Army of Northern Virginia

“ There, about six hundred yards from us were the Federals, seeming to cover the fields. There were lines of infantry, batteries, wagons, ambulances, ordnance trains massed all across the open ground. This was part of Warren’s Corps, which had been pushing for the Spottsylvania line. They thought they had left the “Army of Northern Virginia” back yonder at the “Wilderness,” and had nothing before them but cavalry, and they were halted, now, resting or eating, intending afterwards to advance, and occupy the line, which was back up behind us, where we had left the cavalry and our other guns. ”

“ Artillery was notably bettered; cavalry was fit and fine; infantry a seasoned veteran who thought of a time without war as of some remote golden age. The Army of Northern Virginia was now organized as it had not been organized before for efficiency. It numbered between sixty and seventy thousand men. It had able major- and lieutenant-generals and a very great commanding general. ”

“ Jones marched his brigade from their camp, now near Harrisonburg, for the memorable expedition through West Virginia, intending to damage the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road, and to threaten the enemy in that country, so as to not only prevent troops from going to the Rappahannock where “fighting Joe” Hooker was confronting the Army of Northern Virginia, but to draw forces from his army to protect the Rail Road and keep Western communication with the capital unbroken ”

“ The Army of Northern Virginia consisted of two infantry corps, commanded by Gens. Richard S. Ewell and Ambrose P. Hill, with a cavalry corps commanded by Gen. James E. B. Stuart; the whole commanded by Gen. Robert E. Lee; while, as an offset to Burnside's corps, Gen. James Longstreet's was within call. The exact number of men in either army cannot be told, as reports and authorities differ ”

“ Old and tried officers felt secure, ceteris paribus, of success against the northern troops of the coast, or Middle States; but the hardy hunters from the West and North-west were men of a very different stamp. The resources of the whole country had been strained to send into Virginia such an army in numbers and equipment as the preparation for invasion of her borders seemed to warrant. This had left the South and South-west rather more thinly garrisoned than all deemed prudent. ”

“ Although not properly equipped for invasion, lacking much of the material of war, and deficient in transportation, the troops poorly provided with clothing, and thousands of them without shoes, it was yet believed to be strong enough to detain the opposing army upon the northern frontier until the approach of winter should render its advance into Virginia difficult, if not impracticable. ”

“ And we are very anxious to secure reliable, efficient agents in all of our principal towns. Our friends will confer a favor by looking out and recommending to us suitable agents, to whom we can pay liberal commissions. We are exceedingly anxious to increase our circulation, and must ask kindly assistance to enable us to do so.
The Association of the Army of Northern Virginia was formed at a meeting of officers and soldiers, held in Richmond, on November 4th, 1870. ”

“ In a very short time, the Army of Northern Virginia was face to face with the Army of the Potomac. ”

“ As it was most important to clear the peninsula between the two rivers before Magruder should receive strong reinforcements, a portion of the troops were at once landed, and on the 4th of April 56,000 men and 100 guns disembarked and started on their march against Yorktown. As soon as the news of the arrival of the Northern army at Fortress Monroe reached Richmond fresh steps were taken for the defense of the city. ”

“ Remarks: Killed at Fredericksburg; brigade composed of the 1st, 12th, 13th and 14th South Carolina infantry regiments and "Orr's Rifles" (1st South Carolina Rifles) , A. P. Hill's division, Jackson's corps, Army of Northern Virginia. 170 Green, Martin E. Missouri Gen. S. Price July 23, 1862. July 21, 1862. Sept. 30, 1862. . . . . .
Remarks: Killed in action during the siege of Vicksburg; commanded 3d brigade, 1st division, Army of the West, composed of the 4th Missouri regiment, battalion Missouri infantry, battalion Missouri cavalry, dismounted, Confederate Rangers, and King's Light Battery ”

“ From the southern Appalachian region the Union armies drew at least 200,000 recruits, and in certain counties of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee more soldiers per thousand of the population volunteered for the Federal service than could be found in the most enthusiastic communities of the North. Western Virginia revolted in 1861, and in 1863 she was received into the Union as a loyal State, in spite of the absence of all constitutional authority or precedent. ”

“ Arms have been sent to the volunteer companies, but no troops have or will be sent from this part of the State. While this line of policy is suggested by our comparative weakness, and by the difficulty of collecting, in any short time, an organized force in Northwestern Virginia, sufficient to meet a large body of troops coming against us, it is also called for by the distracted and divided state of our own people ”

“ White, who had been shot dead by a rifleman hid in the woods, as he was arranging that part of the line immediately under his supervision. He was a native of Loudoun county, and as Lieut. Colonel of the militia at the breaking out of the war, had done all that lay in his power to aid Virginia in defending her border against the Northman’s ire, but at the time of the evacuation of Manassas and all the lines of defense held in connection with it by the Southern Army, he and Mr. ”

“ The right flank was guarded by Washington's cavalry, a veteran Delaware company under Kirkwood, and Colonel Lynch with a battalion of Virginia militia. The left was guarded by Lee's legion and Campbell's riflemen. At about ten o'clock in the forenoon, after some firing of artillery, the British, reaching the rivulet, deployed into line of battle, the right commanded by Leslie, the left by Webster. The North Carolina militia, unable to stand the shock, a few excepted, broke, threw away their arms, and fled precipitately through the woods. ”

“ The combined forces of Sheridan and Wright attacked the troops of Early and drove them from the area in great chaos. This victory was the shortest victory in the War between the States.
During the war, several attempts had been made by the Union forces in the Shenandoah Valley to capture and destroy the Salt Works at Saltville, located in southwestern Virginia. In 1864, the Confederate General John H. Morgan with a small cavalry force successfully repulsed a Union force under General William Averell. ”

“ John D. Munford's First Virginia battalion of regulars, Maj. W. H. F. Lee's squadron of Virginia cavalry, and Marye's and Stanley's Virginia batteries of artillery. Colonels Gilham and Lee were at Valley mountain, 28 miles west of Huntersville, with their two regiments, and Col. J. S. Burks' Forty-second Virginia and a Georgia regiment were en route from Millboro to Huntersville. The effective force on the Huntersville line was about 8,500 men, most excellent material for an efficient army, as they were all well armed and well equipped by the respective States that had sent them to the field. ”

“ When both parties are disposed for action all obstacles are soon overcome. The two armies met at Guilford Court House yesterday at 12 o'clock. Our army was well posted; the action was commenced by the advanced parties of infantry and cavalry, in which our troops were successful, but the situation of the ground not being favorable in our front, our army kept its position and waited the attack of the British. They were opposed wherever they appeared. The militia of North Carolina behaved as usual, but those of Virginia distinguished themselves by uncommon bravery. ”

“ There were now here about 9,000 troops mainly of Hunter's troops. The 15th, the force here waded the river into Virginia and took the road leading toward Leesburg about 18 miles distant. When about nine miles on the way, we turned to the right and marched to Hillsborough in Londown county and camped for the night. Early's foiled army was now on the way from Washington to the Valley followed by Gen. Wright of the Sixth Corps with a force of about 15,000 men. ”

“ A regiment, therefore, may perhaps be considered a sufficient force for an outpost.
The army in Western Virginia was at no time sufficiently large to accomplish any thing, under the best generalship, beyond simply holding the country, and preventing invasion; and it was only for the want of a moderately sized army that the rebel general failed to drive back our forces. But the rebel authorities had no men to spare for the purpose of winning barren victories; so the armies of Western Virginia were left to watch each other, with an occasional skirmish. ”

“ Increasing numbers of troops were in New England; a fleet was bound for New York; war was inevitable; Virginia must be protected. Rather ingeniously he argued that a well-armed Virginia militia would eliminate the need for a standing army of British regulars in the colonies. "A well regulated Militia, composed of gentlemen and yeoman is the only Security of a free Government." ”