The 42nd Virginia Infantry Regiment, C.S.A.

To scholars of military history, “infantrymen were the foot soldiers armed with musket or rifle;” and one authority has noted: “It was upon the infantry that the strength of the other arms of the service was based.” Such a unity was the 42nd Virginia Infantry Regiment, C.S.A. Forming one of the most elemental units of military organization, the infantry regiment was generally composed of ten companies and normally had a colonel at its head. The hierarchy of command on the company level evolved on a captain and two lieutenants. It is at the regimental level that unit histories of Virginia troops are few. Though some personal narratives of individual Virginia veterans exist, less attention has been given to the more than sixty Virginia infantry regiments in the Civil War. The histories of Piedmont and Southwestern Virginia have suffered from lack of scholarship on the subject. With this in mind, the writer has utilized all known, extant source material to recount the personal and military exploits of a fairly typical infantry unit. The study concerns itself with regimental activities from organization in 1861 through surrender in 1865. The 42nd Virginia participated in nearly every major battle fought in Virginia and served under three of the most outstanding Confederate commanders: Gens. Robert E. Lee, Thomas J. Jackson and Jubal A. Early. By no means a “model” regiment, the 42nd Virginia did offer unstinting and dependable service to the Confederate cause. Gallantry and selfless behavior at Kernstown, Second Manassas and Chancellorsville are evidence of its devotion.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

History

Department dc:contributor.department

History

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Year dc:date.issued

1968

Author dc:creator

• Levstik, Frank R.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/114378

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/114378