The Fourth Alabama Painting by Don Troiani

Third Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah

Private H S Harris, Company B, 6th North Carolina State Troops

Private H S Harris, Company B, 6th North Carolina State Troops

Sixth North Carolina State Troops

COLONEL C F FISHER
LIEUTENANT COLONEL C E LIGHTFOOT
Lieutenant Colonel W T Dortch resigned prior to the regiment leaving for Virginia, on the death of of Governor Ellis, by reason of his office in the Legislature and was replaced by Major C E Lightfoot.

MAJOR R F WEBB
Major C E Lightfoot was promoted to lieutenant colonel prior to the regiment leaving for Virginia and was replaced by Captain R F Webb of Company B.

Company A Jackson Rangers: CAPT. S S KIRKLAND
Captain R M McKinney was assigned to the 15th North Carolina State Troops as colonel before the regiment was fully organised.
Company B Flat River Guard: CAPT. W K PARRISH
Captain R F Webb was promoted to Major prior to the regiment leaving for Virginia and was replaced by First Lieutenant W K Parrish.
Company C Black Mountain Boys: CAPT. W G FREELAND
Company D: CAPT. S MCD TATE
Company E: CAPT. I E AVERY
Company F: CAPT. J W WILSON
First Lieutenant R N Carter commanding on 21 July,1861, as Captain J W Wilson was too ill for duty.
Company G: CAPT. J A CRAIGE
Company H Caswell Boys: CAPT. A A MITCHELL
Company I Cedar Fork Rifles: CAPT. R W YORK
Company K Flat Bottom Boys: CAPT. J W LEA

Sources

"The regiment was assigned to General Bee's Brigade, and we were soon hurried out and given a place on the extreme left of the line of battle which General Johnston had formed to meet the expected attack from the enemy."

"We safely reached Manassas Junction on the morning of the 21st. Disembarking there, we could hear the firing of guns – the battle had begun – and we marched off hurriedly in the direction of the firing."

"He, with the two rear companies, was by some means separated from the balance of the regiment as it was marching into battle. I saw him (Lieutenant Colonel C E Lightfoot), and these two companies in the rear, after the battle had ended."

Histories of the several regiments and battalions from North Carolina, in the Great War 1861–'65, written by members of the respective commands and edited by Walter Clark (Lieutenant Colonel, 17th North Carolina State Troops)

"In addition, there arrived at Manassas about noon, and on the battle-field between two and four o'clock, Fisher's Sixth Carolina, 634, and Kirby Smith's brigade (afterward led by Elzey), of 1,700 men and 2 guns; and also Hill's Virginia Regiment, 550."

The Army in the Civil War, Volume 1, the Outbreak of Rebellion, by John G Nicolay, private Secretary to President Lincoln

Roster of North Carolina troops in the War Between the States during the years 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864 and 1865, Volume 1, by John W Moore

Notes

On 8 May, 1861, ten regiments of North Carolina State Troops, numbering 1st through 10th, were organised to serve 'during the present war' under the Act of the General Assembly of North Carolina. Two days later, thirteen regiments of volunteers for 12 months' service were authorised, numbering 1st through 8th and 10th through 14th. Thereafter, the original ten regiments of state troops kept their numbering, but the volunteers were renumbered and all units were subsequently referred to as North Carolina State Troops. The 6th North Carolina State Troops was one of the original ten regiments and kept is numbering as the 6th North Carolina State Troops. The regiment was organised at Company Shops on 16th May, 1861.

At 1 AM on 18 July, 1861, the War Department at Richmond ordered General J E Johnston to move the Army of the Shenandoah from Winchester to Manassas Junction. Brigadier General B E Bee's brigade reached Piedmont Station after sundown on 19 July. Only the 4th Alabama Infantry, the 2nd Mississippi and the right wing companies, A and K of the 11th Mississippi Infantry boarded the boxcars and cattle cars. The 6th North Carolina State Troops was forced to wait at Piedmont Station as there was only one locomotive available but finally boarded boxcars and cattle cars around 3 AM on the morning of 21 July with Colonel A Elzey's brigade. They reached Manassas Junction shortly after noon.

On 25 July 1861, the Army of the Shenandoah was reorganised and the regiment was assigned to the Third Brigade, Second Corps, Army of the Potomac, under the command of Brigadier General W H C Whiting.