20th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)

Brief History
The 20th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry was organized in August 1863, and was composed of "North Western Virginians." The unit served in W. L. Jackson's Brigade and confronted the Federals in western Virginia and in the Shenandoah Valley. It disbanded in mid April, 1865. Field officers: Colonel W. W. Arnett, Lieutenant Colonels Dudley Evans and John B. Lady, and Major Elihu Hutton.

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  many men from Marion and Monongalia Counties, West Virginia

Company B  many men from Marion and Monongalia Counties, West Virginia

Company C  many men from Randolph County, West Virginia

Company D  many men from Barbour County, West Virginia

Company E  many men from Harrison County, West Virginia

Company F  many men from Harrison County, West Virginia

Company G many men from  Wood County and Pleasants Counties, West Virginia

Company H  many men from Wirt County, West Virginia

Company I    many men from Rockbridge County

Company K  many men from Rockbridge County

The information above is from 19th and 20th Virginia Cavalry, by Richard L. Armstrong.


 * Field and Staff
 * Company A
 * Company B
 * Company C
 * Company D
 * Company E
 * Company F
 * Company G
 * Company H
 * Company I
 * Company K

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.


 * Armstrong, Richard L. 19th and 20th Virginia Cavalry. Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1994..