Company E, Third Virginia Infantry
"The Cockade City of the Union!" declared President Madison, upon seeing the Virginia volunteers of Petersburg return from the War of 1812; hats emblazoned with leather cockades.
Spring, 1861
Just as the countryside sweetened and the dogwood trees began unfurling their blooms, there was a momentous thunder; erupting into this nations' bloodiest conflict on record. Virginia, with her deep set ideals and staunch supporters was thrust to the forefront of this war. It would last four long, cold years and wreak havoc across the nation for years to come. From the first shot sent singing over Fort Sumpter, it was destined to be a hard fight; fought by those men and boys who believed in the South with all their heart and soul. The spring of 1861 brought about the "beginning" of the American Civil War; and in April of 1861 the state of Virginia witnessed the creation of numerous militia and regular army units, under the Confederate States of America (C.S.A). Thus began the history of the 3rd Virginia Infantry, Company E, The Cockade Rifles.
"The time for compromise has now passed; and the South is determined to maintain her position, and make all who oppose her smell Southern powder and feel Southern steel." ~Jefferson Davis, Inaugural Speech, 1861
Company E was mustered into service on April 20, 1861 in Petersburg, Virginia and assigned to Lieutenant James Longstreet's division. Her roster showed around 80 men enlisted, and close to 30 officers at roll call. The 3rd saw their first action April 4th, on the banks of the Warwick River at the start of US Major General George B. McClellan's Peninsula Campaign of 1862.
The end of May brought action at the Battle of Seven Pines, or Fair Oaks. Around 84,000 forces were engaged for two bitter days, amassing a little over 13,700 casualties and depleting Longstreet's division. Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston, commanding the Army of Northern Virginia, was seriously wounded at Seven Pines, and at this time Confederate States President Jefferson Davis passed the reigns to the infamous General Robert E. Lee.
The tail end of 1862 brought about a restructuring of commands and placed the 3rd Virginia in Kemper's Brigade under the command of General George Pickett. This placed the 3rd at Fredericksburg in December of 1862. U.S. Major General Ambrose E. Burnside and the Army of the Potomac marched to the banks of the Rappahannock River just outside Fredericksburg, in an attempt to take the Confederate high ground. The dawn of December thirteenth was red. That day Burnside would send across line after line of his men in futile attempts to take General Robert E. Lee's Confederate positions on Prospect Hill and at the famed Marye's Heights which lay just beyond the town.
The 3rd Virginia was late into action at Fredericksburg and they were immediately sent to relieve the battle-weary 24th North Carolina who had been in place for somewhere around forty-eight hours at the Stone Wall on Marye's Heights. Burnside's final attack came just after the 24th North Carolina had retreated to the rear; the fresh men from the 3rd Virginia repelled the attack and inflicted heavy casualties on the Federal line. Close to 173,000 troops were engaged on these bloody fields, and estimated casualties were: 4,500 Confederate, and between 13,300 and 15,000 Federal. On December fifteenth Burnside re-crossed the river and beat a hasty retreat. This failed action led to his replacement by US Major General Joe Hooker.
July of 1863 brought about a hard march and a trip to a quiet, quaint town in Pennsylvania. Some say this is a turning point in the war; others blame the whole mess on Confederate General J.E.B Stuart, who was too busy gallivanting around the Union army to report their positions to General Lee.
The 3rd Virginia was at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863, arriving late at night on July second. They were with Longstreets division on Seminary Ridge. Pickett's troops were fresh, and thus chosen to lead the assault, with which General Longstreet disagreed. He was quoted as stating to a colleague, "I do not want to make this charge. I do not see how it can succeed. I would not make it now, but that General Lee has ordered it and expects it." After nearly two hours of Rebel cannonade Pickett's men marched. Across a mile of open field, exposed to Yankee artillery batteries, towards the Emmitsburg Pike, and the "Angle" and the waiting line of men in Blue they marched.
The 3rd Virginia reached the wall, and order disintegrated. No more was the advance orderly. Fighting was face to face, bloody and hard. Engaged in hand to hand combat with the 71st Pennsylvania, the fighting raged one with withering consequences. This was the one and only time that the 3rd Virginia lost its' battle flag; in the midst of this brutal combat, and around seventy-five percent of her ranks.
The High Water Mark is as far as a few brave and lucky souls went; the farthest advancement of the Confederate attack. Some of Pickett's men did break the Union line, though the breakthrough was short-lived. They made it far enough to capture three Yankee guns in an artillery battery. The fourth gun, however, was not taken and blasted the line with double-canister effectively destroying many of Pickett's men, and leaving others questioning their fate. Colonel Mayo, of the 3rd Virginia, was wounded, and ready to take to the rear, when he found himself the only ranking man on the field. Though wounded, Colonel Mayo stayed and began directing the retreat. It was three very long and very hard days, some say Gettysburg was the day the sun stood still.
Many more of the battles that the 3rd Virginia saw action in were virtually in their own back yards. The Battle of Dinwiddie Courthouse in March of 1865 is a prime example. One the 31st of March Confederate Major Generals Fitzhugh Lee and George Pickett met US Major General Philip Sheridan's forces northwest of the Courthouse. Pickett withdrew in the night to entrench along the junction roads, at Five Forks. This position was vital to the Confederate defense and supplies; Pickett was ordered by Lee to "hold at all hazards."
On April 1st the Confederate left flank was collapsed and overran by Sheridan's cavalry; albeit it was a clumsy and shoddily-planned attack, the Yankees had one distinct advantage. General Pickett was about two miles away, in the company of Fitzhugh Lee and Thomas L. Rosser having a fish dinner while the battle raged. The next day Lee informed CS President Jefferson Davis that Richmond and Petersburg "must be evacuated."
Several days later, four to be exact, and the Federal cavalry cut off the retreating Army of Northern Virginia. There were many that surrendered that day including Confederate Generals Ewell, Barton, Simms, Kershaw, Custis Lee, and Corse. This is also the final act for the Cockade Rifles. All surviving members of Company E were captured at Saylor's Creek. There was one officer and four enlisted men left out of the original ranks. All but one man had been with the Company since its beginnings in 1861.
"It is well that war is so terrible - we should grow too fond of it."
~Robert E. Lee at Fredericksburg
These men were loyal. Brave. Proud. These are the reverent men of Virginia, the gallant men of the Cockade Rifles, as the history books tell their story. These are the men that we strive to represent. Their courage. Their valor. Their legacy. They stood by their native state of Virginia, just as she had always stood by them. And so we shall persevere to uphold their memory and honor. To them and all men, women, and children; on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their beliefs and loyalty.
"Sic Semper Tyrannis"
~Thus always to Tyrants~
Virginia State Motto, adopted in 1776