1st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Williams Rifles) (Confederate)

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Brief History
1st Regiment, Virginia completed its organization at Richmond, Virginia, in May, 1861. Only 17 surrendered on April 9, 1865.The field officers were Colonels Patrick T. Moore, F.G. Skinner, and Lewis B. Williams; Lieutenant Colonels William H. Fry and Frank H. Langley; and Majors John Dooley, William P. Mumford, George F. Norton, and William H. Palmer.

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 (Richmond Grays) - many men from City of Richmond

Company B (Richmond City Guard) - many men from City of Richmond

Company C (Montgomery Guard) - many men from City of Richmond

Company D (Old Dominion Guard) - many men from City of Richmond

Company G (Capt. William H. Gordon's Co.) - many men from Henrico County

Company H (Richmond Grays No. 2) - many men from city of Richmond

Company I  (Capt. William O. Taylor's Co.) - many men from City of Richmond

Company K (Virginia Rifles) - many men from City of Richmond

Band (Sgt. James B. Smith, Leader) - enrolled and mustered in with Company I

Drum Corps( Sgt. Charles R. M. Pohle, Drum Major)

The information above is from 1st Virginia Infantry, by Lee A. Wallace, Jr.

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.


 * Chamberlayne, Edwin H. Record of the Richmond City and Henrico Co., Virginia Troops, Confederate States Army. Richmond, Va.: H. Schott, 1879..


 * Historical Sketch of the Volunteers of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia. Norfolk, Va., 1898..


 * Loehr, Charles T. War History of the Old First Virginia Infantry Regiment, Army of Northern Virginia. Richmond, Va.: W.E. Jones, Book and Job Printer, 1884. Digital version at Google Books; . and (Dayton, Ohio : Morningside Bookshop, 1978, c1978)


 * 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. 1st Virginia Infantry. Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1985..


 * 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.