Organization of the 12th Virginia Regiment

Weisiger, David A., Colonel 1861-1864 (to Brigadier General May 31, 1864)
Field, Everard, Colonel, 1864-1865

The 12th Virginia Regiment was organized near Norfolk in early May, 1861. The nucleus of this regiment was the 4th Battalion, Virginia Volunteers, formed in Petersburg by January 7, 1861. This battalion, under Major Weisiger, was comprised of the following companies when it left Petersburg for Norfolk on April 20, 1861:

Petersburg City Guard, Company A; organized 1828; Captain John Pegram May

A pre-war image of members of the Petersburg City Guard. From William Henderson's regimental history.

An 1862 image of the Petersburg City Guard. From William Henderson's regimental history.

Petersburg Grays, Company B; organized 1828; Captain Fletcher H. Archer

Petersburg New Grays, Company C;

Lafayette Guard, Company D; organized prior to January, 1861; Captain William H. Jarvis

Petersburg Riflemen, Company E; organized December 1, 1859; Captain Dodson

Later, this would be the final organization of the regiment:

Petersburg Artillery; organized March 1862; Captain Branch (Many men from the Lafayette Guards transferred into this unit, resulting in the Lafayette Guards being filled with conscripts from Patrick County.)

The Petersburg Artillery was detached from the 4th Battalion the day following their arrival at Norfolk. The 12th Virginia Regiment was accepted into service of the Confederate States on July 1, 1861, and was reorganized May 3, 1862.

Company A, Petersburg City Guard; light infantry; enlisted April 19, 1861, for one year; reorganized May 1, 1862. Captains: John Pegram May (to Major: killed August 30, 1862), Charles E. Waddell.

Company B, Petersburg Grays, Company A: light infantry, enlisted April 19, 1861, for one year: reorganized May 1, 1862. Captains: John Lyon, Robert R. Bowden, Thomas P. Pollard.

Company C, Petersburg New Grays, Company B; light infantry; enlisted April 19, 1861, for one year; reorganized May 1, 1862. Captains: Thomas H. Hood, Louis L. Marks, Stephen G. White.

Company D, Lafayette Guard, Petersburg; light infantry; enlisted April 19, 1861; reorganized May 1, 1862. Captains: William H. Jarvis, James P Critz, James E. Tyler.

Company E, Petersburg Riflemen; light infantry; enlisted April 19, 1861, for one year; reorganized May 1, 1862. Captains: Daniel Dodson, Robert Banks, John R. Patterson.

Company F, Hufer Grays, Hicksford (now Emporia), Greenville County; organized April, 1861 enlisted at Hicksford, June 6, 1861, for one year; reorganized May 1, 1862.

Company G, Richmond Grays, Richmond; formerly Company A, 1st Regiment Virginia Volunteers; enlisted April 19, 1861, for one year; on detached service when 1st Regiment Virginia Volunteers was accepted into Confederate States service and company was accepted as of this regiment; company reorganized May 1, 1862; reported as of the 12th Regiment on returns for July and August, 1861, though company was mustered as of the 1st Regiment. Captains: Wyatt M. Elliott, Jacob V. Crawford, Edwin White Branch (killed August 1, 1863), Robert Mayo, Jr,

Company H, Norfolk Junior Volunteers, Norfolk; formerly Captain Fergusson's Company, 6th Regiment Virginia Volunteers; organized 1802; enlisted April 19, 1861, for one year; mustered while in State service as of the 6th Regiment, and was accepted into Confederate States service as Company H, 12th Regiment. Captains: Finley F Fergusson, Thomas F. Owens (elected April, 1862).

Company I (1st), Hargrove Blues, Dinwiddie County; enlisted June 11, 1861, for one year; reorganized May 1, 1862; dropped from regimental return May, 1862; detached from 12th Regiment and Company I (2nd) substituted, as announced by S. O. No. 129, A&IGO., dated June 5, 1862, and served as an unattached company until assigned as Company H (2nd), 9th Regiment Virginia Infantry, per S. O. 382, A&IGO., dated November 28, 1863. The records of the company indicate that it belonged to the 12th Regiment until the time of that regiments's reorganization. Captains: Arthur M. Goodwyn, Archibald B. Goodwyn.

Company I (2nd), Captain Richard W. Jones' Company; enlisted February 22, 1862, for the war, and mustered in April 30, 1862, as attached to this regiment; company substituted for Company I (1st) per S. O. No. 129, A&IGO., dated June 5, 1862.

Company K, Archer's Rifles, Petersburg; riflemen; organized May 4, 1861, for one year; reorganized May 1, 1862. Captains: Fletcher H. Archer (organized company; to Lieutenant Colonel May 5, 1861, and assigned to 3rd Regiment Virginia Volunteers), John R. Lewellen, John T. Clements.

Captain James R. Branch's Company, Lee's Life Guard, Petersburg; enlisted May 11, 1861, for one year; mustered as of this regiment while in State service. When accepted into Confederate States service, the company was assigned as Company K, 16th Regiment Virginia Volunteers and was subsequently transfered to the artillery arm of the service per S. O. No. 62, A&IGO., dated March 10, 1862, finally serving as Captain Richard D. Pegram's Company Virginia Light Artillery.

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