1st Regiment, Virginia State Line (Cavalry) (Confederate)

Brief History
The 1st Regiment, Virginia State Line (Cavalry) was organized with ten companies in the latter part of 1862. Several members of this regiment were former members of the 36th Virginia Infantry. Lieutenant Colonel Henry M. Beckley and two captains of the 1st Virginia State Line had previously served in the 36th Virginia Infantry, as had Major James A. Nighbert. It was commanded for a short period by David Stuart Hounshell, according to the recollections of Noah B. Sutherland of the 2nd Virginia State Line.

According to the Ainsworth papers, this regiment consisted of infantry and cavalry companies. The 1st regiment was stationed at Glade Spring, Washington County, Virginia, in January 1863. At that time the cavalry companies had 373 men, and the infantry companies had 365 men.

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.


 * Most of its men came from Logan County, West Virginia.
 * Officers of the 1st Virginia State Line were:
 * Richard Carlton Walker Radford, Colonel
 * Henry M. Beckley, Lieutenant Colonel
 * James A. Nighbert, Major
 * Blake Lynch Woodson, Captain and Acting Major
 * Louis Lechnert, AQM
 * John H. Etter, Adjutant.
 * Micajah Woods, Aide-de-Camp for the 1st Brigade
 * M. B. Langhorne, Adjutant for the 1st Brigade
 * G. M. Kent, 1st Lieutenant and Drill Instructor.
 * Subcommands of the 1st Regiment were:
 * Company A - A cavalry company - Captain Green W. Taylor's Company.
 * Part of this company enlisted on September 13, 1862, at Logan Court House.
 * Its officers were commissioned on August 16, 1862.
 * Several others enlisted on December 31, 1862, in Smyth County.
 * Men of this command were from Wayne County, West Virginia and Logan County, West Virginia. Several had served in Company D, 36th Virginia Infantry.
 * Many of this unit later served in the 45th Battalion Virginia Infantry and a few enlisted in or returned to the 36th Virginia Infantry.
 * Officers for this company were: Captain Green W. Taylor, 1st Lieutenant T. R. Waller, and 2nd Lieutenant Ransom Lovins.
 * Company B - A cavalry company - Captain Daniel Elkins' Company.
 * This company enlisted on August 17, 1862 in Tazewell County.
 * Its officers were commissioned on the date of enlistment.
 * Most members were residents of Boone County, West Virginia and had served in Company B, 36th Virginia Infantry.
 * Elkins had formerly served in the 22nd Virginia Infantry and later served in the 45th Battalion Virginia Infantry, as did several members of his company.
 * A muster roll for this company is on file at the Virginia State Archives in Richmond.
 * Officers for this company were: Captain Daniel Elkins, 1st Lieutenant M. J. Hopkins, 2nd Lieutenant J. H. Allen, and 2nd Lieutenant M. S. Ballard.
 * Company C - A cavalry company - Captain William Chafin's Company.
 * Officers were commissioned on August 26, 1862.
 * Many men of this company were arrested in Wayne County, West Virginia after the disbandment of the State Line, which indicates that was home territory for them.
 * Most later served in the 45th Battalion Virginia Infantry.
 * Officers for this company were: Captain Willaim Chafin, 1st Lieutenant James Meade, and 2nd Lieutenant John Chafin.
 * Company D - A cavalry company - Captain William T. Butcher's Company.
 * This company may have been originally commanded by Capt. Edward McConnell, Jr., shown as part of Swann's Battalion.
 * McConnell resigned on October 14, 1862, and his resignation was accepted on January 5, 1863.
 * This company's officers were commissioned on August 28, 1862.
 * Its home territory is not known.
 * Officers for this company were: Captain William T. Butcher, 1st Lieutenant Isaac Garten, and 2nd Lieutenant J. R. Chapman.
 * Company E - A cavalry company - Captain William A. Dempsey's Company.
 * Officers were commissioned for this unit on August 29, 1862.
 * This company's home territory was Logan County, West Virginia.
 * Company rolls are on file at the Virginia State Archives in Richmond.
 * Officers for this company were: Captain William A. Dempsey, 1st Lieutenant William Baisden, and 2nd Lieutenant John S. Baisden.
 * Company F - A cavalry company - Captain George W. Hackworth's Company.
 * Officers were commissioned on August 30, 1862.
 * Members of this company were from Cabell County, West Virginia.
 * Officers for this company were: Captain George W. Hackworth, 1st Lieutenant Van E. Sanford and 2nd Lieutenant D. C. Lovett.
 * Company G - A cavalry company - Captain John Rundell's Company.
 * Officers were commissioned on September 2, 1862.
 * Members of this company were from Wayne County, West Virginia.
 * Rundell had formerly served in the 22nd Virginia Infantry.
 * Officers for this company were: Captain John Rundell, 1st Lieutenant Thomas Jackson, and 2nd Lieutenant John Chapman.
 * Company H - Captain Benjamin H. Justice's Company.
 * This company's home territory was probably Logan County, West Virginia and Wyoming County, WEst Virginia.
 * Justice was formerly with the 36th Virginia Infantry from Logan County.
 * He later commanded a company in the 45th Battalion Virginia Infantry. *::Officers for this company were Captain Benjamin H. Justice, 1st Lieutenant Henry Blankenship, and 2nd Lieutenant Thomas Justice.
 * Company I - An infantry company - Captain John Buchanan's Company.
 * Officers from this company were commissioned on August 26, 1862.
 * Most identified members of this company were from Logan County, West Virginia, with a few from Cabell County, West Virginia.
 * Several members later served in the 45th Battalion Virginia Infantry.
 * Officers for this company were: Captain John Buchanan, 1st Lieutenant James Allison, and 2nd Lieutenant William M. Ferrell.
 * Company K - A cavalry company - Captain Robert Lawson's Company.
 * Members of this company were from Logan County, West Virginia and mustered into service at Logan Court House on September 20, 1862.
 * A muster roll for this company is on file at the Virginia State Archives in Richmond.
 * Officers were commissioned on October 7, 1862. Officers for this company were: Captain Robert Lawson, and 1st Lieutenant Lloyd Ellis.
 * Roster

The above information is from the Virginia State Line, Organizational Structure of the Virginia State Line, (accessed 23 November 2011). See also Jeffrey C. Weaver, 45th Battalion Virginia Infantry, Smith and Count's Battalions of Partisan Rangers, (Lynchburg, Virginia : H.E. Howard, c1994), pages 8-9,.

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.


 * 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.


 * Weaver, Jeffrey C. 45th Battalion Virginia Infantry, Smith and Count's Battalions of Partisan Rangers, (Lynchburg, Virginia : H.E. Howard, c1994),.


 * Sifakis, Stewart. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia. New York, NY: Facts on File, 1992- 1995. This gives organization information for each unit and its field officers, assignments, and battles. It also lists sources further reading. Volume 5 is for Virginia., ten volumes.


 * Wallace, Lee A. A Guide to Virginia Military Organizations, 1861-1865. Lynchburg, Virginia: H. E. Howard, 1986. (Family History Library book .) This gives brief historical sketches of each regiment and lists officers, company names, and commanders.