6th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)

Brief History
6th Regiment, Virginia Infantry completed its organization in November, 1861, at Manassas, Virginia. Men of this unit were raised in Loudoun, Rappahannock, Clarke, Rockingham, Pittsylvania, Fairfax, Halifax, Fauquier, and Orange counties. Only 3 men surrendered on April 9, 1865, as most of the cavalry cut through the Federal lines and later disbanded. The field officers were Colonels Charles W. Field, Thomas S. Flourney, John S. Green, and Julien Harrison; Lieutenant Colonels J. Grattan Cabell and Daniel T. Richards; and Majors Cabell E. Flournoy and Daniel A. Grimsley.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.


 * Page 114-115,, states that 24 draftees from Patrick County were assigned to the 6th Regiment. It doesn't mention any specific companies.

Company A ( McKenney's Eyeteeth) - many men from Norfolk County

Company B (1st) (Lamb's Herd) - many men from Norfolk County Company B (2nd) (Princess Anne Grays) - many men from Princess Anne County

Company C (Woodis' Riflemen) - many men from Norfolk County

Company D (Norfolk Light Infantry) - many men from Norfolk County Company D (1st) (Captain John Meyers' Company)- many men from Portsmouth

Company E (2nd) (Nansemond Guard) - many men from Nansemond County

Company F (Seaboard Rifles) - many men from Princess Anne County

Company G (Company F, Southern Guard, Kid Glove, Silk Stocking Regiment) - many men from Norfolk County

Company H (The Independent Grays)

Company I ( Elliot Grays, Manchester Grays) - many men from Richmond (Independent City)

Company K (Alstadt Grays) - many men from Chesterfield County

The information above is from 6th Virginia Infantry, by Michael A. Cavanaugh.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in Virginia in the Civil War and United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Virginia in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Virginia, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Cavanaugh, Michael A. 6th Virginia Infantry. (Lynchburg, Virginia: H.E. Howard, c1988),


 * Chamberlaine, William W. Memoirs of the Civil war between the northern and southern sections of the United States of America, 1861-1865. (Washington [District of Columbia] : Library of Congress, Photoduplication Service, 1989),.