31st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)

Brief History
31st Infantry Regiment was organized under W.L. Jackson and mustered into Confederate service in July, 1861. Many of its members were raised in Marion, Pendleton, and Gilmer counties. At Gettysburg, ten percent were disabled. On April 9, 1865, it surrendered with 7 officers and 49 men of which 22 were armed. The field officers were Colonels John S. Hoffman, William L. Jackson, and Samuel H. Reynolds; Lieutenant Colonels Francis M. Boykin, Alfred H. Jackson, and J.S. Kerr McCutchen; and Majors James C. Arbogast, Joseph H. Chenoweth, and William P. Cooper.

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 ( Marion Guards) - many men from Marion County

1st Company B ( Pendleton County Minutemen) - many men from Rockingham County

Future 2nd Company B (The Highlanders) - many men from Highland County

Company C (Harrison Rifles)

Company D ( Gilmer Rifles) - many men from Gilmer County

Company E (Highland County Highlanders) - many men from Highland County

Company F ( Jacob Currence's Company) - many men from Randolph County

Company G ( Pocahontas Riflemen) - many men from Pocahontas County

Company H ( Barbour Greys) - many men from Barbour County

Company I  (Lewis County Rangers) - many men from Weston-Lewis County

Company K ( Potomac Guards or Mountain Guards) - many men from Barbour County

The information above is from31st Virginia Infantry, by John M. Ashcraft, 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.


 * Ashcraft, John M. 31st Virginia Infantry. Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1988..


 * Cammack, John Henry. Personal Recollections of Private John Henry Cammack: A Soldier of the Confederacy, 1861-1865. Huntington, W. Va.: Paragon Ptg. &amp; Pub., 1920?..


 * 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.