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Rare Pair of Confederate Id’d 6^th Va. Cavalry Boots – When we obtained these boots, tucked in one of the boots, was a folded book, back board; opening the folded board revealed the following, crudely penciled inscription:

“Boots WAREN (sic)

BY S CLINTON ADAMS

SIXTH VIRGINIA

CALVARY (sic)”

Drawn above this inscription is an ANV battle flag. The boots are definitively Civil War period boots, exhibiting the following mid-19^th century characteristics: Cuban style, stacked heels; wooden pegged and sewn soles; fabric boot pulls inside the boot proper; scalloped knee and back areas; decoratively stitched, pebble grain leather upper sections. The leather of the boots remains in overall good, strong condition, with each boot evidencing some rodent chew holes; each boot also retains some traces of war period horse manure.

Both S. Clinton Adams and his brother, Thomas Franklin Adams, both served in Co. K of the 6^th Va. Cavalry throughout the entire war. Both Adams brothers were captured, during their service. Stephen C. Adams was actually imprisoned twice; Thomas Adams was captured in the Fall of 1864 and took the Oath of Allegiance, at Point Lookout, at the end of the war. During the process of research, we found a now well known image of the Adams brothers, both wearing Confederate battle shirts, at the onset of the war. There seems to be some disagreement as to which of the two depicted in the image is Stephen and which is Thomas; we have included here, in this overview, the thoughts of a direct descendant regarding the identification of the two, in the image. Some have suggested that the younger of the two brothers, in the image, may actually have been S.C. Adams’ wife, Elizabeth. A short article in “America’s Civil War” implying this possibility, is included here, as well as a rebuttal of that article, sent to us by an interested collector**. We have had many pairs of Civil War boots, but this is the first pair of cavalry boots, identified to a Confederate trooper.

Stephen Clinton Adams

Stephen Clinton Adams

Thomas Franklin Adams is my great, great grandfather. His younger half-brother was Stephen Clinton Adams. Always wondered if the other person in the picture (see image of the Adams brothers) was Thomas F. Adams. They were both members of Co. K 6th VA Calvary.

**Info. from collector:

Attached is the ACW article (see this article in the pictures’ section) and my response.  It was your website that broke loose the truth, by providing a full history of Stephen Clinton Adams (born January 16, 1836 in Frederick County, Maryland) and Thomas Franklin Adams (born December 29, 1834 in Loudoun County, Va.).  By way of supplementing what is on your website, following is what I found on familysearch.com (ages in parentheses):

1850 census: Sarah (2) in household of Isaac [Gibson] and Louisa [White] Nichols. Stephen (13) and Thomas (15) in household of Henry and *vanner Adams, Loudoun County, Va.

1860 Census: Sarah E. (12) in household of Isaac and Louisa Nichols. Thomas (26) and Clinton (23) were farm hands living together in Buckeystown (Frederick County), Maryland.

Marriage Records: On July 5, 1863, Thomas F. Adams (23)  married Frances Jane “Fannie” Dove (24) (they would have five children). On March 10, 1868, Sarah Elizabeth Nichols (20) married Stephen C. Adams (28) in Loudoun County, Va.

1870 census:  Neither S.C. nor T.F. found.

1880: Thomas F. and Fannie Adams living in Loudoun County, Va.  S.C. was deceased, and his widow was not found.

1900: Sarah E. Adams (52) living with (brother?) Levi Nichols in Loudoun County, Va. T. F. not found.

1910, 1920 and 1930: Elizabeth Adams living with daughter and son-in-law Harry B. and Louise Anderson at Mt. Gilead (Loudoun County), Va.

Findagrave: On June 4, 1877, Stephen Clinton Adams died and is buried at Union Cemetery, Leesburg (Loudoun County), Va. On September 21, 1910, Frances Jane “Fannie” Dove Adams died in Clifton, Fairfax County. On May 19, 1920, Thomas F. Adams died at the Soldier’s Home in Richmond and is buried at Hollywood Cemetery in that city. On October 8, 1934, Sarah Elizabeth Adams (born May 26, 1848) died and lies at Union Cemetery, Leesburg, Va.

This information establishes conclusively that S.C.’s comrade could not be S.C.’s wife, since S.C.’s wife was only 13 or 14 in 1861, when the pictures were probably taken.  The comrade looks closer to the age T.F. was in 1861 (i.e., 26).  So the unidentified comrade is more likely Thomas Franklin Adams; though absent some inscription in the case we will never know for sure.

Thomas F. Adams

Taken (see photo of T.F. Adams tombstone in the Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Richmond City, Virginia)

6th VA Cavalry

Brief History

This Unit completed its organization in November 1861, at Manassas, Virginia. Only 3 men surrendered on April 9, 1865, as most of the cavalry cut through the Federal lines and later disbanded. Field officers: Colonels Charles W. Field, Thomas S. Flournoy, John S. Green, and Julien Harrison; Lieutenant Colonels J. Grattan Cabell and Daniel T. Richards; and Majors Cabell E. Flournoy and Daniel A. Grimsley.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin

Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

• Men of this unit were raised in Loudoun, Rappahannock, Clarke, Rockingham, Pittsylvania, Fairfax, Halifax, Fauquier, and Orange counties.

Company A (Dulany Troop or Loudoun Dragoons) – many men from Loudoun County

Company B (Rappahannock Cavalry) – many men from Rappahannock County

Company C (Rockingham Cavalry, River Rangers) – many men from Rappahannock County

Company D (Clarke Cavalry) – many men from Clarke County

Company F (Fairfax Company) (Washington’s Home Guard)(The Powell Troop) or(General Johnston’s Bodyguard Company) – many men from Fairfax County

Company G ( Flournoy Troop) – many men from Halifax County

Company H (The Wise Dragoons) – many men from Fauquier County

Company  I  (Orange Rangers) – many men from Orange County

Company  K (The Loudoun Cavalry or Leesburg Cavalry)

6th Virginia Cavalry Regiment

The 6th Virginia Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia.

Virginia’s 6th Cavalry completed its organization in November, 1861, at Manassas, Virginia. Men of this unit were raised in Loudoun, Rappahannock, Clarke, Rockingham, Pittsylvania, Fairfax, Halifax, Fauquier, and Orange counties.

The unit served in Robertson’s, “Grumble” Jones’, Lomax’s, and Payne’s Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. It fought in Jackson’s Valley Campaign and in the conflicts at Second Bull Run, Brandy Station, Upperville, Fairfield, Bristoe, Mine Run, The Wilderness, Todd’s Tavern, Spotsylvania, Haw’s Shop, and Cold Harbor. The regiment went on to take part in Early’s Shenandoah Valley operations and the Appomattox Campaign.

Only 3 men surrendered on April 9, 1865, as most of the cavalry cut through the Federal lines and later disbanded. The field officers were Colonels Charles W. Field, Thomas Flournoy, John S. Green, and Julien Harrison; Lieutenant Colonels J. Grattan Cabell and Daniel T. Richards; and Majors Cabell E. Flournoy and Daniel A. Grimsley.

Commanding officer Thomas Flournoy had been a United States Congressman as well as an unsuccessful candidate from the American Party for Virginia governor.

Company A was known as both the Loudoun Dragoons and The Dulany Troop, Company E was known as the Pittsylvania Dragoons and Company K was known as the Loudoun Cavalry. Company I was known as the Orange Rangers.^[1]

Field officers

• Colonel Charles W. Field
• Colonel Thomas S. Flourney, Commanding Officer on the Sharpsburg Campaign^[2]
• Colonel John S. Green
• Colonel Julien Harrison
• Lieutenant Colonel J. Grattan Cabell
• Lieutenant Colonel Daniel T. Richards
• Major Cabell E. Flournoy
• Major Daniel A. Grimsley^[3]

6th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry

OVERVIEW:

6th Cavalry Regiment completed its organization in November, 1861, at Manassas, Virginia. Men of this unit were raised in Loudoun, Rappahannock, Clarke, Rockingham, Pittsylvania, Fairfax, Halifax, Fauquier, and Orange counties. The unit served in Robertson’s, W.E. Jones’, Lomax’s, and Payne’s Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. It fought in Jackson’s Valley Campaign and in the conflicts at Second Manassas, Brandy Station, Upperville, Fairfield, Bristoe, Mine Run, The Wilderness, Todd’s Tavern, Spotsylvania, Haw’s Shop, and Cold Harbor. The regiment went on to take part in Early’s Shenandoah Valley operations and the Appomattox Campaign. Only 3 men surrendered on April 9, 1865, as most of the cavalry cut through the Federal lines and later disbanded. The field officers were Colonels Charles W. Field, Thomas S. Flourney, John S. Green, and Julien Harrison; Lieutenant Colonels J. Grattan Cabell and Daniel T. Richards; and Majors Cabell E. Flournoy and Daniel A. Grimsley.

6th Virginia Cavalry Regiment

Confederate Regiments & Batteries * Virginia

6^th Virginia Cavalry, Co. K

Company mustered in on September 12th, 1861 at Manassas, Virginia. Company mustered out of service on April 9th, 1865 at Appottomax Court House, Virginia.

Notable Battles:

• Upperville fought on June 21st, 1863 near Upperville, Virginia (4 wounded, 0 died, 0 imprisoned)
• Five Forks fought on April 1st, 1865 near Five Forks, Virginia (0 wounded, 0 died, 6 imprisoned)

Facts about this Company:

• Number of Soldiers: 162
• First Enlistment Date: 1861-01-01 (1 soldier)
• Most Common Enlistment Place: Leesburg, Virginia (2 soldiers)
• Most Common Enlistment Date: 1861-04-22 (42 soldiers)
• Most Common Muster Out Date: 1862-04-20 (3 soldiers)
• Youngest Soldier at Enlistment: 14 — Grimes, William Henry (Private)
• Oldest Soldier at Enlistment: 39 — Clowe, William H (Private)
• Average Age at Enlistment: 23.5 years old
• Median Age at Enlistment: 22.0 years old
• Wounded In Regiment: 31 (19%)
• Prisoner Of War While In Regiment: 50 (30%)
• Soldiers That Died While In Regiment: 14 (8%)
• Soldiers That Died While In War: 23 (14%)

Soldier List: (#Prisoner Of War, ^Wounded, %=Died during war)

• Abbott, Joseph (Bugler)
• Adams, Stephen Clinton #
• Adams, Thomas F