for home. 1860 May- About the middle of the month former Captain of the Old Dominion Guard, Edward Kearns was elected to reprise his role as commander of the company. July 4, 1860- At 5 A.M. the 3rd assembled for their annual observance of the Fourth of July. After marching through the streets, Colonel Hodges took the regiment to Norfolk where they made illustrious parade before breakfast. The Union Guard however was not among them having been inactive for some time and forthwith being disbanded by years end. Secession On the eve of Secession, April 16, 1861, the 3rd Regiment of Virginia Volunteers was composed of the following companies. Portsmouth Rifle Company under Captain John C. Owens Portsmouth Light Artillery under Captain Carney F. Grimes Newton Marion Rifles under Captain Johannis Watson Old Dominion Guard under Captain Edward Kearns Portsmouth National Light Infantry Greys under Captain John E. Deans Dismal Swamp Rangers under Captain James C. Choate On April 17, 1861, the Virginia state legislature by a vote of 88–55, passed the ordinance of secession which would be remanded to a vote of the people the following month. Civil War (1861-1865) Militia Service April 1861 In the early morning hours of the 19th, Major General William Booth Taliaferro, under orders from Governor John Letcher arrived in the City of Norfolk and established his headquarters at the Atlantic Hotel on Main Street. Although the sun had not yet risen, local militia commanders from within the city, as well as neighboring Portsmouth wasted no time in seeking to report their numbers and condition as well as procure any orders which were handed down by the governor. Taliaferro, in reporting back to the governor described the situation as such. “I found the military force of the city, none of which had been called into service to consist of a battalion of volunteers and a few detached companies in all numbering not a great deal over 300 men and the force of the town of Portsmouth to consist of a regiment of volunteers of about the same strength. The militia of the two towns were without arms and there was no naval force in the State service to cooperate with me. The only artillery consisted of a few 6 pounder field pieces. The harbor of Norfolk and approaches thereto were entirely unprotected against attack from Federal vessels.” These twelve organizations, which including the 3rd