16th Virginia Cavalry Regiment

Confederate Regiments & Batteries * Virginia

1863
January 15 Created at Camp Zirkle, near Salem, Virginia, by consolidating Ferguson’s and Caldwell’s Virginia Cavalry Battalions under the command of Colonel Milton J. Ferguson, Lieutenant Colonel William L. Graham and Major James H. Hounnan. Assigned to Cavalry Brigade, Department of Western Virginia.
May-August Assigned to Jenkins’s Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army of Northern Virginia.
June 14-15
Second Battle of Winchester
June 28-29
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
July 1-3
Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment brought 265 men to the field under the command of Colonel Ferguson. When Brigadier General Jenkins was wounded Colonel Ferguson took command of the brigade as senior officer while Major James H. Hounnan took command of the regiment.

From the monument to Jenkin’s Brigade on the Gettysburg battlefield:

July 3. The Brigade had been with Ewell’s Corps but rejoined the Cavalry Division here on this day about noon. It was armed with Enfield Rifles but an oversight brought to this field only about ten rounds of ammunition. While this lasted it was actively engaged mainly on foot as sharpshooters around and in front of the Rummel Barn and outhouses. It was withdrawn from the field at an early hour in the evening.
August-November Assigned to Jenkins’s Cavalry Brigade, Ransom’s Division, Department of Western Virginia and East Tennessee.
November 6
Droop Mountain
November-December
Siege of Knoxville

Assigned to Jenkins’s Cavalry Brigade, Ransom’s Division, Department of East Tennessee.
December Assigned to Jenkins’s-McCausland’s Cavalry Brigade, Department of Western Virginia and East Tennessee.
1864
February 3 Capture of the USS Levi on the Kanawha River. The regiment mustered 163 men.
February 15 The regiment had dispersed to winter camps in Wayne County when a surprise pre-dawn attack by two Kentucky regiments killed 5 men and captured 38, including Colonel Ferguson. Eleven of the captives would die in Union prison. Lieutenant Colonel William L. Graham took over command of the regiment until Colonel Ferguson was exchanged later in the year.
June
Lynchburg Campaign

Assigned to McCausland’s Cavalry Brigade, Ransom’s-Lomax’s Division, Army of the Valley District
July 9
Battle of Monocacy

The regiment crossed the Monocacy River at Worthington-McKinney Ford and outflanked the Union line on its left. Its first dismounted attacked against what it thought was Union militia failed what it turned out the defenders were veteran infantry from the Army of the Potomac’s Sixth Corps. The second attack was more successful, but a counterattack drove them back. Finally Confederate infantry came forward and drove the Union line back.

“We remained under the terrific fire about one hour, in which time we lost one-third of the command killed and wounded.”
Corporal Alexandria St. Clair, 16th Virginia Cavalry
July 30

Burning of Chambersburg
September 19
Third Battle of Winchester
September 22
Battle of Fisher’s Hill
October 19
Battle of Cedar Creek
1865
March
Siege of Petersburg

Assigned to McCausland’s Brigade, Rosser’s Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
April 9
Appomattox Court House

The regiment escaped the surrender along with much of the Confederate cavalry.
Mid April The regiment disbanded at Lynchburg.