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2nd Virginia Cavalry

Editor’s Note: Do you have information on this unit’s role at the Siege of Petersburg?  Please contact us using the Contact button in the menu at the top of the screen.  We are happy to exchange information with other researchers.

Muster In: Organized as the 30th Virginia infantry from May 11, 1861 to June 8, 1861.  Transferred to Confederate service on July 1, 1861.  Designated as the 2nd Virginia Cavalry ca. October 31, 1861.1
Muster Out: Disbanded at Lynchburg on April 10, 1865.2

Commander(s):
Colonel Thomas T. Munford
Commander Image

Lieutenant Colonel Cary Breckinridge
Commander Image

Captain William F. Graves
Commander Image

Commander 4
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Wickham’s Brigade | Fitzhugh Lee’s Division | Cavalry Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army3

  • Commander: Colonel Thomas T. Munford (June 11, 18684)4
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Wickham’s Brigade | Fitzhugh Lee’s Division | Cavalry Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army5

  • Commander: Colonel Thomas T. Munford (June 22, 1864)6
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Wickham’s Brigade | Fitzhugh Lee’s Division | Cavalry Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army7

  • Commander:
    • Colonel Thomas T. Munford 8
    • Captain William F. Graves (while Munford commanded brigade)(in hospital July 4-26, 1864)9
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Wickham’s Brigade | Fitzhugh Lee’s Division | Cavalry Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army10

  • Commander:
    • Colonel Thomas T. Munford 11
    • Captain William F. Graves (admitted to hospital August 31, 1864)12
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Fitz Lee’s Cavalry Division was ordered to join Early in the Shenandoah Valley on August 8, 1864 and actually reached his army on August 18, 1864.13

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not at the Siege of Petersburg.14

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not at the Siege of Petersburg.15

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not at the Siege of Petersburg.16

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Wickham’s Cavalry Brigade | Fitzhugh Lee’s Division | Cavalry Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army17,18,19

  • Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Cary Breckinridge (February 1865)20
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Returned to the Siege of Petersburg in late January-early February 1865. Wickham’s Cavalry Brigade had arrived in the Richmond area by February 27, 1865.21,22

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Wickham’s Cavalry Brigade | Fitzhugh Lee’s Division | Cavalry Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army23,24

  • Commander: None listed. (March & April 1-2, 1865)25,26
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Wickham’s Cavalry Brigade had arrived in the Richmond area by February 27, 1865.27

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles28:

  • Trevilian Station (June 11-12, 1864)
  • Petersburg Siege (June 1864-April 1865)
  • Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865)

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 104-105
    2. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 104-105
    3. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., p. 113
    4. The Second Virginia Cavalry…Trevillian’s and Nance’s Shop.” Richmond Examiner. July 1, 1864, p. 1 col. 5: “I propose, therefore, to give you a short statement of the part borne by the Second Virginia cavalry regiment, Colonel Thomas T. Munford, (Wickham’s brigade), in the engagements at Trevillians’s depot and Nance’s shop…”
    5. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., p. 113
    6. The Second Virginia Cavalry…Trevillian’s and Nance’s Shop.” Richmond Examiner. July 1, 1864, p. 1 col. 5: “Our cavalry were dismounted, and with Colonel Munford on foot with us, we advanced rapidly across an open field and attacked the enemy, finding him strongly posted in the woods behind two lines of breastworks and heavily supported by artillery.”
    7. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 123
    8. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 123
    9. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 123
    10. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 132
    11. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 132
    12. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 132
    13. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 132
    14. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 104-105
    15. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 104-105
    16. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 104-105
    17. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 1175: “Organization of the Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General R. E. Lee, January 31, 1865”; This list contains many commanders who were not there.  They were the “official” commanders but may have been gone on leave.  I have used none of the leaders from this list as a result.
    18. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 187
    19. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 1274: “Organization of the Infantry and Cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia, General R. E. Lee, C. S. Army, commanding, February 28, 1865”; This order of battle was based off of inspection reports from February 28, 1865.  However, leaders listed are from January.  I’ve chosen to ignore the leaders and just use this source for the organization of the order of battle.
    20. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 187
    21. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 187
    22. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 104-105: More research is needed as to the exact date.
    23. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 196
    24. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 205
    25. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 196
    26. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 205
    27. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 187
    28. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 104-105
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