Battle of Malvern Hill

The regiment lost 31 casualties out of 128 engaged

Second Battle of Manassas

Capture of Harpers Ferry

Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)

The regiment was commanded by Captain W. G. Pollard until he was killed. He had resigned his commission due to his age (41) but stayed with the regiment as it had not yet been accepted. It would come through about a month after his death. After Pollard was killed Captain Joseph C. Harwood of Company K took command. The regiment reported 11 casualties during the campaign.

From the War Department marker for Anderson’s Division on the Antietam battlefield:

Anderson’s Division comprising the Brigades of Cumming, Wright, Pryor, Mahone, Featherstone and Armistead crossed the Potomac at Blackford’s Ford about daybreak and between 8 and 10 A. M. arrived upon this part of the field. Armistead’s Brigade was sent to the support of McLaws in the Dunkard Church Woods and the other five Brigades were disposed in the Apple Orchard and on open ground either side of it, between this and Piper’s Lane. The Division advanced in support of a part of D.H. Hill’s Division, then heavily engaged and after a stubborn contest in which portions of the Division reached this point, it was repulsed with heavy loss and fell back to Piper’s Lane and the Hagerstown Pike.

Battle of Shepherdstown

The regiment covered the river bank at Pack Horse Ford. Colonel Hodges, commanding the brigade since Armistead was wounded at Sharpsburg, reported that the brigade consisted of no more than 50 to 60 men.

Battle of Fredericksburg

Commanded by Major William R. Aylett

Suffolk Expedition

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded by Colonel William R. Aylett and brought 435 men to the field. It woke at 3 a.m. on July 3 and moved to Seminary Ridge. In the afternoon it took part in Pickett’s Charge as the support brigade on the right flank of the attack, breaking the Union line at The Angle before being thrown back with heavy casualties. Casualty figures are incomplete, but around 30 men were killed.

All of the field officers became casualties, with Colonel Aylett wounded, Lt. Colonel Rawley W. Martin wounded and captured, and Major John C. Timberlake captured. Captain Henry Edmunds took command of the regiment. Colonel Aylett recovered from his wound by July 4 to take command of the brigade, then resumed command of the regiment on July 5.

Officer casualties were high. Captain James Lipscomb was killed killed. Lieutenants Harvie Bray and William Burruss were mortally wounded and captured. Captains William Tredway and William Turner and Lieutenants Andrew Anderson and Evan Ragland were wounded. Captain Lyons Fairholt and Lieutenants Robert Ferguson and James Whitehead were wounded and captured. Captain John Latane and Lieutenants Robert Campbell, Hutchins Carter, Henry Coalter, James Harwood, John Ligon, Sylvester Richardson, Eugene Robinson, James Sale, and Joseph Walton were captured.

From the monument to Armistead’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 behind Kemper and Garnett east of the woods. When the cannonade ceased advanced to support Kemper’s and Garnett’s Brigades forming the right of Longstreet’s Corps. Its losses being less at first than those of the other brigades it passed the Emmitsburg Road in compact ranks and as the front line was going to pieces near the stone wall pushed forward and many of its men and some from other commands responding to the call and following Gen. L. A. Armistead sprang over the wall into the Angle and continued the desperate struggle until he fell mortally wounded beyond the stone wall.

July 4. Spent the day in reorganization and during the night began the march to Hagerstown.

Battle of Drewry’s Bluff

The regiment lost 3 men killed, 33 wounded, and 3 missing. Colonel William Aylett was wounded in the shoulder.

North Anna

Battle of Cold Harbor

Petersburg Siege

Battle of Five Forks

Sayler’s Creek

Colonel Aylett and most of the regiment were captured

Appomattox Court House

The 53rd Virginia was commanded by Captain Henry Edmunds. It surrendered 6 officers and 74 men