Life in the Northern Neck during the Civil War was not impacted by large battles but rather by the stranglehold on the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers by the Federal blockade and the constant threat of raiding parties sent ashore in search of food and any other supplies that could be hauled away. Life became very difficult when the steamboats were cut off and trade with Baltimore stopped. Goods that Northern Neck residents had come accustomed to having shipped in were no longer available and the farmers were no longer able to ship and sell their produce to the northern markets. The gunboats of the Federal Potomac Flotilla even intercepted and confiscated boats that tried to cross south across the Rappahannock to trade.

When fighting began in April of 1861 many Northern Neck men left and enlisted in the Confederate Army while others stayed to join their county militia and home guard companies. The home guards were able to rebuff some of the Union raids, like at Pop Castle near White Stone where 30 Lancaster County troops chased a raiding party of as many as 60 men back to their ship while capturing a barge and killing at least four. The home guards also tried to sabotage Union ships by stealing or moving the light-boats that marked the channels. Union reports also mention that false lights were placed high in trees on dark nights in hopes of luring Federal ships to run aground.

By 1862 many of the home guard units had been called up to active service and left only young boys and old men to protect the area. The raids intensified when little resistance was met and calvary units were added to the raiding parties. Many homes and barns were burned and some residences were fired on by the gun boats. The cruelty of the raiding parties was even noted by a Federal officer in his report from May 1863 when he wrote:

"They have robbed and plundered all that came in their way..., have stripped helpless women and children of their last horse, and in many instances of their last article of food... I do not believe the general commanding the Army of the Potomac is aware of the utter want of every principle of true soldiers which characterizes the intercourse between the cavalry and the inhabitants of the Northern Neck."

The same report also stated that during the past month 50 boats transporting goods worth $30,000 were destroyed, 800 slaves were taken, 40-50 were prisoners taken and many horses and mules were confiscated. Some writers have claimed that during the Civil War the Northern Neck was more or less Union territory but quickly added that none of the residents would have been willing to admit that.

Richard Luke Fallin:

• 41st Regiment Virginia Militia, Richmond County, Company C (Totuskey Grays)
• George W. Cooke's Special Company
• 15th Battalion Virginia Cavalry, Critcher's Northern Neck Rangers, Company D, Captain Cyrus Harding (Richmond County Volunteers)
• 15th Regiment Virginia Cavalry, Company G (Richmond County Volunteers / Warsaw Guard), Private
• 40th Regiment Virginia Infantry, Company B (Totuskey Grays), Captain A. Judson Sydnor

15th Regiment Virginia Cavalry Roster: Co G. Enl. 4-13-62 at Tappahannock. Prev. enl. 9-23-61 in C/41 Va. Militia and 11-1-61 in Cooke's Company of Infantry, age 25. AWOL by 3-1-63 to at least 6-30-63. AWOL from 11-20-63 and without a horse. Reenl. 2-13-64 at Orange CH for the war. Hosp. 5-20-64 for fever; ret. to duty 6-20-64. Hosp. 6-26-64; ret to duty 8-11-64. Present with company to at least 10-5-64. Trans, to B/40 Va. Inf. 11-18-64 in exch. for THOMAS LUTTRELL, to take effect when Fallin reported to the infantry company. Res. of Village. Died 7-26-15 of paralysis.

Possible Battles: The Wilderness 5/5/64, Sayler's Creek 4/6/65

Reuben Alexander Bryant:

• 41st Regiment Virginia Militia, Richmond County, Company C (Totuskey Grays)
• George W. Cooke's Special Company
• 15th Battalion Virginia Cavalry, Critcher's Northern Neck Rangers, Company D, Captain Cyrus Harding (Richmond County Volunteers)
• 15th Regiment Virginia Cavalry, Company D, Private

15th Regiment Virginia Cavalry Roster: Enl. 11-1-61 in Cooke's Company of Infantry, age 42. Prev. enl. 9-23-61 in C/41 Va. Militia. Absent sick entire period Jan.-Feb. '62.

Possible Battles: Seven Days' Battles 6/25/62

Richard Hugh Sisson:

• 41st Regiment Virginia Militia, Richmond County, Company C (Totuskey Grays)
• 15th Battalion Virginia Cavalry, Critcher's Northern Neck Rangers, Company D, Captain Cyrus Harding (Richmond County Volunteers)
• 15th Regiment Virginia Calvary, Company G, Captain George W. Cooke (Richmond County Volunteers / Warsaw Guard), Private

15th Regiment Virginia Cavalry Roster: Co. G. Enl. 4-13-62 at Tappahannock in D/15 Bn, age 27. Prev. enl. 9-23-61 in C/41 Va. Militia. Reported "cut off" by the enemy and AWOL through 8-31-62. Present by 4-30-63; sick at home by 12-31-63. Cptd. 2-6-64 on the Rapidan River. Released on oath from Ft. Delaware 6-21-65 as res. of Richmond Co. PD: Hgt. 5’ 8”, dark hair, grey eyes, comp. dark. Mar. Eliza Cralle, 1860; mar. Charlotte Bell, 1869. Died 6-19-95 of paralysis.

Possible Battles: Chancellorsville 5/1/63, Mine Run 11/27/63, Morton's Ford 2/6/64

Moses Hale:

• 41st Regiment Virginia Militia, Richmond County, Company C (Totuskey Grays)
• George W. Cooke's Special Company
• 15th Battalion Virginia Cavalry, Critcher's Northern Neck Rangers, Company D, Captain Cyrus Harding (Richmond County Volunteers)
• 15th Regiment Virginia Calvary

15th Regiment Virginia Cavalry Roster: Enl. 11-1-61 in Cooke's Company of Infantry, age 44. Prev. enl. 9-24-61 in C/41 Va, Militia. Present to at least 2-28-62.

Possible Battles: No Major Conflicts

William H. Allen:

• 15th Battalion Virginia Cavalry, Critcher's Northern Neck Rangers
• 16th Battalion Virginia Cavalry
• Capt. Howard's Company Cavalry (Local Defense)
• McRae's Battalion Cavalry
• Capt. Swindell's Company of Partisan Rangers.

Possible Battles: No Major Conflicts, all Home Guard duties

John Lorenza Jett:

• 9th Regiment Virginia Calvary, Company I (Tayloe's Company)

9th Regiment Virginia Cavalry Roster: b. 10/3/1832 in King George Co. Farmer. Enl. 2/21/62 in Co. I. Served as a teamster. POW near Poolesville, Md., 9/9/62; exchanged 11/10/62. Present on every roll thru 10/10/64 final roll. d. 3/31/1901 in Irvington. bur. Irvington Baptist Church.

Possible Battles: Upperville 6/21/62, Seven Days' Battles 6/25/62, Second Manassas 8/28/62, Fredericksburg 12/11/62, Brandy Station 6/9/63, Hanover 6/30/63, Gettysburg 7/1/63, Williamsport 7/6/63, Funkstown 7/10/63, Culpeper Court House 9/13/63, Bristoe 10/14/63, Mine Run 11/27/63, The Wilderness 5/5/64

Joseph R. Haynie:

• 9th Regiment Virginia Calvary, Company K (Richmond County Cavalry)

9th Regiment Virginia Cavalry Roster: Enl. 4/3/62 in Co. K. Discharged for disability (chronic erysipelas in both legs), 1/21/63, age 32. Occupation - farmer.

Possible Battles: Upperville 6/21/62, Seven Days' Battles 6/25/62, Second Manassas 8/28/62, Sharpsburg 9/17/62, Fredericksburg 12/11/62

Isaac Henry Marsh:

• 37th Regiment Virginia Militia, Northumberland County, Second Lieutenant, Company A, M382 ROLL 35
• 9th Regiment Virginia Cavalry, Company K (Richmond County Cavalry)

9th Regiment Virgina Cavalry Roster: Enl. 11/12/63 in Co. K. Discharged for disability (hernia and rheumatism), 2/13/64, age 34. Occupation Farmer.

Possible Battles: Mine Run 11/27/63

Middleton Lewis:

• 40th Regiment Virginia Infantry, Company E, Captains Robert Fairfax Mitchell & Leroy Mortimer Purcell

40th Regiment Virginia Infantry Roster: Enl. 6/4/61 in Co. E. Discharged 3/1/62.

Possible Battles: No Major Conflicts

John Taliaferro Sisson:

• Captain Murphy's Bureau of Conscription, Sergeant

Possible Battles: Unit never mustered

William Henry Sisson:

• 47th Regiment Virginia Infantry, Company C (Montross Guards)

Enl. 1861; promoted to sgt. major 9/64; POW Burkeville 4/14/65, sent to Point Lookout Prison.

Possible Battles: Seven Pines 5/31/62, Frayser's Farm 6/30/62, Second Manassas 8/28/62, Fredericksburg 12/11/62, Chancellorsville 5/1/63, Gettysburg 7/1/63, Cold Harbor 5/31/64, Petersburg 6/9/64

41st Regiment Virginia Militia

The Richmond County Militia organized in 1859 to protect the county after John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry. A.J. Sydnor was the first elected Captain with other local officers being 1st Lt. Edward Brockenbrough, 2nd Lt. Cyrus Harding, 3rd Lt. W.D. Pitts and 1st Sgt. Thomas Jones. Company C was known as the Totuskey Grays. In June of 1861 the company left Richmond County, marched to Brook's Station and enlisted in Confederate Service as Company B of the 40th Virginia Regiment and the Totuskey Gray's nickname followed.

Captain Murphy's Bureau of Conscription

Recruitment and conscription office based in Richmond County.

9th Virginia Cavalry

9th Cavalry Regiment was formed in January 1862, using the 1st Battalion Virginia Cavalry as its nucleus. Its companies were from the counties of Stafford, Caroline, Westmoreland, Lancaster, Essex, Spotsylvania, Lunenburg, King William, King George, and Richmond. The unit served in W. H. F. Lee's, Chambliss', and Beale's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. It fought in the Seven Days' Battles and the conflicts at Gaines Mill, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Dumfries, Rapidan Station, Brandy Station, Upperville, Hanover, Gettysburg, Williamsport, Funkstown, and Culpeper Court House. The 9th went on to fight at Bristoe, Mine Run, The Wilderness, and Todd's Tavern. Later it skirmished around Richmond and Petersburg, then was active in the Appomattox operations. This unit reported 32 casualties at Upperville, lost four percent of the 490 engaged at Gettysburg, and had 22 disabled at Williamsport. It surrendered 1 officer and 26 men. The field officers were Colonels Richard L. T. Beale, John E. Johnson, William H. F. Lee, and Thomas Waller; Lieutenant Colonel Meriwether Lewis; and Major Samuel A. Swann.

15th Virginia Cavalry

15th Cavalry Battalion (The Northern Neck Rangers) was organized during the spring of 1862 with four companies. Major John Critcher was in command. Attached to the Army of Northern Virginia, the unit served under J. E. B. Stuart. In September it was consolidated with the 14th Cavalry Battalion to form the 15th Regiment Virginia Cavalry. The 15th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry served in W, H. F. Lee's, Lomax's, and Payne's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. It was active in the Chancellorsville Campaign. The regiment continued the fight at Mine Run and The Wilderness, then saw action at Cold Harbor. It moved with Early to the Shenandoah Valley and on November 8, 1864, was absorbed by the 5th Regiment Virginia Cavalry. The field officers were Colonels William B. Ball and Charles R. Collins, Lieutenant Colonel John Critcher, and Major Edgar Burroughs.

40th Virginia Infantry

40th Infantry Regiment completed its organization in May 1861. Its members were recruited in Northumberland, Richmond, and Lancaster counties. After serving in the Aquia District, the unit was assigned to General Field's, Heth's, and H. H. Walker's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. It participated in the campaigns of the army, from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor, then was involved in the Petersburg siege north of the James River and the Appomattox Campaign. It sustained 180 casualties during the Seven Days' Battles, which was about half its effective force. The unit lost 4 wounded at Cedar Mountain, had 14 killed and 73 wounded at Chancellorsville, and of the 253 engaged at Gettysburg more than twenty percent were disabled. Many were captured at Sayler's Creek and only 7 men were included in the surrender on April 9, 1865. Field officers were Colonel John M. Brockenbrough; Lieutenant Colonels Fleet W. Cox, Arthur S. Cunningham, and Henry H. Walker; and Majors Edward T. Stakes and William T. Taliaferro.

47th Virginia Infantry

47th Infantry Regiment was formed in June 1861, with men recruited primarily in Caroline, Middlesex, Essex, and Stafford counties. The unit served under the command of Generals Pettigrew, Field, Heth, H. H. Walker, and Barton. It fought with the Army of Northern Virginia from Seven Pines to Cold Harbor then was active in the trenches of Petersburg and around Appomattox. This regiment totaled 444 effectives in April 1862, and sustained 34 casualties of the 156 engaged at Frayser's Farm. It reported 29 casualties at Second Manassas, 45 at Fredericksburg, and 45 at Chancellorsville. Twenty-three percent of the 209 in action at Gettysburg were disabled. During February 1865, the 47th and 55th Regiments were consolidated, but only 2 sergeants of the 47th surrendered on April 9. The field officers were Colonels Robert M. Mayo and George W. Richardson; Lieutenant Colonels James D. Bruce, William J. Green, and John W. Lyell; and Majors Charles J. Green and Edward P. Tayloe.