The Fourth Alabama Painting by Don Troiani

Evacuation Of Alexandria, Virginia, 24 May, 1861

Garrison at Alexandria

COLONEL G H TERRETT
Lieutenant Colonel A S Taylor was relieved on 10 May, 1861, and Colonel G H Terrett, Confederate States Navy, was appointed to command the garrison at Alexandria, Virginia.

Sixth Virginia Battalion Volunteers

Major M D Corse

Company E Mount Vernon Guards: CAPT. S H Devaughn
Assigned to the 17th Virginia Infantry, Company E, on 10 June, 1861 (See the 17th Virginia Infantry).
Company G Old Dominion Rifles: Capt. A Herbert
First Lieutenant A Herbert was promoted to captain on 19 February, 1861, as Capatin M D Corse was assigned to command the 6th Battalion Virginia Volunteers. The company was assigned to the 17th Virginia Infantry, Company H, on 10 June, 1861 (See the 17th Virginia Infantry).
Company H Alexandria Riflemen: CAPT. M Mayre
The company was assigned to the 17th Virginia Infantry, Company A, on 10 June, 1861 (See the 17th Virginia Infantry).
Unlettered Company Alexandria Artillery: CAPT. D Kemper
The company was ordered to Culpeper Courthouse, Virginia, on 3 May, 1861, and remained at Culpeper Courthouse, Virginia, when 6th Battalion Virginia Volunteers was ordered to return to Alexandria, Virginia, on 5 May, 1861. (See the Alexandria Artillery).
Unlettered Company Emmett Guards: CAPT. J E Towsen
The company was assigned to the 17th Virginia Infantry, Company G, on 10 June, 1861 (See the 17th Virginia Infantry).
Unlettered Company Irish Volunteers: CAPT. T Triplett
The company was stationed at Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, on 8 May, 1861, and was assigned to the Battalion Heavy Artillery, under the command of Captain I S Sterrett, Confederate States Navy (See the Battalion Heavy Artillery).

Attached

O'Connell Guards: CAPT. S W Prestman
The company was assigned to the 17th Virginia Infantry, Company I, on 10 June, 1861 (See the 17th Virginia Infantry).
Warren Rifles: CAPT. R H SIMPSON
The company was assigned to the 17th Virginia Infantry, Company B, on 10 June, 1861 (See the 17th Virginia Infantry).
Loudoun Guards: CAPT. G R HEAD
The company was assigned to the 17th Virginia Infantry, Company C, on 10 June, 1861 (See the 17th Virginia Infantry).
Fairfax Rifles: CAPT. W H DULANY
The company was was assigned to the 17th Virginia Infantry, Company D, on 10 June, 1861 (See the 17th Virginia Infantry).
Prince William Rifles: CAPT. G S HAMILTON
The company was assigned to the 17th Virginia Infantry, Company F, on 10 June, 1861 (See the 17th Virginia Infantry).
Warrenton Rifles: CAPT. J Q Marr
The company was assigned to the 17th Virginia Infantry, Company K, on 10 June, 1861 (See the 17th Virginia Infantry).
Alexandria Home Guards: CAPT. J Latouche
The company organised on 1 April, 1861, and was stationed at Alexandria, Virginia, on 8 May, 1861.
Fairfax Cavalry or Chesterfield Troop, Company A: CAPT. M D Ball
The company was organised on 25 April, 1861, and was temporarily disbanded with the capture of thirty-six members during the evacuation of Alexandria, Virginia, on 24 May, 1861. The company was reorganised in September 1862 and assigned to the 5th Virginia Cavalry, Company F (2nd).
Washington Home Guard or Fairfax Cavalry: CAPT. E B Powell
The company was assigned to Wickham's Squadron Cavalry on 21 July, 1861, under the command of Captain W C Wickham (See Wickham's Squadron Cavalry).

Independent Companies Washington D. C. Volunteers

The companies were organised at Phoenix Hall, Alexandria, Virginia, with secessionists formerly assigned to the National Rifles and the National Volunteers, District of Columbia militia, and were ordered to proceed to Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction.

Washington Volunteers: Capt. R Cleary
The company was assigned to the 7th Virginia Infantry, Company H (See the 7th Virginia Infantry).
Washington Volunteers: Capt. C K Sherman
The company was assigned to the 1st Virginia Infantry, Company E (2nd) (See the 1st Virginia Infantry).
Beauregard Rifles: Capt. F B Schaeffer
The company was assigned to Schaeffer's Battalion Infantry (See Schaeffer's Battalion Infantry).

Some secessionists formerly assigned to the National Volunteers, District of Columbia militia, under the command of Captain C Boyle, arrived at Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, prior to 9 May, 1861, and were assigned to the 17th Virginia Infantry, Company H (See the 17th Virginia Infantry).

Sources

"When regiments were organised at Manassas the Washington Volunteers becamea part of the Seventh Virginia Regiment of Infantry. The Beauregard Rifles participated in the Battle of Manassas unassigned."

"In his report on the occupation of the city Major General Charles W. Sandford, U. S. A., states that the capture of Captain W. D. Ball and thirty-five men of the Fairfax Cavalry was made by Sherman's battery of light artillery."

Manassas to Appomattox: The civil war memoirs of Pvt. Edgar Warfield, 17th Virginia Infantry, by Edgar Warfield, Jr., and George Warfield

"Colonel Terrett was placed in command of a newly formed Fourth Brigade composed of Moore's, Garland's, and Corse's regiments of Virginia volunteers (the 1st, 11th, and 17th Regiments) on June 20, 1861, but the arrival of a newly commissioned Confederate brigadier, James Longstreet, brought about Terrett's replacement. He then commanded troops at Camp Pickens at Manassas, including a naval battery under Capt. Isaac S. Sterrett, CSN, from about July 10 to August 22, 1861, when he resigned his Virginia commission."

Biographical sketches of the commissioned officers of the Confederate States Marine Corps, by Ralph W Donnelly, revised, expanded, abd annotated by David M Sullivan

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

Notes

The Alexandria Battalion Volunteers was organised at Alexandria, Virginia, on 19 February, 1861, with the Old Dominion Rifles, the Mount Vernon Guards, the Alexandria Riflemen, and the Alexandria Artillery. Captain M D Corse, Old Dominion Rifles, was appointed major and was assigned to the 175th Virginia State Militia. The 175th Virginia State Militia was commanded by Colonel C E Stuart, Lieutenant Colonel H C Dorsey and Major W T Padgett and was disbanded after the evacuation of Alexandria, Virginia, on 24 May, 1861. The Emmett Guards and the Irish Volunteers were assigned to the Alexandria Battalion Volunteers on 23 April, 1861, and the Fairfax Cavalry and the Chesterfield Troop, Company A, were assigned to the garrison at Alexandria, Virginia. The Loudoun Guards, formerly assigned to the 57th Virginia State Militia, was assigned to the garrison on 24 April, 1861; the Fairfax Rifles, formerly assigned to the 60th Virginia State Militia, under the command First Lieutenant W A Barnes, on 25 April, 1861; and the Warren Rifles, formerly assigned to the 149th Virginia State Militia, on 26 April, 1861. The Alexandria Battalion Volunteers was redesignated the 6th Virginia Battalion Volunteers by the 27 April, 1861 and Lieutenant Colonel A S Taylor, Confederate States Army, was appointed to command the garrison at Alexandria, Virginia. The O'Connell Guards was organised mainly with railroad workers on 18 May, 1861.

On 2 May, 1861, Major General R E Lee, Provisional Army of Virginia, ordered Brigadier General P St G Cocke, commanding the Potomac Department, in which Alexandria, Virginia, was included, to assign Lieutenant Colonel A S Taylor to command the garrison at Alexandria, Virginia. Lieutenant Colonel A S Taylor evacuated Alexandria, Virginia, on 5 May, 1861, and, as his explanation was not satisfactory, was relieved from duty on 10 May, 1861. Colonel G H Terrett was appointed to command the garrison at Alexandria, Virginia.

Captain G H Terrett, United States Marine Corps, was assigned to command the United States Marine Corps detachment ordered to Fort Washington, on the Potomac River, between 5 and 11 January, 1861. Captain G H Terrett resigned his commission on 22 April, 1861, and was appointed colonel, Provisional Army of Virginia.Captain G H Terrett was assigned to command the garrison at Alexandria, Virginia, on 10 May, 1861, and evacuated Alexandria, Virginia, on 24 May, 1861 (See the Ocuupation of Alexanfria). The garrison was ordered to proceed to Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction, and arrived at about 1 PM on 24 May, 1861. The Emmett Guards and the O'Connell Guards remained to destroy the railroad bridges and Colonel G H Terrett was assigned to command the Fourth Brigade, Army of the Potomac, on 20 June, 1861 (See the Fourth Brigade, Army of the Potomac). Brigadier General J Longstreet was assigned to command the Fourth Brigade, Army of the Potomac, on 2 July, 1861, and Colonel G H Terrett was assigned to command the entrenchments in and around Camp Pickens, Manassas Junction (See Camp Pickens garrison). After the first battle of Manassas Colonel G H Terrett was appointed major, Confederate States Marine Corps, and was assigned to duty assisting Colonel L Beall at the Confederate States Marine Corps Headquarters at Richmond, Virginia.

Orders of Battle

The above painting, 'The Fourth Alabama', is by Don Troiani, modern America's finest historial artist.