The 10th Virginia was assembled at Harper's Ferry during the late spring of 1861. Four companies of the 4th Regiment Virginia Volunteers, a militia unit, were united with other volunteer companies to make up the regiment. An eleventh company was added to the command in April, 1862. Its men were raised in the counties of Shenandoah, Rockingham, Page, and Madison. During the war it was attached to Elzey's, Taliaferro's, Fulkerson's, Colston's, Steuart's, and W. Terry's Brigade.
After fighting at First Manassas and McDowell, it was active in Jackson's Valley Campaign. The 10th participated in the campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor except when it was on detached duty during the Battle of Antietam. It was involved in Early's Shenandoah Valley operations and later the Appomattox Campaign.
This unit reported 16 casualties at First Manassas, 21 at McDowell, 43 at Cedar Mountain, 32 at Second Manassas, and 157 at Chancellorsville. Of the 276 engaged at Gettysburg more than twenty-five percent were disabled. On April 9, 1865, it surrendered with 2 officers and 43 men.
The field officers were Colonels Simeon B. Gibbons and Edward T.H. Warren, Lieutenant Colonels Dorilas H.L. Martz and Samuel T. Walker, and Majors Isaac G. Coffman and Joshua Stover.