22nd Virginia Infantry Regiment

(1st Kanawha Regiment)

Loyalties were divided in the Kanawha region of Virginia in 1861. The area contributed men to both north and the south. The Kanawha Riflemen, led by prominent area citizens fought for the Confederacy. George S. Patton III moved to Charleston, and in 1856, formed the Kanawha Militia, apparently patterning the uniforms after those of the Richmond Virginia Blues, a Light Infantry Militia unit in the capital. The uniform styling was changed shortly after the War started. Patton, a graduate of the VMI Class of 1852, and grandfather of the George S. Patton of WWII fame, originally called his unit the Kanawha Minutemen. The unit consisted of mountain men who preferred the rifled bore Mississippi type weapons which were more accurate than rifles in common use at the time. The name was soon changed to Kanawha Rifles, which was changed to Riflemen. Once the War Between the States began, the 1st Kanawha Riflemen and other militia units in the area became part of the 22nd Infantry Regiment which was organized and accepted by the Confederacy in July of 1861, to serve as part of the Army of Kanawha. Members in this regiment came from the counties of Allegheny, Boone, Craig, Jackson, Nicholas, and Wyoming.

Col. George S. Patton III, CSA link to Find A Grave

.Colonel George S. Patton III
Picture from Find A Grave.
see above link for more info

In the 22nd Regiment's first action on July 17, 1861, the Battle of Scary Creek, Captain George Patton won a major victory for the Confederates. He was wounded in the shoulder during the fighting, and was left in Charleston to recuperate. General Wise, a commander of the Army of Kanawha, assumed command during his absence. Later, Patton was commissioned a Colonel. In other action, the 22nd participated in the Battle of Carnifex Ferry which took place 10 September 1861, in Nicholas County, Virginia, and engaged the enemy during the Battle of Droop Mountain in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, which occurred 6 November 1863. The 22nd was assigned to Echols' and Patton's Brigade and saw action in the Shenandoah Valley campaign. On 16 September 1864, during the retreat from Winchester, Colonel George Patton was wounded and taken prisoner. By 25 September, Colonel Patton died after refusing an amputation to his leg.

By 1865 the army 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. By that time the 22nd Virginia had already started to disband. Other members of the 22nd Virginia, who still wanted to fight, went 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 Bennett Place. The Field officers were Colonels George S. Patten, and C. Q. Tompkins; Lieutenant Colonels Andrew R. Barbee, William A. Jackson, and John C. McDonald; and Majors Robert R. Bailey and Issac N. Smith.The regiment disbanded in 1865.

Familial Connections

Wyoming County

Name	Rank Out	Company	Film No.
Clay, Hyram (Hiram)	Private	G	M382 roll 11
Cook, James H.	Private	G	M382 roll 12
Cook, James Remley*	Private	G	M382 roll 12
Cook, William H.	Sergeant	G	M382 roll 12
Cook, William J.	Sergeant	G	M382 roll 12

*Cook, James Remley was born abt. 1841 : Residence,Wyoming, County,Virginia; enlisted in Charleston, Virginia 7 March 1861 1st Kanawha; 3 July 1861 22nd Virginia Infantry; height 6', fair complexion, blue eyes, fair hair. Information furnished by Judge Richard B. Campbell of Richmond, Virginia, from The Virginia Regimental Histories Series.

See: [ Our Civil War Ancestors ] [ Clifton's Collectibles Genealogy Index ] [ Clay ] [ Cook ] [ Our Web Sites ]

Sources:
22nd Virginia Infantry, By Terry D. Lowry, 1988. H. E. Howard, Inc. Lynchburg, Virginia
War of the Rebellion Compilation, 1890 Washington, D.C.Government Printinng Office
Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
VMI biographical information
Find A Grave website
Various other Internet sites

Modified 16 June 2010