Virginia 3rd Infantry Regiment
HISTORICAL NOTES:
Wikipedia states without sourcing that three companies were in the fight at Big Bethel. Chris Stevans of the 3rd Virginia Reenactors states however that the 3rd was still on the southside of the James River, manning forts and earthworks, drilling in and around Smithfield, etc. The unit didn't cross the James to join the Peninsula campaign until late March/early April. Their first engagement was in the vicinity of Dam Nr 2 in Newport News.
The regiment was assigned to General Colston's, Pryor's, Kemper's, and W.R. Terry's Brigade. It fought with the Army of Northern Virginia from Williamsburg to Gettysburg except when it was detached to Suffolk with Longstreet. Later it was active in the conflicts at Plymouth, Drewry's Bluff, and Cold Harbor, the Petersburg siege south and north of the James River, and the Appomattox Courthouse Campaign.
This unit totaled 550 men in April, 1862, and reported 97 casualties during the Seven Days' Battles, 19 in the Maryland Campaign, and 11 at Fredericksburg. Of the 332 engaged at Gettysburg, more than thirty-five percent were disabled. Many were captured at Five Forks and Sayler's Creek, and only 1 officer and 60 men surrendered in April, 1865.
It was the quartermaster of the 3rd Virginia, Captain Joseph M. Broun, who sold Traveller to Robert E. Lee for $200.
FIELD OFFICERS:
BATTLES:
Williamsburg
Seven Pines
Gaines Mill
Savage Station
Frazier's Farm
Thoroughfare Gap
Second Manassas
Harper's Ferry
Sharpsburg
Fredericksburg
Suffolk
Gettysburg
Williamsport
Plymouth
Washington
Second Cold Harbor
Turkey Ridge
Chester Station
Dinwiddie Courthouse
Five Forks
Farmville
Appomattox Courthouse
ROSTERS:
Co. A, Dismal Swamp Rangers (Norfolk Cty, Deep Creek)
Co. B, Virginia Rifles ((Portsmouth) Co. C
Dinwiddie Greys (Dinwiddie Cty) Co. D
Southampton Greys (Southampton Cty) Co. E
Cockade Rifles (Petersburg) Co. F
Nansemond Rangers (Nansemond Cty) Co. G
Rough and Ready Guards (Southampton Cty) Co. H
National Greys (Portsmouth) Co. I
Surry Light Artillery (Surry Cty) Co. K
James River Artillery (Isle of Wight Cty)
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
REFERENCES:
https://www.thirdvirginia.com/history.html