1^st NCV / 11^th NCT Unit History

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The 1st North Carolina Volunteers/11th North Carolina State Troops Civil War Reenactment Regiment is the oldest reenactment group in North Carolina.

Our membership consists of approximately 90 members. All of our membership is from eastern and central North Carolina, as well as Virginia, and consists of individuals from a wide spectrum of occupations. We are bound together by our historical interests, particularly from 1861 to 1865, and by the appreciation for our forefathers who fought and died in the great "War Between the States." The 1st North Carolina Volunteer Reenactment Regiment was originally organized and chartered as a non-profit organization in 1975 by approximately seven history-oriented individuals from Edenton, N.C. The unit was formed to "authentically" depict a Confederate military unit as it would have appeared from 1861-1865. Since its origin, the unit has grown tremendously in number and authenticity, and we continue to strive for still greater proficiency.

The unit's namesake was the first regiment to be organized by the state of North Carolina and mustered into service for six months in May of 1861. The regiment won distinctive honor when it fought and won the first battle of the war at Big Bethel, Va. Adopting the title "Bethel Regiment," the unit was re-organized in November 1861 as the 11th North Carolina Regiment. The unit participated on such fields of valor as Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Petersburg and to the end at Appomattox.

The 1st North Carolina is governed by a Board of Directors, as it was originally, consisting of four members in good standing and the Commander of the unit. Each of the four members is appointed by the Commander, and the Commanding Officer is elected from and by the general membership for a term of two years. In addition, the Inspector General, the Quartermaster, and all field officers are elected from and by the general membership.

The 1st North Carolina participates in events in and outside North Carolina. These events are primarily of two types: living history and battle reenactments. Living history attempts to portray the life of a Civil War soldier as it would have been from 1861 to 1865. Small skirmishes and tactical demonstrations are typical and are included in this type of event, but they are not necessarily a predominant factor. The other type of event in which the 1st North Carolina participates is the "battle reenactment." The primary event of a battle reenactment is the battle, usually on a large scale. Gettysburg, The Wilderness and Cedar Creek would be examples of this.

The regiment sincerely thanks you for your interest in our organization. If you would like more information about our unit or would like to join, please contact Lt. Lee Gordon.