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JJDESIGNS NEWS UPDATE 17[SUP]th[/SUP] JANUARY 2022
THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN, 1861.
THE 5[SUP]th[/SUP] VIRGINIA INFANTRY REGIMENT.
The 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
If fought in the “Stonewall Brigade”, mostly with the army of Northern Virginia.
The Regiment was known as the “Fighting Fifth”.
The 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Virginia Infantry Regiment was organized in May 1861 under Colonel Kenton Harper.
Eight Companies were from Augusta County and two were from Frederick County.
Civil War regiments were usually made up of ten companies of about 50 men, each of which was designated by a letter between A and K (J not used).
A regiment would be commanded by a Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel, and companies by captains.
Colonel Kenton Harper, was given command of the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Virginia Infantry regiment on May 7th 1861.
Harper and the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Virginia fought well during the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21[SUP]st[/SUP] 1861, “where his soldierly ability attracted the notice of the army commander”.
Harper was to resign from the Confederate Army on September 11[SUP]th[/SUP], because Jackson refused to allow Harper permission to return home where his wife lay dying.
THE 5[SUP]th[/SUP] VIRGINIA INFANTRY REGIMENT.
Co. K CONTINENTAL MORGAN GUARDS, FREDERICK CO.
One company that stood out the most were the Continental Morgan Guards. Its men wore blue coats and tri corn hats in exact imitation of George Washington’s forces.
Captain John Avis was the Company Commander.
THE 5[SUP]th[/SUP] VIRGINIA INFANTRY REGIMENT.
Co. A MARION RIFLES, WINCHESTER
Company A was raised in Frederick County, Virginia, and wore a grey frock coat, with solid black collar, and three horizontal bands of black braid around the cuffs, which were fastened by three small buttons. Trousers were also grey with a black seam stripe. Headgear consisted of plain black felt hats with a narrow brim.
Captain John H. S. Funk was the Company Commander.
THE 5[SUP]th[/SUP] VIRGINIA INFANTRY REGIMENT.
Co. L WEST AUGUSTA GUARDS, STAUNTON
Organized at Staunton in the Shenandoah Valley in 1858, the West Augusta Guard, were nicknamed the “Wags”, and wore a version of the state regulation uniform adapted during the same year. It consisted of a dark blue frock coat cut after US regulation pattern and fastened with gilt buttons bearing the Virginia state seal. Collar and cuffs were edged with sky blue piping. Trousers were also dark blue with sky blue seam stripes.
Hardee hats had a yellow metal bugle insignia on the front, with the brim looped up on the left by a brass eagle device., and also a sky-blue worsted hat cord and tassle.
There was a single black ostrich feather normally attached to the right side of the crown, but it is believed these were removed at First Bull Run because they believed that the “Yankees” wore the same.
Captain William S. H. Baylor was the Company Commander, and later became the Colonel of the Regiment.
Although these regiments were made up of 10 companies where there was such a variety of uniforms, it was also quite common for there to be no uniform at all.
To represent this there will be a handful of non-uniformed figures, ideal to represent a small company, to add variety, or simply to be used as picket guards.
The ranks of these new companies were filled quickly and came from a variety of backgrounds and occupations, and ranging in age from teenagers to old timers. Most of them were either English or Scots-Irish by descent, with a good smattering of Irish, German and Swedish.
Due to the local recruitment from the Shenendoah there was a widespread family element in the brigade,
Many brothers and cousins, and even father and sons, joining up together.
One company in the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Virginia listed 18 different members of a family called Bell (only 7 of whom survived the war).
About a third of the men were farmers, the area being predominantly agricultural. Most had grown up familiar with firearms, either for defence or to provide meat for the table. But it has also been said that the Valley’s volunteers made up the most highly educated brigade in the civil war. This was due to the fact that the Shenendoah was prosperous, and many of the men had attended nearby Washington College, the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, or the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
General Joseph Johnston once commented that Jackson was “most fortunate in commanding the flower of the Virginia troops.”
The 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Virginia Infantry Regiment sets will be available this summer.
Best wishes and many thanks
john jenkins
THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN, 1861.
THE 5[SUP]th[/SUP] VIRGINIA INFANTRY REGIMENT.
The 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
If fought in the “Stonewall Brigade”, mostly with the army of Northern Virginia.
The Regiment was known as the “Fighting Fifth”.
The 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Virginia Infantry Regiment was organized in May 1861 under Colonel Kenton Harper.
Eight Companies were from Augusta County and two were from Frederick County.
Civil War regiments were usually made up of ten companies of about 50 men, each of which was designated by a letter between A and K (J not used).
A regiment would be commanded by a Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel, and companies by captains.
Colonel Kenton Harper, was given command of the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Virginia Infantry regiment on May 7th 1861.
Harper and the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Virginia fought well during the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21[SUP]st[/SUP] 1861, “where his soldierly ability attracted the notice of the army commander”.
Harper was to resign from the Confederate Army on September 11[SUP]th[/SUP], because Jackson refused to allow Harper permission to return home where his wife lay dying.
THE 5[SUP]th[/SUP] VIRGINIA INFANTRY REGIMENT.
Co. K CONTINENTAL MORGAN GUARDS, FREDERICK CO.
One company that stood out the most were the Continental Morgan Guards. Its men wore blue coats and tri corn hats in exact imitation of George Washington’s forces.
Captain John Avis was the Company Commander.
THE 5[SUP]th[/SUP] VIRGINIA INFANTRY REGIMENT.
Co. A MARION RIFLES, WINCHESTER
Company A was raised in Frederick County, Virginia, and wore a grey frock coat, with solid black collar, and three horizontal bands of black braid around the cuffs, which were fastened by three small buttons. Trousers were also grey with a black seam stripe. Headgear consisted of plain black felt hats with a narrow brim.
Captain John H. S. Funk was the Company Commander.
THE 5[SUP]th[/SUP] VIRGINIA INFANTRY REGIMENT.
Co. L WEST AUGUSTA GUARDS, STAUNTON
Organized at Staunton in the Shenandoah Valley in 1858, the West Augusta Guard, were nicknamed the “Wags”, and wore a version of the state regulation uniform adapted during the same year. It consisted of a dark blue frock coat cut after US regulation pattern and fastened with gilt buttons bearing the Virginia state seal. Collar and cuffs were edged with sky blue piping. Trousers were also dark blue with sky blue seam stripes.
Hardee hats had a yellow metal bugle insignia on the front, with the brim looped up on the left by a brass eagle device., and also a sky-blue worsted hat cord and tassle.
There was a single black ostrich feather normally attached to the right side of the crown, but it is believed these were removed at First Bull Run because they believed that the “Yankees” wore the same.
Captain William S. H. Baylor was the Company Commander, and later became the Colonel of the Regiment.
Although these regiments were made up of 10 companies where there was such a variety of uniforms, it was also quite common for there to be no uniform at all.
To represent this there will be a handful of non-uniformed figures, ideal to represent a small company, to add variety, or simply to be used as picket guards.
The ranks of these new companies were filled quickly and came from a variety of backgrounds and occupations, and ranging in age from teenagers to old timers. Most of them were either English or Scots-Irish by descent, with a good smattering of Irish, German and Swedish.
Due to the local recruitment from the Shenendoah there was a widespread family element in the brigade,
Many brothers and cousins, and even father and sons, joining up together.
One company in the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Virginia listed 18 different members of a family called Bell (only 7 of whom survived the war).
About a third of the men were farmers, the area being predominantly agricultural. Most had grown up familiar with firearms, either for defence or to provide meat for the table. But it has also been said that the Valley’s volunteers made up the most highly educated brigade in the civil war. This was due to the fact that the Shenendoah was prosperous, and many of the men had attended nearby Washington College, the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, or the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
General Joseph Johnston once commented that Jackson was “most fortunate in commanding the flower of the Virginia troops.”
The 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Virginia Infantry Regiment sets will be available this summer.
Best wishes and many thanks
john jenkins
