32nd Virginia Infantry Regiment


The 32nd Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia.
The 32nd Virginia was formed in May, 1861, by consolidating Montague's and Goggin's Infantry Battalions. Its members were from Hampton and Williamsburg and the counties of Warwick, James City, and York. Three companies were accepted into service as artillery and were transferred to the 1st Virginia Artillery. After its reorganization in May, 1862, the unit operated with only seven companies.
The field officers were Colonels Benjamin S. Ewell and Edgar Burwell Montague; Lieutenant Colonels John B. Cary and William Royall Willis; and Majors James M. Goggin, Baker P. Lee, Jr., and Jefferson Sinclair.

Engagements

At the Battle of Williamsburg two companies fought under General Pryor, then the regiment was attached to General Semmes' and Corse's Brigade. It participated in many conflicts from the Seven Days' Battles to Fredricksburg, moved with Longstreet to Suffolk, and later served in the Department of Richmond and in North Carolina. Returning to Virginia it was active at Drewry's Bluff and Cold Harbor, took its place in the Petersburg trenches north and south of the James River, they saw action on the Chickahominy, at Cold Harbor, on the Petersburg Campaign, and ended the war at Appomattox.
The regiment reported 1 wounded at Savage's Station, had 2 killed and 4 wounded at Malvern Hill, and sustained 72 casualties of the 158 engaged at Sharpsburg. Some were captured at Sayler's Creek, and 5 officers and 42 men were included in the surrender.
EngagementDateDivisionBrigadeCommander
Battle of WilliamsburgMay 5, 1862MG James Longstreet, Second DivisionBG Roger A. Pryor, Fifth Brigade Col Benjamin S. Ewell?
Battle of Seven PinesMay 31 and June 1, 1862BG Richard H. Anderson, Longstreet's DivisionBG Roger A. Pryor, Pryor's BrigadeLtc William R. Willis
Seven Days' Battles, Battle of Malvern Hill, Battle of Savage's StationJune 25 to July 1, 1862MG Lafayette McLaws, McLaws' DivisionBG Paul J. Semmes, First BrigadeLtc William R. Willis
Battle of AntietamSeptember 17, 1862MG Lafayette McLaws, McLaws' DivisionBG Paul J. Semmes, First BrigadeCol Edgar B. Montague
Battle of FredericksburgDecember 11–15, 1862MG George E. Pickett, Pickett's DivisionBG Montgomery Dent Corse, Corse's BrigadeCol Edgar B. Montague
Siege of SuffolkApril 11 to May 4, 1863MG George E. Pickett, Pickett's DivisionBG Montgomery Dent Corse, Corse's BrigadeCol Edgar B. Montague
Battle of Spotsylvania Court HouseMay 9–21, 1864MG George E. Pickett, Pickett's DivisionBG Montgomery Dent Corse, Corse's BrigadeCol Edgar B. Montague
Battle of Cold HarborMay 31–June 12, 1864MG George E. Pickett, Pickett's DivisionBG Montgomery Dent Corse, Corse's BrigadeCol Edgar B. Montague
Battle of Five ForksApril 1, 1865MG George E. Pickett, Pickett's DivisionBG Montgomery Dent Corse, Corse's BrigadeLtc William R. Willis
Siege of PetersburgJune 9, 1864 - March 25, 1865MG George E. Pickett, Pickett's DivisionBG Montgomery Dent Corse, Corse's Brigade?
Appomattox Campaign, Battle of Sailor's CreekMarch 29 to April 9, 1865MG George E. Pickett, Pickett's DivisionBG Montgomery Dent Corse, Col Arthur Herbert, Corse's BrigadeCpt Samuel W. Armistead

Constituent Units

32nd originally consisted of just two companies in 1859, the Wythe Rifles of Hampton and the Williamsburg Junior Guard. Colonel Benjamin S. Ewell grew the regiment into five infantry and four artillery companies. The artillery companies were eventually reassigned. On May 22, 1862, Edgar Burwell Montague was elected Colonel, Captain William Royall Willis of the Wythe Rifles was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and the regiment was reorganized as follows:

Wythe Rifles

Company A.

Williamsburg Junior Guard

Company C.

Hampton Greys

Company E.

Nelson Guards

Company F.

Warwick Beauregards

Company H. Volunteer unit under Capt. Humphrey Harwood Curtis, Jr., three lieutenants, four sergeants, four corporals, 67 privates and a drummer boy. Organized at Endview Plantation in Warwick County, Virginia.

York Rangers

Company I.
Below is a roll call :
  • Capt. - Jefferson Sinclair
  • 1st Lieut. -Wm. J. Stores
  • 2nd Lieut. - Robert Willis
  • 3rd Lieut. - Henry Sinclair
Privates:
  • Amory, John
  • Ayers, Henry
  • Barrow, Albert
  • Boutwell, Wm
  • Banting, Joseph
  • Bassett, W.E.
  • Briggs, Benj.
  • Burt, Wm.
  • Buchanan, Elijah
  • Bunting, Wirt
  • Cox, G.B.
  • Cox, Elias
  • Cox, George
  • Carmines, Kenneth
  • Cain, Thomas
  • Candy, Thomas
  • Cratzer, Edgar
  • Crockett, Addison
  • Davis, Charles
  • Dawson, Humphrey
  • Dawson, Robert
  • Elliott, Seaton
  • Foster, Elijah
  • Firth, Thomas
  • Forrest, Robert
  • Forsythe, Thomas
  • Freeman, Henry
  • Glover, Charles
  • Goffigan, W.E.
  • Gordon, J.
  • Gordon, Wm.
  • Hansford, Louis
  • Haskins, John Robert
  • Haskins, William Creed
  • Hopkins, George
  • Hopkins, Frank
  • Halls, Jim
  • Halloway, Wm.
  • Howard, J.T.
  • Herbert, Thomas
  • Hugett, J.
  • Hunt, Benj.
  • Hunt, Wm.
  • Insley, Jas.
  • Insley, Wm.
  • Moreland, Alphonso
  • Moreland, Darius
  • Moore, E.B.
  • Moore, Wm.
  • Moore, Merrett
  • Mason, George
  • Patrick, Robert
  • Patrick, Wm.
  • Payne, Reiley
  • Peek, E.K.
  • Poole, Alex
  • Poole, Robert
  • Presson, Robert
  • Presson, John
  • Quimby, Wm.
  • Rowe, Benj.
  • Sheilds, Arthur
  • Treen, Wm.
  • Traynam, W.H.
  • Vernam, Henry
  • Vernam, Wm.
  • Vixon, Wm.
  • Watson, George
  • White, J.
  • White, Robert
  • White, Wise
  • Williams, Charles
  • Wynne, Frank Lee
  • Wynne, Edmund Thomas
  • Wynne, Richard Henry

    Lee Guards

Company K.