The 19th Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia.
The 19th Virginia, organized at Manassas Junction, Virginia, in May, 1861, contained men recruited at Charlottesville and in the counties of Albemarle, Nelson, and Amherst.
It fought at First Manassas under General Cocke, then was assigned to General Pickett's, Garnett's, and Hunton's Brigade. The 19th participated in the campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia from Williamsburg to Gettysburg except when it was with Longstreet at Suffolk. Later it served in North Carolina, returned to Virginia, and was active at Drewry's Bluff and Cold Harbor. Continuing the fight, it was engaged in the Petersburg siege north of the James River and the Appomattox Campaign.
It reported 6 casualties at First Manassas and in April, 1862, totalled 650 effectives. The regiment had 138 casualties during the Seven Days' Battles and lost forty-two percent of the 150 in the Maryland Campaign and more than forty-five percent of the 328 engaged at Gettysburg. Many were captured at Sayler's Creek, and only 1 officer and 29 men surrendered.
The field officers were Colonels Philip St. George Cocke, Henry Gantt, Armistead T.M. Rust, and John B. Strange; Lieutenant Colonels John T. Ellis, Charles S. Peyton, and Bennett Taylor; and Majors Waller M. Boyd and William Watts.
Organization The 19th Virginia Infantry began service on April 17, 1861, at Charlottesville, Virginia, when Virginia seceded from the United States. Two militia companies, the Monticello Guard and the Albemarle Rifles, along with two companies, the Southern Guard and the Sons of Liberty, formed in front of the Charlottesville Court House. The Monticello Guard was formed in May 1857, by William B. Mallory. It is unknown what they wore in the pre-war years. One record says they wore uniforms similar to the Continentals of the American Revolution, while one report claims they wore red battleshirts with red fezzes when they participated in a shooting competition in 1859. The Albemarle Rifles were formed in 1860, by William T. W. R. Duke. The pre-war uniform consisted of gray frock coats with blue trim and blue trousers. They wore white leather goods, and according to Richard Duke's son, carried either US Springfield or Mississippi Rifles. The other two companies, the Southern Guard and the Sons of Liberty, consisted of students from the University of Virginia. At 10:30 pm, they were loaded onto a train bound for Staunton. They became known as the Charlottesville-University Battalion. They arrived at Harpers Ferry and stayed there until April 23, when they were ordered back to Charlottesville.
The two student companies were disbanded, while the Monticello Guard and the Albemarle Rifles were mustered into service on May 12, at Culpeper Court House. The other eight companies arrived later in the month.
The nicknames of the companies of the regiment are as follows: Company A: "The Monticello Guard" - Enlisted April 16, 1861, Charlottesville, Virginia. They were organized on May 5, 1857. Company B: "The Albemarle Rifles" - Enlisted April 17, 1861, Charlottesville, Virginia. Company C: "The Scottsville Guard." - Enlisted April 17, 1861, Scottsville, Virginia. They wore blue frock coats and trousers, along with white leather goods. The blue was according to the Virginia Militia Regulations of 1858. Company D: "The Howardsville Grays" - Enlisted April 19, 1861, Howardsville, Virginia. According to the Scottsville Register, published April 20, 1861, they were referred to as the Howardsville Blues. They left with Company C to join the war. Company E: "The Piedmont Guards" - Enlisted May 20, 1861, Stony Point, Virginia Company F: "The Montgomery Guard" - Enlisted May 20, 1861, Charlottesville, Virginia Company G: "The Nelson Grays" - Enlisted May 1, 1861, Massie's Mill, Virginia Company H: "The Southern Rights Guard" - Enlisted April 15, 1861, Amherst Court House, Virginia Company I: "The Amherst Rifles" - Enlisted May 1, 1861, Amherst Court House, Virginia Company K: "The Blue Ridge Rifles" - Enlisted May 20, 1861, Hillsboro, Virginia
Companies A - F and K were recruited primarily from Albemarle County. Company G was recruited primarily from Nelson County, and Companies H and I were recruited primarily from Amherst County.Brief Synopsis of the 19th Virginia Infantry Regiment
Uniform The 19th Virginia was clothed in the regulation Confederate Infantry garb; that is, a gray frock coat with light blue trim on the skirt of the coat, on the cuffs, and on the collar, light blue trousers, and a gray kepi with a light blue band. The light blue designated the wearer as an infantryman. The men of the 19th were also issued brown leather accouterments: a brown leather cartridge box and strap and a brown leather belt with cap box. According to most records, the 19th Virginia leather goods varied throughout the war, often adopting black leather or anything at one time. In May, 1863, as the 19th's division was passing through Richmond, the 19th and many of the regiments in the division received shell jackets. Shell jackets are like frock coats, only without the skirt end, and ends just below the waist. Most likely the men received Richmond Depot Type II Jackets. The 19th Virginia was also greatly supplied by the Charlottesville Mills at Charlottesville, Virginia. They constantly supplied the 19th with frock coats, but into 1864 and 1865, grey dye was harder to find, so butternut substituted. Of course, like much of the Confederate Army, uniforms may have also varied, using anything they could find.
Combat record The 19th Virginia became part of a brigade alongside the 8th, 18th, and 28th Virginia infantry regiments. The 56th Virginia Infantry later joined the brigade as well. The brigade later became known as the "Gamecock Brigade" for its fierce fighting and extreme bravery.
Much of what is known of the 19th Virginia's experiences during the war is based on the reports of its commanders as found in the Official Records. Another source is the memoirs of one of its members, William Nathaniel Wood, who wrote Reminiscences of Big I, which describes Wood's personal experiences with the regiment during the War.
First Manassas The 19th Virginia's trial by fire was at the First Battle of Manassas (First Battle of Bull Run) on July 21, 1861. As part of the Fifth Brigade under the command of Colonel Philip St. George Cocke, they fought in the Confederate Army of the Potomac under the overall command of Brigadier General P. G. T. Beauregard. The Fifth Brigade, stationed along the banks of the Bull Run, was tasked with "...guarding Island, Ball's, and Lewis' Fords, to the right of Evans' demi-brigade, near the stone bridge, also under General Cooke's command. The latter held the stone bridge, and its left covered a farm ford about one mile above the bridge," according to Beauregard's official after-battle report. Although Cocke was a West Point graduate and wealthy planter, the regiment had long been under the practical command of Lieutenant Colonel John Bowie Strange, a VMI graduate who had founded the Albemarle Military Academy and who would die on campaign in 1862. Col. Strange had his men dig trenches to fortify their position the previous night.
According to William Wood's reminiscences, the 19th came under artillery fire on the morning of the 21st while waiting in the trenches for orders. Colonel Strange called out to his sergeant major during the fire "Lipop! I am without orders, What shall I do?" to which Sergeant Major Lipop replied "Retreat to Manassas as quickly as possible." Colonel Strange ignored the recommendation, and soon enough orders arrived saying that the 19th was to move out. As the regiment moved into position, a stray bullet killed a man in one of the Amherst companies, Private George Thompson, the 19th's first battle death. Thompson had been a farmer before the war, and the bullet entered his head. He was 21 years old. Five more men were wounded as the 19th deployed in time to see the Federal Army routed from the field. Although few, if any, men of the 19th actually fired their weapons during the battle, the regiment would forever say that First Manassas was their official trial by fire.
As the Federals retreated, the 19th chased them, advancing up a road to Sudley Ford, and there crossed the Bull Run. Afterwards, the chase ended, and the 19th returned to Lewis Ford by the way of the Federal retreat, covered by blankets, oilclothes, overcoats, haversacks, and muskets abandoned by Federal troops.
August 1861 – April 1862 Like much of the Confederate Army after First Manassas, the 19th spent the rest of the year and part of the next in a stationary position around Cub Run. There the men learned how to drill and live like soldiers. They took their turn on the picket line and were occasionally involved in skirmishes. Camplife became the order of business, as they set up winter camp near Fairfax Court House, Virginia, in October, 1861. Companies and battalion drill were frequent, as were inspections and parades. The soldiers enjoyed the uneventful days of winter camp. Along with card playing and sport playing, they enjoyed the sermons of Reverend John H. Griffin of Company H. Griffin soon became the regimental chaplain. Along with picket duty and drill, the 19th also built entrenchments on the high points around Fairfax. Private Z.L. Gilmer of Company described the 19th positions as "impenentrable to the enemy," and noted in his diary that the slaves who also took part were paid the same as the soldiers (11.00 dollars).Jordan, Ervin L., Jr. | 19th Virginia Infantry, 2nd Edition | Page 11 | Lynchburg, VA | 1987 In January, 1862, the 19th performed picket duty every 16 days, with each wing alternating on the eighth day. While on picket duty, Philip St. George Cocke was given leave on December 16, and went home to his father's home at Bremo Bluff, in Fluvanna County. He never returned to his command, as on December 26, 1861, he committed suicide by a single shot from a pistol into his mouth. John Strange was sick in the hospital, so Colonel Armistead Rust took command of the regiment, but soon, he was given leave home, so Captain James Mallory of Company A took command of the regiment until Strange's return.