Baptists and the American Civil War: April 25, 1861

Richmond, VirginiaThirteen days after the Confederacy fires on Fort Sumter and the Civil War begins, Virginia’s Richmond Fayette Light Artillery, consisting of four officers and 108 enlisted men, is mustered into state service.The unit is initially stationed at the Baptist College artillery barracks, and later participates in the Maryland campaign (under General Lafayette McLaw’s Division), before being transferred to Major George Pickett’s Division and fighting at Fredericksburg. Active from Williamsburg to Gettysburg and participating in the defense of Petersburg, the unit is not present at the surrender at Appomattox.

Read: More information from a reenactment group (link); photo of war-time Richmond (link)