The units that would eventually comprise the 44th Regiment of the Virginia Infantry were recruited from the central Virginia.  The 10 companies were accepted into the Virginia state forces on June 14, 1861, in Richmond.  They were sworn into Confederate service around July 1, 1861.  William Campbell Scott was selected as the first colonel of the regiment.  He would serve the regiment until his resignation on December 31, 1862.  “Often in the forefront of action, General Richard S. Ewell credited the 44th Virginia for turning the tide in the battle of Port Republic on June 9, 1862.” (K. C. Ruffner, 44th Virginia Infantry) At Port Republic, the 44th Virginia was usually in the thickest of the fighting in every engagement.

The 44th was assigned to Edward Johnson’s Army of the Northwest, which was later incorporated into Stonewall Jackson’s fabled Army of the Valley.  The regiment would ever afterwards be associated with Jackson and the Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.

The regiment was virtually annihilated at Spotsylvania in May 1864.  158 men, the colonel, major, and 16 captains and lieutenants were captured when Federals overran their exposed position in the Mule Shoe.  The regiment suffered only 1 man killed and 2 wounded in the brief encounter.  Their flag was seized by a member of the 64th New York.  The remnants of the units were consolidated into one company and surrendered 17 officers and men, torn by 4 years of war, at Appomattox.  These men truly deserve to be called veterans.  Few units ever saw more intense actions than the 44th Virginia Infantry.

Location: M-1