HISTORICAL NOTES:
The West Virginia 7th Cavalry Regiment, initially known as the 8th Virginia Infantry and later the 8th West Virginia Mounted Infantry in June 1863. It was designated the 7th West Virginia Cavalry in January 1864. It saw action in numerous battles and campaigns, including the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, Second Bull Run, and the Overland Campaign.
The regiment was recruited from central and southern West Virginia counties, including Braxton, Clay, Jackson, Kanawha, Putnam, Raleigh, Fayette, Boone, Logan, and Wyoming.
At the end of the war, the regiment helped parole over 5,000 Confederate soldiers returning to the Kanawha Valley.
The regiment was mustered out at Wheeling, West Virginia, on August 1, 1865. The regiment lost during the war: killed in battle and died of wounds, 5 officers and 28 enlisted men; died of disease or accident, 2 officers and 201 enlisted men; total, 236.
OFFICERS:
Brevet Brigadier General John Hunt Oley
ASSIGNMENTS:
Attached to District of the Kanawha, W. Va. Unassigned to May, 1862. Cluseret’s Advance Brigade, Dept. of the Mountains, to June, 1862. Bohlen’s Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Corps, Pope’s Army of Virginia, to September, 1862. Milroy’s Independent Brigade, Defences of Washington, D.C., to October, 1862. Point Pleasant, W. Va., District of the Kanawha, W. Va., Dept. of the Ohio, to March, 1863. Averell’s 4th Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps, Middle Department, to June, 1863. Averell’s 4th Separate Brigade, Dept. of West Virginia, to December, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, Army of West Virginia, to January, 1864.
As the 7th Regiment, West Virginia Cavalry
Organized from 8th West Virginia Mounted Infantry January 26, 1864. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, West Virginia, to April, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, West Virginia, to June, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, West Virginia, to July, 1864. 1st Separate Brigade, Kanawha Valley, W. Va., to August, 1865.
SERVICE:
As the West Virginia 8th Infantry Regiment:
Post duty at Buffalo, W. Va., till April, 1862. Ordered to New Creek, W. Va. At Franklin till May 25. Pursuit of Jackson up the Shenandoah Valley May 26-June 19. Mt. Carmel Road near Strasburg June 1. Strasburg and Staunton Road June 1-2. Harrisonburg June 6. Battle of Cross Keys June 8. Port Republic June 9. Moved to Strasburg June 19-22, thence to Middletown June 24, and duty there till July. Middletown July 7. At Winchester till August 2. Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia August 2-September 22. Fords of the Rappahannock August 20-23. Freeman’s Ford August 22. Sulphur Springs August 23-24. Waterloo Bridge August 25. Gainesville August 28. Groveton August 29. Bull Run August 30. In the Defences of Washington, D.C., till September 29. Moved to Mt. Pleasant, W. Va., September 29-October 9. Outpost duty at various points in District of West Virginia, till June, 1863. Skirmish, Gilmer County, W. Va., April 24, 1863. Regiment mounted at Bridgeport June, 1863. Moved to Grafton June 17. Beverly July 2-3. Huttonsville July 4. Moved to Cumberland, Md., July 7. Hedgesville and Martinsburg July 18-19. Averell’s Raid through Hardy, Pendleton, Highland, Bath, Greenbrier and Pocahontas Counties, W. Va., August 5-31. Huntersville August 22. Warm Springs August 24. Jackson River August 25. Rocky Gap near White Sulphur Springs August 26-27. At Martinsburg till November, Averell’s Raid against Lewisburg and the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad November 1-17. Mill Point November 5. Droop Mountain November 6. Covington November 9. Averell’s Raid to Salem on Virginia & Tennessee Railroad December 8-25. Gatewood’s December 12. Covington, Jackson River and Scott’s or Barber’s Creek December 19. At Martinsburg till January, 1864. Designation changed to 7th West Virginia Cavalry January 26, 1864.
Duty at Martinsburg and Charleston, W. Va., to April, 1864. Crook’s Raid on Virginia & Tennessee Railroad May 2-19. Rocky Gap May 6. Cloyd’s Mountain May 9. New River Bridge May 10. Cove Gap May 10. Blacksburg May 11. Union and Pond Mountain Gap May 12. Meadow Bluff May 24. Hunter’s Raid to Lynchburg May 26-July 1. Buffalo Gap June 6. Lexington June 11. Buchanan June 13. New London June 16. Diamond Hill June 17. Lynchburg June 17-18. Liberty June 19. Buford’s Gap June 20. About Salem June 21. At Loup Creek June 29. Ordered to the Kanawha Valley and duty at Charleston, Coalsmouth, Winfield, Point Pleasant and Guyandotte till August, 1865. Coalsmouth September 30, 1864. Skirmish at Winfield October 26, 1864 (1 Co.). Operations in the Kanawha Valley November 5-12. Mustered out August 1, 1865.
BATTLES:
Shenandoah Valley Campaign (1862)
Cross Keys
Second Bull Run
White Sulphur Springs
Drew Mountain
Salem Raid
Floyd's Mountain
Lynchburg Campaign
Chancellorsville Campaign (1863)
Gettysburg Campaign
Mine Run Campaign
Bristoe Campaign
Overland Campaign
Battle of the Wilderness
Spotsylvania
Winfield (Company D only)
Siege of Petersburg
Battle of Hatcher's Run
Appomattox Campaign
ROSTERS:
The roster of the 8th West Virginia Infantry contains the names of 2 men.
The roster of the 7th West Virginia Cavalry contains the names of 2547 men.
HISTORICAL NOTES: