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The 22nd Regiment Virginia Cavalry, also known as Bowen's Regiment Virginia Mounted Riflemen, was organized October 27, 1863, with 10 companies, described below. The regiment was raised by Colonel Henry S. Bowen, former Colonel of the 188th (Tazewell County) Militia. Brigadier General John Stuart Williams had given Bowen authority to raise the regiment.
Southwest Virginia's 22nd Virginia Cavalry, one of the last regular Confederate regiments raised in Virginia during the War for Southern Independence. Two companies of the regiment previously served in Baldwin's Squadron Partisan Rangers, therefore some men served most of the war. However, most of the regiment was raised in the summer of 1863. The regiment was immediately pressed into service with General Samuel Jones' Confederate forces opposing Federal troops occupying East Tennessee.
After some hard service the regiment was trained and allowed to do nothing for several months. During these months of inactivity, the regiment remained close to home guard the saltworks at Saltville and the communication lines at Marion, Virginia.
Federal pressure mounted on Southwest Virginia in the spring of 1864, which culminated in the Battle of Cloyds' Mountain in early May. The regiment was called out, and assigned to Albert Jenkins' Brigade. Jenkins was killed at Cloyds' Mountain and the regiment found itself riding with John McCausland and served with him through out the first phase of the 1864 Shenandoah Valley Campaign, including the raids on Washington, D.C. and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. The command suffered its worst losses at the Battle of Moorefield, West Virginia. The command endured the hardships of Early's Army with the best of the Southern soldiers, despite the high average age of the regiment. The regiment more than held its own against George Armstrong Custer's Brigade at the Battle of Third Winchester--its shining moment.
The regiment, with Early's much emaciated Army, served out the fall in the Valley and returned to winter quarters, where the 22nd Cavalry disintegrated. About 20 men rode with McCausland in the spring of 1865, and only two were paroled at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865 when General Lee's once might Army of Northern Virginia gave up the ghost.
A complete roster can be found here :
http://members.aol.com/jweaver300/grayson/22vacav.htm#roster"
The regiment was organized as follows:
The Field and Staff Officers of the 22nd Virginia Cavalry were:
Henry S. Bowen, Colonel
John Taylor Radford, Lieutenant Colonel, killed in action
Hiram F. Kendrick, Major
P. J. Lockhart, Chaplain
N. A. Stuart, Asst. Quartermaster
Isaac E. Chapman, Asst. Quartermaster
H. Cate, Assistant Quartermaster
Charles W. Wyatt, Adjutant
William P. Horton, Acting Adjutant
J. W. Stalnaker, Surgeon
Newton Wyatt, Asst. Commissary of Supply
Company A - Captain Abram Fuller's Company (Formerly Captain Henry F. Kendrick's Company, and Company B, Baldwin's Squadron). This company was formed by a division of Baldwin's Squadron before February 1, 1863. Some men had enlisted as early as August 4, 1862. Men from this company were from Scott, Washington and Russell counties.
Officers were:
Hiram F. Kendrick, Captain, later Major
Abram Fuller, Captain
William P. Horton, 1st Lieutenant
Israel Burke, 2nd Lieutenant
John D. Harris, 2nd Lieutenant
Company B - Captain Gordon W. Rife's Company (Previously Company F(2), 21st Battalion, Infantry and for a short time Company F(1), 64th Virginia Infantry). This company was formed, at an undetermined date, primarily from residents of Buchanan County. Gordon Rife previously served in the 34th Battalion Virignia Cavalry, and was obstensably detailed to gather deserters from that unit when he organized this company. Several men who served under Rife were deserters from the 34th, and its enigmatic leader, Vincent A. Witcher.
Officers were:
Gordon W. Rife, Captain
Jeremiah Gibson, 1st Lieutenant
John W. Wolhford, 2nd Lieutenant
Berry Compton, 2nd Lieutenant
Alfred Breeding, 2nd Lieutenant - Killed in Action
Company C - Captain John C. Stanfield's Company was organized on August 13, 1863 in Washington County. Captain Stanfield previously served in Baldwin's Squadron. This company was formed largely from men from Washington County.
Officers were:
John C. Stanfield, Captain
John B. Hamilton, 1st Lieutenant
Theophlus Dunn, 2nd Lieutenant
Robert Horton, 2nd Lieutenant
Company D - Captain Martin Ball's Company, was organized May 1, 1863. The company included some men who formerly served in the 37th Virginia Infantry. Ball had served in the Virginia State Line as a Major and many members of this company may have served there as well. Russell County was the primary source of manpower for Company D.
Officers for this company were:
Martin Ball, Captain
Joseph Boyd, 1st Lieutenant
William L. Ball, 2nd Lieutenant
John W. Ball, 2nd Lieutenant
Company E - Captain Reese M. Baldwin's Company (originally Captain William M. Baldwin's Company) formerly served in Baldwin's Squadron Virginia Cavalry or Partisan Rangers. The original company was mustered into Confederate service on August 4, 1862 from Washington and Russell Counties.
Officers were:
William Marshall Baldwin, Captain
Reese M. Baldwin, Captain
William A. Hughes, 1st Lieutenant
Philip J. Reynolds, 2nd Lieutenant
James Williams, 2nd Lieutenant
Company F - Captain William Washington Brown's Company. This company was organized by August 8, 1863 from Tazewell County men.
Officers were:
William W. Brown, Captain
Jess Barker, 1st Lieutenant
Granville H. Neel, 2nd Lieutenant
John T. Litz, 2nd Lieutenant
Thomas Turley, 2nd Lieutenant
Company G - Captain William O. Moore's Company was organized August 1, 1863, primarily from residents of Wythe County, with significant numbers from Carroll, Grayson, and other surrounding counties.
William B. Moore, Captain
Samuel D. Lockett, 1st Lieutenant
Jacob Moore, 2nd Lieutenant/1st Lieutenant
William L. Hughley, 2nd Lieutenant
William A. Glascock, 2nd Lieutenant.
Company H - Captain Balaam W. Higginbotham's Company, formed by former members of the 188th (Tazewell County) Militia, in which Higginbotham was a captain. The date of organization of this company was August 15, 1863. Most members of this company were residents of Tazewell County, Virginia.
Company officers were:
Balaam W. Higginbotham, Captain
Samuel W. Brooks, 1st Lieutenant
Wesley Hall, 2nd Lieutenant
Benjamin H. Helbent, 2nd Lieutenant
Robert J. Higginbotham, 2nd Lieutenant
Company I - Captain William P. Samples Company was organized August 15, 1863. Russell and Tazewell Counties furnished nearly equal numbers to this organization. The total strength known for this company indicate that the records for this company are far from complete.
William P. Samples, Captain
John C. Gillespie, 1st Lieutenant
Larkin J. Samples, 2nd Lieutenant
Robert S. Gillespie, 2nd Lieutenant
Company K - Captain Miles Apperson Francis' Company was organized August 1, 1863 from residents of Russell and Montgomery Counties.
Miles Apperson Francis, Captain
Robert T. McElwyer, 1st Lieutenant
George F. Gunter, 2nd Lieutenant
Andrew J. Lowder, 2nd Lieutenant
William T. Snider, 2nd Lieutenant
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