Schwieger
11-08-2015, 09:01 PM
4th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment Company A
"Wythe's Grays"
https://www.gwest.org/salutehonor.jpg
"In 1861, a future Stonewall Brigade member wrote dramatically, "I feel it my duty to lay down the plow and pruning hook and take up the sword and the battle-axe."
Out of the Valley came hundreds of men to answer their state's call. From them were formed five regiments and a battery of artillery which were designated as the first Brigade, Virginia volunteers. Within the regiments were forty-nine companies, each with a letter and distinctive nickname. The Second and Thirty-third Regiments originated in the lower (northern) end of the Valley. The fourth Regiment came from the upper (southern) end of the Valley, and included companies from Pulaski, Marion, Bristol, Wythenville, and as far down the Valley as Lexington. The Staunton and Augusta County area, midway in the Valley, provided the nucleus for the fifth Regiment, the largest unit in the Brigade. The smallest regiment, the Twenty-seventh, was composed of men from the Lexington area and the counties to the west. Associated with the Stonewall Brigade until the latter part of 1862 was the Rockbridge Artillery.
Soon after the formation of Virginia's First Brigade, some wit among its members conceived nicknames for each of its regiments. The Second was called "The Innocent Second" because it refrained form pillaging. "The Harmless Fourth" received that name for its good behaviour in camp, and "The Fighting Fifth" earned its name for reason of an opposite quality. A large element of Irishmen was partly responsible for the sobriquet "The Fighting Twenty-seventh", although in time it justified its name by an extraordinary casualty rate in battle. When the newest regiment in the Brigade became the first to be plagued with "Graybacks", it was promptly dubbed "The Lousy Thirty-third."
It was around July 1st 1861 that the 4th Virginian infantry Regiment was officially organised and accepted into Confederate service.
Company A, Wythe's Grays, was accepted in state service at Wytheville, Wythe County, Virginia, under the command of Captain J F Kent, on 17 April, 1861, and was ordered to Richmond, Virginia, on 21 April, 1861. The company arrived by the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad at Christiansburg Depot, near Christiansburg, Montgomery County, Virginia, at 5 PM on 23 April, 1861, and was ordered to Richmond, Virginia, the same day. The company arrived by the Richmond & Danville Railroad at Richmond via Lynchburg, Virginia, on 24 April, 1861, and was mustered in state service by Colonel J B Baldwin, Provisional Army of Virginia, the same day. Captain J F Kent was appointed major, 4th Virginia Infantry, at Richmond, Virginia, on 4 May, 1861, and First Lieutenant W Terry was appointed captain on 14 May, 1861. The company was ordered to proceed by the Virginia Central Railroad to Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, Virginia, on 10 May, 1861, and arrived by the Winchester & Potomac Railroad at Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, via Strasburg, Shenandoah County, and Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, on 12 May, 1861. The company was detached on artillery service between 28 February and 29 March, 1862, and was assigned to the 4th Virginia Infantry on 10 April, 1862."
"Wythe's Grays"
https://www.gwest.org/salutehonor.jpg
"In 1861, a future Stonewall Brigade member wrote dramatically, "I feel it my duty to lay down the plow and pruning hook and take up the sword and the battle-axe."
Out of the Valley came hundreds of men to answer their state's call. From them were formed five regiments and a battery of artillery which were designated as the first Brigade, Virginia volunteers. Within the regiments were forty-nine companies, each with a letter and distinctive nickname. The Second and Thirty-third Regiments originated in the lower (northern) end of the Valley. The fourth Regiment came from the upper (southern) end of the Valley, and included companies from Pulaski, Marion, Bristol, Wythenville, and as far down the Valley as Lexington. The Staunton and Augusta County area, midway in the Valley, provided the nucleus for the fifth Regiment, the largest unit in the Brigade. The smallest regiment, the Twenty-seventh, was composed of men from the Lexington area and the counties to the west. Associated with the Stonewall Brigade until the latter part of 1862 was the Rockbridge Artillery.
Soon after the formation of Virginia's First Brigade, some wit among its members conceived nicknames for each of its regiments. The Second was called "The Innocent Second" because it refrained form pillaging. "The Harmless Fourth" received that name for its good behaviour in camp, and "The Fighting Fifth" earned its name for reason of an opposite quality. A large element of Irishmen was partly responsible for the sobriquet "The Fighting Twenty-seventh", although in time it justified its name by an extraordinary casualty rate in battle. When the newest regiment in the Brigade became the first to be plagued with "Graybacks", it was promptly dubbed "The Lousy Thirty-third."
It was around July 1st 1861 that the 4th Virginian infantry Regiment was officially organised and accepted into Confederate service.
Company A, Wythe's Grays, was accepted in state service at Wytheville, Wythe County, Virginia, under the command of Captain J F Kent, on 17 April, 1861, and was ordered to Richmond, Virginia, on 21 April, 1861. The company arrived by the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad at Christiansburg Depot, near Christiansburg, Montgomery County, Virginia, at 5 PM on 23 April, 1861, and was ordered to Richmond, Virginia, the same day. The company arrived by the Richmond & Danville Railroad at Richmond via Lynchburg, Virginia, on 24 April, 1861, and was mustered in state service by Colonel J B Baldwin, Provisional Army of Virginia, the same day. Captain J F Kent was appointed major, 4th Virginia Infantry, at Richmond, Virginia, on 4 May, 1861, and First Lieutenant W Terry was appointed captain on 14 May, 1861. The company was ordered to proceed by the Virginia Central Railroad to Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, Virginia, on 10 May, 1861, and arrived by the Winchester & Potomac Railroad at Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, via Strasburg, Shenandoah County, and Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, on 12 May, 1861. The company was detached on artillery service between 28 February and 29 March, 1862, and was assigned to the 4th Virginia Infantry on 10 April, 1862."