3rd Virginia Infantry Regiment

Confederate Regiments & Batteries * Virginia

1856
The 3rd Regimental Virginia Volunteers was organized with four companies:

Portsmouth Riflemen, Captain William James Richardson. Established in 1792 and known as the oldest volunteer company in the State of Virginia.
Old Dominion Guard, Captain Edward Kearns
Portsmouth National Light Infantry Greys, Captain P. H. Daughtrey
Newton Marion Rifles, Captain Johannis Watson

Three more companies would be organized over the next year:
Dismal Swamp Rangers, Captain James C. Choate
Portsmouth Light Artillery, Captain Virginius O. Cassell
Union Guard, Captain David J. Goodwin (disbanded in 1860)
1861
April 16 The 3rd Virginia Infantry consisted of:

Portsmouth Rifle Company – Captain John C. Owens
Portsmouth Light Artillery – Captain Carney F. Grimes
Newton Marion Rifles – Captain Johannis Watson
Old Dominion Guard – Captain Edward Kearns
Portsmouth National Light Infantry Greys – Captain John E. Deans
Dismal Swamp Rangers – Captain James C. Choate
April 20 Called up and stationed at the Portsmouth Court House and City Hall under the command of Colonel Hodges, Lieutenant Colonel Godwin and Major William C. Wingfield.
April 21 The Portsmouth Rifle Company, Old Dominion Guard, and Portsmouth National Light Infantry Greys left the regiment for Norfolk, where they worked to salvage the Gosport Naval Yard.

The Portsmouth Light Artillery, Newton Marion Rifles and Dismal Swamp Rangers moved to Hospital Point and began work on a twelve gun battery on the bluff.
May 3 Sweeping command changes in former militia units moved field officers to different regiments in the interest of good discipline. Colonel Hodges, Lieutenant Colonel Godwin were moved to the 14th Virginia Infantry
Colonel Roger A. Pryor, Lieutenant Colonel Fletcher Archer, and Major Joseph Mayo (V.M.I. Class of 1852) became the regiment’s new field officers.
May 30 The regiment voted on secession. Men from the Marion Rifles voted overwhelmingly to stay in the Union. They were temporarily imprisoned, but when the Governor ordered them released Colonel Pryor called the company together and disbanded them. Pro-secession members of the company then formed the nucleus of a replacement company, the Virginia Rifles.
June Assigned to Department of the Peninsula
June 10 Big Bethel (3 companies)
July 12 The regiment was accepted into Confederate service under the command of Colonel Roger A. Pryor, Lieutenant Colonel Fletcher Archer, and Major Joseph Mayo.

Company A – “Dismal Swamp Rangers” – Captain James C. Choate
Company B – “Virginia Riflemen” – Captain Alonzo B. Jordan
Company C – “Dinwiddle Greys” – Captain John C. Griffin
Company D – “Southampton Greys” – Captain William H. Hood
Company E – “Cockade Rifles” – Captain James V. Scott
Company F – “Nansemond Rangers” – Captain William J. Arthur
Company G – “Rough & Ready Guards – Captain Ruben P. Clements
Company H – “National Light Infantry Greys” – Captain John E. Deans
Company I – “Surry Light Artillery” – Captain Thomas W. Ruffin
Company K – “James River Artillery” – Captain Alexander D. Callcote (V.M.I. Class of 1851)

Assigned to the Department of Norfolk
November 6 Major Mayo was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Joseph V. Scott of Company E was promoted to major.
1862
January-April Assigned to Colston’s Brigade, Department of Norfolk
April Assigned to Colston’s Brigade, Longstreet’s Division, Army of Northern Virginia
April 16 Colonel Pryor was promoted to brigadier general. The regiment was assigned to Pryor’s Brigade, Longstreet’s Division, Army of Northern Virginia
April 27 Reorganized with a strength of 550 men. Lieutenant Colonel Mayo was elected colonel, Major Scott to lieutenant colonel and Captain Alexander D. Callcote was elected major.
May 5
Battle of Williamsburg
May 31-June 1
Battle of Seven Pines
June-August Assigned to Pryor’s Brigade, Longstreet’s Division, Army of Northern Virginia
June 25-July 1
Seven Days Battles

The regiment suffered 97 casualties
June 27 Gaines’ Mill
June 30
Frayser’s Farm

Lt. Colonel Scott rose from his sickbed to lead the regiment and was killed.
August Assigned to Pryor’s Brigade, Wilcox’s Division, Longstreet’s Command, Army of Northern Virginia
August 28-30
Second Manassas (Second Bull Run)

The regiment was commanded by Captain Charles F. Urquhart (V.M.I. Class of 1860), and captured two guns of McGilvery’s Maine Battery.
September Maryland Campaign. Assigned to Pryor’s Brigade, Anderson’s Division, Longstreet’s Command, Army of Northern Virginia
September 17
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)

Commanded by Colonel Joseph Mayo. The regiment was in reserve in Piper’s Lane and advanced toward the Sunken Road when the Confederate line there began to collapse. Colonel Mayo was wounded and Captain Charles F. Urquart, who was leading the regiment, colors in hand, was killed.
September 24 Major Callcote was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain William H. Pryor was promoted to major.
October Assigned to Pryor’s Brigade, Pickett’s Division, Longstreet’s Command, Army of Northern Virginia
November Transferred to Kemper’s Brigade, Pickett’s Division, 1st Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
December 13
Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment lost 11 casualties
1863
February-May
Suffolk Campaign

Pickett’s Division was temporarily transferred to the Department of Southern Virginia for Longstreet’s Suffolk Campaign
May Returned to the 1st Corps, Army of Northern Virginia too late for the Chancellorsville campaign.
July 2-3
Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded by Colonel Joseph Mayo and brought 332 men to the field. It took part in Pickett’s charge on the right flank of the attacking column, taking heavy casualties from the flanking fire of the Vermont Brigade. The regiment lost 30 men killed, 41 wounded, and 57 missing or captured.

Casualties among the officers were extremely heavy. Lieutenant Colonel Callcote, Captain Crawley Phillips, and Lieutenants Patrick Arthur, George Mitchell and Fenton Wrenn were killed.

Lieutenants John Arthur and Robert Gut were mortally wounded. Captains Thomas Hodges and Richard Tuck and Lieutenants Solomon Birdsong, James Brown and Oceloa White were wounded.

Lieutenants Azra Gomer, Thomas Jackson and Paul Tuck were wounded and captured.
Captain John Whitehead and Lieutenants Fielding Cage, Samuel Drewry, Samuel Gary, Thomas Gleason and William White were captured.

Surgeon Thomas P. Mayo was left at the field hospital when the army retreated and was captured on July 5.

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

July 2. Arrived about sunset and bivouacked on the western border of Spangler’s Woods.

July 3. In the forenoon formed line in the field east of the woods with right flank near Spangler’s Barn. At the close of the cannonade advanced and took part in Longstreet’s assault upon the Union position in the vicinity of the Angle. Exposed to a severe fire of artillery and vigorously assailed beyond the Emmitsburg Road by infantry on the right flank with ranks thinned and much disorganized by its losses especially of officers it pressed on against the Union line at the stone wall where after a fierce encounter the struggle ended. Gen. J. L. Kemper fell wounded in front of the stone wall.

July 4. Spent the day in reorganization and during the night began the march to Hagerstown
July Escorted prisoners back to Virginia
September Assigned to Kemper’s Brigade, Department of Richmond
1864
May Assigned to Kemper’s-Terry’s Brigade, Pickett’s Division, 1st Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
May 16 Drewry’s Bluff
May 23-26
Battle of the North Anna
June 1-3
Battle of Cold Harbor
June Petersburg Siege
August 20 Major Pryor was promoted to lieutenant colonel effective to the death of Lt. Colonel Callcote on July 3, 1863
1865
April 1
Battle of Five Forks

The regiment lost heavy casualties when Pickett’s defensive line collapsed.
April 6
Battle of Sayler’s Creek

Most of the survivors from Five Forks were captured.
April 9
Appomattox Court House

The regiment surrendered 1 officer and 60 men