Unit Histor                                     IN WORK

    Bonham's Regiment was completed at Memphis, and on September 23{1861} reported to General Polk at Columbus, Ky., where they remained until after the battle of Belmont, Novermber 7, of which they were spectators, without being called into action. After this they were ordered back to Union City, Tenn., and thence marched to Fulton, Ky., the night of October 1. October 6 they went into winter quarters at Camp Beauregard, in Graves County, Ky., and remained there until Christmas, making several expeditions meanwhile to Mayfield and Columbus, and once marching in the night to within six or eight miles of Paducah. There were many sick and a considerable number died, among them Colonel Bonham, of pneumonia, in November. The regiment was reported November 30, 795 present, and a part of the brigade of Gen. John S. Bowen at Camp Beauregard. After Christmas they were moved to Clarksville, and thence to Bowling Green, December 29, where they were in winter quarters until February 12, when, on account of Grant's advance to Fort Donelson, General Johnston was compelled to retire to Murfreesboro, Tenn. They were at Nashville the day of battle at Fort Donelson and could hear the artillery. The regiment was about 580 strong in January and was brigaded with the Twenty-fifth Mississippi under Bowen.

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    May 30(1863), brigade present 1,916, Col. Frank Schaller commanding regiment. July 30, Lieut.-Col. H. J. Reid commanding regiment.

    March 19(1863), General Featherston was ordered with his brigade to Snyder's Bluff, whence he took steamer with the 22nd Miss and 33rd Miss Regiments and a section of artillery up Sunflower River to Rolling Fork, where Col. S.W. Ferguson had preceded him with his command from Greenville. They engaged the 5 Federal gunboats under Admiral Porter and Sherman's land forces on April 20th and throughout a period of nearly ten days, until the expedition withdrew through Black bayou.

    April 22, a considerable Federal force was landed on one of the dry spots and an attempt made to cut off the two Miss regiments. The total Confederate losses in the skirmishes were 2 killed and 6 or 8 wounded. In his report of the Rolling Fork campaign Featherson mentioned Capt. W.R. Barksdale, Adjt-Gen; Lieut. A.N. Parker, Aide; Lieut. W.A. Drennan, Ordinance Off; E.M. AcAfee, Volunteer Aide; Major E.H. Cummins, Engineer Officer of Maury's Staff.

    When the gunboat(no name? Union?) had escaped in Black River, the regiment was taken to Fort Pemberton, at the confluence of the Yalobusha and Tallahatchie where Pemberton was withstanding another expedition of gunboats from the Mississippi River which had come down the Yazoo Pass. Here the famous steamer, Star of the West, fired upon at Charlseton harbor January 9, 1861, and captured off Galveston, was sunk as an obstruction of the Tallahatchie. When the high water began to subside the Federal fleet retired.
{Steve's Notes:  Fort Pemberton is located just west of Greenwood, MS, only a few miles from my boyhood hometown.  Commercial ship Star of the West was first ship fired upon at Fort Sumter in January 1861, months before initial bombardment.  It was captured by Confederate cavalry at Galveston, TX and served as support ship for CSS Arkansas.}

    The regiment arrived at Resaca May 12, opened the battle on the 13th, was in reserve the next day and was under fire until the evacuation on the 16th. Featherston's Brigade skirmished at Cassville, and on the Dallas and New Hope Church line was in heavy skirmishing and under bombardment night and day. May 31 the brigade was ordered forward to feel the Federal position, and lost 24 killed and 98 wounded. At the base of Kenesaw Mountain, near marietta, June 27, the brigade repulsed the Federal attack in their front. In general orders William Dennis, Company B; William Hatswell, Company C; and D. M. Dye, Company E, of the Twenty-second Regiment, were commended for gallantry, July 9. In the battle of Peachtree Creek, July 20, the regiment was commanded by Major Oatis, who was severly wounded, Captain J. T. Formby succeeding him. In this battle Company G, Captain Standley, was deployed as skirmishers. After the regiment had occupied the Federal rifle pits on the picket line, they advanced and were compelled to cross a boggy marsh in which some of the bravest and best men were killed by the terrible fire that was concentrated upon them. Yet they went on and drove the enemy from a line of rail works they were building, but were forced to retire to avoid capture. The casualties, 24 killed, 64 wounded, 5 missing.

    Ensign Michael Meagher, Private J. T. Longino, Company A, and Sergeant Harrison Bailey, Company B, all were shot down while carrying the colors. Adjutant C. V. H. Davis, while performing the same duty, and encouraging the men, was killed. Lieutenant Lea, Company C, bore the flag during the rest of the engagement. A newspaper report mentioned also Captains Gay, Farmbry, Hughes, severly wounded; Lieuts. Underwood, Roth, Blalock and Huntley, killed. At the evacuation of Atlanta the regiment was in battle at Rough and Ready, Jonesboro and Flint River. Roll of Honor, published August 10, 1864: Private J. W. Patterson, Company C, for meritorious conduct whilst on picket duty, July 9, 1864; William Dennis, Company B; William Hatswell, Company C; D. M. Nye, Company E.

    In the October, 1864, campaign on the Chattanooga and Atlanta Railroad, Featherston's Brigade captured the Federal post at Big Shanty; was with Loring's Division in the capture of Acworth, and with Stewart's Corps in the destruction of the railroad between Dalton and Resaca, after which they moved through the mountains to Gadsden, Ala., skirmished at Decatur, October 26-29, and moved thence to Tuscumbia.

    November 20 they crossed the Tennessee River with Stewart's Corps, the old Army of Mississippi, then reduced to 12,684 aggregate present, in its nine brigades. By December 9 the aggregate present was only 8,155, of which 1,208 were in Featherston's Brigade. November 26 they confronted Schofiled at Columbia, on the 29th they marched toward Spring Hill, on the 30th they followed Schofield to Franklin on the Harpeth and joined with Cheatham's Corps in the memorable assault upon the Federal works. "The color bearers of the Third and Twenty-second planted their colors on the enemy's works, and were wounded and captured with their colors." (Featherston). Of the brigade 76 were killed, 200 wounded, 76 missing. In the investment of Thomas' army at Nashville Loring's Division held the front of the corps, a line of one mile across the Granny White pike, supported by redoubts on the summit of five hills. Maj. Martin A. Oatis was in command of the regiment on 10th. December 15 Thomas attacked, carried two of the redoubts and broke the line. A second line was formed, Loring's Division formed a new line and checked the flank attack. December 16 they repulsed every attack until the line was broken on their left. On both days many were captured. At Columbia, December 20, Featherston's Brigade was one of the seven selected for Walthall to command as the rear guard of infantry, remaining in the face of the enemy until the rest of the army had gained two days start. December 21 the brigade was reported 727 aggregate, the Twenty-Second, 104. On the retreat they were in battle with their pursuers at Anthony Hill and Sugar Creek, gallantly and successfully, December 25-26.

    They crossed the Tennessee River, December 28, and marched to winter quarters near Tupelo.

    About the first of February, 1865, the remnant of Loring's Division began the movement to reinforce General Johnston in the Carolinas. They were ordered forward from Augusta, Ga., to Newberry, S. C., February 25. In the Carolina campaign against Sherman they participated in the battle of Kinston, March 10, and Bentonville, March 19-21, on the 19th making a gallant and successful charge, but with heavy loss. Organization of army under Gen. J. E. Johnston, near Smithfield, N.C., March 31, 1865, Featherston's Brigade commanded by Major Martin A. Oatis, the Twenty-Second Regiment by Captain G. W. Standley. April 9, First, Twenty-Second and Thirty-Second Regiments and First Battalion consolidated as the Twenty-Second Regiment, Col. Martin A. Oatis commanding. Hostilities were suspended April 18, the army was surrendered April 26 near Durham Station, and paroled at Greensboro.

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