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The 22nd Virginia Infantry Regiment, originally known as the 1st Kanawha Regiment, was an infantry regiment of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. The regiment had a good fighting reputation, and participated in nearly all of the campaigns that took place in what is now known as part of West Virginia. The environment where it fought was often difficult, with mountains and rivers that were difficult to cross. During its early years, the regiment often served under brigade and division commanders who were some of the Confederacy's less competent generals.

Most of the regiment's men came from counties located near the Kanawha River and tributaries such as the Coal, Elk, Gauley, and New rivers. At the beginning of the war, the Kanawha River was in western Virginia, but it became part of the Union state of West Virginia in the middle of 1863. All of the regiment's fighting occurred in the states of Virginia and West Virginia. For most of its existence, the regiment's commander was Colonel George S. Patton Sr., grandfather of World War II General George S. Patton. In cases where Patton was a temporary brigade commander, the regiment was often commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Andrew R. Barbee.

At the 1863 Confederate victory at the Battle of White Sulphur Springs, Patton first proved his ability to successfully command a brigade. However, the regiment suffered a significant loss later in the year when Major Robert A. Bailey was mortally wounded at the Battle of Droop Mountain. In 1864, the regiment fought in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The regiment's most important fight was the Third Battle of Winchester. In this battle, the regiment was flanked by Union cavalry while it was facing Union infantry. The entire brigade was decimated, and Patton was mortally wounded while rallying the remnants of the brigade in Winchester. A September 29 inspection report listed barely 100 enlisted men available to the regiment for duty, and no officer ranking above captain leading the regiment or the regiment's brigade.

Formation and organization
On May 3, 1861, Virginia governor John Letcher commissioned Christopher Q. Tompkins as colonel of Virginia volunteers, and assigned him the task of defending the Kanawha Valley from Union troops massing along the state's northern border at the Ohio River. Tompkins, a businessman and graduate of the United States Military Academy (a.k.a. West Point), established a camp near the Coal and Kanawha rivers to train volunteers. Tompkins was a veteran of the Second Seminole War and the Mexican–American War. He was able to organize two regiments, and they were named the First Kanawha and Second Kanawha. These two regiments were the predecessors of the 22nd and 36th Virginia infantries, respectively.

One of the first militia companies to join Tompkins had already existed since 1856. Lawyer George S. Patton, a graduate of Virginia Military Institute, formed a company of men from the Charleston, Virginia, area, and he was its captain. Patton was living in Charleston, Virginia, which is located in Kanawha County on the Kanawha River. Originally called the "Kanawha Minutemen", the company's name became "Kanawha Rifles" and then "Kanawha Riflemen". After the American Civil War began, Patton enlisted on May8, 1861, as captain of CompanyH—which consisted of the Kanawha Riflemen.

Another company, known as the Fayetteville Rifles, joined the First Kanawha Regiment on May 10. Although this company was named after the town of Fayetteville, only a few of its men were from the town. Most of the others lived near other Fayette County communities such as Oak Hill and Cotton Hill. The company drilled at Camp Tompkins for about six weeks beginning in early June. The company's captain was Robert Augustus Bailey. Putnam County contributed a company known as the Border Rifles. Their original captain was Andrew R. Barbee.

The full First Kanawha Regiment eventually consisted of eight companies of infantry, one company of cavalry, and one artillery company. Most of its men were from eight counties located in the region: Boone, Fayette, Jackson, Kanawha, Monroe, Nicholas, Putnam, and Wyoming. These counties typically contributed entire companies to the regiment, although some companies were combined while some became part of other regiments. On July7, Patton was commissioned lieutenant colonel of the regiment.

In early August, the regiment was reorganized into the Confederate Army as the 22nd Virginia Infantry and consisted of ten infantry companies. In addition to the counties already named, the 22nd Virginia Infantry had men from Alleghany, Craig, Greenbrier, and Roane counties. With the exception of Alleghany and Greenbrier counties, all of the home counties of the regiment's men eventually joined the Union state of West Virginia. In November 1861, Tompkins resigned after a dispute with Brigadier General John B. Floyd, and moved back to Richmond. Bailey was promoted to major in December. Barbee was elected lieutenant colonel of the regiment in a May 1862 reorganization, and promoted to colonel in 1864.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/4247107. https://theclio.com/entry/39896 https://ranger95.com/civil_war/armies%20of%20the%20confederacy/army%20of%20the%20kanawha/army_of_the_kanawha.htm https://archive.wvculture.org/history/journal_wvh/wvh55-1.html

Early service
In 1861, former Virginia governor Henry A. Wise was commissioned as brigadier general (despite no military experience) and sent to Charleston, Virginia. He arrived on June 24, and his immediate task was to defend the Kanawha Valley from the United States Army (a.k.a. Union Army or Federal Army). Brigadier General Jacob Dolson Cox was the Union commander assigned to secure the Ohio River and the Kanawha River Valley. On July 17, the Kanawha Riflemen, led by Colonel George S. Patton, were attacked by two Union infantry regiments supported by an artillery battery. Patton's men held a defensive position at the mouth of Scary Creek on the south side of the Kanawha River, but were eventually driven away. Patton led a charge and was wounded, but turned the Union flank and successfully drove them off. Union casualties totaled 33, while Confederate losses were 16. This small fight became known as the Battle of Scary Creek.

In May 1862, Union Brigadier General Jacob Dolsen Cox gained control of Princeton in Mercer County. Cox planned to attack further south with his First and Second brigades, and hoped to reach the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad at the Dublin Depot near New Bern. This railroad was one of two railroads, the other was the Virginia Central Railroad, in the region that were important to the Confederacy for transporting soldiers and supplies. Cox sent the 23rd Ohio Infantry Regiment to Pearisburg (a.k.a. Giles Court House) in Giles County, Virginia on May 6. Further south, Confederate Brigadier General Henry Heth was in command of what he called the "Army of New River". Heth's command was part of the Department of Southwest Virginia, which was commanded by Major General William W. Loring. The Department's headquarters was located in southwestern Virginia at the Dublin railroad depot on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. Heth's force arrived in Pearisburg on May 10, and caused the 23rd Ohio Infantry to withdraw back toward Princeton after a skirmish. Although reports cite numerous casualties, only two soldiers have ever been confirmed as killed in the skirmish. Patton was slightly wounded near the end of the skirmish, and was praised in Heth's report.

Battle of Lewisburg
MG Anderson

Service
The 22nd saw action at Carnifex Ferry and later lost twenty-one percent of the 550 engaged at Droop Mountain. It was assigned to Echols' and Patton's Brigade, participated in the Shenandoah Valley operations, and disbanded during the spring of 1865.

In 1859 the Militia unit changed its name permanently to the Kanawha Riflemen. As the Civil War began in western Virginia the 22nd was known as the 1st Kanawha Riflemen upon entering into service of the Confederacy in June 1861. The 22nd Virginia was formed under Captain Patton. Captain Patton later commissioned to be Colonel of the 22nd Virginia in the Army of Kanawha under Generals Henry Wise, who was a former Governor of Virginia.

The first Baptism of Fire came on July 17, 1861, at the Battle of Scary Creek. Captain George Patton won a major victory for the Confederates, and he was wounded in the shoulder, he was left at Charleston, West Virginia. During his absence, the 22nd Virginia was placed under the command of Colonel Christopher Q. Tompkins.

The infighting between Wise and John B. Floyd (also a former Governor of Virginia himself who had been sent to the Kanawha Valley) and the disorder of the Confederate forces caused President Jefferson Davis to send General Robert E. Lee to the region to supervise. Following the unsuccessful attack to take Cheat Mountain to the north, Lee moved south to take command of the Army of the Kanawha Valley District after Floyd's defeat at Carnifex Ferry on September 10, 1861. Prior to Carnifex Ferry, Floyd sent a dispatch to General Wise stating he needed support in order to keep his position. General Wise denied the arrival of part of his army until another dispatch came, this time begging for support. General Wise detached the 22nd Virginia to aid Floyd. By the time the 22nd Virginia arrived on the scene it was too late and Floyd was forced to retreat. General Lee went to settle the differences of these two generals. General Lee's objective was to push the Union Army back into Ohio.

After his weak assault on Sewell Mountain General Lee had General Wise removed from Western Virginia and transferred to North Carolina. General Lee then decided to have the 22nd transferred to General Floyd's Army of Southwestern Virginia.

In the early part of 1862, after the Romney Campaign, Floyd transferred to Tennessee and General Henry Heth took over as the commanding officer of the Army of New River under General William W. Loring's Department of Southwestern Virginia. The small force won at the Battle of Giles Court House on May 10, 1862, but were quickly overrun at the Battle of Lewisburg on May 23, 1862. General Heth was very disliked by the members of the 22nd Virginia. Reasons behind this disliking started at Lewisburg. General Heth misjudged the numbers of the Union Army under General Crook, which led to ultimate disaster. During the battle the Union Army managed to take possession of a Confederate cannon, which dated back to the Revolutionary War and was the cannon that the British has surrendered at Yorktown. It finally boiled over when General Heth's army started to disobey orders. In September, the regiment fought in Major General William W. Loring's Kanawha Valley Campaign of 1862 as part of a brigade commanded by Brigadier General John S. Williams or detached to a brigade commanded by Colonel Gabriel C. Wharton.

General John Echols reformed the Army of South Western Virginia in the spring of 1863. The 22nd Virginia spent the spring on a series of raids called the Jones and Imboden Raid. The raid went completely around West Virginia and entered Oakland, Maryland. The purpose of the raid was to destroy the over hangs where the B&O Railroad was vital. On April 24, the raid carried over to Beverly, West Virginia. Once settled in Beverly, the 22nd Virginia was engaged in a skirmish that captured several Union troops and supplies. During the month of August, the 22nd Virginia was stationed near Lewisburg. White Sulphur Springs was the place of a famous health spa and a scene of a huge battle (the Battle of White Sulphur Springs) between The 22nd Virginia and Federal forces under the command of General Averell. The federal objective was to seize the law books at the Virginia State Law Library at Lewisburg. These books contained information on the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals for the convenience of lawyers and judges. Colonel Patton marched his army down Anthony's Creek Road and the Union army went by way of James River Pike. The two forces met at the intersection of where these two roads met. Colonel Patton deployed his men at once, blocking the road. The battle lasted all day and carried over to the following day. Both armies were running low on supplies, and the Federal army was forced to withdraw from the field. Colonel Patton had a decisive victory for the Confederates.

The Battle of Droop Mountain occurred on November 6, 1863. At dawn the Union Army under the command of General Averell, sent out skirmishers to test the Confederate line. The Confederates there, held the ground and this forced General Averell to send a detachment of troops to the west where they were ordered to attack the Confederate left. Echols was aware of the situation even though the center and the right were heavily engaged, and ordered the left flank to be reinforced. Sending out the 23rd Virginia Battalion to support the Confederate left. Seeing the Confederate right and center falling back, Echols sent three companies of the 22nd Virginia to support the left flank. Patton informed Echols that the left flank was on the verge of collapse. As the order of retreat was called to the Confederates, Colonel Jackson held the center for another half hour until the artillery was removed from the field. The Confederates retreated into the woods and disappeared from sight. Even though the battle of Droop Mountain was a Confederate defeat, Echols managed to survive from the main thrust of the Union Army and prevented Averell from completing their raid on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad.

After the battle of Droop Mountain, (West) Virginia in November 1863 the Army of South Western Virginia was almost destroyed. In 1864 the 22nd Virginia was transferred to General John C. Breckinridge to protect the Shenandoah Valley from the invading Federals. In May at New Market, Virginia the 22nd made a stand next to the V.M.I.'s, which was the 22nd's biggest victory. By late spring the 22nd Virginia was called to Richmond, Virginia to take part in protecting the Confederate Capital at Cold Harbor, as Grant's Army was invading the state once again, this time not retreating as previous generals have done in the past. Western Virginia would never be claimed by her mother state of Virginia again and General Lee needed men desperately. This led to the 22nd Virginia Infantry being pulled from West Virginia.

By the summer of 1864 the 22nd Virginia went with the Army of the Valley to rid the Yankees, under General Franz Sigel, from Lynchburg, Virginia. They also went into the Shenandoah Valley to relieve some of the pressure off of General Lee's lines and force Grant to send troops away from Petersburg. Therefore, the 22nd Virginia would soon be part of a raid that would attack Washington (DC). The 22nd Virginia left Petersburg during June 1864 to attack the Federals there and relieve pressure of Federal occupation of the town. The first task was completed with the liberation of Lynchburg. General Jubal Early then traveled up the Shenandoah Valley and entered Maryland at Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

Once there the raid carried over to Hagerstown with the demand of 20, 000 dollars from the town. The officer in charge misunderstood the order and accidentally forgot to add an extra zero to that number. On July 8 at Turners Gap, near Middletown MD, the 22nd Virginia engaged in a series of skirmishes that finally ended at Frederick, Maryland in the late evening. On July 9 the 22nd Virginia served as reserves during the battle of Monocacy. July 11, the 22nd Virginia was called out at Fort Stevens, three miles from the White House. The battle was called off the following day. Early retreated to White's Ford and entered Leesburg, Virginia. Once Early entered the Shenandoah Valley, the 22nd Virginia participated in the battles of Cool Springs, Kernstown, and Winchester. On September 16, during the retreat from Winchester, Colonel George Patton was wounded and taken prisoner. By September 25, Colonel Patton died refusing amputation to his leg.

At the Battle of Cedar Creek, the 22nd Virginia had almost been wiped out, as they had about 140 soldiers left in the ranks. After Cedar Creek, Early was removed from command along with Breckinridge. General John Echols was given command of what was left of the Army of South Western Virginia and the Army of the Valley. Both armies made a last attempt to regain control of West Virginia and failed. By 1865 the armies did not have enough manpower and started for Lynchburg to rejoin General Lee. On April 15 a telegram was sent to the 22nd Virginia Infantry telling them that General Lee had surrendered at Appomattox, Virginia. By that time the 22nd Virginia had already started to disband. Other members of the 22nd Virginia, who still wanted to fight, were marching off for Tennessee. The last company to disband was Company H, when they received word that General Johnston had surrendered in North Carolina at the Bennett Place.

By 1864, the influence of peace party and pro-Union organizations, particularly the Red Strings, into the 22nd Virginia Infantry and the 54th Virginia Infantry was unknown. Secretary of War James Seddon investigated the allegations.