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Military unit / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
22nd Virginia Infantry Regiment | |
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Active | July 1861 – Spring 1865 |
Country | Confederate States of America |
Allegiance | Virginia |
Branch | Confederate States Army |
Role | Infantry |
Nickname(s) | 1st Kanawha Regiment |
Engagements | American Civil War 1861: Scary Creek, Kessler's Cross Lanes, Carnifex Ferry, Siege of Cotton Hill |
Commanders | |
Colonel | Christopher Q. Tompkins |
Colonel | George S. Patton † |
Lt. Colonel | Andrew R. Barbee |
Major | R. Augustus Bailey † |
Lt. Colonel | John Claiborne McDonald |
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.