Field's Virginia Brigade

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Charles W. Field

Brockenbrough's brigade behaved with its usual gallantry, capturing two stand of colors and a number of prisoners. The officer who made the report of the part taken by Brockenbrough's brigade in this day's fight has omitted to mention the names of the officers and soldiers who distinguished themselves on this occasion. - From the report of General Henry Heth, commanding the division at Gettysburg

About the Brigade: A Virginia brigade, this unit was commanded in turn by General Charles W. Field, General Henry Heth, and General Henry H. Walker, officially. For long periods of time, Colonel John Brockenbrough also commanded the brigade, although he was never promoted to the rank of brigadeir general and made an "official" commander. The brigade was one of the original Light Division brigades. It was transferred into Heth's Division between Chancellorsville and the Gettysburg Campaign along with Archer's Brigade.

Image of General Charles Field, first commander of the brigade

The brigade fought from the Seven Days until eventually the surviving regiments of the brigade merged with McComb's in the latter stages of the Petersburg Campaign. McComb's brigade had been, previously, Archer's brigade.

The brigade, as originally consituted, consisted of the 40th, 47th, 55th Virginia Regiments and the 22d Battalion. All of these units were Virginia troops.

40th Virginia

47th Virginia

  • Lt. Col. James D. Bruce
  • Maj. Charles Jones Green (08/03/39-09/07/09)
  • Falmouth 1859 VMI grad; post-war farmer and merchant in Dallas, TX
  • Lt. Col. William J. Green
  • Lt. Col. John W. Lyell
  • Col. Robert M. Mayo
  • Col. George W. Richardson
  • Lt. Col. Edward Poinsett Tayloe (11/03/31-04/23/88)
  • Of King George Cty; VMI 1851; POW at Saylers Creek

55th Virginia

  • Lt. Col. Robert H. Archer
  • Maj. Thomas Mundie Burke (04/20/29-06/28/62)
  • Of Essex Cty; killed at Frazier's Farm
  • Col. William S. Christian
  • Maj. Robert B. Fauntleroy
  • Maj. Charles Nicholas Lawson (01/21/21-08/19/64)
  • Of White Stone; POW at Fredericksburg; killed in action
  • Col. Francis Mallory
  • Lt. Col. Evan Rice
  • Of Essex Cty; POW at Falling Waters; member of Immortal 600
  • Maj. Andrew D. Saunders (?-05/02/63)
  • Of Middlesex Cty; killed at Chancellorsville
  • Maj. William Norvell Ward (04/19/05-02/25/81)
  • b. Lynchburg; attended West Point; cleric in Spotsylvania

22d Virginia Battalion

  • Maj. John Samuel Bowles (12/17/44-04/11/1914)
  • Of Goochland Cty; wded May 1864
  • Lt. Col. James C. Johnson (1823-?)
  • Of King William Cty
  • Lt. Col. Edward Poinsett Tayloe (11/03/31-04/23/88)
  • Of King George Cty; VMI 1851; POW at Saylers Creek

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