Unit History

        In June of 1861, with the State of Virginia leaving the Union to join the newly formed Confederation of States,  State militia were called up to protect her and her borders. The Wilson Rifles of Grayson County, Virginia, a militia group of soldier farmers marched to Wytheville, Virginia to volunteer their services to the Confederate Army, thus becoming Company D of the 50th Virginia Regiment Infantry. It was one of the few Regiments to see action in the Army of the West and the Army of Northern Viginia. The 50th served the first year of the War in the Floyd's Brigade, seeing action at Carnifex Ferry, and Cross Lanes in Western Virginia. Wintering the first year of the war in Tennessee, they fought the battle of Fort Donelson, where they escaped General Grant's seige on the fort and made their way back to Virginia on foot.

In 1862 after returning into Virginia the 50th set up camp in the New River Valley in Giles County, Virginia. Seeing action in Western Virginia through out the remainder year

 In early spring of 1863 the 50th Virginia was assigned to the Second Army Corp in the Army of Northern Virginia under Stonewall Jackson. They would stay with the second Army Corp for the remainder of the war.

 The 50th was engaged in such battles as Chancellorsville, leading Stonewall's flank attack. Clup's Hill at Gettysburg, and the Wilderness Campaign, which consisted the battle of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, North Anna River and Cold Harbor. They were with Jubial Early on his raid on Washington D.C., and one of General Lee's leading units west of Appomattox Court House at the close of the war.