Members of the 22nd Virginia at
Union Mills, Maryland |
We are a family oriented unit that participates in
mid level re-enactments, living histories, preservation,
honor guard, social functions, and parades.
Re-enactments we participate are located in Southern PA,
Virginia, Eastern West Virginia, and in Maryland. There
is no mandatory events that enlistee's or the unit needs
to attend. Meaning when your schedule permits and your
free for a weekend that we have something scheduled,
then come on out. The 22nd is on the road a lot. A two
hour trip is considered a short excursion to a
re-enactment. This depends on where you are located at.
Our re-enactment season is March through November with
one to two events scheduled each month.
There's always something for the family at Civil War
events. Women played an active role in the Civil War.
They supported their beloved as they went off to war
trying to maintain a home life the best that they could.
Many times not only doing their part as mistress of the
house but also playing their role as head of the
household. This is why it is important for women to also
play an active role in Civil War re-enacting. Every
re-enactment has scheduled events planned just for the
ladies of the blue and the gray.
Children are encouraged to come out to the events,
and most units try to give them the hands on learning of
what the Civil War was about. It's a good history lesson
that public schools do not teach. There's always
something for the children to do. Most kids play with
the toys of the days of old and are quite content to
watch the other soldiers walk by. You'll soon find out
that children love being outdoors and doing things with
other children. Re-enacting teaches children a way of
life that is forgotten, and they have a different view
of history. Re-enacting is a way of life and most
re-enactors will tell you it's an experience children of
any age will not soon forget.
In 1999, the 22nd Virginia Infantry made it's first
appearance before the public at the battle re-enactment
of Rich Mountain, West Virginia and has been in service
ever since. Our goal is to identify & raise awareness to
educate the public about the historical Civil War
significance of the western region of what is now West
Virginia. The 22nd Virginia Infantry was one of many
units that served to protect the western counties of
Virginia that became West Virginia. We strive to tell
the importance these men played during the Civil War. It
is important that these battles are not forgotten. There
were many engagements, skirmishes and also major battles
that took place in West Virginia that are often
overlooked. The battles of Droop Mountain, Carnifex
Ferry, Corrick's Ford, and Falling Waters (to name a
few) had an impact of their own on West Virginia's Civil
War history. Today these are some of the battles that
are not mentioned in many of the major Civil War history
books. West Virginia was area that General Lee first
took command of troops and led a disastrous campaign on
Cheat Summit Fort. Many of the troops he commanded in
West Virginia gave him the nick name of "Old Granny."
Even General Lee's famous horse Traveler was given to
him in West Virginia.
Today, the unit re-enacts what life was like in the
22nd Virginia Infantry during the time of the Civil War.
The wonderful world of living history is a great gift
for it allows you see history unfold before your eyes.
This program takes the viewer on a virtual tour of the
past and present. The information gathered here allows
the viewer to see pictures of the present conditions of
the battlefields and history that until now has been
forgotten.
Members of the 22nd Virginia and
the 8th Virginia Infantry Co. K at Hupp's Hill,
Virginia |
Since the creation of our new website, many
descendants have submitted information allowing this
program to expand. The information received was
carefully archived and documented and using information
that is published we have compiled a major history for
the 22nd Virginia. For more information about the 22nd
Virginia Infantry browse through the 22nd Virginia
Resources. There you will find all sources that were
used to create this website. Many books are no longer
published which is why it is even more of a threat that
the 22nd Virginia fades into history as being forgotten.
Our website is updated with material the moment we
receive information given to us by the descendants.
In 2005, we created a separate organization called
the Toms Creek Battlefield Foundation. This organization
is dedicated in preserving the Military History of the
Toms Creek Region. Using the creek name Toms Creek, it
covers a large area reaching from Jacks Mountain Pa,
Fairfield, Pa, and flowing just outside of Emmitsburg
where it connects to the Monocacy River. Today, we a living history group of re-enactors
who portray life as it was during the 1860's.
