59th Virginia Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 59th 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
, and in the Carolinas.
The 59th Virginia (also called 2nd Regiment, Wise Legion) was organized in August 1861. Part of this unit was captured at Roanoke Island in February 1862. Some of the companies not captured made up the 26th Virginia Infantry Battalion.
As the 26th Battalion, Virginia Volunteer Infantry, it was attached to the Department of Richmond, assigned to Wise's Brigade, and saw action during the Seven Days' Battles. Later the regiment was transferred to the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, and participated in various conflicts around Charleston. Returning to Virginia in the spring of 1864 it was placed in the Petersburg trenches, then fought in the Appomattox Campaign. Many were disabled at Sayler's Creek, and none of its members were present at the surrender.
The field officers were Colonels Charles F. Henningsen and William B. Tabb, Lieutenant Colonels Frank P. Anderson and Joseph Jones, and Majors John Lawson and Robert G. Mosby.
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 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...
, and in the Carolinas.
The 59th Virginia (also called 2nd Regiment, Wise Legion) was organized in August 1861. Part of this unit was captured at Roanoke Island in February 1862. Some of the companies not captured made up the 26th Virginia Infantry Battalion.
As the 26th Battalion, Virginia Volunteer Infantry, it was attached to the Department of Richmond, assigned to Wise's Brigade, and saw action during the Seven Days' Battles. Later the regiment was transferred to the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, and participated in various conflicts around Charleston. Returning to Virginia in the spring of 1864 it was placed in the Petersburg trenches, then fought in the Appomattox Campaign. Many were disabled at Sayler's Creek, and none of its members were present at the surrender.
The field officers were Colonels Charles F. Henningsen and William B. Tabb, Lieutenant Colonels Frank P. Anderson and Joseph Jones, and Majors John Lawson and Robert G. Mosby.