A Brief History of the 10th Virginia Infantry Regiment
The 10th Virginia Infantry Regiment had its origins in volunteer militia companies organized in the late 1850's in Rockingham County, VA. Some of these units, then called the Valley Guard, were summoned to Harper's Ferry in response to the John Brown rebellion, where they served as guards during Brown's trial and execution. Before the outbreak of the War Between the States, seven companies that would become the nucleus of the 10th Virginia were organized as the Fourth Regiment Virginia Infantry, a volunteer militia regiment. When the Order of Secession was passed in Virginia on April 17, 1861, the various companies were ordered to Harper's Ferry, where they eventually were organized as the Tenth Virginia Volunteers, drawn almost entirely from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
Eleven companies made up the 10th Virginia. Seven companies were drawn from Rockingham County, two from Shenandoah County, one from Page County and one from Madison County. A total of about 1,475 men in all served in the Tenth during the time when the regiment was under arms. As part of the Army of Northern Virginia, the regiment saw action in almost every major engagement that was fought in Virginia, Maryland (except Sharpsburg) and Pennsylvania.
From 1,475 men under arms, the 10th Virginia was decimated by battle injuries and disease. When the war ended with the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, only about 45 men from the Tenth were left. Of those 45, only 11 were still able to carry arms and fulfill their duties.
The 10th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was made up of the following companies:
Col. S. B. Gibbons
Lt. Col. E. T. H. Warren
Maj. Samuel T. Walker
Adjutant - Thomas Pennybacker
Quartermaster - Abram S. Byrd
Commisary - Robert Bowman
Co. A, Strasburg Guards: Strasburg, Shenandoah County; Capt. Joshua Stover
Co. B, Rockingham Rifles: Harrisonburg, Rockingham County; Capt. James Kenney
Co. C, Mauck's Company: Harrisonburg, Rockingham County; Capt. Robert Mauck
Co. D, Bridgewater Greys: Bridgewater, Rockingham County; Capt. John Brown
Co. E, Peaked Mt. Grays: McGaheysville, Rockingham County; Capt. William B. Yancey
Co. F, Muhlenburg Rifles: Woodstock, Shenandoah County; Capt. Samuel Williams
Co. G, Valley Guards: Harrisonburg, Rockingham County; Capt. Charles Sprinkel
Co. H, Chrisman's Infantry: Harrisonburg, Rockingham County; Capt. George Chrisman
Co. I, Riverton Invincibles: Conrad's Strore (Elkton), Rockingham County; Capt. William Covington
Co. K, Page Volunteers: Luray, Page County; Capt. William T. Young
Co. L, Jeff Davis Guards: Madison Courthouse, Madison County; Capt. Elliot Blankenship
Regimental Band: Harrisonburg, Rockingham County; Charles Eschman
10th Virginia Infantry Regiment Battlefield Honors
1861:
July 21 - First Manassas
1862:
May 8 - McDowell
May 25 - First Winchester
June 9 - Port Republic
June 27 - Cold Harbor
July 1 - Malvern Hill
August 9 - Cedar Run
August 28 - Groveton
August 29-30 - Second Manassas
September 1 - Chantilly
December 13 - Fredericksburg
1863:
May 2-3 - Chancellorsville
June 15 - Stehpenson's Depot, Second Winchester
July 2-3 - Gettysburg
October 9-27 - Bristoe Campaign
November 25-27 - Mine Run Campaign
1864:
May 5-7 - Wilderness
May 10-12 - Spotsylvania Court House
July 9 - Monocacy Junction
July 12 - Fort Stevens
September 19 - Third Winchester
September 22 - Fisher's Hill
October 19 - Cedar Creek
1865:
March 25 - Fort Stedman
April 6 - Lockett's Farm, Saylor's Creek
April 9 - Appomattox Court House
April 12 - Surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia
Eleven companies made up the 10th Virginia. Seven companies were drawn from Rockingham County, two from Shenandoah County, one from Page County and one from Madison County. A total of about 1,475 men in all served in the Tenth during the time when the regiment was under arms. As part of the Army of Northern Virginia, the regiment saw action in almost every major engagement that was fought in Virginia, Maryland (except Sharpsburg) and Pennsylvania.
From 1,475 men under arms, the 10th Virginia was decimated by battle injuries and disease. When the war ended with the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, only about 45 men from the Tenth were left. Of those 45, only 11 were still able to carry arms and fulfill their duties.
The 10th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was made up of the following companies:
Col. S. B. Gibbons
Lt. Col. E. T. H. Warren
Maj. Samuel T. Walker
Adjutant - Thomas Pennybacker
Quartermaster - Abram S. Byrd
Commisary - Robert Bowman
Co. A, Strasburg Guards: Strasburg, Shenandoah County; Capt. Joshua Stover
Co. B, Rockingham Rifles: Harrisonburg, Rockingham County; Capt. James Kenney
Co. C, Mauck's Company: Harrisonburg, Rockingham County; Capt. Robert Mauck
Co. D, Bridgewater Greys: Bridgewater, Rockingham County; Capt. John Brown
Co. E, Peaked Mt. Grays: McGaheysville, Rockingham County; Capt. William B. Yancey
Co. F, Muhlenburg Rifles: Woodstock, Shenandoah County; Capt. Samuel Williams
Co. G, Valley Guards: Harrisonburg, Rockingham County; Capt. Charles Sprinkel
Co. H, Chrisman's Infantry: Harrisonburg, Rockingham County; Capt. George Chrisman
Co. I, Riverton Invincibles: Conrad's Strore (Elkton), Rockingham County; Capt. William Covington
Co. K, Page Volunteers: Luray, Page County; Capt. William T. Young
Co. L, Jeff Davis Guards: Madison Courthouse, Madison County; Capt. Elliot Blankenship
Regimental Band: Harrisonburg, Rockingham County; Charles Eschman
10th Virginia Infantry Regiment Battlefield Honors
1861:
July 21 - First Manassas
1862:
May 8 - McDowell
May 25 - First Winchester
June 9 - Port Republic
June 27 - Cold Harbor
July 1 - Malvern Hill
August 9 - Cedar Run
August 28 - Groveton
August 29-30 - Second Manassas
September 1 - Chantilly
December 13 - Fredericksburg
1863:
May 2-3 - Chancellorsville
June 15 - Stehpenson's Depot, Second Winchester
July 2-3 - Gettysburg
October 9-27 - Bristoe Campaign
November 25-27 - Mine Run Campaign
1864:
May 5-7 - Wilderness
May 10-12 - Spotsylvania Court House
July 9 - Monocacy Junction
July 12 - Fort Stevens
September 19 - Third Winchester
September 22 - Fisher's Hill
October 19 - Cedar Creek
1865:
March 25 - Fort Stedman
April 6 - Lockett's Farm, Saylor's Creek
April 9 - Appomattox Court House
April 12 - Surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia
