The Fourth Alabama Painting by Don Troiani

Fourth Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah

Second Lieutenant R F Beckham

First Lieutenant R F Beckham, Newtown Artillery

Newtown Artillery

Mustered in Confederate service on 1 July, 1861, and arrived at Manassas Junction, Virginia, on 20 July, 1861

CAPTAIN G A GROVES
Captain G A Groves was assigned to recruiting duty in June and July 1861 and First Lieutenant R F Beckham, Corps Engineers, Confederate States Army, was ordered to Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, Virginia, by Special Orders No.36, Paragraph I, Headquarters, Virginia Forces, Richmond, Virginia, on 9 May, 1861. He was assigned to command the Newtown Artillery at Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, on 11 July, 1861.

Section: FIRST LT. J A Marks
Two 6 pounder smoothbores, M1841
Section: SECOND LT. S T Wright
Two 6 pounder smoothbores, M1841

Sources

"There are from Winchester four volunteer companies in the service - a troop of horse and an Artillery company, from Newtown, eight miles from Winchester, with another company organized of seventy stalwart mountain boys, now drilling for immediate service, under the command of F. W. M. Holliday, Common wealth's Attorney, a gentleman who was the secession candidate for a seat in the Convention, and, strange to say, to a man they all voted against him, with one or two exceptions, and two weeks ago marched into town (after having previously volunteered at their mountain home,) and elected him as their Captain, because he told them the truth during the Convention canvass."

The Richmond Daily Dispatch, 1 June, 1861 - Winchester, Va., 29 May, 1861

"Capt. Freeman's company of artillery from Culpeper county, was below the minimum, (fifty men rank and file,) and was consequently disbanded. The arms and equipment were handed over to the Newtoen company from Frederick."

The Richmond Daily Dispatch, 10 June, 1861 - Harper's Ferry, 6 June, 1861

"The Artillery fought this battle as did many others, after a wearisome journey from Winchester, and with but two or three hours sleep since the Wednesday night proceedeing, having arrived at the Junction about midnight on Saturday night."

The Richmond Daily Dispatch, 5 August, 1861 - The Newtown Artillery in the Battle of Manassas, Frederick County, Virginia, 30 July, 1861

"In order to assist in the training of the company, First Lieutenant Robert F. Beckham, a West Point graduate and proven officer, had been assigned to the unit. He would take charge in Captain Montgomery's absence."

From Selma to Appomattox: The history of the Jeff Davis Artillery, by Lawrence R Laboda

Supplement to the Official Records: Part II, Record of Events, Volume 70, Serial No.82: Record of events for Pendleton's First Regiment, Virginia Light Artillery, July 1861-February 1862, edited by James B Hewett

Chew's Ashby, Shoemaker's Lynchburg & the Newtown Artillery, First Edition, No.549 of 1000, by R H Moore II

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

Notes

The Newtown Artillery was accepted in state service at Newtown, Frederick County, Virgina, on 19 April, 1861, and was stationed at Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, Virginia, on 27 April, 1861.

Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, to Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, 3 & 29 May, 1861: The Newtown Artillery was mustered in state service as the 1st Virginia Light Artillery, Company C, at Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, Virginia, under the command of Captain W N Pendleton, on 3 May, 1861, and stationed near Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, on 29 May, 1861 (See the 1st Rockbridge Artillery).

Note: The 1st Virginia Light Artillery was not recognised by the Adjutant & Inspector General's Office, Richmond, Virginia, and was disbanded prior to 26 April, 1862.

General Orders No.25, Headquarters, Virginia Forces, Richmond, Virginia, 8 June, 1861: The Newtown Artillery was assigned to the Confederate States by General Orders No.25, Headquarters, Virginia Forces, Richmond, Virginia, on 8 June, 1861, and was accepted in Confederate service on 1 July, 1861.

Evacuation Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, Virginia, 15 June, 1861: The Newtown Artillery evacuated Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, Virginia, in the morning on 15 June, 1861, and arrived by the Charlestown Turnpike at Charlestown, Jefferson County, Virginia, at 3 PM the same day. The company encamped at Camp Johnston, near Bull Skin Run, between Charlestown, Jefferson County, and Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, in the evening on 15 June, 1861.

Charlestown, Jefferson County, to Bunker Hill, Berkeley County, Virginia, 16 June, 1861: The Newtown Artillery was ordered to Bunker Hill, Berkeley County, Virginia, at 9 AM on 16 June, 1861, and arrived via Smithfield, Berkeley County, Virginia, in the afternoon the same day. The company encamped on Mill Creek, near Bunker Hill, Berkeley County, Virginia, in the evening on 16 June, 1861.

Bunker Hill, Berkeley County, to Stephenson's Depot, Frederick County, Virginia, 17 June, 1861: The Newtown Artillery was ordered to proceed by the Valley Turnpike to Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, at 1 PM on 17 June, 1861, and arrived near near Stephenson's Depot, Frederick County, Virginia, the same day.

Stephenson's Depot to heights near Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, 19 June, 1861: The Newtown Artillery was ordered to Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, on 19 June, 1861, and arrived at the heights near Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, the same day.

Heights near Winchester to Northwestern Turnpike, near Mason's House, Selma, 25 June, 1861: The Newtown Artillery was ordered to the Northwestern Turnpike, near Mason's House, Selma, on 25 June, 1861, and arrived at Camp Johnston, on the Northwestern Turnpike, near Mason's House, Selma, the same day.

Note: The Newtown Artillery was assigned to the Fourth Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah, under the command of Colonel A Elzey, at Camp Johnston, on the Northeastern Turnpike, near Mason's House, Selma, on 26 June, 1861.

Northwestern Turnpike, near Mason's House, Selma, to Darkesville, Berkeley County, Virginia, 2-7 July, 1861: The Newtown Artillery was ordered to proceed by the Valley Turnpike to Darkesville, Berkeley County, Virginia, at 12 PM on 2 July, 1861, and arrived via Bunker Hill, Berkeley County, Virginia, at 10 AM on 3 July, 1861. The company was ordered to Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, in the morning on 7 July, 1861, and arrived at Camp Johnston, on the Northwestern Turnpike, near Mason's House, Selma, at 5 PM the same day.

Note: Captain G A Groves was assigned to recruiting duty in June and July 1861 and First Lieutenant R F Beckham, Confederate States Army, was assigned to command the Newtown Artillery on 11 July, 1861.

The Newtown Artillery was ordered to Manassas Junction, Virginia, by Special Orders No.1, Headquarters, Army of the Shenandoah, Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, at 1 AM on 18 July, 1861.

Winchester, Frederick County, to Piedmont Station, Fauquier County, Virginia, 18-19 July, 1861: The Newtown Artillery was ordered to proceed by the Millwood Turnpike to Piedmont Station, Fauquier County, Virginia, at 5 PM on 18 July, 1861, and arrived at Berry's Ferry, on the Shenandoah River, via Millwood, Clarke County, Virginia, at 7 AM on 19 July, 1861. The company was ordered across the Shenandoah River, at Berry's Ferry, Clarke County, Virginia, at 9 AM the same day and arrived at Piedmont Station via Ashby's Gap, Paris, and Upperville, Fauquier County, Virginia, at 10 PM on 19 July, 1861.

Piedmont Station, Fauquier County, to Manassas Junction, Virginia, 18-20 July, 1861: The Newtown Artillery was ordered to proceed by road to Manassas Junction, Virginia, in the morning on the 20 July, 1861, and arrived at Camp Pickens, near Manassas Junction, via Salem and White Plains, Fauquier County, Virginia, at 12 AM on 21 July, 1861.

Note: Brigadier General E K Smith assumed command of the Fourth Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah, at Piedmont Station, Fauquier County, Virginia, on 21 July, 1861 (See the Fifth Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah).

After the first battle of Manassas the Newtown Artillery was ordered near McLean's Ford, on the Bull Run River, in the evening on 21 July, 1861, and arrived at Camp Walker, on the Orange & Alexandria Railroad, near McLean's Ford, on the Bull Run River, the same day.

Orange & Alexandria Railroad, near McLean's Ford, on the Bull Run River, to Fairfax Station, Fairfax County, Virginia, 23 July, 1861: The Newtown Artillery was ordered to Fairfax Station, Fairfax County, Virginia, at 10 PM on 23 July, 1861, and arrived at Camp Blair, near Fairfax Station, Fairfax County, Virginia, the same day.

First Lieutenant R F Beckham: Brevet Second Lieutenant R F Beckham, United States Topographical Engineers, resigned on 3 May, 1861, and was appointed first lieutenant, Confederate States Army, on 5 July, 1861, to date on 16 March, 1861. First Lieutenant R F Beckham was assigned to the command the Newtown Artillery at Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, on 11 July, 1861, and was assigned to the staff of Major General G W Smith on 1 October, 1861. He was assigned to command the Jeff Davis Artillery by Special Orders No.423, Headquarters, First Corps, Army of the Potomac, Camp Pickens, near Manassas Junction, Virginia, on 14 October, 1861.

Disbanded, Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, 4 October, 1862: The Newtown Artillery was disbanded and the men and horses assigned to the Stuart Horse Artillery, under the command of Captain J Pelham, near Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, by Special Orders No.209, Adjutant & Inspector General's Office, Richmond, Virginia, on 4 October, 1862.

Colonel A Elzey, Fourth Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah: Captain A Elzey, 2nd United States Artillery, Light Company E, resigned on 3 March, 1861, and was appointed major, artillery, Confederate States Army, on 18 May, 1861, dated 16 March, 1861 (See the 2nd United States Artillery, Light Company E). Major A Elzey was assigned to mustering duty at Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, by Special Orders No.57, Paragraph IV, Adjutant & Inspectors General's Office, Montgomery, Montgomery County, Alabama, on 23 May, 1861, and was appointed colonel, 1st Maryland Infantry, on 17 June, 1861. Colonel A Elzey was assigned to command the Fourth Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah, on 24 June, 1861, and was appointed brigadier general, Confederate States Army, on 26 August, 1861, dated 21 July, 1861.

Second Corps, Army of the Potomac, 25 September, 1861: Major General G W Smith, Confederate States Army, was assigned to the command of the Second Corps, Army of the Potomac, by General Orders No.31, Headquarters, Army of the Potomac, on 25 September, 1861.

The Newtown Artillery was assigned to the Fourth Brigade, Second Corps, Army of the Shenandoah, under the command of Colonel A Elzey, on 25 September, 1861.

Reports

THE REBELLION RECORD: A Diary of American Events, Volume II, Documents, pp42-43
Colonel A Elzey, Fourth Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah, dated Fairfax Station, Fairfax County, Virginia, 25 July, 1861