Confederate Regiments & Batteries > Virginia


The 45th Virginia Infantry Regiment was formed in May of 1861 in western Virginia and captured or dispersed at the Battle of Waynesboro in March of 1865. Confederate records are incomplete, but show at least 65 men killed in battle and 143 men died of disease or wounds. Union records show 600 men of the regiment captured, with 119 dying in prison.

1861
May 29

Organized for one year state service under the command of Colonel Henry Heth (West Point Class of 1847), Lieutenant Colonel William E. Peters and Major Gabriel Wharton (VMI Class of 1847).

Company A – Floyd Guard (Tazewell Co.), commanded by Captain Joseph Harrison
Company B – Mount Airy Rough and Readys (Wythe Co.), commanded by Captain John Buchanan
Company C – Grayson Rifles (Grayson Co.), commanded by Captain Alexander M. Davis
Company D – Minute Men (Wythe Co.), commanded by Captain Robert H. Gleaves
Company E – Rough and Readys (Carroll Co.), commanded by Captain William Lundy
Company F – Sharpshooters (Bland Co.), commanded by Captain Andrew J. Grayson
Company G – West Augusta Rifles (Tazewell Co.), commanded by Captain William H. Browne
Company H – Tazewell Rangers (Tazewell Co.), commanded by Captain Edwin H. Harman
Company I – Reed Island Rifles (Carroll Co.), commanded by Captain Thomas D. Bolt
Company K – Tazewell Boys (Tazewell Co.), commanded by Captain Titus V. Williams

July 1 Transferred to Confederate service.
August Major Wharton was transferred to the 51st Virginia Infantry Regiment and promoted to its colonel.
August 25
Cross Lanes

The regiment lost its first fatality in a skirmish with the 7th Ohio Infantry.

September 3 Company L was organized
September 10
Battle of Carnifax Ferry

The regiment suffered no casualties.

September Assigned to the Army of the Kanawha.
1862
January Assigned to the District of Lewisburg
January 6 Colonel Heth was promoted to brigadier general. Lieutenant Colonel Peters was promoted to colonel.
January 15 Company L transferred to 23rd Virginia Infantry Battalion as Company C
May Assigned to District of Lewisburg, Department of Southwestern Virginia
May 1 Battle of Camp Creek, Stone River Valley
May 14 The regiment was reorganized. Colonel Peters was dropped. Captain William Henry Browne of Company G was promoted to colonel. Colonel Browne had attended West Point but did not graduate, leaving when Virginia seceded in 1861. Captain Edwin H. Harman was elected lieutenant colonel and Captain Alexander Davis of Company C was elected major.
May 10 Giles Court House
May 23  Lewisburg
September
Kanawha Campaign

Assigned to the Army of the Kanawha

1863
February Assigned to Echols’s Brigade, Department of West Virginia
August 26-27 White Sulphur Springs
October Assigned to Wharton’s Brigade, Ransom’s Division, Department of Western Virginia and East Tennessee
December Assigned to Saltville, Department of Western Virginia. The regiment recorded 702 men present for duty on the last day of the year.
1864
May Assigned to Wharton’s Brigade, Department of Western Virginia 
May 9
Battle of Cloyd’s Mountain

The regiment lost 26 men killed, 96 wounded, 46 captured, and 6 missing. Lieutenant Colonel Edwin H. Harman was killed. After the battle Major Alexander Davis was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

May 15
Battle of New Market
June 5
Battle of Piedmont

Colonel William H. Browne was mortally wounded and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Davis was captured. The regiment’s colors were captured by Private Thomas Evans, of the 54th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. After the battle less than 300 men regrouped at Waynesboro. 

June
Lynchburg Campaign

Assigned to Wharton’s Brigade, Breckinridge’s-Wharton’s Division, Army of the Valley

July 5 Crossed the Potomac River on the march to Washington.
July 9
Battle of the Monocacy

The regiment was in reserve and suffered no casualties.

July 11 Reached Silver Spring, Maryland, within sight of the dome of the U.S. Capitol.
July 13 Skirmished with Union troops falling back from Washington.
July 24
Second Battle of Kernstown
September 19
Third Battle of Winchester

Five men were killed and 79 were captured.

September 22
Battle of Fisher’s Hill
October 19
Battle of Cedar Creek
1865
March 2
Wanesboro

The regiment was dispersed or captured along with the remainder of Early’s army. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Logan was wounded and captured, but was able to escape. Major Miller and and 119 other men were also captured.

April 13 The survivors of the regiment disbanded.