The men of the 62nd Virginia Mounted Infantry were primarily residents of the war created state of West Virginia. With her sister units of the Northwestern Brigade, the 62nd Virginia was tasked for most of its career with guarding the Shenandoah Valley. Always greatly outnumbered and virtually forgotten by the Richmond authorities the Northwestern Brigade spent the final two desperate years of the war as the guardians of the Valley of Virginia.

The 62nd Virginia was not officially recognized until January 28, 1863, although its history actually dates from May 7, 1862 when Captain John D. Imboden of the Staunton Artillery was commissioned colonel and authorized to raise a regiment of partisan rangers. Imboden spent the rest of 1862 recruiting the First Regiment Virginia Partisan Rangers in the western counties of Virginia. The Colonel met with such success that by early 1863 his command was able to subdivide into a mounted cavalry regiment (18th Virginia Cavalry) and an artillery battery (McClanahan's). These units were brigaded as the Northwestern Brigade and Imboden was promoted to brigadier general.

The 62nd Virginia began its active career in the Jones-Imboden Raid followed by participation in the Gettysburg Campaign. one of the regiment's most noted engagements occured on July 6 when it helped to save the Southern wagon train at Williamsport, Maryland. During the five month period from mid-May through mid-October, 1864 the 62nd Virginia participated in all the hard fought battles in the Shenandoah Valley in addition to joining the Army of Northern Virginia at the Second Battle of Cold Harbor.

The 62nd Virginia faced its most severe test at the Battle of New Market where it bore the brunt of the Confederate casualties but received little recognition for its contribution to the Southern victory. The regiment rejoined the Northwestern Brigade following the Battle of Lynchburg for Early's march on Washington. Two months of skirmishing northeast of Winchester was followed by participation in the disastrous battles of Third Winchester and Fisher's Hill after which the regiment went on outpost duty in the Page Valley. The lack of food and forage forced the 62nd Virginia to temporarily disband in mid-January 1865. The regiment saw little action upon its return to active duty in late February 1865 as the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia on April 9, 1865 virtually ended the warfare in the Old Dominion.

A (1st) - Capt. George W. Imboden's Co. (portion became Co. B, 1st Va. Partisan Rangers; afterwards Co. K (2nd), 62nd Regt.; subsequnetly became Capt. John H.

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