48th Regiment, Virginia Infantry - Confederate

Brief History
The 48th Infantry Regiment, organized at Big Spring, near Abingdon, Virginia, in September, 1861, contained men from Scott, Washington, Smyth, Lee, and Russell counties. Later was assigned to General J.R. Jones' and W. Terry's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. Of the 265 engaged at Gettysburg more than twenty-five percent were disabled. Only 4 officers and 38 men surrendered. The field officers were Colonels John A. Campbell, Robert H. Dungan, and Thomas S. Garnett; Lieutenant Colonel Oscar White; and Majors James C. Campbell, Wilson Faris, and D. Boston Stewart.

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 A (Smyth Rifle Greys) - many men from Smyth County

Company B (Clinch Mountain Boomers) - many men from Scott County

Company C (Russell Guards) - many men from Russell County

Company D (Lee County Guards) - many men from Lee County - titled A Guide to Virginia Military Organizations 1861-1865, page 331, states that Company D of this regiment were called the Smyth Rifle Greys with most men coming from Smyth County

Company E (Mountain Marksmen) - many men from Washington County

Company F (Holston Foresters) - many men from Washington County

Company G ( Campbell Greys) - many men from Washington County

Company H ( Nickelsville Spartan Band) - many men from Scott County

Company I  (Stock Creek Greys) - many men from  Scott County

Company K (Osborne Ford Independents) - many men from Scott County

The information above is from 48th Virginia Infantry, by John D. Chapla.

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.


 * Casada, James A. [A history of the 48th Virginia Infantry, Virginia Volunteer Army of the Confederate]. (In: Publications (The Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia). Series 2, no. 7 (Winter-Spring 1968-1969).),


 * 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.