Was there a 43rd Virginia?

[67th Tigers]

Hi all,

I'm compiling an order of battle of battle for the Confederate Army mid-March '62. I have even regiment placed (with the batteries a work in progress) except the 43rd Virginia. My suspicion is that it never completed organisation. Could anyone elaborate?

 

[HarlechMan]

Crute in Units of the Confederate States Army writes that it failed to complete organization under Colonel R.M. Conn at Winchester.

 

[67th Tigers]

Crute in Units of the Confederate States Army writes that it failed to complete organization under Colonel R.M. Conn at Winchester.

That's what I thought. Any idea of what happened to the men? Usually I find in those cases the men either went to another unit or formed a battalion.

 

[tbuckley]

A quick look in A Guide To Virginia Military Organizations. 1861 - 1865 By Lee A. Wallace, Jr. has the following
43rd Regt. Va. Vols.
Conn, Raphael Morgan. Col. 1861
This regiment is listed as being stationed at Winchester in a statement of regiments, battalions, and companies, mustered into the service of the Confederate States, compiled by the Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, September 30, 1861; however, no rolls or other records of this command are known to exist. It may have been intended to organize a regiment under Colonel Conn of Shenandoah County, from the militia of that county which had been drafted into the service of the Confederate States, and was encamped at Winchester in August 1861.

I hope that this helps.

 

[tbuckley]

Another look in Wallace's book shows the following about Colonel Conn.
Conn is listed as the colonel of the 43rd Virginia Militia of Franklin County and as colonel of the 43rd Va. Vols.
It looks like Conn had no further service after being colonel of the 43rd in the summer of 1861.

 

[Saphroneth]

Is it possible it was a three-monther which didn't convert successfully to three years? Admittedly my understanding of the mobilization is more with the US than the CS, but I believe a summer '61 regiment would be a three-month one.

 

[M E Wolf]

Confederate Military History, Vol. 3
APPENDIX.

Forty-third Cavalry battalion: Chapman, William H., major; Mosby, John S., major, lieutenant-colonel, colonel.

Fort, r-third Infantry regiment. (No rolls, no roster.)

Forty-third Militia regiment: Wright, John A., lieutenant-colonel. Forty-fourth Infantry battalion: Batte, Peter V., major.

NOTE: It is possible that the Forty-Third Infantry Regiment does not have rolls or rosters due to loss or destruction. I do recommend contacting the "Museum of the Confederacy," as to see if they have more information, as when the 'original' Confederate Histories were written, things may have surfaced from old attics, etc.

M. E. Wolf

 

[matthew mckeon]

I thought it was Mosby's unit.

 

[HarlechMan]

I thought it was Mosby's unit.

That's the 43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry.