Company D, of the 7th Virginia was from Giles County in Southwestern Virginia. Giles Court House was the enlistment site for most men. During training in Giles County, Company D (nicknamed the "Mountain Boomers") accidentally unleashed a bloodcurdling cheer which they adopted and was imitated by fellow Southerns; this the beginning of the famous "Rebel Yell".

As the battle of Gettysburg opened on July 1, 1863, the 7th Virginia was in Kemper's brigade part of Pickett's division in the town of Chambersburg. The 7th was aroused with the division at 2 a.m. on July 2 to join the Army of Northern Virginia at Gettysburg. The men were in for a long, rapid march. Late in the day they could hear the battle raging as they drew closer to Gettysburg. When the 7th Virginia halted for the night they were just a few miles from Gettysburg.

Pickett's division continued in the morning darkness and arrived around 7 a.m. and were positioned behind Seminary Ridge. For several hours the 7th waited and prepared for battle. After 1 p.m. nearly 150 guns opened up and pounded the Northerners. The Federal gunners returned fire as the 7th Virginia lay in a field of rye. Guns, swords,haversacks, heads, and limbs went flying as shells plowed enormous forrows into the ground. Kemper's brigade lost approximately 15 percent of its men during the cannonade.

Toward 3 p.m. the great bombardment ceased. Soon the command was shouted, "Fall in!" General Pickett was heard, "Up men, and to your posts! Don't forget today that you are from old Virginia!" His words had an electrifying effect as the regiments sprang into line an closed ranks over the dead and wounded. The advance began with men calling to their comrades who were wounded in the shelling, "Goodbye, boys! Goodbye!" The 7th Virginia was positioned in the left center of the advance. About four minutes into the march the Federal artillery opened fire, catching Kemper's brigade in its front and right flank.

Four minutes later the Confederates paused and reformed midway across the open fields. The 7th Virginia's ranks were thinned and officers fell rapidly, but even so the forward movement was steady. A clump of tress behind a stone wall marked the Confederates' objective on Cemetery Ridge, which was about three-fourths of a mile from their starting place.

Union rifle fire commenced next and Kemper's brigade began to drift to the left. Within 100 yards of the Federal line the Confederates unleashed an enormous volley. General Kemper, who remained mounted throughout the advance, shouted, "There are the guns, boys, go for them!" The mass of gray humanity surged forward as if in competition to plant the Southern banner upon the Yankee wall. Within moments the deed was done, but the price was unbearable. Kemper fell critically wounded, and captured, and then retaken by loyal soldiers.

For a few moments the position was theirs. But the Confederate losses were so heavy they had only the equivalent of a skirmish line to meet the Federals who were hurled against them. Corporal Jesse B. Young of Company D, carrying the 7th Virginia flag, was within a few feet of the Federal lines at the stone wall when he was wounded in the right elbow and captured. The banner was snatched by Private John N.Tolbert of Company B who carried it to the wall before he was shot in the head, his assailant capturing the flag. Tolbert was the ninth man to carry the colors in the long charge which now became raging, hand-to-hand combat.

Although several Confederates scaled the wall, the situation was hopeless. Anxious eyes looked backwards for support which were not there. By 4 p.m. the fighting was over and the gray line returned to Seminary Ridge. A torrential rain came on the night of July 3, and the next day Lee's army began its retreat. Gettysburg was the heaviest engagement for the 7th Virginia since Second Manassas ten months earlier. From the cannonade and Pickett's charge the regiment counted 15 killed and 79 wounded about 40% of their numbers. Lee had gambled upon a stunning victory in Pennsylvania and lost.

The 7th Virginia Infantry Regiment, Company D, is an early war impression Confederate Civil War reenactment group based in Orange County, California with members in Los Angeles County and Riverside/ San Bernardino Counties. We are a proud regiment which distinguished itself through the "War for Southern Independence".

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