Mathews in Mathews County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Civil War In Mathews County

Confederate Soldiers and Sailors

Photographed By Bernard Fisher, June 22, 2014

1. Civil War In Mathews County CWT Marker

Inscription.

Civil War In Mathews County. Confederate Soldiers and Sailors. Several Confederate companies were organized here during the war. The Mathews Light Artillery (formerly Co. H, 61st Virginia Militia) was organized in July 1861. On May 14, 1862, it was accepted into Confederate States service as Capt Andrew D. Armistead's Company Virginia Light Artillery. A detachment under Capt. Robert E. Hudgins served at Gloucester Point. Armistead’s company, reduced to 70 men, surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, with the Army of Northern Virginia. Capt. Gabriel F. Miller's Mathews Light Dragoons entered service on July 21, 1861. Designated Co. F, 5th Virginia Cavalry, by November 1862, it served “as couriers and rear guard … on the different marches through the Valley of Virginia.” Capt. Alexander James's Co. D, 26th Virginia Infantry, mustered into service on May 28, 1861, at Gloucester Point., From Mathews County Confederate Navy Capt. John Taylor Wood and Acting Master John Yates Beall raided commercial vessels. On the nights August 22-23, 1863, Wood captured the Union steamers Reliance and Satellite off Windmill Point on the Rappahannock River. Wood, commanding Satellite, returned to the river's mouth on August 25 and captured, stripped, and destroyed the Federal schooners Golden Rod, Coquette, and Two Brothers. During the same summer, the Confederate Marine Coast Guard operated from nearby Horn Harbor under Beall. The men cut the underwater cable between Cherrystone Inlet and Old Point Comfort, destroyed all the equipment at Cape Charles Lighthouse, and captured at least six Union ships. Gen. Isaac J. Wistar and Lt. Commander James H. Gillis led a Union army-navy task force here in October 1863 to suppress the Confederate raids., (captions) , (lower left) Mathews County Courthouse, photo ca. 1894 - Courtesy Mathews County Historical Society , (upper right) Acting Master John Y. Beall Courtesy West Virginia State Archives; Capt. John T. Wood Courtesy U.S. Naval Historical Center . This historical marker was erected in 2014 by Virginia Civil WarTrails. It is in Mathews in Mathews County Virginia

Several Confederate companies were organized here during the war. The Mathews Light Artillery (formerly Co. H, 61st Virginia Militia) was organized in July 1861. On May 14, 1862, it was accepted into Confederate States service as Capt Andrew D. Armistead's Company Virginia Light Artillery. A detachment under Capt. Robert E. Hudgins served at Gloucester Point. Armistead’s company, reduced to 70 men, surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, with the Army of Northern Virginia. Capt. Gabriel F. Miller's Mathews Light Dragoons entered service on July 21, 1861. Designated Co. F, 5th Virginia Cavalry, by November 1862, it served “as couriers and rear guard … on the different marches through the Valley of Virginia.” Capt. Alexander James's Co. D, 26th Virginia Infantry, mustered into service on May 28, 1861, at Gloucester Point.

From Mathews County Confederate Navy Capt. John Taylor Wood and Acting Master John Yates Beall raided commercial vessels. On the nights August 22-23, 1863, Wood captured the Union steamers Reliance and Satellite off Windmill Point on the Rappahannock River. Wood, commanding Satellite,

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returned to the river's mouth on August 25 and captured, stripped, and destroyed the Federal schooners Golden Rod, Coquette, and Two Brothers. During the same summer, the Confederate Marine Coast Guard operated from nearby Horn Harbor under Beall. The men cut the underwater cable between Cherrystone Inlet and Old Point Comfort, destroyed all the equipment at Cape Charles Lighthouse, and captured at least six Union ships. Gen. Isaac J. Wistar and Lt. Commander James H. Gillis led a Union army-navy task force here in October 1863 to suppress the Confederate raids.

(captions)
(lower left) Mathews County Courthouse, photo ca. 1894 - Courtesy Mathews County Historical Society
(upper right) Acting Master John Y. Beall Courtesy West Virginia State Archives; Capt. John T. Wood Courtesy U.S. Naval Historical Center

Erected 2014 by Virginia Civil WarTrails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 9, 1865.

Location. 37° 26.01′ N, 76° 19.309′ W. Marker is in Mathews, Virginia, in Mathews County. Marker is at the intersection of Court Street (Virginia Route 1002) and Church

Court St & Church St image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bernard Fisher, June 22, 2014

2. Court St & Church St

Street (Virginia Route 611), on the right when traveling south on Court Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 17 Court St, Mathews VA 23109, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Mathews County Confederate Monument (a few steps from this marker); Fort Cricket Hill (within shouting distance of this marker); Mathews County Courthouse Square (within shouting distance of this marker); Captain Sally L. Tompkins, C.S.A. (within shouting distance of this marker); Tompkins Cottage Museum (within shouting distance of this marker); Thomas Hunter (Rosenwald) School (approx. 0.3 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. half a mile away); Kingston Parish Glebe (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mathews.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 24, 2021. It was originally submitted on June 22, 2014, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 806 times since then and 108 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 22, 2014, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.