In 1861, a Battle Cry of Freedom rang out across the hills and valleys of western Virginia. For the mountaineers of Virginia, there were definitely shades of gray, with some being strongly Confederate and others having family ties to the Union. While the men fought and died all across the battlefields of Virginia, Maryland and at Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, the Confederate Women remained unvanquished. One other regimental history for the Virginia 58th Infantry Regiment was written by Robert J. Driver and published in 1990 by the H. E. Howard Company. As it has been out of print for many years and is almost impossible to find, this volume serves as an alternative for those who are researching this unit and the men who fought. It includes more than a dozen maps and several photographs of men who served in the 58th. The 58th Virginia Infantry was organized at Staunton, Virginia on October 13, 1861. The ten companies of volunteers came from Amherst, Bedford, Franklin, Patrick and Rockbridge counties. The regiment saw service in western Virginia during the winter and spring of 1861-62. After joining the Stonewall Brigade, the 58th was reorganized on May 1, 1862 and the company letters were changed to correspond with the dates of commission of their respective captains. In less than a week of the reorganization, the 58th saw its first action at McDowell on May 8, 1862. In the Valley campaign 1862 the regiment saw heavy fighting at Winchester, Harrisonburg, Cross Keys, and Port Republic. Ordered eastward, the regiment served gallantly in the battles of Gaines Mill and Malvern Hill during the Seven Days Campaign. Following Stonewall Jackson, the 58th saw hard fighting at Cedar Run, 2nd Manassas, Chantilly, Harpers Ferry and Sharpsburg. In 1863 the regiment helped to defend the heights at Fredericksburg during the Chancellorsville campaign and helped to drive General Robert H. Milroy's Union army from Winchester. The 58th was chosen to guard the thousands of prisoners taken at Winchester to Richmond and Confederate prison camps. Though not a participant in the battle of Gettysburg, the 58th did return, however, to Lee's Army in time to defend its wagon train at Williamsport on July 6. In the fall of 1863, the 58th also participated in the Bristoe Station and Mine Run Campaigns. During 1864 the 58th fought with distinction as the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House and at Bethesda Church. Following Cold Harbor the regiment marched with General Jubal Early to the defense of Lynchburg. After the successful defense of the city, the regiment was soon in action again at Liberty, Monocacy, Fort Stevens, Winchester, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek. Leaving the Valley in 1865, the 58th returned to Lee's army near Petersburg and fought at Hatcher's Run, Fort Stedman and in the trenches in the defense of the city. The survivors of the trying nine months of siege warfare fought on the retreat at Sayler's Creek and High Bridge, before surrendering at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. On that fateful day, two officers and sixty-eight men lay down their arms with the remnants of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.