34th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Witcher's Battalion, Virginia Mounted Rifles) (Confederate)

United States  U.S. Military   Virginia    Virginia Military   Virginia in the Civil War    34th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry

Brief History

 * Formerly the 1st Battalion Virginia Mounted Rifles, was organized in December, 1862.
 * The unit served in A.G. Jenkins', W.E. Jones', V.A. Witcher's, and B.T. Johnson's Brigade and first engaged the Federals in western Virginia. It had a force of 172 men at Gettysburg, returned to western Virginia, then was involved in operations in East Tennessee.
 * During April, 1864, it contained 222 effectives, saw action at Piedmont, and served with Early in the Shenandoah Valley.
 * The 34th disbanded at Lynchburg in April, 1865.
 * Lieutenant Colonel Vinson A. Witcher, and Majors John A. McFarlane and William Straton were in command.
 * AKA - Witcher's Battalion, Virginia Mounted Rifles

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 (Witcher's Company Virginia Mounted Rifles) - many men from Wayne County

Company B (Captain William Straton) - many men from Cabell, Logan, Boone, Putnam and Kanawha Counties

Company C (McDowell Partisan Rangers) - many men from Tazewell and McDowell Counties

Company D (1st Battalion Virginia Mounted Rifles) - many men from Logan County

Company E  - many men from Buchanan, Tazewell and McDowell Counties

Company F (Walker's Battalion) - many men from Washington and Sullivan Counties, Tennessee

Company G   many men transferred from Companies A, B and I, 22nd Virginia Cavalry

Company H (Captain Robert C. Boyd's Company) (Captain Boyd's Virginia Cavalry) formed from a division of Captain John McFarlane's Company

Company I (Captain John A. McFarlane's Company) organized as part of Captain McFarlane's Squadron Virginia Cavalry

Company K ( Captain James T. Sweeney) - many men from Mercer, Raleigh, Giles and Wyoming Counties

The information above is from 34th Battalion Virginia Cavalry, by Scott C. Cole.


 * Field &amp; Staff
 * Company A
 * Company B
 * Company C
 * Company D
 * Company E
 * Company F
 * Company G
 * Company H
 * Company I
 * Company K

Other Sources
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.