Virginia began marching again and arrived in the rear of Longstreet's battle line at 5:00 am.
Anderson's Division joined in Longstreet's advance, beginning at 5:00 pm on August 30. The 41st Virginia advanced along the front line, and up Henry House Hill
where it faced the Union's IX Corps. The attack routed Pope's army, but the stand on Henry House Hill was long enough that it was able to retreat in good order. During the attack, the regiment both Clay Drewry of Company B and Captain Beverly Hunter of Company K were wounded, along with General Mahone.
as part of Lee's invasion of Maryland
, setting up camp near Frederick, Maryland
on September 7, where it remained until September 12, when it crossed South Mountain
with the rest of the brigade at Crampton's Gap
and camped on the east side. Lee ordered Jackson to seize Harpers Ferry with one of his divisions, and Parham was instructed to lead Mahone's Brigade in defense of their rear.
On September 13, Special Order 191
fell into the hands of two Union soldiers, providing McClellan with Lee's battle plans, and giving him the confidence he needed to plan an offensive
for the following day. William B. Franklin
led the attack at Crampton's Gap
and Parham was sent with two regiments from Mahone's Brigade to hold a defensive line, with the 41st Virginia in reserve. Franklin broke Parham's line about 5:00 pm, and reinforcements from the 41st and another brigade sent to help delayed him long enough that he did not move through the gap before night fell. Franklin decided not to attempt to drive them on September 15, and, after dark, the 41st crossed the Potomac on a pontoon bridge and spent the night in Halltown, Virginia
, before moving to the fighting at Sharpsburg, Maryland
.
On September 17, Anderson's Division was ordered into the ongoing battle
around 9:00 am, taking up position in the center of the Confederate line, along a sunken road. Because Mahone's Brigade had taken heavy casualties at Crampton's Gap, it was appended to the brigade of Roger A. Pryor. The road became the center of a series of bloody Union attacks for the rest of the morning, and when Anderson was wounded, Pryor left to take lead the division. The four men commanding the brigade following his departure were all killed or wounded, and the fight degenerated into chaos.
By the end of the day, the 41st Virginia reported only 15 men present at roll call. On the morning of September 20, many of the men had returned and the regiment helped drive off a Union attack
on the army's rearguard at Shepherdstown
. While retreating, Parham received news that the Confederate Congress had confirmed his promotion to colonel. By early October, the regiment had moved to Winchester
and 104 men answered roll call.
began moving south. Lee guessed that Burnside was planning an attack across the Rappahannock River and sent Anderson's Division and another division of Longstreet's corps to Fredericksburg
on November 19. The 41st Virginia arrived at Salem Church along the Plank Road to the west of Fredericksburg on the evening of November 21. Burnside had been stationary in Falmouth
, so Lee ordered the rest of Longstreet's corps and Jackson's corps to Fredericksburg as well. Over the next three weeks the regiment remained camped in the area at the ready, sleeping on the ground through heavy snows and waiting for the Union attack.
Lee kept the army in defensive positions until December 16, but Burnside did not renew his attacks, and the 41st Virginia returned to Salem Church to spend a hard winter. After Burnside's aborted January offensive
, Lee moved Mahone's Brigade to United States Ford in early February. The regiments of the brigade took turns standing guard and improving the road back to the Orange Turnpike. Throughout the winter efforts were made to improve the regiment, now numbering 305. Courts martial were convened to try crimes and Officers Review Boards aspired to weeding out incompetent officers, though the effect of both was to deprive the regiment of officers. Lieutenant Denoon acted as commander of Company B, and for a short time even as a battalion commander. In March, a new chaplain arrived and found the beginnings of a religious revival
among the regiment, also reported by chaplains in other regiments.
lead a combined force of elements of his own company and the 41st Virginia to Germanna Ford on the Rapidan River
to construct a bridge for the army's cavalry. On April 28, Tyler received word that Union soldiers had been spotted crossing the Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford
and dispatched Captain James Smith, Jr. of the 41st Virginia's Company E with ten of his men to set up a picket line and provide the work crew with details. Smith brought his men to a forward position in the woods, but was surprised to find some of the vanguard of Henry Slocum's XII Corps already behind him and blocking his route back to the ford. Smith and his men managed to elude Slocum's men and crossed the Rapidan in a boat.
At Germanna Ford, Tyler's party was surprised by Slocum's men, but most made it to the south side of the river, and held off the advanced pickets until the lead regiment drew up a line of battle. Assuming Smith had been captured, he fell back the Germanna Road to its intersection with the Orange Turnpike at Wilderness Tavern. Not long after, Smith and his men caught up with the rest of the crew, and the two decided to send a reconnaissance party after dark, led by Smith. He returned around 1:00 am, with news that Slocum was at the ford in force, and they sent word to Mahone's headquarters at the Chancellor Mansion
that the Union army was making a move on the Confederate left flank.
Lee continued to receive reports throughout April 29 on the size and disposition of the Army of the Potomac's flanking movement, and gave orders that resulted in the 41st Virginia forming up north of the Chancellor Mansion at the intersection of Ely's Ford Road and United States Ford Road in the rain, with the rest of Anderson's Division nearby. At 3:30 am, Union cavalry seized United States Ford, but Anderson overruled Mahone's plan to re-capture it. As morning broke, the division fell back to the Chancellor Mansion, and then down the Orange Turnpike, pursued by the V Corps division of George Sykes. In the afternoon, reinforced with soldiers from Jackson's corps, Anderson's division made a stand at a ridge that ran across the turnpike and spent the evening and night digging breastworks.
May 1, Jackson, in command with Longstreet away laying siege to Suffolk
, ordered Anderson's Division to advance against Sykes' men down the turnpike. Mahone's Brigade formed a line north of the road, with the 41st Virginia anchoring the left flank on it and advanced to within about half a mile of the Chancellor Mansion after a day of hard fighting. The next morning, while Jackson made his historic flank march, Anderson's Division remained in place to hold the Union forces. Beginning at 3:30 pm, the division was moved south to replace Jackson's departing units and the regiment spent the evening supporting batteries on the Plank Road.
The morning of May 3 found Anderson Division's left flank threatened by the III Corps of Daniel Sickles
positioned on Hazel Grove, separating Anderson from the nearest Confederate units of Jackson, now led by J.E.B. Stuart
because of Jackson's wounding. But beginning at 10:00 am, Sickles evacuated the position, and the Confederates spent mid-day pushing the Union forces back north of the Chancellor Mansion. Shortly after noon, Mahone's Brigade, with others from Anderson's Division, was ordered rapidly back to Salem Church
, to stop the VI Corps of John Sedgwick
that had broken through the weakened Confederate defenses at Marye's Heights. At 4:00 pm, Mahone's regiments fell into line north of the Plank Road and repulsed three charges, repeatedly shifting to the left as more Union forces arrived, and continuing until nightfall. The following morning, the 41st Virginia found itself on the extreme left, near Banks's Ford, and unable to take part in most of the day's fighting because of obstacles created by the terrain, and unable to impede Sedwick's retreat that night.
On May 5, the regiment returned to the Chancellor Mansion to take part in the assault on the remainder of the Union army, but their retreat called off the attack. They spent two more days there, receiving much needed supplies and their first cooked meals in nearly a week, then marched to Hamilton's Crossing, south of Fredericksburg. After Jackson's death on May 10, Lee decided to reorganize the army in anticipation of a new campaign, and on May 30, Anderson's Division joined the new Third Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
under A.P. Hill.
under Longstreet and the Second Corps
under Richard S. Ewell
left Fredericksburg, while Hill's Third Corps remained to cover their movement. Mahone's Brigade replaced the brigade guarding Marye's Height on June 3 and experienced their most complete provisioning of the war. While stationed so close to downtown Fredericksburg, the 41st Virginia hosted a "block party" for the soldiers of the regiment and the residents of the town. On June 14, the brigade moved out and reached Culpeper by June 16. They continued marching north, reaching Berryville
June 21 and camped in Charles Town
the next night. The regiment crossed the Potomac at Shepherdstown on June 24 and by June 26 had crossed into Pennsylvania
. The next evening they camped four miles east of Chambersburg
on the road to Gettysburg
.
On July 1, the first day of the battle
, Anderson's Division spent the day waiting, interspersed with short marches towards Gettysburg. A crowded road and confused orders because of the unintended development of the battle resulted in very little progress for the division. Lee had committed to battle by evening and, after a brief rest, Anderson's Division made a night march to Gettysburg, arriving in the morning and taking up a position at the northern end of Seminary Ridge
.
On the second day
, Anderson's Division was only lightly engaged. For most of the day it did not take part in the assaults, only finally joining in Longstreet's en echelon attack at 6:00 pm. But Mahone's Brigade did not move forward with the rest of the division. Anderson sent a message to Mahone asking for him to being his attack, but Mahone declined to, for unknown reasons.
Throughout the morning of the third day
, the 41st Virginia guarded artillery units taking part in the bombardment of Cemetery Ridge
. Despite having been barely engaged so far, Anderson's Division was not selected to take part in a three division afternoon assault led by Longstreet. Known to history as "Pickett's Charge", it was a disaster, and Anderson's Division was spread down the line to cover the its length as the three divisions under Longstreet made their way back to the main army.
Anderson's Division was given much of the responsibility for guarding the army's rear as it left the battlefield. By July 11, the army had reached Williamsport
, but the recent heavy rains prevented it from crossing the Potomac. The 41st Virginia spent the next two days in the hastily constructed Confederate trenches anticipating a Union attack
that did not occur. It finally crossed the river on July 14, though some of its men took the opportunity to desert. By July 21, the regiment was passing through Front Royal
and camped in Culpeper on July 25.
, but the Northerners retreated before a fight began. The regiment moved back south of the Rapidan to take up a position at Rapidan Station
and face off across the river from the Army of the Potomac.
On October 8, Hill's Third Corps and Ewell's Second Corps attempted to reproduce Jackson's flanking maneuver of August 1862, but the Army of the Potomac slipped the trap. Hill assaulted a Union position
on October 14, but due to improper reconnaissance were surprised by the II Corps under Gouverneur K. Warren
and brutally repulsed. The 41st Virginia and the rest of Anderson's Division, who had been in reserve during the battle, took up a defensive position through the night, then joined the rest of the army as it retreated to south of the Rappahannock again. While there, a pardon came from the War Department for Privates Newton and Scroggins, who had been sentenced to death for desertion, prompting Lee to send a critical telegram back that leniency would only encourage more desertion. Mahone's Brigade was held in reserve to prevent a breakthrough during the Second Battle of Rappahannock Station on November 7, but did not take part in the battle. Shortly thereafter, the regiment returned to its old camp at Rapidan Station.
At 4:00 am on November 26, Colonel Parham ordered the regiment east on the Plank Road as part of the corps' movement to meet the Army of the Potomac's strike across the Rapidan. The 41st Virginia reached Verdiersville in Orange County at about 1:00 pm and formed a line with the rest of Anderson's Division, but moved it after dark to the woods between the Plank Road and the Orange Turnpike when another Third Corps division arrived. Throughout the next two days
a steady, cold rain fell, but no Union attack came along the regiment's line. By November 30, Union forces appeared ready to charge the strong defensive position, but their commanders thought better of it and withdrew across the Rapidan. The corps pursued, but Lee called off the attack and, on December 3, the 41st Virginia was back in Rapidan Station.
and Orange Court House
to establish permanent winter quarters. During the winter, the 41st Virginia joined with the other units of Lee's army in a broad turn to religiousness that would have implications throughout the American south after the war. Also during this time, Colonel Parham developed an unidentified illness that forced him on sickleave for most of the winter, and, eventually, would lead to his transfer. Lt. Colonel Joseph P. Minetree effectively commanded the regiment. A much greater change of leadership had occurred in the Union army, when Ulysses S. Grant
was named general-in-chief.
, but left Anderson's Division north of Clark's Mountain to defend against a possible envelopment. They remained on guard throughout May 5, receiving orders to move east on the Plank Road to the battlefield at 7:00 pm, reaching three miles west of the battlefield by just after dawn the next morning. But the division was halted, so Longstreet could bring his First Corps up the road and engage at Tapp Farm, the major action of the morning. Lee ordered several of Anderson's brigades forward to join Longstreet, but the counterattack ground to a halt against the Union II Corps, under Winfield Scott Hancock
. Lee's chief engineer, Martin Luther Smith
, had discovered a path down an unfinished railroad to Hancock's flank, and Longstreet ordered his chief of staff Moxley Sorrel
to assemble what troops he could for an attack.
Sorrel assembled two brigades from Longstreet's corps and one from the Third Corps division of Henry Heth
, as well as Mahone's Brigade for the assault. Mahone, as the senior brigadier, led the group off at about 11:00 am, crashing totally unexpected onto Hancock's flank about forty-five minutes later. As the Union flank crumpled, Longstreet ordered his men forward too, and a confused flight began among Hancock's troops. Lt. Colonel Minetree was wounded, and Mahone halted his brigade to reform before the chaos grew worse. The 12th Virginia continued advancing, though, until Colonel David A. Weisiger realized what had happened, and turned them around. As he marched them back to the line, Longstreet and several staff rode up on horses to investigate the delay. The 41st Virginia, Major William Etheridge now commanding, and the 61st Virginia confused the 12th Virginia with an attacking regiment and opened fire, killing several of them and severely wounding Longstreet.
The wounding of Longstreet effectively ended the Confederate counterattack and they took up positions around the II Corps' fallback defenses at the intersection of the Brock and Plank Roads. The next day was spent waiting for an attack or retreat by the Union forces. Anderson was placed in temporary command of the First Corps for the remainder of the battle, with Mahone temporarily taking charge of the division and the 12th Virginia's Colonel Wisiger leading the brigade. At about 7:00 pm, just after dark, Grant began to move the army.
near Shady Grove Church, but Grant called off the Union attack before it could be exploited, and Mahone extended the Confederate trenches to his new position.
May 12, a massive Union assault on the "Mule Shoe" Salient required Lee to transfer Anderson's Division back to fill in holes created in the lines as he reinforced, and Mahone's Brigade, still under Weisiger, took up a position north of the Fredericksburg Road leading to Spotsylvania Court House
. At around 1:00 pm, Ambrose Burnside's IX Corps advanced against the Second Corps to keep Lee from further reinforcing the Mule Shoe Salient, and Weisiger was ordered to take Mahone's Brigade with two others and counterattack on the IX Corps' flank. In the ensuing action, the 41st Virginia and the other regiments of the attack force blunted Burnside's attack long enough for Lee to re-establish a defensive line across the Mule Shoe Salient, and the brigades returned to their launching point in the trenches.
On May 16, the brigade again attempted to stop a Union flank maneuver, as Grant moved the VI Corps across the Ni River, but was overwhelmed by the forces under Horatio Wright
. Lee had been able to deploy Anderson's First Corps to keep Grant from turning the flank, though, and the Union general-in-chief decided there was nothing more to be gained from attacks on the Confederate position. The 41st Virginia remained in its trenches, not participating in Ewell's failed offensive on the Union flank.
on the North Anna River
on the night of May 23. Mahone's Brigade was stationed on the western edge of Lee's "Hog Snout" line
. Throughout May 24, the regiment repulsed IX Corps attacks on their trenches, during which Captain Brinkley of Company I was killed. They remained in the trenches until the morning of May 27, when Grant again attempted a flank maneuver.
The 41st Virginia took up a position with the rest of a brigade half way between Shady Grove Church and Pole Green Church behind Totopotomoy Creek, but most of Grant's fighting took place to its right
. Then most of the Army of the Potomac disappeared from the line, and reappeared to the south, headed towards Cold Harbor
on the road to Richmond, but were stopped there by Anderson. His Division, still being led by Mahone, was moved to support him as a reserve force. On June 3, Grant launched an all out attack on the Confederate lines and Major Etheridge led the 41st Virginia to reinforce the division of John C. Breckenridge as it bloodily repulsed the Union charge.
and attack Petersburg, cutting off Richmond's supply lines. On June 13, Hill's Third Corps was sent to the old Seven Days' battlegrounds in White Oak Swamp to stop what turned out to be a diversionary strike towards Richmond. The real attack came on June 15 at Petersburg, but was repulsed by P.G.T. Beauregard, forcing Grant to lay siege.
The 41st Virginia arrived with Mahone's Division in Petersburg, the home of many of its men, sometime between June 18 and June 20. On June 21, the Union II Corps and VI Corps advanced to the Jerusalem Plank Road, with the plan to wreck the Weldon Railroad
, one of the two remaining supply lines for Petersburg. The two corps became separated in the woods
and on June 22, Mahone led his division down a ravine he personally knew from his job surveying the railroad before the war and appeared behind the left flank of the II Corps, collapsing it and sending the Union retreating to their fall back lines. In the attack, the 41st Virginia took two of the five stands of colors captured by the division. The following day, the division marched circuitously to join the division of Cadmus Wilcox and pushed the VI Corps back to the Jerusalem Plank Road. But Lee was unable to provide further reinforcements and the 41st Virginia with the rest of Mahone's Division fell back to the lines south of Petersburg.
Over the next month, the regiment was twice dispatched on small expeditions, but returned to the left flank of the army with no significant action each time. At dawn on July 30, the Union forces exploded a mine under the Confederate lines, beginning the Battle of the Crater
. At 6:30 am, Mahone ordered Weisiger's Brigade and another from his division to plug the hole in the Confederate line. At 9:00 am, the regiment advanced with the rest of the brigade towards the Crater, but fell back under heavy fire and advanced to the left, into the occupied trenches. In heavy hand-to-hand combat, they drove the IX Corps soldiers from the trenches, while two other brigades assaulted the Crater, driving the Union from it in a bloody repulse, including a massacre of black soldiers. The regiment suffered heavy losses, including Captain Heslop Mingea of Company C, Captain Beverly Hunter of Company K, and Lieutenant Charles Denoon of Company K.
The regiment was held back from serious actions for the following two weeks to recover. On August 18, Grant made another attempt to wreck the Weldon Railroad
, this time with the V Corps of Gouverneur Warren. Weisiger's Brigade, with one other, left the lines on August 19 and hit the left flank of the V Corps to the northeast of Globe Tavern. Warren brought up reinforcements, forcing Mahone to withdraw his two brigades. On August 21, the regiment with the rest of the brigade joined in another attack on Warren's position, this time from the west, but was driven off without achieving a breakthrough, leaving Warren in control of Globe Tavern, the new Union left.
During the August 22 attack on Hancock's II Corps at Ream's Station
by Mahone, the 41st Virginia returned to the defenses south of Petersburg. Though Hancock retreated from Ream's Station, Warren's position at Globe Tavern cut the Weldon Railroad, but Lee was still able to move supplies from the railroad down the Boydton Plank Road. On October 27, Grant sent three corps to seize the road
, and Mahone and Heth were sent to stop the attack. Mahone's Division advanced through the woods and collapsed the right flank of Hancock's II Corps on Dabney Mill Road. Veteran II Corps commanders rapidly changed their positions and surrounded Mahone's Division, driving the Confederates back with heavy losses. Hancock retreated, and the Confederates returned to their defenses on the Boydton Plank Road.
In December, the division participated in chasing Warren's V Corps as they wrecked further south on the Weldon Railroad during the Apple Jack Raid, then went into winter quarters. On February 5, Grant launched a joint cavalry and infantry expedition
to destroy a Confederate wagon train thought to be on the Boydton Plank Road. After the Second Corps, now under John B. Gordon failed to dislodge the Union II Corps and V Corps, Lee sent Mahone's Division to flank the Union position. The attack failed, but both armies fell back to their defenses.
after the action at Hatcher's Run. When the Union general assault of April 2 occurred, Mahone marched his division west through Chesterfield County and joined the rest of the army at Amelia Court House
. On April 7, after Ewell's surrender the previous day at the Battle of Sayler's Creek
, Mahone's Division held off the pursuing II Corps at the Battle of High Bridge
, but was unable to successfully burn the bridge to prevent Union pursuit. That afternoon, the division took up position near Cumberland Church and held off two charges by the Union II Corps
. Mahone's Division became part of Longstreet's Corps and fell back to a position north of Appomattox Court House
. While preparing for an attack of the II Corps, the 41st Virginia received word of the cease-fire that would set the stage for the final surrender of Lee's army.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
raised in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
for service in the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
in Longstreet's corps
First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
The First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia was a military unit fighting for the Confederate States of America in the American Civil War. It was formed in early 1861 and served until the spring of 1865, mostly in the Eastern Theater. The corps was commanded by James Longstreet for much of its...
and, later, that army's Third Corps
Third Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
The Third Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia was a military organization within the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during much of the American Civil War. The corps was formed in mid-1863 and served until Lee's surrender April 9, 1865, near the end of the war.-Formation:After the death of...
.
The regiment was formed from independent militia companies operating in the Norfolk
Norfolk County, Virginia
Norfolk County was a county of the South Hampton Roads in eastern Virginia in the United States that was created in 1691. After the American Civil War, for a period of about 100 years, portions of Norfolk County were lost and the territory of the county reduced as they became parts of the separate...
area, with men from the surrounding counties, as far west as Petersburg. Throughout the war it operated in brigades under William Mahone
William Mahone
William Mahone was a civil engineer, teacher, soldier, railroad executive, and a member of the Virginia General Assembly and U.S. Congress. Small of stature, he was nicknamed "Little Billy"....
and David A. Weisiger, and the divisions of Benjamin Huger, Richard H. Anderson
Richard H. Anderson
Richard Heron Anderson was a career U.S. Army officer, fighting with distinction in the Mexican-American War. He also served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War, fighting in the Eastern Theater of the conflict and most notably during the 1864 Battle of Spotsylvania Court House...
, and William Mahone. The regiment participated in the capture and later abandonment of Norfolk Naval Yard, and every major campaign of the Army of Northern Virginia. Several dozen men and officers of the regiment also served on the CSS Virginia
CSS Virginia
CSS Virginia was the first steam-powered ironclad warship of the Confederate States Navy, built during the first year of the American Civil War; she was constructed as a casemate ironclad using the raised and cut down original lower hull and steam engines of the scuttled . Virginia was one of the...
in the Battle of Hampton Roads
Battle of Hampton Roads
The Battle of Hampton Roads, often referred to as either the Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack or the Battle of Ironclads, was the most noted and arguably most important naval battle of the American Civil War from the standpoint of the development of navies...
. The 41st Virginia was also involved in the friendly fire incident that severely wounded James Longstreet
James Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
during the Battle of the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
.
The Virginia Militia
In late 1860, the Irish-born proprietor of a clothing store and captain of the Norfolk United Volunteer Fire Company Thomas Kevill formed the United Artillery Company, a volunteer militia made up of men from Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, mostly firemen. By the time Virginia's secession convention met on April 17, he had procured a few light artillery pieces. William H. Etheridge had also formed a company of infantry, dubbed the Norfolk County Rifle Patriots of men from around Great Bridge, Virginia
Great Bridge, Virginia
Great Bridge is a community located in the independent city of Chesapeake in the U.S. state of Virginia. Its name is derived from the American Revolutionary War Battle of Great Bridge, which took place on December 9, 1775 and resulted in the final removal of British government from the Colony and...
.
Immediately after the secession convention announced their vote, Norfolk's mayor ordered the local militia, including Kevill and Etheridge, to seize strategic points. Kevill took Fort Norfolk on the Elizabeth River
Elizabeth River (Virginia)
The Elizabeth River is a tidal estuary forming an arm of Hampton Roads harbor at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia in the United States. It is located along the southern side of the mouth of the James River, between the cities of Portsmouth and Norfolk...
below the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy as well as the most...
and moved heavy artillery pieces from the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
found in the basement of city hall there to defend the harbor. Etheridge's company occupied Washington Point across the Elizabeth River from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard located in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It is used for remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships...
.
Private Isaac Walling of Kevill's United Artillery Company was a professional diver and helped raise the hull of the scuttled screw-frigate Merrimac
USS Merrimack (1855)
USS Merrimack was a frigate and sailing vessel of the United States Navy, best known as the hull upon which the ironclad warship, CSS Virginia was constructed during the American Civil War...
, destroyed by Federal forces while abandoning the Navy Yard. Confederate engineers planned to use the iron hull to build an ironclad ram.
Virginia Governor John Letcher
John Letcher
John Letcher was an American lawyer, journalist, and politician. He served as a Representative in the United States Congress, was the 34th Governor of Virginia during the American Civil War, and later served in the Virginia General Assembly...
appointed Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
a major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in charge of the Commonwealth's military force on April 23. Lee distributed arms from the state's arsenals and issued a call for volunteer troops. Thomas Junius Eppes, a 33-year old wealthy planter, formed the Sussex Sharpshooters from men in Sussex
Sussex County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,504 people, 4,126 households, and 2,809 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 4,653 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
with the help of his lieutenant, William Allen "Gus" Parham. State Senator Benjamin Hatcher Nash formed the Confederate Grays with men from Chesterfield
Chesterfield County, Virginia
Chesterfield County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. In 2010, its population was estimated to be 316,236. Chesterfield County is now the fourth-largest municipality in Virginia . Its county seat is Chesterfield...
, Henrico
Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, and Hanover Counties
Hanover County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 86,320 people, 31,121 households, and 24,461 families residing in the county. The population density was 183 people per square mile . There were 32,196 housing units at an average density of 68 per square mile...
, as well as Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, where they were sworn in at Capitol Square wearing elaborate uniforms paid for by the wealthy Clay Drewry. James Skelton Gilliam recruited for his McRae Rifles from Petersburg
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
, but heavy recruiting in the area forced him to also bring in men from surrounding counties. Asa Reynolds Smith formed the Rough and Ready Volunteers from among the coal miners and workers around his Clover Hill
Winterpock, Virginia
Winterpock is an unincorporated community in western Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. Winterpock does not have its own post office....
farm, many foreign born, and including his brother and the son of the mine owner. Portsmouth businessman Charles R. McAlpine recruited for his Bilisoly Blues among the dock workers and laborers in Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
and Suffolk, though he was only able to recruit 68 men thanks to heavy recruiting in the area already and suspicion about the loyalties of the many foreigners in his company.
Companies and Formation
On May 23, Virginia voters ratified the state's secession and it became part of the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. The Virginia State Militia became part of the Confederate States Army and Virginia Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Benjamin Huger was put in charge of the Department of Norfolk, becoming a Confederate brigadier two weeks later. On July 1, he signed an order organizing the various companies of state militia into regiments, including the 41st Virginia, which he formed with seven companies, intending to bring the total up to ten with additional recruitment, with West Point graduate John R. Chambliss
John R. Chambliss
John Randolph Chambliss, Jr. was a career military officer, serving in the United States Army and then, during the American Civil War, in the Confederate States Army. A brigadier general of cavalry, Chambliss was killed in action during the Second Battle of Deep Bottom.-Early life:Chambliss was...
in command as colonel.
The original seven companies were:
- Company A – Sussex Sharpshooters (Sussex Co.Sussex County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 12,504 people, 4,126 households, and 2,809 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 4,653 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
), under Captain Thomas J. Eppes - Company B – Confederate Grays (Chesterfield Co.Chesterfield County, VirginiaChesterfield County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. In 2010, its population was estimated to be 316,236. Chesterfield County is now the fourth-largest municipality in Virginia . Its county seat is Chesterfield...
, Henrico Co.Henrico County, VirginiaHenrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Hanover Co.Hanover County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 86,320 people, 31,121 households, and 24,461 families residing in the county. The population density was 183 people per square mile . There were 32,196 housing units at an average density of 68 per square mile...
, and RichmondRichmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
), under Captain Benjamin H. Nash - Company C – McRae Rifles (PetersburgPetersburg, VirginiaPetersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
, Prince George Co.Prince George County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 33,047 people, 10,159 households, and 8,096 families residing in the county. The population density was 124 people per square mile . There were 10,726 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile...
, Dinwiddie Co.Dinwiddie County, VirginiaDinwiddie County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 28,001. Its county seat is Dinwiddie.- History :...
, and Chesterfield Co.Chesterfield County, VirginiaChesterfield County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. In 2010, its population was estimated to be 316,236. Chesterfield County is now the fourth-largest municipality in Virginia . Its county seat is Chesterfield...
), under Captain James S. Gilliam - Company D – Rough and Ready Volunteers (Clover HillWinterpock, VirginiaWinterpock is an unincorporated community in western Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. Winterpock does not have its own post office....
), under Captain Asa R. Smith - Company E – United Artillery Company (Norfolk CountyNorfolk, VirginiaNorfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
), under Captain Thomas Kevill - Company F – Norfolk County Rifle Patriots (Norfolk Co.Norfolk County, VirginiaNorfolk County was a county of the South Hampton Roads in eastern Virginia in the United States that was created in 1691. After the American Civil War, for a period of about 100 years, portions of Norfolk County were lost and the territory of the county reduced as they became parts of the separate...
, now extinct), under Captain William H. Etheridge - Company G – Bilisoly Blues (Norfolk Co.), under Captain Charles R. McAlpine
Additionally, three companies were recruited to fill out the regiment's ranks throughout July and August.
- Company H – from Southampton Co., under Captain George E. Beaton
- Company I – from Nansemond Co. (now part of SuffolkSuffolk, VirginiaSuffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
), under Captain Robert B. Brinkley - Company K – South Quay Guards (Nansemond Co.), under Captain Jonas W. Lawrence
Also attached to the 41st Virginia by Huger, though not companies of the regiment were:
- Cockade Cadets (Petersburg and surrounding areas), under Captain John B. Laurens (later Company E of the regiment)
- Ragland Guards (Petersburg and surrounding areas), under Captain James D. Maney (later Company G of the regiment)
Chambliss established regimental headquarters at Portsmouth Naval Hospital
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (Portsmouth, Virginia)
The Naval Medical Center Portsmouth , formerly Naval Hospital Portsmouth, is a United States Navy medical center in Portsmouth, Virginia, United States. It is the oldest continuously running hospital in the Navy medical system....
with Companies A, B, H, I, and K headquartered nearby and began drilling the regiment in expectation for a Union attempt to regain the naval yard. The remaining companies were left at the positions they had taken up after seizure of the naval yard, complicating efforts to train them. Company D was across the Elizabeth River at Lambert's Point
Lambert's Point
Lamberts Point is a point of land on the south shore of the Elizabeth River near the downtown area of the independent city of Norfolk in the South Hampton Roads region of eastern Virginia, United States...
, Company G was at Craney Island
Craney Island (Virginia)
Craney Island is a point of land in the independent city of Portsmouth in the South Hampton Roads region of eastern Virginia in the United States. The location, formerly in Norfolk County, is near the mouth of the Elizabeth River opposite Lambert's Point on Hampton Roads. It is managed by the U.S...
supporting Company C, which was manning the heavy artillery defending the mouth of the river, Company F was guarding the Portsmouth shipyards, and Company E was still manning the heavy guns at Fort Norfolk.
Huger ordered Chambliss to move his headquarters and the five companies surrounding it to Camp Anderson established on Sewell's Point
Sewell's Point
Sewells Point is a peninsula of land in the independent city of Norfolk, Virginia in the United States, located at the mouth of the salt-water port of Hampton Roads. Sewells Point is bordered by water on three sides, with Willoughby Bay to the north, Hampton Roads to the west, and the Lafayette...
on October 3. The men still carried flintlock
Flintlock
Flintlock is the general term for any firearm based on the flintlock mechanism. The term may also apply to the mechanism itself. Introduced at the beginning of the 17th century, the flintlock rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the doglock, matchlock and wheellock...
muskets, though many had been retrofitted to use percussion caps. Huger also began to slowly sort out men who were unfit for duty that had been enlisted by overzealous recruiters. On October 15, the regiment was brigaded with the 6th
6th Virginia Infantry
The 6th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia....
, 12th
12th Virginia Infantry
The 12th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia....
, 16th
16th Virginia Infantry
The 16th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia....
, 49th Virginia
49th Virginia Infantry
The 49th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia....
infantry regiments under Colonel William Mahone
William Mahone
William Mahone was a civil engineer, teacher, soldier, railroad executive, and a member of the Virginia General Assembly and U.S. Congress. Small of stature, he was nicknamed "Little Billy"....
. Confederate States President Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
declared martial law and Lieutenant William "Gus" Parham of Company A became provost marshal of Norfolk.
On The Peninsula and Around Richmond
In February 1862, Major General Ambrose BurnsideAmbrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator...
led a Union expedition to seize Roanoke Island
Battle of Roanoke Island
The opening phase of what came to be called the Burnside Expedition, the Battle of Roanoke Island was an amphibious operation of the American Civil War, fought on February 7–8, 1862, in the North Carolina Sounds a short distance south of the Virginia border...
in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, raising concern that the next attack would be on Norfolk. In November, Chambliss had asked for volunteers from his regiment to man the rebuilt Merrimac, now the CSS Virginia
CSS Virginia
CSS Virginia was the first steam-powered ironclad warship of the Confederate States Navy, built during the first year of the American Civil War; she was constructed as a casemate ironclad using the raised and cut down original lower hull and steam engines of the scuttled . Virginia was one of the...
. Of the 282 men that crewed the vessel, 31 were recruited from the 41st Virginia, mostly from the United Artillery (Company E), including Kevill, as well as Private Albert Griswold, who had been ship's tailor on the Merrimac before the war. On March 8, the Virginia engaged the USS Monitor
USS Monitor
USS Monitor was the first ironclad warship commissioned by the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She is most famous for her participation in the Battle of Hampton Roads on March 9, 1862, the first-ever battle fought between two ironclads...
in the Battle of Hampton Roads
Battle of Hampton Roads
The Battle of Hampton Roads, often referred to as either the Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack or the Battle of Ironclads, was the most noted and arguably most important naval battle of the American Civil War from the standpoint of the development of navies...
, the first battle between two ironclad ships.
Also on March 8, the regiment absorbed 195 conscripted soldiers, drafted that winter from all over Virginia, filling all the companies to as near one hundred men as possible. Captain Etheridge's Norfolk County Rifle Patriots (Company F) had too many men at 158 strong, and sent a third of them to join the newly formed 61st Virginia Infantry
61st Virginia Infantry
The 61st Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia....
.
In late April, Kevill's United Artillery left the regiment to become Company C of the 19th Virginia Battalion, Heavy Artillery manning Fort Darling
Fort Darling
Fort Darling was a Confederate military installation during the American Civil War located at Drewry’s Bluff, a high point overlooking a bend in the James River south of Richmond in Chesterfield County, Virginia. It was the site of the 1862 Battle of Drewry's Bluff.It also served as the base of...
on the James River
James River
The James River may refer to:Rivers in the United States and their namesakes* James River * James River , North Dakota, South Dakota* James River * James River * James River...
. The Cockade Cadets formerly became part of the regiment as the new Company E still under Captain Laurens. Captain Maney's Ragland Guards also replaced the Bilisoly Blues as Company G when they were also transferred to the 61st Virginia.
During April the Confederate Congress had passed a law requiring new elections for officers in the army's regiments. The men as a whole voted for company officers and the company officers together elected field officers. Of the 42 officers in the 41st Virginia, 28 percent were not reelected, though many appear to have left the service. Captain Benjamin Hatcher Nash of Company B, for example, left to serve full time in the Virginia State Senate and was replaced by Clay Drewry. Lieutenant William "Gus" Parham of Company A was elected lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and Joseph P. Minetree was elected the new major.
The Peninsula Campaign
Battle of Williamsburg
The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862, in York County, James City County, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War...
on the Virginia Peninsula
Virginia Peninsula
The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, USA, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay.Hampton Roads is the common name for the metropolitan area that surrounds the body of water of the same name...
where forces from Joseph E. Johnston's
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
Army of Northern Virginia under James Longstreet
James Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
fought a rear-guard action against the pursuing Union Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
under the overall command of George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
. The retreat of the Army of Northern Virginia towards Richmond left Huger's division in Norfolk exposed to a Union attack and he received orders to begin planning a withdrawal. The Virginia was burned and all supplies that could be evacuated were, as a Union bombardment ordered by Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
himself began.
On May 10, a Union force under John E. Wool
John E. Wool
John Ellis Wool was an officer in the United States Army during three consecutive U.S. wars: the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. By the time of the Mexican-American War, he was widely considered one of the most capable officers in the army and a superb organizer...
landed in Norfolk and the 41st Virginia acted as rear-guard, skirmishing with Wool's man until falling back and burning Tanner's Creek Bridge. Numbering 1,084, the regiment fell back to Suffolk, where it boarded trains for Petersburg where it was united for the first time, then crossed over to Dunn's Hill
Colonial Heights, Virginia
Colonial Heights is an independent city in Virginia, United States. The population was 17,411 as of 2010. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the City of Colonial Heights with Dinwiddie County for statistical purposes...
and on to Drewry's Bluff, on the north bank of the James River
James River
The James River may refer to:Rivers in the United States and their namesakes* James River * James River , North Dakota, South Dakota* James River * James River * James River...
. On May 15, Mahone deployed the 41st Virginia in the woods around Fort Darling
Fort Darling
Fort Darling was a Confederate military installation during the American Civil War located at Drewry’s Bluff, a high point overlooking a bend in the James River south of Richmond in Chesterfield County, Virginia. It was the site of the 1862 Battle of Drewry's Bluff.It also served as the base of...
during the Battle of Drewry's Bluff
Battle of Drewry's Bluff
The Battle of Drewry’s Bluff, also known as the Battle of Fort Darling, or Fort Drewry, took place on May 15, 1862, in Chesterfield County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. Five American warships, including the ironclads and , steamed up the James River to...
to snipe at Union sailors on the USS Galena
USS Galena (1862)
USS Galena — an ironclad screw steamer — was one of the first three ironclads, each of a different design, built by the Union Navy during the American Civil War....
and the Monitor.
McClellan brought his army within several miles of Richmond and in late May, Johnston planned an offensive
Battle of Seven Pines
The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive up the Virginia Peninsula by Union Maj. Gen....
to attack the two Union corps south of the Chickahominy River
Chickahominy River
The Chickahominy is an river in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Virginia. The river rises about northwest of Richmond and flows southeast and south to the James River...
. Huger's Division was to follow in support of the division of D.H. Hill, traveling down the Williamsburg Road. On May 31, when the plan was put into motion, though, James Longstreet
James Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
led his division down the Williamsburg Road, delaying the entire offensive. Huger's Division spent the first night of the battle on the Charles City Road, with Mahone's Brigade guarding the army's right flank.
At dawn on the morning of June 1, the brigade traveled down a farmer's wagon road to Seven Pines, which they reached by 7:00 am. Hill ordered Mahone to deploy his brigade in a line near some woods and advance, but Colonel Chambliss paused long enough to send out Company K as skirmishers for the regiment, the only one to do so. As the brigade advanced through dense woods at 8:30 am, a hidden Union brigade under William French
William H. French
William Henry French was a career United States Army officer and a Union Army General in the American Civil War. He rose to temporarily command a corps within the Army of the Potomac, but was relieved of active field duty following poor performance during the Mine Run Campaign in late 1863.-Early...
opened fire on them at fifty feet. The regiment had advanced unevenly and began to run under the heavy fire, but Captain Etheridge kept his Norfolk County Rifle Patriots (Company F) in line and Chambliss and Parham were able to reform the regiment on Etheridge's position. In the confusion, Huger brought up another brigade under Lewis Armistead to support Mahone, but the two began firing at each other. By 10:00 am, fighting in the 41st Virginia's sector was over, and Mahone's Brigade had captured a small strip of woods that had formed part of the Union line. The next morning the Confederates withdrew to their defenses, having failed to drive McClellan away, but also stopping his advance.
The Seven Days
Johnston had been wounded during the battle, leading Jefferson Davis to name Robert E. Lee to command the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee worked on improving the administration over the next few weeks and planning on offensive. On June 25, McClellan struck first, sending a division under Joseph HookerJoseph Hooker
Joseph Hooker was a career United States Army officer, achieving the rank of major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Although he served throughout the war, usually with distinction, Hooker is best remembered for his stunning defeat by Confederate General Robert E...
advancing through Seven Pines. Huger responded with an attack by the brigade of Ambrose Wright at King's School House
Battle of Oak Grove
The Battle of Oak Grove, also known as the Battle of French's Field or King's School House, took place on June 25, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, the first of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan advanced his lines with the objective of bringing...
and Wright sent to Mahone for help. Near the end of the day, the 41st Virginia surprised Hooker's left flank and McClellan gave orders for Hooker's men to be withdrawn.
While other elements of the army engaged McClellan's force at Mechanicsville
Battle of Beaver Dam Creek
The Battle of Beaver Dam Creek, also known as the Battle of Mechanicsville or Ellerson's Mill, took place on June 26, 1862, in Hanover County, Virginia, as the first major engagement of the Seven Days Battles during the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the start of Confederate...
, Gaines' Mill
Battle of Gaines' Mill
The Battle of Gaines's Mill, sometimes known as the First Battle of Cold Harbor or the Battle of Chickahominy River, took place on June 27, 1862, in Hanover County, Virginia, as the third of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War...
, and Garnett's and Golding's Farm, Huger's Division maintained its position. On June 29, it was ordered down the Charles City Road to cut off the Union retreat, but Huger proceeded cautiously and lost the opportunity to do so. During the following day, while the division tried to struggle through felled trees along the road, some of Mahone's Brigade was detached to cover Mooreman's Battery, engaged in an artillery duel near White Oak Swamp. In Mahone's report at the end of the Seven Days he wrote that the regiment "suffered more severely than any other regiment, owing to its position" and "behaved well under the authority of the gallant Parham."
Mahone returned his men to the division on Charles City Road, where Huger held them, not moving to support either Thomas Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
further east in White Oak Swamp
Battle of White Oak Swamp
The Battle of White Oak Swamp took place on June 30, 1862 in Henrico County, Virginia as part of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. As the Union Army of the Potomac retreated southeast toward the James River, its rearguard under Maj. Gen. William B. Franklin stopped Maj. Gen. Thomas J...
or Longstreet at Glendale
Battle of Glendale
The Battle of Glendale, also known as the Battle of Frayser's Farm, Frazier's Farm, Nelson's Farm, Charles City Crossroads, New Market Road, or Riddell's Shop, took place on June 30, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the sixth day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War.The...
. The morning of July 1, Mahone's men traveled south towards the Union fall-back position at Malvern Hill
Battle of Malvern Hill
The Battle of Malvern Hill, also known as the Battle of Poindexter's Farm, took place on July 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the seventh and last day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. Gen. Robert E. Lee launched a series of disjointed assaults on the nearly impregnable...
and took up position on the Confederate right flank. At 4:00 pm, John Magruder
John B. Magruder
John Bankhead Magruder was a career military officer who served in the armies of three nations. He was a U.S. Army officer in the Mexican-American War, a Confederate general during the American Civil War, and a postbellum general in the Imperial Mexican Army...
bypassed Huger and ordered Mahone to charge the Union position. Instead, Mahone lead the two other brigades in Huger's division through the woods in an attempt to surprise the Union left flank. Union sharpshooters spotted the movement and joined artillery and naval bombardments in defeating the attack. The men of the 41st Virginia spent the night only a few hundred yards from Union lines, while a bombardment covered the Union withdrawal to Harrison's Landing.
The 41st Virginia remained near the Army of the Potomac until July 10, when it was moved to Chesterfield County while Lee reorganized the army. Huger was replaced by Richard H. Anderson
Richard H. Anderson
Richard Heron Anderson was a career U.S. Army officer, fighting with distinction in the Mexican-American War. He also served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War, fighting in the Eastern Theater of the conflict and most notably during the 1864 Battle of Spotsylvania Court House...
and the division became part of Longstreet's wing of the army. Colonel Chambliss, who had been recruiting for the 13th Virginia Cavalry
13th Virginia Cavalry
The 13th Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
for several months already, formally left the regiment to lead that unit and Lt. Colonel Gus Parham was tapped to replace him when he returned from a minor wound received guarding Moorman's Battery, with Major Minetree taking over his battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
, and Captain Etheridge taking over Minetree's battalion. During the campaigns on the peninsula the 41st Virginia had replaced its flintlocks with .58 caliber rifles captured from the Union army. The regiment had lost 186 officers and men during combat on the Virginia Peninsula, but with losses from desertion, less than 500 were present in Chesterfield County.
Northern Virginia and Maryland Campaign
In August 1862, Lincoln ordered most of McClellan's army back to Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
and placed it under the command of John Pope
John Pope (military officer)
John Pope was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He had a brief but successful career in the Western Theater, but he is best known for his defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run in the East.Pope was a graduate of the United States Military Academy in...
, commander of the recently formed Army of Virginia
Army of Virginia
The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by Robert E...
. On August 17, the 41st Virginia was transported by rail to Louisa Court House
Louisa, Virginia
Louisa is a town in Louisa County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,401 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Louisa County.-Geography:Louisa is located at ....
in central Virginia, and marched to Gordonsville
Gordonsville, Virginia
Gordonsville is a town in Louisa and Orange counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 1,496 at the 2010 census.-History:Nathaniel Gordon purchased in 1787 and in 1794, or possibly earlier, applied for and was granted a license to operate a tavern...
the next day. The regiment spend the next week moving through Culpeper
Culpeper County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,262 people, 12,141 households, and 9,045 families residing in the county. The population density was 90 people per square mile . There were 12,871 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
, holding at Jeffersonton (now Jefferson) on the southern bank of the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
. Anderson's Division remained in Culpeper while Longstreet continued north, but when Jackson burned Pope's supply depot at Manassas on August 28, the division was ordered to rejoin the rest of Longstreet's wing.
Second Bull Run
The 41st Virginia covered 18 miles to reach SalemMarshall, Virginia
Marshall is an unincorporated village and census-designated place located in the hunt country of northwestern Fauquier County, Virginia. The population as of the 2010 Census was 1,480. Marshall was originally known as Salem. The town became Marshall after a short-lived incorporation...
on August 29. The next day, Anderson's Division waited in the rear while Longstreet's lead units fought to clear their way through Thoroughfare Gap
Battle of Thoroughfare Gap
The Battle of Thoroughfare Gap, also known as Chapman's Mill, took place on August 28, 1862, in Fauquier County and Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the Northern Virginia Campaign of the American Civil War. Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. James Longstreet successfully drove back Union...
and the regiment slept a few hours just to the east of it. At midnight, the 41st Virginia began marching again and arrived in the rear of Longstreet's battle line at 5:00 am.
Anderson's Division joined in Longstreet's advance, beginning at 5:00 pm on August 30. The 41st Virginia advanced along the front line, and up Henry House Hill
Henry House Hill
Henry House Hill is a location near Bull Run in Virginia. Named for the house of the Henry family that sits atop it, the hill begins near the road of Centreville, Virginia, after Warrenton, Virginia, to the today's U.S. Route 29, the Warrenton Turnpike. It is a slow, constant rise toward the south...
where it faced the Union's IX Corps. The attack routed Pope's army, but the stand on Henry House Hill was long enough that it was able to retreat in good order. During the attack, the regiment both Clay Drewry of Company B and Captain Beverly Hunter of Company K were wounded, along with General Mahone.
Antietam
With Lt. Colonel Parham leading the brigade, the 125 men of the 41st Virginia present after the action near Manassas fell under Major Minetree. Around September 5, the regiment crossed the Potomac RiverPotomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
as part of Lee's invasion of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, setting up camp near Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
on September 7, where it remained until September 12, when it crossed South Mountain
South Mountain (Maryland and Pennsylvania)
South Mountain is the northern extension of the Blue Ridge Mountain range in Maryland and Pennsylvania. From the Potomac River near Knoxville, Maryland in the south, to Dillsburg, Pennsylvania in the north, the long range separates the Hagerstown and Cumberland valleys from the Piedmont regions of...
with the rest of the brigade at Crampton's Gap
Crampton's Gap
Crampton's Gap, also known as Crampton Gap, is a wind gap on South Mountain in Maryland.The gap connects Burkittsville in the Middletown Valley to the east with Gapland and Rohrersville in the Pleasant Valley to the west....
and camped on the east side. Lee ordered Jackson to seize Harpers Ferry with one of his divisions, and Parham was instructed to lead Mahone's Brigade in defense of their rear.
On September 13, Special Order 191
Special Order 191
Special Order 191 was a general movement order issued by Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee in the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War...
fell into the hands of two Union soldiers, providing McClellan with Lee's battle plans, and giving him the confidence he needed to plan an offensive
Battle of South Mountain
The Battle of South Mountain was fought September 14, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War. Three pitched battles were fought for possession of three South Mountain passes: Crampton's, Turner's, and Fox's Gaps. Maj. Gen. George B...
for the following day. William B. Franklin
William B. Franklin
William Buel Franklin was a career United States Army officer and a Union Army general in the American Civil War. He rose to the rank of a corps commander in the Army of the Potomac, fighting in several notable early battles in the Eastern Theater.-Early life:William B. Franklin was born in York,...
led the attack at Crampton's Gap
Battle of Crampton's Gap
The Battle of Crampton's Gap or Battle of Burkittsville was a battle fought between forces under Confederate Brig. Gen. Howell Cobb and Union Maj. Gen. William B...
and Parham was sent with two regiments from Mahone's Brigade to hold a defensive line, with the 41st Virginia in reserve. Franklin broke Parham's line about 5:00 pm, and reinforcements from the 41st and another brigade sent to help delayed him long enough that he did not move through the gap before night fell. Franklin decided not to attempt to drive them on September 15, and, after dark, the 41st crossed the Potomac on a pontoon bridge and spent the night in Halltown, Virginia
Halltown, West Virginia
Halltown is an unincorporated community along Flowing Springs Run in Jefferson County, West Virginia, USA. Halltown is located off of US 340 on West Virginia Route 230 between Charles Town and Bolivar. A few houses, a fork in the road, a tiny post office, and the large Halltown Paper Plant are the...
, before moving to the fighting at Sharpsburg, Maryland
Sharpsburg, Maryland
Sharpsburg is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States, approximately south of Hagerstown. The population was 691 at the 2000 census....
.
On September 17, Anderson's Division was ordered into the ongoing battle
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
around 9:00 am, taking up position in the center of the Confederate line, along a sunken road. Because Mahone's Brigade had taken heavy casualties at Crampton's Gap, it was appended to the brigade of Roger A. Pryor. The road became the center of a series of bloody Union attacks for the rest of the morning, and when Anderson was wounded, Pryor left to take lead the division. The four men commanding the brigade following his departure were all killed or wounded, and the fight degenerated into chaos.
By the end of the day, the 41st Virginia reported only 15 men present at roll call. On the morning of September 20, many of the men had returned and the regiment helped drive off a Union attack
Battle of Shepherdstown
The Battle of Shepherdstown, also known as the Battle of Boteler's Ford, took place September 19–20, 1862, in Jefferson County, Virginia , at the end of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War.-Background:...
on the army's rearguard at Shepherdstown
Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Shepherdstown is a town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States, located along the Potomac River. It is the oldest town in the state, having been chartered in 1762 by Colonial Virginia's General Assembly. Since 1863, Shepherdstown has been in West Virginia, and is the oldest town in...
. While retreating, Parham received news that the Confederate Congress had confirmed his promotion to colonel. By early October, the regiment had moved to Winchester
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
and 104 men answered roll call.
The Rappahannock Line
The 41st Virginia moved with the division back to Culpeper. On November 16, the Army of the Potomac, now under Ambrose BurnsideAmbrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator...
began moving south. Lee guessed that Burnside was planning an attack across the Rappahannock River and sent Anderson's Division and another division of Longstreet's corps to Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
on November 19. The 41st Virginia arrived at Salem Church along the Plank Road to the west of Fredericksburg on the evening of November 21. Burnside had been stationary in Falmouth
Falmouth, Virginia
Falmouth is an unincorporated community in Stafford County, Virginia, United States. Situated on the north bank of the Rappahannock River at the falls, the community is north of and opposite the city of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U.S...
, so Lee ordered the rest of Longstreet's corps and Jackson's corps to Fredericksburg as well. Over the next three weeks the regiment remained camped in the area at the ready, sleeping on the ground through heavy snows and waiting for the Union attack.
Fredericksburg
On December 11 at 4:30 am, the brigade, with Mahone returned, was ordered to Stanbury Hill to the north of Marye's Heights, and began digging in behind a canal. Throughout that day and the next, Burnside built pontoon bridges and crossed his army over to Fredericksburg. Beginning at 7:00 am on December 13, the Union army attacked. Throughout the day, the 41st Virginia laid flat to avoid the heavy artillery bombardment designed to keep them from reinforcing the Confederates on Marye's Heights. In the afternoon, while Burnside threw wave after wave of men at Marye's Heights, Colonel Parham sent Companies B and K under Lieutenant Charles Denoon of Company K forward to engage Union pickets.Lee kept the army in defensive positions until December 16, but Burnside did not renew his attacks, and the 41st Virginia returned to Salem Church to spend a hard winter. After Burnside's aborted January offensive
Mud March (American Civil War)
The Mud March was an abortive attempt at a winter offensive in January 1863 by Union Army Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside in the American Civil War....
, Lee moved Mahone's Brigade to United States Ford in early February. The regiments of the brigade took turns standing guard and improving the road back to the Orange Turnpike. Throughout the winter efforts were made to improve the regiment, now numbering 305. Courts martial were convened to try crimes and Officers Review Boards aspired to weeding out incompetent officers, though the effect of both was to deprive the regiment of officers. Lieutenant Denoon acted as commander of Company B, and for a short time even as a battalion commander. In March, a new chaplain arrived and found the beginnings of a religious revival
Third Great Awakening
The Third Great Awakening was a period of religious activism in American history from the late 1850s to the early 1900s. It affected pietistic Protestant denominations and had a strong sense of social activism. It gathered strength from the postmillennial theology that the Second Coming of Christ...
among the regiment, also reported by chaplains in other regiments.
Chancellorsville
In early April, Captain J.E. Tyler of the 12th Virginia Infantry12th Virginia Infantry
The 12th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia....
lead a combined force of elements of his own company and the 41st Virginia to Germanna Ford on the Rapidan River
Rapidan River
The Rapidan River, flowing through north-central Virginia in the United States, is the largest tributary of the Rappahannock River. The two rivers converge just west of the city of Fredericksburg...
to construct a bridge for the army's cavalry. On April 28, Tyler received word that Union soldiers had been spotted crossing the Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford
Kellys Ford, Virginia
Kelly's Ford was a major crossing point on the Rappahannock River. It was the site of a Civil War battle for control of the river ford. Today it is the only crossing on the river between Fredericksburg and Remington. It is the location of the Inn at Kelly's Ford and the Kelly's Ford Equestrian Center...
and dispatched Captain James Smith, Jr. of the 41st Virginia's Company E with ten of his men to set up a picket line and provide the work crew with details. Smith brought his men to a forward position in the woods, but was surprised to find some of the vanguard of Henry Slocum's XII Corps already behind him and blocking his route back to the ford. Smith and his men managed to elude Slocum's men and crossed the Rapidan in a boat.
At Germanna Ford, Tyler's party was surprised by Slocum's men, but most made it to the south side of the river, and held off the advanced pickets until the lead regiment drew up a line of battle. Assuming Smith had been captured, he fell back the Germanna Road to its intersection with the Orange Turnpike at Wilderness Tavern. Not long after, Smith and his men caught up with the rest of the crew, and the two decided to send a reconnaissance party after dark, led by Smith. He returned around 1:00 am, with news that Slocum was at the ford in force, and they sent word to Mahone's headquarters at the Chancellor Mansion
Chancellorsville, Virginia
Chancellorsville is a historic site and unincorporated community in Virginia, about ten miles west of Fredericksburg. It is located in Spotsylvania County. The name of the locale derives from the mid-19th century inn operated by the family of George Chancellor at the intersection of the Orange...
that the Union army was making a move on the Confederate left flank.
Lee continued to receive reports throughout April 29 on the size and disposition of the Army of the Potomac's flanking movement, and gave orders that resulted in the 41st Virginia forming up north of the Chancellor Mansion at the intersection of Ely's Ford Road and United States Ford Road in the rain, with the rest of Anderson's Division nearby. At 3:30 am, Union cavalry seized United States Ford, but Anderson overruled Mahone's plan to re-capture it. As morning broke, the division fell back to the Chancellor Mansion, and then down the Orange Turnpike, pursued by the V Corps division of George Sykes. In the afternoon, reinforced with soldiers from Jackson's corps, Anderson's division made a stand at a ridge that ran across the turnpike and spent the evening and night digging breastworks.
May 1, Jackson, in command with Longstreet away laying siege to Suffolk
Siege of Suffolk
The Siege of Suffolk was fought around Suffolk, Virginia, from April 11 to May 4, 1863, during the American Civil War.-Background:In 1863 Lt. Gen. James Longstreet was placed in command of the Confederate Department of Virginia and North Carolina. Longstreet was given four objectives: 1) to...
, ordered Anderson's Division to advance against Sykes' men down the turnpike. Mahone's Brigade formed a line north of the road, with the 41st Virginia anchoring the left flank on it and advanced to within about half a mile of the Chancellor Mansion after a day of hard fighting. The next morning, while Jackson made his historic flank march, Anderson's Division remained in place to hold the Union forces. Beginning at 3:30 pm, the division was moved south to replace Jackson's departing units and the regiment spent the evening supporting batteries on the Plank Road.
The morning of May 3 found Anderson Division's left flank threatened by the III Corps of Daniel Sickles
Daniel Sickles
Daniel Edgar Sickles was a colorful and controversial American politician, Union general in the American Civil War, and diplomat....
positioned on Hazel Grove, separating Anderson from the nearest Confederate units of Jackson, now led by J.E.B. Stuart
J.E.B. Stuart
James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart was a U.S. Army officer from Virginia and a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb", from the initials of his given names. Stuart was a cavalry commander known for his mastery of reconnaissance and the use...
because of Jackson's wounding. But beginning at 10:00 am, Sickles evacuated the position, and the Confederates spent mid-day pushing the Union forces back north of the Chancellor Mansion. Shortly after noon, Mahone's Brigade, with others from Anderson's Division, was ordered rapidly back to Salem Church
Battle of Salem Church
The Battle of Salem Church, also known as the Battle of Banks' Ford, took place on May 3–4, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, as part of the Chancellorsville Campaign of the American Civil War....
, to stop the VI Corps of John Sedgwick
John Sedgwick
John Sedgwick was a teacher, a career military officer, and a Union Army general in the American Civil War. He was the highest ranking Union casualty in the Civil War, killed by a sniper at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.-Early life:Sedgwick was born in the Litchfield Hills town of...
that had broken through the weakened Confederate defenses at Marye's Heights. At 4:00 pm, Mahone's regiments fell into line north of the Plank Road and repulsed three charges, repeatedly shifting to the left as more Union forces arrived, and continuing until nightfall. The following morning, the 41st Virginia found itself on the extreme left, near Banks's Ford, and unable to take part in most of the day's fighting because of obstacles created by the terrain, and unable to impede Sedwick's retreat that night.
On May 5, the regiment returned to the Chancellor Mansion to take part in the assault on the remainder of the Union army, but their retreat called off the attack. They spent two more days there, receiving much needed supplies and their first cooked meals in nearly a week, then marched to Hamilton's Crossing, south of Fredericksburg. After Jackson's death on May 10, Lee decided to reorganize the army in anticipation of a new campaign, and on May 30, Anderson's Division joined the new Third Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
Third Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
The Third Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia was a military organization within the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during much of the American Civil War. The corps was formed in mid-1863 and served until Lee's surrender April 9, 1865, near the end of the war.-Formation:After the death of...
under A.P. Hill.
Gettysburg and its Aftermath
In early June, the First CorpsFirst Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
The First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia was a military unit fighting for the Confederate States of America in the American Civil War. It was formed in early 1861 and served until the spring of 1865, mostly in the Eastern Theater. The corps was commanded by James Longstreet for much of its...
under Longstreet and the Second Corps
Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
The Second Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia was a military organization within the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during much of the American Civil War. It was officially created and named following the Battle of Sharpsburg in 1862, but comprised units in a corps organization for quite...
under Richard S. Ewell
Richard S. Ewell
Richard Stoddert Ewell was a career United States Army officer and a Confederate general during the American Civil War. He achieved fame as a senior commander under Stonewall Jackson and Robert E...
left Fredericksburg, while Hill's Third Corps remained to cover their movement. Mahone's Brigade replaced the brigade guarding Marye's Height on June 3 and experienced their most complete provisioning of the war. While stationed so close to downtown Fredericksburg, the 41st Virginia hosted a "block party" for the soldiers of the regiment and the residents of the town. On June 14, the brigade moved out and reached Culpeper by June 16. They continued marching north, reaching Berryville
Berryville, Virginia
Berryville is an incorporated town in and the county seat of Clarke County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,963 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
June 21 and camped in Charles Town
Charles Town, West Virginia
Charles Town is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,907 at the 2000 census. Due to its similar name, travelers have sometimes confused this city with the state's capital, Charleston.-History:...
the next night. The regiment crossed the Potomac at Shepherdstown on June 24 and by June 26 had crossed into Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The next evening they camped four miles east of Chambersburg
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Chambersburg is a borough in the South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is miles north of Maryland and the Mason-Dixon line and southwest of Harrisburg in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Great Appalachian Valley. Chambersburg is the county seat of Franklin County...
on the road to Gettysburg
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg is a borough that is the county seat, part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, and the eponym for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. The town hosts visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park and has 3 institutions of higher learning: Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg College, and...
.
On July 1, the first day of the battle
Battle of Gettysburg, First Day
The First Day of the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War took place on July 1, 1863, and began as an engagement between isolated units of the Army of Northern Virginia under Confederate General Robert E. Lee and the Army of the Potomac under Union Maj. Gen. George G. Meade...
, Anderson's Division spent the day waiting, interspersed with short marches towards Gettysburg. A crowded road and confused orders because of the unintended development of the battle resulted in very little progress for the division. Lee had committed to battle by evening and, after a brief rest, Anderson's Division made a night march to Gettysburg, arriving in the morning and taking up a position at the northern end of Seminary Ridge
Seminary Ridge
Seminary Ridge is a dendritic ridge which was an area of Battle of Gettysburg engagements during the American Civil War and of military installations during World War II.-Geography:...
.
On the second day
Battle of Gettysburg, Second Day
The Battle of Gettysburg, Second Day was an attempt by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee to capitalize on his first day's success. He launched the Army of Northern Virginia in multiple Gettsyburg Battlefield attacks on the flanks of the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George G...
, Anderson's Division was only lightly engaged. For most of the day it did not take part in the assaults, only finally joining in Longstreet's en echelon attack at 6:00 pm. But Mahone's Brigade did not move forward with the rest of the division. Anderson sent a message to Mahone asking for him to being his attack, but Mahone declined to, for unknown reasons.
Throughout the morning of the third day
Pickett's Charge
Pickett's Charge was an infantry assault ordered by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee against Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's Union positions on Cemetery Ridge on July 3, 1863, the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. Its futility was predicted by the charge's commander,...
, the 41st Virginia guarded artillery units taking part in the bombardment of Cemetery Ridge
Cemetery Ridge
Cemetery Ridge is a geographic feature in Gettysburg National Military Park south of the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, that figured prominently in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1 to July 3, 1863. It formed a primary defensive position for the Union Army during the battle, roughly the center of...
. Despite having been barely engaged so far, Anderson's Division was not selected to take part in a three division afternoon assault led by Longstreet. Known to history as "Pickett's Charge", it was a disaster, and Anderson's Division was spread down the line to cover the its length as the three divisions under Longstreet made their way back to the main army.
Anderson's Division was given much of the responsibility for guarding the army's rear as it left the battlefield. By July 11, the army had reached Williamsport
Washington County, Maryland
Washington County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering southern Pennsylvania to the north, northern Virginia to the south, and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia to the south and west. As of the 2010 Census, its population is 147,430...
, but the recent heavy rains prevented it from crossing the Potomac. The 41st Virginia spent the next two days in the hastily constructed Confederate trenches anticipating a Union attack
Battle of Williamsport
The Battle of Williamsport, also known as the Battle of Hagerstown or Falling Waters, took place from July 6 to July 16, 1863, in Washington County, Maryland, as part of the Gettysburg Campaign of the American Civil War....
that did not occur. It finally crossed the river on July 14, though some of its men took the opportunity to desert. By July 21, the regiment was passing through Front Royal
Front Royal, Virginia
Front Royal is a town in Warren County, Virginia, United States. The population was 13,589 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Warren County.-Geography:Front Royal is roughly west of Washington, D.C....
and camped in Culpeper on July 25.
Bristoe and Mine Run
Throughout the summer, neither army was eager to engage in a large engagement again as both recovered from Gettysburg. On August 2, Mahone's Brigade and one other were called upon to support Jeb Stuart's cavalry in a minor skirmish with Union Cavalry near Brandy StationBrandy Station, Virginia
Brandy Station is an unincorporated community in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. Its original name was Brandy. The name Brandy Station comes from the Orange and Alexandria Railroad station that was constructed in the 19th century....
, but the Northerners retreated before a fight began. The regiment moved back south of the Rapidan to take up a position at Rapidan Station
Rapidan, Virginia
Rapidan is a small unincorporated community in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. Bisected by the Rapidan River, it is home to the Rapidan historic district and dates to the 18th century, when it was a mill town known as Waugh's Ford. It was renamed Rapid Ann Station in 1854 and Rapidan in...
and face off across the river from the Army of the Potomac.
On October 8, Hill's Third Corps and Ewell's Second Corps attempted to reproduce Jackson's flanking maneuver of August 1862, but the Army of the Potomac slipped the trap. Hill assaulted a Union position
Battle of Bristoe Station
The Battle of Bristoe Station was fought on October 14, 1863, at Bristoe Station, Virginia, between Union forces under Maj. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren and Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill during the Bristoe Campaign of the American Civil War...
on October 14, but due to improper reconnaissance were surprised by the II Corps under Gouverneur K. Warren
Gouverneur K. Warren
Gouverneur Kemble Warren was a civil engineer and prominent general in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
and brutally repulsed. The 41st Virginia and the rest of Anderson's Division, who had been in reserve during the battle, took up a defensive position through the night, then joined the rest of the army as it retreated to south of the Rappahannock again. While there, a pardon came from the War Department for Privates Newton and Scroggins, who had been sentenced to death for desertion, prompting Lee to send a critical telegram back that leniency would only encourage more desertion. Mahone's Brigade was held in reserve to prevent a breakthrough during the Second Battle of Rappahannock Station on November 7, but did not take part in the battle. Shortly thereafter, the regiment returned to its old camp at Rapidan Station.
At 4:00 am on November 26, Colonel Parham ordered the regiment east on the Plank Road as part of the corps' movement to meet the Army of the Potomac's strike across the Rapidan. The 41st Virginia reached Verdiersville in Orange County at about 1:00 pm and formed a line with the rest of Anderson's Division, but moved it after dark to the woods between the Plank Road and the Orange Turnpike when another Third Corps division arrived. Throughout the next two days
Battle of Mine Run
The Battle of Mine Run, also known as Payne's Farm, or New Hope Church, or the Mine Run Campaign , was conducted in Orange County, Virginia, in the American Civil War....
a steady, cold rain fell, but no Union attack came along the regiment's line. By November 30, Union forces appeared ready to charge the strong defensive position, but their commanders thought better of it and withdrew across the Rapidan. The corps pursued, but Lee called off the attack and, on December 3, the 41st Virginia was back in Rapidan Station.
Grant's Overland Campaign
In late December, the regiment moved to a new camp at Madison Run Station, half way between GordonsvilleGordonsville, Virginia
Gordonsville is a town in Louisa and Orange counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 1,496 at the 2010 census.-History:Nathaniel Gordon purchased in 1787 and in 1794, or possibly earlier, applied for and was granted a license to operate a tavern...
and Orange Court House
Orange, Virginia
Orange is a town in Orange County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,721 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Orange County...
to establish permanent winter quarters. During the winter, the 41st Virginia joined with the other units of Lee's army in a broad turn to religiousness that would have implications throughout the American south after the war. Also during this time, Colonel Parham developed an unidentified illness that forced him on sickleave for most of the winter, and, eventually, would lead to his transfer. Lt. Colonel Joseph P. Minetree effectively commanded the regiment. A much greater change of leadership had occurred in the Union army, when Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
was named general-in-chief.
The Wilderness
On May 4, Grant ordered the Army of the Potomac across the Rapidan River at Germanna Ford. Lee rushed the Second Corps and Third Corps to meet him in the Spotsylvania WildernessThe Wilderness Forest
The Wilderness is a forested region of Virginia that covers some of Orange County and Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Chancellorsville, Virginia is located here....
, but left Anderson's Division north of Clark's Mountain to defend against a possible envelopment. They remained on guard throughout May 5, receiving orders to move east on the Plank Road to the battlefield at 7:00 pm, reaching three miles west of the battlefield by just after dawn the next morning. But the division was halted, so Longstreet could bring his First Corps up the road and engage at Tapp Farm, the major action of the morning. Lee ordered several of Anderson's brigades forward to join Longstreet, but the counterattack ground to a halt against the Union II Corps, under Winfield Scott Hancock
Winfield Scott Hancock
Winfield Scott Hancock was a career U.S. Army officer and the Democratic nominee for President of the United States in 1880. He served with distinction in the Army for four decades, including service in the Mexican-American War and as a Union general in the American Civil War...
. Lee's chief engineer, Martin Luther Smith
Martin Luther Smith
Martin Luther Smith was an American soldier and civil engineer, serving as a major general in the Confederate States Army...
, had discovered a path down an unfinished railroad to Hancock's flank, and Longstreet ordered his chief of staff Moxley Sorrel
Moxley Sorrel
Gilbert Moxley Sorrel was a Confederate States Army officer and historian of the Confederacy.-Early life:Sorrel was born in Savannah, Georgia, the son of one of the wealthiest men in the city, Francis Sorrel. He was the brother-in-law of William W...
to assemble what troops he could for an attack.
Sorrel assembled two brigades from Longstreet's corps and one from the Third Corps division of Henry Heth
Henry Heth
Henry "Harry" Heth was a career United States Army officer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. He is best remembered for inadvertently precipitating the Battle of Gettysburg, when he sent some of his troops of the Army of Northern Virginia to the small Pennsylvania village,...
, as well as Mahone's Brigade for the assault. Mahone, as the senior brigadier, led the group off at about 11:00 am, crashing totally unexpected onto Hancock's flank about forty-five minutes later. As the Union flank crumpled, Longstreet ordered his men forward too, and a confused flight began among Hancock's troops. Lt. Colonel Minetree was wounded, and Mahone halted his brigade to reform before the chaos grew worse. The 12th Virginia continued advancing, though, until Colonel David A. Weisiger realized what had happened, and turned them around. As he marched them back to the line, Longstreet and several staff rode up on horses to investigate the delay. The 41st Virginia, Major William Etheridge now commanding, and the 61st Virginia confused the 12th Virginia with an attacking regiment and opened fire, killing several of them and severely wounding Longstreet.
The wounding of Longstreet effectively ended the Confederate counterattack and they took up positions around the II Corps' fallback defenses at the intersection of the Brock and Plank Roads. The next day was spent waiting for an attack or retreat by the Union forces. Anderson was placed in temporary command of the First Corps for the remainder of the battle, with Mahone temporarily taking charge of the division and the 12th Virginia's Colonel Wisiger leading the brigade. At about 7:00 pm, just after dark, Grant began to move the army.
Spotsylvania Court House
Lee discovered that Grant was not retreating, but trying to take up a defensive position between him and Richmond, and sent the First Corps under Anderson racing to beat him south, followed by Ewell's Second Corps. The Third Corps, temporarily under Jubal Early with Hill too sick to lead, followed down an abandoned road, reaching the rest of the army near Spotsylvania Court House on May 9 at 1:00 pm. At 4:00, Anderson's Division, under Mahone, was dispatched to stop an attack by Hancock across the Po RiverPo River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
near Shady Grove Church, but Grant called off the Union attack before it could be exploited, and Mahone extended the Confederate trenches to his new position.
May 12, a massive Union assault on the "Mule Shoe" Salient required Lee to transfer Anderson's Division back to fill in holes created in the lines as he reinforced, and Mahone's Brigade, still under Weisiger, took up a position north of the Fredericksburg Road leading to Spotsylvania Court House
Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia
Spotsylvania Courthouse is an unincorporated community and the county seat of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, located ten miles southwest of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U.S...
. At around 1:00 pm, Ambrose Burnside's IX Corps advanced against the Second Corps to keep Lee from further reinforcing the Mule Shoe Salient, and Weisiger was ordered to take Mahone's Brigade with two others and counterattack on the IX Corps' flank. In the ensuing action, the 41st Virginia and the other regiments of the attack force blunted Burnside's attack long enough for Lee to re-establish a defensive line across the Mule Shoe Salient, and the brigades returned to their launching point in the trenches.
On May 16, the brigade again attempted to stop a Union flank maneuver, as Grant moved the VI Corps across the Ni River, but was overwhelmed by the forces under Horatio Wright
Horatio Wright
Horatio Gouverneur Wright was an engineer and general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. After the war, he was involved in a number of engineering projects, including the Brooklyn Bridge and the completion of the Washington Monument, and served as Chief of Engineers for the U.S...
. Lee had been able to deploy Anderson's First Corps to keep Grant from turning the flank, though, and the Union general-in-chief decided there was nothing more to be gained from attacks on the Confederate position. The 41st Virginia remained in its trenches, not participating in Ewell's failed offensive on the Union flank.
Cold Harbor
On May 20, Grant attempted to get between Lee and Richmond again, and again Anderson and Ewell led their corps south to stop him. The Third Corps, with Hill back in charge, did not leave Spotsylvania until 9:00 pm on May 21 and reached the Confederate position near Hanover JunctionDoswell, Virginia
Doswell is an unincorporated community in Hanover County in the Central Region of the U.S. state of Virginia. Originally called Hanover Junction, it was located on the Virginia Central Railroad, which later became part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad at a crossing of the Richmond,...
on the North Anna River
North Anna River
The North Anna River is a principal tributary of the Pamunkey River, about long, in central Virginia in the United States. Via the Pamunkey and York rivers, it is part of the watershed of Chesapeake Bay...
on the night of May 23. Mahone's Brigade was stationed on the western edge of Lee's "Hog Snout" line
Battle of North Anna
The Battle of North Anna was fought May 23–26, 1864, as part of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. It consisted of a series of small actions near the North Anna River in central Virginia, rather than a...
. Throughout May 24, the regiment repulsed IX Corps attacks on their trenches, during which Captain Brinkley of Company I was killed. They remained in the trenches until the morning of May 27, when Grant again attempted a flank maneuver.
The 41st Virginia took up a position with the rest of a brigade half way between Shady Grove Church and Pole Green Church behind Totopotomoy Creek, but most of Grant's fighting took place to its right
Battle of Totopotomoy Creek
The Battle of Totopotomoy Creek , also called the Battle of Bethesda Church, Crumps Creek, Shady Grove Road, and Hanovertown, was a battle fought May 28–30, 1864, in Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate Gen. Robert E...
. Then most of the Army of the Potomac disappeared from the line, and reappeared to the south, headed towards Cold Harbor
Cold Harbor, Virginia
Cold Harbor is an unincorporated community in Hanover County, Virginia. A battle was fought here in 1864....
on the road to Richmond, but were stopped there by Anderson. His Division, still being led by Mahone, was moved to support him as a reserve force. On June 3, Grant launched an all out attack on the Confederate lines and Major Etheridge led the 41st Virginia to reinforce the division of John C. Breckenridge as it bloodily repulsed the Union charge.
Petersburg
Following the charge was a lull lasting slightly more than a week, punctuated by intermittent shelling and sharpshooter fire. During that time, Weisiger was made permanent commander of the brigade and Mahone permanent division commander, while the 41st Virginia still functioned under the command of Major Etheridge. Then Grant began a bold flank move to cross the James RiverJames River
The James River may refer to:Rivers in the United States and their namesakes* James River * James River , North Dakota, South Dakota* James River * James River * James River...
and attack Petersburg, cutting off Richmond's supply lines. On June 13, Hill's Third Corps was sent to the old Seven Days' battlegrounds in White Oak Swamp to stop what turned out to be a diversionary strike towards Richmond. The real attack came on June 15 at Petersburg, but was repulsed by P.G.T. Beauregard, forcing Grant to lay siege.
The 41st Virginia arrived with Mahone's Division in Petersburg, the home of many of its men, sometime between June 18 and June 20. On June 21, the Union II Corps and VI Corps advanced to the Jerusalem Plank Road, with the plan to wreck the Weldon Railroad
Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
Originally chartered in 1835 as the Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad, the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad name began use in 1855. At the time of its 1840 completion, the line was the longest railroad in the world with 161.5 miles of track...
, one of the two remaining supply lines for Petersburg. The two corps became separated in the woods
Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road
The Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road, also known as the First Battle of the Weldon Railroad, was fought June 21–23, 1864, near Petersburg, Virginia. It was the first of a series of battles during the Siege of Petersburg aimed at extending the Union siege lines to the west and cutting the rail...
and on June 22, Mahone led his division down a ravine he personally knew from his job surveying the railroad before the war and appeared behind the left flank of the II Corps, collapsing it and sending the Union retreating to their fall back lines. In the attack, the 41st Virginia took two of the five stands of colors captured by the division. The following day, the division marched circuitously to join the division of Cadmus Wilcox and pushed the VI Corps back to the Jerusalem Plank Road. But Lee was unable to provide further reinforcements and the 41st Virginia with the rest of Mahone's Division fell back to the lines south of Petersburg.
Over the next month, the regiment was twice dispatched on small expeditions, but returned to the left flank of the army with no significant action each time. At dawn on July 30, the Union forces exploded a mine under the Confederate lines, beginning the Battle of the Crater
Battle of the Crater
The Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg. It took place on July 30, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George G. Meade The...
. At 6:30 am, Mahone ordered Weisiger's Brigade and another from his division to plug the hole in the Confederate line. At 9:00 am, the regiment advanced with the rest of the brigade towards the Crater, but fell back under heavy fire and advanced to the left, into the occupied trenches. In heavy hand-to-hand combat, they drove the IX Corps soldiers from the trenches, while two other brigades assaulted the Crater, driving the Union from it in a bloody repulse, including a massacre of black soldiers. The regiment suffered heavy losses, including Captain Heslop Mingea of Company C, Captain Beverly Hunter of Company K, and Lieutenant Charles Denoon of Company K.
The regiment was held back from serious actions for the following two weeks to recover. On August 18, Grant made another attempt to wreck the Weldon Railroad
Battle of Globe Tavern
The Battle of Globe Tavern, also known as the Second Battle of the Weldon Railroad, fought August 18–21, 1864, south of Petersburg, Virginia, was the second attempt of the Union Army to sever the Weldon Railroad during the Siege of Petersburg of the American Civil War. A Union force under...
, this time with the V Corps of Gouverneur Warren. Weisiger's Brigade, with one other, left the lines on August 19 and hit the left flank of the V Corps to the northeast of Globe Tavern. Warren brought up reinforcements, forcing Mahone to withdraw his two brigades. On August 21, the regiment with the rest of the brigade joined in another attack on Warren's position, this time from the west, but was driven off without achieving a breakthrough, leaving Warren in control of Globe Tavern, the new Union left.
During the August 22 attack on Hancock's II Corps at Ream's Station
Second Battle of Ream's Station
The Second Battle of Ream's Station was fought during the Siege of Petersburg in the American Civil War on August 25, 1864, in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. A Union force under Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock began destroying part of the Weldon Railroad, which was a vital supply line for Gen. Robert...
by Mahone, the 41st Virginia returned to the defenses south of Petersburg. Though Hancock retreated from Ream's Station, Warren's position at Globe Tavern cut the Weldon Railroad, but Lee was still able to move supplies from the railroad down the Boydton Plank Road. On October 27, Grant sent three corps to seize the road
Battle of Boydton Plank Road
-References:****...
, and Mahone and Heth were sent to stop the attack. Mahone's Division advanced through the woods and collapsed the right flank of Hancock's II Corps on Dabney Mill Road. Veteran II Corps commanders rapidly changed their positions and surrounded Mahone's Division, driving the Confederates back with heavy losses. Hancock retreated, and the Confederates returned to their defenses on the Boydton Plank Road.
In December, the division participated in chasing Warren's V Corps as they wrecked further south on the Weldon Railroad during the Apple Jack Raid, then went into winter quarters. On February 5, Grant launched a joint cavalry and infantry expedition
Battle of Hatcher's Run
The Battle of Hatcher's Run, also known as Dabney's Mill, Armstrong's Mill, Rowanty Creek, and Vaughn Road, fought February 5–7, 1865, was one in a series of Union offensives during the Siege of Petersburg, aimed at cutting off Confederate supply traffic on Boydton Plank Road and the Weldon...
to destroy a Confederate wagon train thought to be on the Boydton Plank Road. After the Second Corps, now under John B. Gordon failed to dislodge the Union II Corps and V Corps, Lee sent Mahone's Division to flank the Union position. The attack failed, but both armies fell back to their defenses.
Appomattox
Mahone's Division was moved to hold the lines between the James River and the Appomattox RiverAppomattox River
The Appomattox River is a tributary of the James River, approximately long, in central and eastern Virginia in the United States, named for the Appomattocs Indian tribe who lived along its lower banks in the 17th century...
after the action at Hatcher's Run. When the Union general assault of April 2 occurred, Mahone marched his division west through Chesterfield County and joined the rest of the army at Amelia Court House
Amelia Courthouse, Virginia
Amelia Court House is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Amelia County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 1,099. Amelia Court House is also known as Amelia Courthouse and Amelia...
. On April 7, after Ewell's surrender the previous day at the Battle of Sayler's Creek
Battle of Sayler's Creek
-External links:* * : Maps, histories, photos, and preservation news...
, Mahone's Division held off the pursuing II Corps at the Battle of High Bridge
Battle of High Bridge
The Battle of High Bridge was fought on April 6–7, 1865, near the end of the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War. On April 6, the Confederate cavalry fought stubbornly to secure the Appomattox River bridges. On April 7, elements of the Union II Corps came up against Lt. Gen. James...
, but was unable to successfully burn the bridge to prevent Union pursuit. That afternoon, the division took up position near Cumberland Church and held off two charges by the Union II Corps
Battle of Cumberland Church
The Battle of Cumberland Church was fought on April 7, 1865, as part of the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War.Near 2 p.m. on April 7, the advance of the Union II Corps encountered Confederate forces entrenched on high ground near Cumberland Church. The Union forces attacked twice but...
. Mahone's Division became part of Longstreet's Corps and fell back to a position north of Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
. While preparing for an attack of the II Corps, the 41st Virginia received word of the cease-fire that would set the stage for the final surrender of Lee's army.