The 8th Virginia Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry formation of the Confederate States Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.Jack L. Dickinson, 8th Virginia Cavalry, H.E. Howard Virginia Inc.Regimental Histories Series 1986 The regiment was organized early in 1862 with nine companies but increased its number to eleven to July. Many of the men were recruited in Cabell, Wayne, Mercer, Fayette, Greenbrier, Bland, Smyth, Nelson, Kanawha, and Tazewell counties.Dickinson, Jack L., 8th Virginia Cavalry, H.E. Howard, 1986 The regiment fought in western Virginia, East Tennessee, western Virginia, Early's Shenandoah Valley operations, and Lee's Appomattox Campaign.
This regiment contained 225 effectives in April, 1864. Some claim that none were included in the surrender at Appomattox because it had cut through the Federal lines and disbanded, and that the field officers were Colonels James M. Corns and Walter H. Jenifer; Lieutenant Colonels Thomas P. Bowen, A.F. Cook, Henry Fitzhugh, and Albert G. Jenkins; and Major P.M. Edmondson. However, 2nd Lt. Hezekiah Harmon of Company A swore as a witness to the pension application of Angelina James, widow of S.P. James of the same company, that he and James surrendered at Appomattox on April 9, 1865, and that he "was present and saw all that I have stated". Validating Harmon's statement is the statement of the Adjutant General of the War Department of the United States, Brigadier General George Andrews, on November 21, 1912, on Angelina James' pension application, that "the records show that one S.P. James (not found as Stephen Porter James), private, Company A, 8th Virginia Cavalry, Confederate States Army, was enlisted June 27, 1863; that he was surrendered at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, and was paroled at that place April 9, 1865." This evidence lends strong weight to the 8th Cavalry having been at Appomattox at the surrender.
Former U.S. Congressman and Confederate Congressman Albert G. Jenkins recruited one of the unit's companies as a company of partisan rangers, before it was attached to the regiment and he became commanding officer of the 8th Virginia. He was killed at the Battle of Cloyd's Mountain.
Companies and officers
+ Sortable table CompanyNickname Recruited atFirst (then later) Commanding Officer derived from Dickinson, pp. 6-13 ASmyth Dragoons Smyth CountyJohn ThompsonJohn P. Sheffeyformerly attached to 50th Virginia Infantry BNelson Rangers Nelson CountyThomas P. FitzpatrickIsaac A. Paulformerly attached to 50th Virginia Infantry CGrayson CavalryGrayson CountyWilliam H. BramblettRichmond G. Bourneformerly attached to 50th Virginia Infantry DFrench's CompanyMercer CountyWilliam Henderson French later 33rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry, then Company D of 17th Virginia Cavalry D1Gunn's RangersShenandoah ValleyWilliam R. Gunn organized by Capt. Milton J. Ferguson and took place of moved Company D EBorder Rangers2nd KanawhaKanawha Valley(General)Albert G. JenkinsJames M. Corns Formerly attached to 36th Virginia Infantry FBland RangersBland CountyWilliam Neel Harman GMountain RangersVirginia RebelsMonroe CountyPutnam CountyWilliam E. HerndonOtis Caldwell after merger with Caldwell's Battalion HTazewell Troop Mercer CountyTazewell CountyJohn C. McDonaldThomas P. BowenGeorge W. SpottsAchilles J. TynesHenry Bowen IKanawha Rangers Kanawha CountyFayette CountyTom Huddleston (killed 11/61)Charles I. Lewis organized by Dr. Charles I. Lewis and Col. C. Q. Tompkins as Company K of 22nd Virginia KFairview Rifle GuardsSandy RangersKanawha CountyJames M. Corns Joseph M. Ferguson Formerly attached to 36th Virginia Infantry LWhite's Company of CavalryGreenbrier CountyMoorman B. WhiteTransferred to 14th Virginia Cavalry then 36th Battalion Virginia Cavalry
See also List of Virginia Civil War units List of West Virginia Civil War Confederate units
Notes
References
External links War-Time Reminiscences of James D. Sedinger, Company E, 8th Virginia Cavalry (Border Rangers)