The 56th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The 56th Virginia completed its organization in September 1861, with men from Louisa, Mecklenburg, Buckingham, Nelson, and Charlotte counties. After being exchanged, the unit returned to Virginia and was assigned to Pickett's, Garnett's
, and Hunton's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. It fought with the army from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor except when it served under Longstreet at Suffolk. The 56th then endured the hardships of the Petersburg trenches north and south of the James River and saw action around Appomattox. In June 1862, it contained 466 effectives and reported 100 casualties during the Seven Days' Battles. This regiment carried only 40 men into action at Sharpsburg and 8 were wounded. Of the 289 engaged at Gettysburg, more than sixty-five percent were disabled. Many were captured at Sayler's Creek, and only 3 officers and 26 men surrendered on April 9, 1865. The field officers were Colonels William E. Green, Philip P. Slaughter, and William D. Stuart; Lieutenant Colonel Timoleon Smith; and Major John B.
