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53rd Virginia Infantry

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Muster In: Organized by the consolidation of Montague’s and Tomlin’s Infantry Battalions and Waddill’s Infantry Company on December 1, 18611
Muster Out: April 9, 18652

Commander(s):
Colonel William R. Aylett
Commander Image

Lt. Colonel John C. Timberlake
Commander Image

Major H. A. Edmondson?
Commander Image

Captain Henry Edmunds
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Steuart’s Brigade | Pickett’s Division | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army3

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Steuart’s Brigade | Pickett’s Division | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army4

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Steuart’s Brigade | Pickett’s Division | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army5

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Steuart’s Brigade | Pickett’s Division | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army6

  • Commander:
    • Major John C. Timberlake (August 10, 1864)7,8
    • Colonel William R. Aylett9
    • ? (when Aylett was in brigade command)10
  • Unit Strength: 348 officers sand men PFD (August 10, 1864)11
  • Weapons: .58 caliber rifles (presumably a mix of Enfields and Springfields)12

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Steuart’s Brigade | Pickett’s Division | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army13,14

  • Commander: Major H. A. Edmondson? (September 30, 1864)15
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The 53rd Virginia was detached from Steuart’s Brigade and formed part of a temporary Provisional Brigade, Pickett’s Division during the crucial part of the Fifth Offensive which occurred in late September and early October 1864.16,17

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Steuart’s Brigade | Pickett’s Division | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army18

  • Commander:
    • Colonel William R. Aylett19
    • ? (while Aylett commanded Steuart’s Brigade)
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: Steuart’s Brigade | Pickett’s Division | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army20,21

  • Commander: Colonel William R. Aylett (November & December 1864)22,23
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Steuart’s Brigade | Pickett’s Division | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army24,25,26,27,28

  • Commander:
    • Colonel William R. Aylett (took a leave of absence starting January 26)(January 1865)29,30,31
    • ? (after Colonel Aylett left on January 26)(January 26-31, 1865)32
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Steuart’s Brigade | Pickett’s Division | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army33,34

  • Commander:
    • None listed. (March – April 2, 1865)35,36
    • Colonel William R. Aylett? (April 6, 1865)(wounded & captured April 6, 1865)37
    • Captain Henry Edmunds (April 6-9, 1865)38
  • Unit Strength: 86 officers and men surrendered at Appomattox (April 9, 1865)39
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles40:

  • Petersburg Siege (June 1864-April 1865)
  • Chaffin’s Farm (September 29, 1864)
  • Five Forks (April 1, 1865)
  • Sayler’s Creek (April 6, 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. 245-247 ↩
  2. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 245-247 ↩
  3. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., p. 111 ↩
  4. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., p. 111 ↩
  5. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 120 ↩
  6. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 128 ↩
  7. Trask, Benjamin H. 53rd Virginia Infantry and 5th Battalion Virginia Infantry (H.E. Howard: 1999), p. 78: Timberlake was listed on an August 10, 1864 inspection report, but Timberlake’s CSRs indicate he was on leave from May 11-August 20, 1864. ↩
  8. Confederate Inspection Report 21-P-17: Barton’s Brigade, August 10, 1864; Inspection Reports and Related Records Received By the Inspection Branch in the Confederate Adjutant and Inspector General’s Office. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M935, Roll 10: Inspection Reports P-12 – 39-P-24); War Department Collection of Confederate Records, Record Group 109; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
  9. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 128 ↩
  10. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 128 ↩
  11. Confederate Inspection Report 21-P-17: Barton’s Brigade, August 10, 1864; Inspection Reports and Related Records Received By the Inspection Branch in the Confederate Adjutant and Inspector General’s Office. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M935, Roll 10: Inspection Reports P-12 – 39-P-24); War Department Collection of Confederate Records, Record Group 109; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
  12. Confederate Inspection Report 21-P-17: Barton’s Brigade, August 10, 1864; Inspection Reports and Related Records Received By the Inspection Branch in the Confederate Adjutant and Inspector General’s Office. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M935, Roll 10: Inspection Reports P-12 – 39-P-24); War Department Collection of Confederate Records, Record Group 109; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
  13. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 137 ↩
  14. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1311. ↩
  15. Trask, Benjamin H. 53rd Virginia Infantry and 5th Battalion Virginia Infantry (H.E. Howard: 1999), p. 76: Edmondson commanded five companies and Captain Henry Edmunds commanded the other five companies in an attempt to retake lines lost in the Battle of Fort Harrison.  The way this is written leads me to believe Edmondson was probably in command pending more candidates found and a look at the Compiled Service Records. ↩
  16. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 137 ↩
  17. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1311. ↩
  18. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 146 ↩
  19. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 146: At some point during October 1864 Aylett commanded Steuart’s Brigade on a temporary basis.  Who commanded the 53rd Virginia while Aylett commanded the brigade?  More research is needed. ↩
  20. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 154 ↩
  21. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 162 ↩
  22. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 154 ↩
  23. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 162 ↩
  24. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 171 ↩
  25. 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 1170: “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. ↩
  26. 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 1180: “Organization of the Army of Northern Virginia, General R. E. Lee, C. S. Army, commanding, January 31, 1865”; This order of battle was based off of inspection reports from January 26-31, 1865, and the leaders should be accurate for this time frame. ↩
  27. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 181 ↩
  28. 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 1268: “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. ↩
  29. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 171 ↩
  30. 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 1180: “Organization of the Army of Northern Virginia, General R. E. Lee, C. S. Army, commanding, January 31, 1865”; This order of battle was based off of inspection reports from January 26-31, 1865, and the leaders should be accurate for this time frame. ↩
  31. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 181 ↩
  32. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 171 ↩
  33. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 190 ↩
  34. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 200 ↩
  35. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 190 ↩
  36. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 200 ↩
  37. Trask, Benjamin H. 53rd Virginia Infantry and 5th Battalion Virginia Infantry (H.E. Howard: 1999), p. 85: The text mentions Aylett and Lt. Colonel John C. Timberlake were both captured at Sayler’s Creek, but Aylett may have been in command of the brigade at the time.  I am not sure if Steuart still commanded.  More research is needed. ↩
  38. Trask, Benjamin H. 53rd Virginia Infantry and 5th Battalion Virginia Infantry (H.E. Howard: 1999), pp. 85, 157: Edmunds assumed command at Sayler’s Creek after the colonel and lt. colonel were captured.  The roster indicated Edmunds was in command at the surrender. ↩
  39. Trask, Benjamin H. 53rd Virginia Infantry and 5th Battalion Virginia Infantry (H.E. Howard: 1999), p. 87: 8 officers and 78 men ↩
  40. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 245-247 ↩

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