49th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)

Brief History
The 49th Infantry Regiment completed its organization in July, 1861. Its members were from the counties of Prince William, Warren, Fauquier, Rappahannock, Amherst, and Shenandoah. Three companies fought at First Manassas and these companies formed the nucleus of the regiment. It was assigned to General Featherston's, Early's, W.Smith's, Pegram's, and J.A. Walker's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. On April 9, 1865, it surrendered with 9 officers and 46 men. The field officers were Colonels John C. Gibson and William Smith, Lieutenant Colonels Charles B. Christian and Edward Murray, and Major Caleb Smith.

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.

At formation 8/61:

Company A (Flint Hill Rifles) (Markham Guards) - many men from northwest Fauquier County

Company B (Amherst Rough and Readys)

Company C (New Market Volunteers) - many men from Nelson County

Company D (Sperryville Sharpshooters) - many men from Rappahannock County

Company E (Warren Blues) - many men from Warren County

Company F (Ewell Guards) - many men from Prince William County and Nelson County

Company G (Quantico Guards) - many men from Prince William County

Company H (Fauquier Guards) - many men from Fauquier County and Nelson County

Company I  (Rappahannock Rifles) - many men from Rappahannock County

Company K (Crowder's Company) - many men from Lovingston area of Nelson County

At Reorganization 4/30/62,

Company A became Company E

Company B became Company I

Company C became Company H

Company D became Company K

Company E became Company D

Company F became Company A

Company G became Company B

Company H became Company C

Company I became Company G

Company K became Company F

The information above is from 49th Virginia Infantry, by Richard B. Kleese.

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.


 * Hale, Laura Virginia. History of the Forty-Ninth Virginia Infantry, C.S.A., : "Extra Billy Smith's boys". (Lanham, Maryland : S.S. Phillips &amp; Assoc., 1981),.


 * Kleese, Richard B. 49th Virginia Infantry. (Appomattox, Virginia : H.E. Howard, c2002),


 * Sifakis, Stewart. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia. New York, NY: Facts on File, 1992- 1995. (Family History Library book, Ten Volumes.) 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.


 * 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.