Military unit
The 56th Virginia 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 56th Virginia completed its organization in September 1861, with men from Louisa, Mecklenburg, Buckingham, Nelson and Charlotte counties. It moved to Tennessee and was attached to Floyd's Brigade, and was captured in the fight at Fort Donelson. After being exchanged, the unit returned to Virginia and was assigned to Pickett's, Garnett's, and Hunton's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia.
It fought with the army from the Seven Days' Battles in 1862 to Cold Harbor in 1864, except when it served under Lt. Gen. James Longstreet at Suffolk. The 56th then endured the hardships of the Petersburg trenches north and south of the James River and saw action around Appomattox.
In June 1862, it contained 466 effectives and reported 100 casualties during the Seven Days' Battles. This regiment carried only 40 men into action at Sharpsburg and eight were wounded. Of the 289 engaged at Gettysburg, more than 65 percent were disabled. Many were captured at Sayler's Creek, and only three officers and 26 men surrendered on April 9, 1865.
The field officers were Colonels William E. Green, Philip P. Slaughter and William D. Stuart; Lieutenant Colonel Timoleon Smith; and Major John B. McPhail.
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