62nd Virginia Mounted Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 62nd Virginia Mounted Infantry Regiment, raised in Virginia
for service in the Confederate States Army
during the American Civil War
, served in many capacities including the war, including as an infantry
regiment
, a cavalry
regiment, a mounted infantry (dragoon
) unit, a partisan
unit of rangers, and even as a combined arms
unit. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia
and in western Virginia.
The 62nd Regiment Mounted Infantry completed its organization in September 1862. The unit, at times known as the 1st Regiment, Virginia Partisan Rangers, was composed of infantry and cavalry until December when the cavalry companies united with other companies to form the 18th Regiment Virginia Partisan Rangers
, and at times the 62nd Partisan Rangers, the 62nd Infantry, and Imboden's Partisan Rangers.
The command was mounted during the latter part of 1863 and served in Imboden's Brigade. It fought in western Virginia, was active in the Gettysburg Campaign, then participated in various conflicts in the Shenandoah Valley. The regiment took part in Early's operations and disbanded in April, 1865.
Its commanders were Colonels John D. Imboden
and George H. Smith
, Lieutenant Colonels Robert L. Doyle and David B. Lang, and Majors Houston Hall and George W. Imboden.
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...
, served in many capacities including the war, including as an infantry
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...
, a cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
regiment, a mounted infantry (dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
) unit, a partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
unit of rangers, and even as a combined arms
Combined arms
Combined arms is an approach to warfare which seeks to integrate different branches of a military to achieve mutually complementary effects...
unit. 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 western Virginia.
The 62nd Regiment Mounted Infantry completed its organization in September 1862. The unit, at times known as the 1st Regiment, Virginia Partisan Rangers, was composed of infantry and cavalry until December when the cavalry companies united with other companies to form the 18th Regiment Virginia Partisan Rangers
18th Virginia Cavalry
The 18th Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought with the Army of Northern Virginia, in southwest Virginia, and in the Shenandoah Valley....
, and at times the 62nd Partisan Rangers, the 62nd Infantry, and Imboden's Partisan Rangers.
The command was mounted during the latter part of 1863 and served in Imboden's Brigade. It fought in western Virginia, was active in the Gettysburg Campaign, then participated in various conflicts in the Shenandoah Valley. The regiment took part in Early's operations and disbanded in April, 1865.
Its commanders were Colonels John D. Imboden
John D. Imboden
John Daniel Imboden was a lawyer, teacher, Virginia state legislator. During the American Civil War, he was a Confederate cavalry general and partisan fighter...
and George H. Smith
George H. Smith
George Hamilton Smith is an American author, editor, educator and speaker.-Biography:Smith grew up mostly in Tucson, Arizona, and attended the University of Arizona for several years before leaving without a degree; he relocated to Los Angeles during 1971. With the help of libertarian editor Roy A...
, Lieutenant Colonels Robert L. Doyle and David B. Lang, and Majors Houston Hall and George W. Imboden.