20th Infantry Regiment was assembled in July, 1861, with men from Richmond and the counties of Lunenburg, Powhatan, Buckingham, Prince Edward, Halifax, and Brunswick. Two companies were captured in the fight at Rich Mountain and in September five companies were disbanded. An unsuccessful attempt was made to reorganize, and later the two companies were assigned to the 59th Virginia Regiment. Lieutenant Colonels James R. Crenshaw, John Pegram, and Nathaniel Tyler were in command.