21st Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)

Brief History
This Unit was organized in August 1862, with companies that had served in the Virginia State Line. The unit was assigned to W. E. Jones' and McCausland's Brigade, and in April 1864, it contained 317 effectives. During mid-April, 1865, the regiment disbanded. Field officers: Colonel W.E. Peters, Lieutenant Colonel David Edmundson, and Major Stephen P. Halsey.

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.

Company A (Captains Stephen P. Halsey, George R. Appleby, Charles A. Calhoun &amp; William H. Balthis) - many men from Company F, 4th Regiment Virginia State Line

Company B (Captains David Edmundson, Charles Burks, Jackson Moore) - many men from Company I, 4th Regiment, Virginia State Line

Company C 2nd(Initally called (1st) Company G) - Many men from Washington County

Company D 2nd(Captains John Alexander Logan &amp; William H. Francis)

Company E 1st (from Company B, 2nd Regiment Virginia State Line) - many men from Russell County

Company E 2nd (formerly called 1st Company I) Captains: C. F. McDanold, William M. Cox

Company F (Captain Frederick T. Gray) - many men from Washington County

Company G 2nd (Captain Armistead O.Dobyns) - many men from Floyd County, other counties represented were Franklin, Patrick and Henry County

Company H (Captain John Calhoun Summers) - Officers of this company were captured and company records were lost.

Company I (2nd) (Formerly called Company C, Captains: William J. Pasley, Alexander L. Halsey, M. V. B.Norman)

Company K (Initially called (1st) Company D) Captains:John Mayo Oliver, andrew R. Humes

Captain Robert H. Gleaves' Company (Disbanded and members were transferred to Company K)

Captain C. C. Pack's Company: (Mustered into the 21st Cavalry, then was assigned to the 37th Battalion Virginia Cavalry)

The information above is from 21 Virginia Cavalry, by John E. Olson.


 * Field &amp; Staff
 * Company A
 * Company B
 * Company C
 * Company C 2nd
 * Company D
 * Company D 2nd
 * Company E


 * Company E 1st
 * Company E 2nd
 * Company F
 * Company G
 * Company G 2nd


 * Company H
 * Company I
 * Company I 2nd


 * Company K


 * Captain Robert H. Gleaves' Company (Disbanded and members were transferred to Company K)
 * Captain C. C. Pack's Company:and (Mustered into the 21st; Cavalry, then was assigned to the 37th Battalion Virginia Cavalry)


 * The information above is from 21 Virginia Cavalry, by John E. Olson.

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.


 * Olson, John E. 21st Virginia Cavalry. (Lynchburg, Virginia : H.E. Howard, c1989),.