16th Virginia Infantry

16th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment

Flag of Virginia, 1861
Active May 1861 – Spring 1865
Country Confederacy
Allegiance Confederate States of America Confederate States of America
Role Infantry
Engagements American Civil War:First Battle of Bull Run-Seven Days' Battles-Second Battle of Bull Run-Battle of Antietam-Battle of Fredericksburg-Battle of Chancellorsville-Battle of Cold Harbor-Siege of Petersburg
Disbanded April 1865
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Colonel Raleigh E. Colston
Colonel Stapleton Crutchfield

The 16th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia.

The 16th Virginia completed its organization in May, 1861, with ten companies. However, because of various reorganizations and transfers, the unit contained only seven after November 1, 1862. The men were from Suffolk and Portsmouth and the counties of Nansemond, Isle of Wight, Sussex, and Chesterfield.

It served in the Department of Norfolk and in June, 1862, had 516 effectives. Assigned to Mahone's and Weisiger's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia, it fought in many conflicts from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor, then was involved in the Petersburg siege south of the James River and the Appomattox Campaign.

The regiment reported 91 casualties at Malvern Hill, 154 at Second Manassas, 5 in the Maryland Campaign, and 18 at Chancellorsville. Of the 270 engaged at Gettysburg, about five percent were disabled. It surrendered with 10 officers and 114 men.

The field officers were Colonels Raleigh E. Colston, Charles A. Crump, Stapleton Crutchfield, Joseph H. Ham, and Henry T. Parrish; Lieutenant Colonels John C. Page and Richard O. Whitehead; and Majors Francis D. Holladay, Francis M. Ironmonger, and John T. Woodhouse.

References