The Black Horse Troop was organized by a prominent group of Fauquier County residents in 1858. It was first called into service by Governor Henry A. Wise during John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry, VA in October 1859. Arriving after his capture, it was assigned to guard him at Charles Town until he was executed on December 2nd 1859.
When President Lincoln issued a call for 75,000 troops to invade the six seceeded Southern states, Virginia refused to participate and voted to seceed on April 17th, 1861. On the same day, the Black Horse Troop was dispatched to seize the Federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry where it recovered about 7,000 rifles and the machinery.
The Troop was subsequently redesignated as Company H of the 4th Virginia Cavalry Regiment. During the War for Southern Independence, the Black Horse Troop participated in the battles of First Manassas, Williamsburg, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Brandy Station, Hanover, Gettysburg, Mine Run, The Wilderness, Five Forks, and Appomattox. It never surrendered its colors and disbanded at Lynchburg, VA on April 11th 1865.
Black Horse Camp #780 