46th Regiment, Virginia Infantry - Confederate

Brief History
The 46th Infantry Regiment [also called 1st or 2nd Regiment, Wise Legion] was organized in August, 1861. Ended the war at Appomattox and surrendered 15 officers and 116 men on April 9, 1865. The field officers were Colonels J. Lucius Davis, Richard T.W. Duke, Randolph Harrison, and John H. Richardson; Lieutenant Colonel Peyton Wise; and Majors Hugh W. Fry, Jr. and James C. Hill.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

Company Roster, August 8, 1861:

Company A (Liberty Guards) - many men from Appomattox County

Company B (Pigg River Invincibles) - many men from Pittsylvania County

Company C (Greenbrier Mtn. Rifles) - many men from Greenbrier County

Company D (Scottsville Grays) - many men from Scottsville and Fluvanna County

Company E (Sussex Jackson Avengers) - many men from Sussex County

Company F (Bruce Rifles) - many men from Greenbrier County

Company G (Albemarle Jackson Avengers)

Company H (Green Mountain Grays) - many men from Albemarle County

Company I  (James River Rifles)

Company K (George Pannill's Company)

Changed on August 13, 1861 to the following:

Company A (Richmond Light Inf. Blues)

Company B (Liberty Guards)

Company C (Pigg River Invincibles)

Company D ( Border Guards)

Company E (Scottsville Grays)

Company F (Sussex Jackson Avengers)

Company G (Albemarle Jackson Avengers)

Company H (Goochland Infantry)

Company I  (Green Mountain Grays)

Company K (George Pannill's Company)

The information above is from 46th Virginia Infantry, by Darrell L. Collins

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in Virginia in the Civil War and United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865.


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Virginia in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Virginia, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Collins, Darrell L. 46th Virginia Infantry. Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1992..


 * Sifakis, Stewart. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia. New York, NY: Facts on File, 1992- 1995. (FS Library book, Ten Volumes.) This gives organization information for each unit and its field officers, assignments, and battles. It also lists sources further reading. Volume 5 is for Virginia.


 * Wallace, Lee A. A Guide to Virginia Military Organizations, 1861-1865. Lynchburg, Virginia: H. E. Howard, 1986. (FS Library book .) This gives brief historical sketches of each regiment and lists officers, company names, and commanders.


 * Wise, Henry A. R.L.I. Blues: Speech of Gen. H. A. Wise, War Roll, Roll of Honorary Members, and the Present Roll of the Company, 1874. Richmond, Va.: Clemmitt & Jones, Book and Job Printers, 1874..