The Fourth Alabama Painting by Don Troiani

Fifth Brigade, Army of the Potomac

Colonel W Smith

Colonel W Smith, commanding the 49th Virginia Battalion Infantry

Forty-ninth Virginia Infantry

Six companies arrived at Manassas Junction in July 1861

COLONEL W SMITH
LIEUTENANT COLONEL E MURRAY
MAJOR C SMITH

Company A Flint Hill Rifles: CAPT. W J WILLIAMS
The company was organised at Flint hill, Virginia, on 16 June, 1861, and arrived at Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, at the end of the first battle of Manassas.
Company B Amherst Rough and Readies: CAPT. C B CHRISTIAN
The company was organised at Amherst courthouse, Virginia, on 23 April, 1861, and was stationed at Charlottesville, Virginia. The company was ordered to proceed to Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, on 11 July, 1861.
Company C New Market Guards: CAPT. H N B WOOD
The company was organised at Newmarket, Virginia, on 7 June, 1861, and ws mustered in Confederate service at Charlottesville, Virginia, on 11 June, 1861. The company proceeded to Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, and was temporarily assigned to Scaheffer's Battalion Infantry, under the command of Acting Major F B Schaeffer, by Special Order No.94, on 6 July, 1861. After the first battle of Manassas the company was assigned in August 1861 (See Schaeffer's Battalion Infantry).
Company D Sperryville Sharpshooters: CAPT. J C GIBSON
The company was organised at Sperryville, Virginia, on 8 June, 1861, and was ordered to Culpeper Courthouse, Virginia, on 11 July, 1861. The company was mustered in Confederate service on 18 July, 1861, and at arrived at Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, at 10 AM on 21 July, 1861. The company was assigned to the 7th Virginia Infantry during the first battle of Manassas and was ordered to Centreville, Virginia, after the first battle of Manassas. The company was ordered to Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, and was assigned to the 49th Virginia Infantry, Company D, on 7 August, 1861 (See the 7th Virginia Infantry).
Company E Warren Blues: CAPT. M T WHEATLEY
The company was organised at Front Royal, Virginia, on 17 June, 1861, and was ordered to proceed to Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, via the Manassas Gap railroad. The company arrived at Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, at 2 PM on 16 July, 1861.
Company F Ewell Guards: CAPT. J B NORVELL
The company was organised at Brentsville courthouse, Virginia, on 1 July, 1861, and was mustered in Confederate service on 12 July, 1861. The company arrived at Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, on 19 July, 1861.
Company G (1st) Markham Guards: CAPT. R M STRIBLING
The company was organised at Markham, Virginia, on 22 June, 1861, and was assigned in August 1861. The company was detached and redesignated the Fauquier Artillery in October 1861.
Company G (2nd) Quantico Guards: CAPT. C A NELSON
The company was organised at at Dumfries, Virginia, on 1 July, 1861, and was mustered in Confederate service on 16 July, 1861. The company remained at Dumfries, Virginia, and Captain C A Nelson was appointed provost marshall and the company as provost guard. The company was officially assigned in October, 1861, and replaceed the Markham Guards. The company joined the 49th Virginia Infantry at Clark's Mountain, near Rapidan Station, Virginia, in March 1862.
Company H Fauquier Guards: FIRST LT. H C WARD
The company was organised at Warrenton, Virginia, on 28 May, 1861, and was ordered to Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction. First Lieutenant H C Ward was acting captain on 21 July, 1861, as Captain E Murray was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 16 July, 1861.
Company I Rappahanock Rifles: CAPT. G C VANDERSLICE
The company was organised at Amissville, Virginia, on 22 July, 1861, was proceeded to Culpeper, Virginia. The company proceeded to Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, and was immediately assigned to the 49th Virginia Infantry.
Company K Crowder's Company: CAPT. W H CROWDER
The company was organised at Camp Mitchell, Lovington, Virginia, on 1 September, 1861, and was assigned by Special Order No.1 on 2 January, 1862.
Unlettered Company Crescent Blues, Company B: CAPT. Mcg Goodwyn
The company was stationed at Camp Davis, near Lynchburg, Virginia, under the command of Captain R A Hardaway, in July 1861, and was assigned to Schaeffer's Battalion Infantry, under the command of Acting Major F B Schaeffer, by Special Order No.94 on 6 July, 1861 (See Schaeffer's Battalion Infantry). After the first battle of Manassas the company was temporarily assigned to the 49th Virginia Infantry during September 1861 and was permanently assigned to the Washington Battalion Infantry, Company C, on 1 October, 1861 (See the Washington Battalion Infantry).

Fauquier Artillery

Captain R M Stribling

The Markham Guards was mustered in confederate service on 1 July, 1861, and was stationed at Goose Creek Baptist Church, Virginia. The company was ordered to Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, on 1 August, 1861, and was assigned to the 49th Virginia Infantry. The capture of Federal artillery pieces at the first battle of Manassas enabled the organisation of several new artillery companies. The Markham Guards was transferred to the artillery in October 1861 and redesignated the Fauquier Artillery. The company received two 24 pounder howitzers and two 12 pounder pieces captured at the first battle of Manassas and was assigned to the Third Brigade, Army of the Potomac, under the command of Brigadier General D R Jones (See the Third Brigade, Army of the Potomac). The Fauquier Artillery was reorganised on 12 May, 1862, and assigned to the 38th Battalion Virginia Light Artillery, Company A.

Sources

"Receiving it, I returned with it to General Lee, that he might make the proper record – who, having done so, returned it to me, with an order to General Beauregard to form my regiment out of companies as they severally reported for duty."

"And so, with three companies only assigned to my regiment, I found myself regularly enrolled in the Confederate army, only three days before the first battle of Manassas."

"Early in the morning a Virginia company under Captain Gibson, unattached, had been permitted, at the request of the Captain, to join Kemper's regiment and remained with it throughout the day."

"We were placed on the edge of the run, under a bluff, on which a section of Roger's battery, under Lieutenant Heaton, was posted, and temporarily attached to my command."

"As I passed the woods near the Lewis House, Lieut. Col. Tebbs of Hunton’s regiment, who was posted with three companies in the edge of woods, begged that I would let Col. Hunton, who was posted on the opposite side of the woods, know the order."

"So that when I reported to General Beauregard, some hundred yards from the Robinson House, I had three companies of my own regiment, one South Carolina company and two Mississippi companies – not exceeding 450 men."

Memoirs of Governor William Smith, of Virginia, his political, military, and personal history, by John W Bell

"Ninety-three strong at enlistment – they marched south 20 miles to Culpeper, and boarded the trains for Manassas Junction – arriving too late to participate in the first important Confederate victory of the war."
Rappahannock Rifles

"The New Market Volunteers of Nelson County, Virginia, also participated in the fight in support of Captain H Grey Latham's Virginia battery of field artillery in their advance toward Cub Run east of the Henry House."
New Market Volunteers

"A sixth company, the Flint Hill Rifles, joined the Confederate forces on the field just at the close of the active engagement."
Flint Hill Rifles

"Arriving there at 10.00 am on 21 July, 1861, they attached themselves to Colonel J S Kempers 7th Virginia Regiment and became engaged in the fight at Bull Run, Virginia."
Sperryville Sharpshooters

"They were issued their arms on 18 July, but were without cartridge boxes until sometime after their first battle. Consequently, their trousers pockets bulged with ammunition as they were marched into the battle at Bull run."
Warren Blues

The Virginia Regimental Histories Series, Forty-ninth Virginia Infantry, First Edition, No.547 of 1000, by L Reidenbaugh

"On the morning of the 21st of July 1861, we were bivouacked near the Lewis House, and within four hundred yards of the Henry House, which was destined to become the key to the great strategic move of that day, although I think it was a suprise to our generals, for they expected the conflict to take place about five or six miles to the right."

"We went into the fight with only two other companies of what afterwards became the 49th Virginia Regiment, to-wit: Captain Ward's, afterward Randolph's, from Warrenton, Va., and Captain Charles B. Christian's, from Amherst County, Va., and temporarily brigaded with Brigadier General Philip St. George Cooke."

Southern Historical Society Papers Volume 35: From Manassas to Frazier's farm, recollections of a soldier in many battles, General Lee to the rear, by R D Funkhouser

"We went into the fight with only two other companies of what afterwards became the 49th Virginia Regiment, to-wit: Captain Ward's, afterward Randolph's, from Warrenton, Va., and Captain Charles B Christian's, from Amherst County, Va., and temporarily brigaded with Brigadier-General Philip St. George Cooke."

"That call, however, did not come to the Markam Guards – despite their proximity to the Manassas Gap Railroad; While thousands of young Southerners battled around Widow Henry's farmhouse on 21 July, 1861, Stribling's company remained in Fauquier County."
Markam Guards

The Virginia Regimental Histories Series, The Brooke, Fauquier, Loudoun & Alexandria Artillery, First Edition, No.630 of 1000, by M J Andrus

A guide to Virginia military organisations 1861–1865, Revised Second Edition, by I A Wallace, Jr.

Notes

Colonel W Smith arrived at Fairfax Courthouse, Virginia, on 31 May, 1861, and assumed command of the Warrenton Rifles during the skirmish on 1 June, 1861 (See the Skirmish at Fairfax Courthouse). Colonel W Smith was authorised to organise the 49th Virginia Infantry as companies reported at Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, on 1 July, 1861. The Amherst Rough and Readies was ordered to Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, on 11 June, 1861, and was joined by the Fauquier Guards. The Warren Blues arrived at Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, at 2 PM on 16 July, 1861, and the three companies, under the command of Colonel W Smith, proceeded three quarters of a mile south of the Stone Bridge, near the Lewis House, Portici, Virginia, on 17 July, 1861. The Sperryville Sharpshooters arrived by railroad at Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, in the morning on 21 July, 1861, and was temporarily assigned to the 7th Virginia Infantry (See the 7th Virginia Infantry). The New Market Volunteers was assigned to Schaeffer's Battalion Infantry, under the command of Acting Major F B Schaeffer, on 6 July, 1861 (See Schaeffer's Battalion Infantry). The Flint Hill Rifles arrived at Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, shortly after the first battle of Manassas. The 49th Virginia Infantry was officially organised in August 1861 and was assigned to the garrison at Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, on 14 October, 1861, under the command of Colonel G B Anderson, 4th North Carolina State Troops (See Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction).

On 25 July 1861, the Army of the Potomac was reorganised and the 49th Virginia Infantry was assigned to the Fifth Brigade, First Corps, Army of the Potomac, under the command of Brigadier General P St G Cocke.

Report

OFFICIAL REPORT NO.104: Series I, Volume 2 (S# 2), Chapter IX, pp. 551–552
Colonel W Smith, Forty-ninth Virginia Infantry