Private A. J. Harbour, Company D, 51st Virginia Infantry, enlisted July 15, 1862 in Giles County, wounded in action at Fayette C. H. & sent home 10 Sept. 1862, last recorded as having receipted for an issue of clothing June 27, 1864
Private C. J. Harbour, 31 year old Farmer, born in Patrick County, Va., Company D, 51st Virginia Infantry, on 6/14/1861 he mustered into "D" Co. VA 51st Infantry He was discharged for disability on 8/12/1862 (Tuberculosis)
Corporal Joshua T. Harbour, Company D, 51st Virginia Infantry, enlisted June 14, 1861 in Patrick County, Va., killed in Battle at Fayette Count House September 10, 1862, father James Harbour of Rock Castle, Patrick Co., Va. filed claim for his pay and allowances
51st Regiment, Virginia Infantry
51st Infantry Regiment was formed in August, 1861, with eleven companies. Company L was later assigned to the 23rd Battalion. Its members were recruited in the counties of Wythe, Nelson, Bland, Floyd, and Grayson. During the war it started in General Floyd's and G.C. Wharton's Brigade. The 51st served in the Army of the Kanawha, moved to Tennessee, and after fighting at Fort Donelson marched to Nashville with 274 men. Later it was sent to western Virginia, saw action at Carnifax Ferry, then returned to Tennessee where it was involved in the Knoxville Campaign. The unit went on to fight in numerous conflicts in the Shenandoah Valley and sometime around April 15, 1865, disbanded. It reported 9 killed, 43 wounded, and 5 missing at Fort Donelson, and 3 killed and 16 wounded at Fayetteville. Only a handful remained after the Battle of Waynesborough. The field officers were Colonels Augustus Forsberg and Gabriel C. Wharton; Lieutenant Colonels George A. Cunningham, James W. Massie, and John P. Wolfe; and Majors William T. Akers, Stephen M. Dickey, D.P. Graham, D.S. Hounshell, and William A. Yonce.
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HDQRS. DEPT. OF SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA,
Fayette Court-House, W. Va., September 11, 1862.
(Received September 19, 1862.)
SIR: After a fatiguing march, I came upon the enemy near this place on yesterday at 1.30 p.m. with the part of my forces which were in front. After contesting every inch of my advance for some miles, he entered his fortifications at this place, which were strong, and consisted of formidable outer works inclosing a quadrangular fort with glacis and redoubt, and well mounted with nine pieces of artillery. My men pushed up to the walls with great spirit, inflicting great loss on the enemy. Our loss small. About nightfall to the force of the enemy already in the fort three regiments were added, as re-enforcements, by one of the many roads which my forces were not numerous enough to guard. This made the enemy about five regiments strong. But while we lay on our arms, intending to renew the attack this morning, the enemy fled, probably by the same road the re-enforcements entered, and I am now master of their works. I am now pursuing with all my force.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. W. LORING, [CSA]
Major-General, Commanding.
Hon. GEORGE W. RANDOLPH,
Secretary of War.
OR V19, pt. 1 pp. 1069/70
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA,
Charleston, W. Va., September 14, 1862.
SIR: I reached here yesterday afternoon, capturing the town after a stout resistance from the enemy, in which their loss was heavy, ours very slight. The rapidity of our advance saved the city from flames. We had marched in exactly one week from Giles Court-House to this place, fighting for more than half a day at Fayette Court-House, and again, on the next morning, at Cotton Hill and Gauley, and skirmishing all the way to this place. In these rapid victories over a numerous enemy, six regiments strong, all furnished with artillery and cavalry, besides inflicting a great loss in men, we have captured immense amounts of wagons and horses, inventories of which we are now taking, and which will doubtless amount to at least $1,000,000. In the rapidity of our movements we have left the greater part of our train in rear, which has caused us to pause at this place. The enemy, fresher than we, and within 50 miles of the Ohio, have so much the advance that it is useless to pursue him farther. Roads from Guyandotte, Point Pleasant, and Ravenswood, on the Ohio River, converge at this place, so that if I move forward on any of these roads the enemy could use the other to get in my rear. Here, then, I will pause until our supply train reaches us--perhaps until I hear from you. If I advance toward the valley of Virginia, as you instructed me in a former letter, I shall have all these roads in my rear and between my column and trains, besides the difficult ranges of mountains running across my course, and with very bad roads over them. This valley, however, I can hold with its magnificent crop of growing corn and its salt The salt-works prove uninjured, preserved by our activity from fire, and only lack labor to supply the whole Confederacy. The negroes, by whom they were formerly worked, have been carried off by the enemy. I think that many recruits will be added to my command here if I hold the country long enough, while a rapid march through the valley of the Kanawha would only expose it to fresh invasions from the enemy.
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. W. LORING. Major-General,
Commanding.
Hon. GEORGE W. RANDOLPH,
Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.
OR V19, pt. 1, pp. 1070/1
GENERAL ORDERS No. --.
HDQRS. DEPT. OF WESTERN VIRGINIA,
Charleston, W. Va., September 14, 1862.
The commanding general congratulates the army on the brilliant march from the southwest to this place, in one week, and on its successive victories over the enemy at Fayette Court-House, Cotton Hill, and Charleston. It will be memorable in history that, overcoming the mountains and the enemy in one week, you have established the laws and carried the flag of the country to the outer borders of the Confederacy. Instances of gallantry and patriotic devotion are too numerous to be specially designated at this time; but to brigade commanders and their officers and men the commanding general makes grateful acknowledgment for services to which our brilliant success is due. The country will remember and reward you.
By command of Major-General Loring:
H. FITZHUGH,
Chief of Staff.
OR V19, pt. 1, pp. 1072/3
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Joshua Witt Harbour
Residence Patrick County VA; a 35 year-old Teacher & Constable.
Enlisted on 6/1/1861 at Richmond, VA as a 3rd Corpl.
On 6/1/1861 he mustered into "K" Co. VA 10th Cavalry
He was discharged on 8/26/1862
(Discharged for being overage)
He was listed as:
* On rolls 6/30/1861 (place not stated) (On rolls through this date)
He was described at enlistment as:
6', dark complexion, black eyes, black hair
Other Information:
born in 1826 in Ohio No, his discharge certificate shows his birth if Patrick Co., Va.
Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:
- The Virginia Regimental Histories Series
Joshua W. Harbour enlisted as a 3rd Corporal June 1, 1861 in Richmond, Virginia in Captain J. Travis Rosser's Company (Texas Rangers), Virginia Volunteers, Wise Legion*
*This company subsequently became Company K, 10th Regiment Virginia Cavalry.