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Flag – Company A,

 5^th Virginia Cavalry

In Memoriam

History of the

5^th Virginia Cavalry

Campaigns and

Engagements

Archive of Documents

Image Gallery

Information Websites

In Memoriam

This web page is dedicated to the memory of our 2^nd great-grandfather, Albea Edgar Scruggs, and the men he served with in the 5^th Virginia Cavalry Regiment, C.S.A. during the War Between the States.

          Albea Edgar Scruggs was the 11th of the 15 children born to Joseph and Frances Scruggs.   He was born in 1846 on the family farm located near Palmyra in Fluvanna County, Virginia.   His early education was received in the public school near his home.

       Although Albea was only 15 or 16 when the War Between the States commenced in 1861 he eventually followed his older brothers into the Army of the Confederacy most likely sometime after his eighteenth birthday, probably in the spring of 1864.  It is known that Albea was a Private in Company B of the 5th Virginia Cavalry.  Company B was commanded by Captain Frederick Windsor, and thus was usually referred to as "Windsor's Company".  The 5th Virginia Cavalry was definitely involved in the fighting that occurred around Farmville, Virginia on April 6, 1865. It was in this battle that Albea's older brother James, a trooper of the 2nd Virginia Cavalry, captured the sword of the mortally wounded Union General Theodore Read.  It is most probable that Albea participated in that and many other cavalry battles and skirmishes that occurred during the final weeks of the war during Grant's pursuit of Lee's army that ended at Appomattox on April 9, 1865.  Records show that Albea signed parole papers at Charlottesville, Virginia on May 17, 1865.

       After the war the economic prospects in his native state of Virginia were not very good and as such Albea decided to seek his fortune in the more remote west because he believed that opportunities were more abundant in the newer states.  In 1867 he migrated to California, first locating at Crow's Landing in Stanislaus County. Subsequently he made several trips back east but his interests remained in California.  

       In 1875 Albea relocated to Tulare County and began to raise livestock.  In that same year he married Julia Rhodes Turner a widow residing in that county.     The next year, 1876, he purchased his ranch from a railroad company and began to make improvements; while at the same time followed grain farming as well as the raising of stock.

      Albea fathered a total of nine children (7 boys and 2 girls).  The family lived at a homestead located about 9 miles west of Porterville, California, near the town of Poplar.    Albea passed away in 1906 at the age of 60. (4) He was buried on 27 December 1906 in the Old Porterville Cemetery.

Regimental History

Fifth Virginia Cavalry

 (1861-1862)

      The following is a description of the 5^th Virginia Cavalry as it was organized between the 1861 and the Spring of 1862.

     The “Princess Anne Cavalry” was among the first companies to in what was to become the 5^th Virginia Cavalry, (then called the 4^th Virginia Cavalry).  The troop, Company A, was organized at Princess Anna Court House on April 20, 1861 under Captain John Fentress. 

     Company B was organized in the tidewater Virginia area as the the “Light Guard” or “St. Bride’s Cavalry”, which was formed in St. Bride’s Parish, Norfolk County on April 21, 1861.  Captain John E. Doyle was the first commander of this unit.

     The “Sussex Light Dragoons” were organized in January, 1861.  This unit became Company C commanded by Benjamin W. Besches.  It was sworn into state service at Sussex Court House on April 22, 1861. 

     The “Petersburg Cavalry” or “Light Dragoons” had been a Virginia militia troop since November 31, 1859 was to become Company D.  It entered service with the 5^th Cavalry on May 17, 1861 under the command of Captain Christopher F. Fisher.  The company of 59 men then rode a train to Suffolk, Virginia where they joined the Southampton and Nasemond troops. Soon after Robert C. McIlwaine was elected Captain due to the suicide of Captain Fisher. 

     Company E was made up of the “Surry Cavalry”, a former militia unit organized in November, 1860.  It was enlisted Surry Court House on April 20, 1861 under the command of Captain Travis W. Taylor.    

     The “Prince George Cavalry”, (aka Dragoons) had served in the Virginia militia since January, 1860.  This unit was organized into the regular service on April 20, 1861 and sworn in at Fort Powhatan on May 18, 1861. The Prince George unit headed by Captain Edmund Ruffin, Jr. became Company F.

     The “Nasemond Cavalry”, organized in 1840, was sworn into state service at Suffolk, Virginia on June 1, 1861. The Nasemond troop was designated as Company G.  Captain Patrick Henry Lee led this unit to war, still armed with the same flint-lock pistols that were issued in 1840.

     Company H was made up of the “Southampton Cavalry” that was organized at Jerusalem, (now Courtland), on May 7, 1861.  The Southampton unit was commanded by Joseph E. Gillette.

    Company I was made up of another unit from Princess Anne County called the “Chesapeake Light Cavalry”.  This unit entered service at Lynhaven Beach, Virginia on June 30, 1861.  Captain Edward Burroughs headed this company.

     The final addition to the 5^th Virginia Cavalry, Company K, brought the regiment up to its full complement when it was added in March, 1862.

Fifth Virginia Cavalry

 (1862-1865)

     The origin of the new 5^th Virginia Cavalry began as an idea of Captain Henry Clay Pate, of the “Petersburg Rangers”.  In the Spring of 1862 Pate formulated a plan to enlist men from every part of Virginia and hold his regiment as an independent command.  The plan was well received and eventually approved by the Secretary of War. Thus, “Pate’s 2^nd Battalion” of the Virginia Cavalry was organized on May 25, 1862. In a short period of time Lt. Colonel Pate had created a military unit consisting of seven companies, numbering 900 men.      

     Soon thereafter, Federal forces under General McClellan, began advancing on Richmond.  Due to this great threat to the Confederate capital, General JEB Stuart saw a need for more cavalry units under his command.  On June 23, 1862, Stuart informed Pate that his battalion no longer existed as it was to be added to the restructured 5^th Virginia Cavalry under the command of Colonel Thomas L. Rosser. and the following field officers :  Lieutenant Colonel Henry Clay Pate; Major Beverly B. Douglass.  

     The formal orders were issued by the Secretary of War on June 25, 1862 assigning four additional companies to “Pate’s Battalion” to form the 5^th regiment.  The next day part of the order was canceled, and only two companies were assigned.       The companies the made up the new 5^th Cavalry Regiment were as follows:

     Company A, the “Gloucester Light Dragoons” was an old militia unit that was enlisted into state service, May 7, 1861 at Gloucester Court house, under the command of Captain John W. Puller. 

    Company B, Captain Frederick R. Windsor’s troop, was organized in Richmond on May 15, 1862, as an independent company.  This component was made up of men who had reenlisted from other units including some from South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana. 

    Company C, the “Danville Cavalry”, commanded by Captain William K. Mebane, was enlisted at Danville, Virginia on March 25, 1862.  The Danville troop had been serving in “Pate’s Battalion”.

     Company D, the “Petersburg Rangers”, (aka, Letcher Mounted Guards), was another veteran company.  Captain Henry Clay Pate had initially raised this unit.

     Company E, the “King & Queen Cavalry, under Captain Marius. Todd, was another veteran troop, having enlisted at King & Queen Court House on June 7, 1861.  They had served in Puller’s squadron at Gloucester Point, Camp Ware at Ware’s Church, in robin’s Neck, Ware Neck, and at Mathews Court House during 1861-62.  They were assigned to the regiment on June 25, 1862.

     Company G, The Randolph Cavalry, under Captain McNairy Hobson, enlisted at Richmond on April 11, 1862.  Although some of the officers and men were from Randolph county others came from through the state of Virginia.  This troop also served in “Pate’s Battalion”.

     Company H, the “James City Cavalry”, under Captain James H. Allen, had severed as Company I, 3^rd Virginia Cavalry since enlisting at Williamsburg on April 1, 1861.  This troop was re-organized on May 1, 1862 and transferred to the 5^th Virginia Cavalry on June 25, 1862.

     Company I, formerly Captain William H. Crank’s Company B/F, of the 3^rd Virginia Artillery was re-organized under Captain Reuben B. Boston, at Richmond on May 9, 1862.  This unit had also been a part of the former “Pate’s Battalion”.

     Company K, commanded by Captain Charles Pannill, was organized at Petersburg on April 7, 1862.  This troop had been serving in “Pate’s Battalion”.

engagments

1862

Peninsular Campaign

[March - July 1862]

Williamsburg – May 5

Seven Pines – June 1

Malvern Hill –  July 1

Harrison’s Landing – July 10

Northern Virginia Campaign

[August 1862]

Catlett’s Station – August 22, 23

Maryland Campaign

[September 1862]

Poolesville, MD – September 5

Frederick, MD (near) – September 12-14

Sharpsburg (Antietam) – September 17

Shepardstown, WV – September 26

Williamsport, MD (near) – October 2

Orleans – October 16,17

Fredericksburg Campaign

[November-December 1862]

Rappahannock – November 1-9

Fredericksburg – December 18

Dumfries, VA– December 24

1863

Cavalry Operations along the Rappahannock   

[March 1863]

Kelly’s Ford – March 17

Chancellorsville Campaign

[April-May 1863]

Chancellorsville – April 30-May 6

Gettysburg Campaign

[June-July 1863]

Beverly Ford (Brandy Station) – June 8-9

Aldie – June 17

Upperville area – June 21-23

Gettysburg – July 1-3

Sheperdstown, WV(near)– July 20

Kearneysville, WV – July 24

Bristoe Campaign

[October-November 1863]

Raccoon Ford, VA – October 11-12

Bull Run – October 14

1863

(continued)

Mine Run Campaign

                 [November – December 1863]

Mine Run – November 8

1864

Southside & Danville RR Expedition

[22 June - 2 July 1864]

Reams Station – June 29-30

Grant's Overland Campaign

[May - June 1864]

Wilderness – May 1-5

Todd’s Tavern – May 6-8

Spotsylvania Court House – May 8-21

Yellow Tavern – May 11

Meadow Bridge – May 12

Hawe’s Shop – May 14

Evan’s Church – May 24

Samaria Church – May 27-28

Cold Harbor – May 31 – June 12

Trevilian Station – June 11-12

Stony Creek – July 21

Shenandoah Valley Campaign

[August - October 1864]

Front Royal – August 20

Summit Point – August 29-30

Leetown – September 7-8

The Battle of Winchester (Third) – Sept. 19-22

Milford-Luray – September 22-24

Tom’s Brook (Round Hill) – October 8-9

Cedar Creek – October 19

Lacey Spring – December 21

1865

Appomattox Campaign

[April 1865]

Hanover Court House – March 25-28

Dinwiddie Court house – March  30

Five Forks (Dinwiddle CH) – April 1

Namozine Creek – April 2

Amelia Court House – April 3

High Bridge – April 5,6

Appomattox Court House – April 8

Records

The following is a listing of the documentation we’ve collected  regarding

the wartime record of this military unit, and the persons who served therein.

·         List of Officers – 5^th Virginia Cavalry

·         Non Battle Losses – 5^th Virginia Cavalry

·         Roster of Company E

·         Plaque of Fitzhugh's Brigade at Gettsburg

·         The Legacy of Schuyler A. Donnella

·         William R. Burch -  Biography & War Record

·        Battle Casualities – 5^th Virginia Cavalry

·        Strength – 5^th Virginia Cavalry

·        Battle of Yellow Tavern

·        Fountain Wood Cook – Biography & Service Record

·        Operations of Stuart's Cavalry 25 Jun -10 Jul,1862

·        CSA Cavalry Assn. Reunion Medal (Stuart Memorial)

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Image Gallery

During our research we have collected and images and photographs that may be of interest to the history of this military unit.  Some of them are presented on this website because we believe they tend to provide the reader with additional information which may aid in the understanding of our ancestors past lives and war experiences.

5^th Virginia Cavalry at the Battle of Yellow Tavern, VA May 11, 1864

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Websites

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General Resources

·         War of the Rebellion

·         Civil War Battle Summaries by Campaign

·         Civil War Battles (Harper's Weekly)

·         American Civil War Battles by Campaign

·         The Rebel Cavalry; Organization of the Corps. Impressing Horses.

5th VA Cavalry Resources

·         5th Virginia Cavalry

·         "Princess Anne Cavalry" Co. A, 5th Virginia Cav.

·         Supplies for Co A 5th VA Cavalry

·         Col Thomas Lafayette Rosser

·         Peter Johnston White III, 5th Virginia Cavalry

·         Adrian S. Lawson - 5th VA Cavalry

·         5th Virginia Cavalry Regiment (Wikipedia)

·         5th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (12 months, 1861-62) 

·         Images for 5th Virginia Cavalry

·         5th Virginia Cavalry (Virginia regimental histories series)

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-- This webpage was last updated on --

28 June 2016