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Amick's Rangers
ORDER OF BATTLE
1861-Reorganization |
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Page 3 |
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On July 13 Gen. Garnett was killed at Laurel Hill and the Wise Legion defeated at Tyler Mountain July 24, Confederate forces fell back towards the Gauley River. With forces in disarray, Gen. H.R. Jackson takes command at the death of Garnett, and is soon replaced by Gen. Loring. |
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General Wise began the brigading of the Wise Legion and the Kanawha Regiments of Col. Tompkins at Gauley Mount, home of Colonel Tompkins. General Rosencraz was advancing up the Gauley, and when news of the death of General Garnett reached Gen. Wise, he feared he would be cutoff from Lewisburg and supplies if the yankee forces combined near Summerville. Hurriedly, Wise ordered a retreat of all Confederate forces back towards Lewisburg.
The 22nd Inf. was just completing its organization and muster. The 36th Inf. had not yet finished muster, and the Third Kanawha was only beginning to brigade new volunteer companies when the "Wise Retrograde" was ordered. Because Gen. Wise burned the bridge at Gauley Mount, all forces quickly retreated. Soldiers were retreating past their homes and farms, the weather turned rainy, and in the chaos that followed, entire companies disappeared as soldiers deserted to protect their homes. Many had volunteered only to protect the Kanawha, and now Gen. Wise was retreating towards Lewisburg without a fight. |
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General John B. Floyd arrived with his brigade in July. Gen. Floyd also claimed to have an independent command appointed by Gov. Letcher, that Gen. Wise was to join his command, and the Kanawha Regiments were transferred to his command. Gen. Wise leaves in late September. Gen. H. R. Jackson leaves for Georgia in Nov. 1861
Gen. Floyd arrives and takes command of forces at Carnifex Ferry, and the Kanawha Regiments are assigned piecemeal from Gen. Wise to General Floyd, as tyhey bicker back and forth over the command of Col. Thompkins regiments. Floyd decides to retreat to Meadow Bluff after the battle at Carnifex Ferry, and numerous companies desert to Gen. Wise, entrenched at Sewell Mountain in his Camp Defiance. |
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Brigadier General John B. Floyd
Southwest Virginia Brigade
45th Virginia Infantry
50tth Virginia Infantry
51st Virginia Infantry
20th Mississippi Infantry
13th Georgia Infantry
Phillips Legion
8th Virginia Cavalry |
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Governor Letcher sent Major General R. E. Lee to the region, although his mission was unspecified. On Aug. 26, 1861, General Lee placed General Loring in command of the Allegheny, replacing General Hnery Jackson. Lee had not seen military action, and the heroes of the new Confederacy were Beauguard and Johnston, who had just won a victory at Manassas.
In August, General Lee arrived personally to end the bickering between H.R Jackson's numerous independent generals. With the arrival of General Lee and General Floyd, General Wise continues the reorganization of the Wise Legion at Camp Defiance, Sewell Mountain. On Sept. 26, he is called back to Richmond, and General Floyd takes command of all volunteer and militia forces and begins forming his First, Second, and Third Regiments |
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Army of the Kanawha- CSA
General John B. Floyd, September - November 1861
Colonel C. Tompkins
1st Regiment- Col. Tompkins (22nd)
2nd Regiment- Col. John McClausland (36th)
3rd Regiment- doesn't complete muster from unassigned companies
(from 45th, 50th & 51st, later 23rd & 26th- Col James W. Massie)
Fayette Rangers- Capt. Phil Thurmond (Company L, 51st)
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Of note during August are the meetings of Confederate officers at the Greenbrier, as the Wise Legion, Gen. Floyd's Southwest Virginia Brigade, and General Loring's Army of Valley Mountain, and Beckley's 35th Regt, were being mustered and re-organized. Tompkins 22nd and 36th Volunteer Regiments are piecemeal assigned to Gen. Floyd, until Gen. Wise is recalled back to Richmond. The men prefer Tompkins volunteer companies, the militia attracts few men, and with the arrest of General Beckley, the "35th Regiment" fails to muster and disappears. The Volunteer Regiments are transferred to the CSA, but the Kanawha companies have few men left, due to the back and forth marching, measles, and soldiers leaving to protect their homes. The Kanawha Regiments are briefly assigned to the Army of Northern Virginia in December and by January to the new Department of Western Virginia. In early 1862 the militia system ends, replaced by the Virginia Sate Line. As the short volunteer and militia enlistments expire, the men re-enlist to the new CSA Kanawha companies more on kinship than the county lines used for the old militia system. |
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Con't on Pg 4 |
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Soldier List |
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