The 20th Virginia Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly in western Virginia.Richard L. Armstrong, 19th and 20th Virginia Cavalry (H.E. Howard, Inc.1994)

Virginia's 20th Cavalry Regiment was organized in August, 1863, and was composed of "North Western Virginians." The unit served in W.L. Jackson's Brigade and confronted the Federals in western Virginia and in the Shenandoah Valley. It disbanded in mid-April, 1865. The field officers were Colonel W.W. Arnett, Lieutenant Colonels Dudley Evans and John B. Lady, and Major Elihu Hutton.

Companies and officers

+ Sortable table CompanyNickname Recruited atFirst (then later) Commanding Officer derived from Armstrong, pp. 21-22 ACompany A Marion CountyMonongalia CountyDudley Evans BCompany B Marion CountyMonongalia CountyWilliam W. Arnettmany formerly from Company D of 19th Virginia Cavalry CCompany C Randolph CountyElihu Hutton DCompany DBarbour CountyEdward M. Corder ECompany EHarrison CountyJohn W. Young FCompany FHarrison CountyAsbury Lewismany formerly from Companies A and C of 19th Virginia Cavalry GWood County GraysWood CountyPleasants CountyPaul NealJohn D. NealThey were brothers, Paul (1832-1919) graduating from VMI, and becoming an instructor and later a merchant and recruiter. He contracted typhoid fever in 1861 and so did not initially lead the unit and was arrested at Ravenswood on his way south, then sent to Camp Chase. His brother had been in Co. I, 31st Virginia Infantry including about a year in the Stonewall brigade, before transferring to this unit. Per H. E. Matheny's Wood County, West Virginia in Civil War Times (republished 1987 by Trans-Allegheny Books of Parkersburg), pp. 535-537. HCompany H Wirt CountyJoseph Hayhurstmany formerly from Company A and C of 19th Virginia Cavalry ICompany I Rockbridge CountyHenry L. Heiskell KCompany K Rockbridge CountyOrtho Alexander

In popular culture In the science fiction short story, Field Test by Keith Laumer, a newly designed and built artificially intelligent superheavy tank called a Bolo Mark XX Model B is assigned to "the 20th Virginia, a regiment ancient and honorable, with a history dating back to Terra Insula".

See also

List of Virginia Civil War units List of West Virginia Civil War Confederate units

References