1st Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, Local Defense (Confederate)

Brief History

 * Formed in November 1861, with eight companies.
 * In January 1862, two companies were added to the battalion and it became the 9th Regiment Virginia Cavalry.
 * Lieutenant Colonel John E. Johnson and Major Richard L. T. Beale were in command.
 * also called Lee's Legion

Companies

 * Company A (Newtown Troop) - many men from Frederick County


 * Company B (Berkeley Troop) - many men from Martinsburg)


 * Company C (1st Rockbridge Dragoons) - many men from Rockbridge County


 * Company D (Clarke Cavalry)


 * Company E (Valley Rangers) - many men from Waynesboro, Augusta County


 * Company F (The Shepherdstown Troop)


 * The information above is from 1st Virginia Cavalry, by Robert J. Driver, Jr.


 * Rosters A-C

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.


 * 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.