22nd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment

22nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
The regimental monument of the 22nd Massachusetts on Sickles Road, near the Wheatfield, on the Gettysburg Battlefield
Active	September 28, 1861 – October 17, 1864
Country	United States of America
Allegiance	Union
Branch	Union Army
Type	Infantry
Size	1,393
Part of	In 1863: 2nd Brigade (Tilton's), 1st Division (Barnes's), V Corps, Army of the Potomac
Nickname(s)	"Henry Wilson's Regiment"
Commanders
Notable commanders	Col. Henry Wilson, Sep 1861 – Oct 1861 Col. Jesse Gove, Oct 1861 – Jun 1862 Col. William S. Tilton, Sep 1862 – May 1863 and May 1864 – Oct 1864
Insignia
V Corps (1st Division) badge

The 22nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army during the American Civil War. The 22nd Massachusetts was organized by Senator Henry Wilson (future Vice-president during the Ulysses Grant administration) and was therefore known as "Henry Wilson's Regiment." It was formed in Boston, Massachusetts, and established on September 28, 1861, for a term of three years.^[1]

Arriving in Washington in October 1861, the regiment spent the following winter in camp at Hall's Hill, near Arlington in Virginia. It became part of the Army of the Potomac, with which it would be associated for its entire term of service. The regiment saw its first action during the siege of Yorktown in April 1862. It was involved in the Peninsular campaign, particularly the Battle of Gaines' Mill during which it suffered its worst casualties (numerically) of the war.^[2] Their worst casualties in terms of percentages took place during the Battle of Gettysburg (60 percent).^[3] The 22nd Massachusetts was present for virtually all of the major battles in which the Army of the Potomac fought, including the Second Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Antietam, the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Battle of Chancellorsville, the Battle of Gettysburg and Lieutenant General Ulysses Grant's Overland campaign. The 22nd was especially proficient in skirmish drill and was frequently deployed in that capacity throughout the war.^[4]

During the siege of Petersburg in October 1864, the 22nd Massachusetts was removed from the lines and sent home to Massachusetts. Of the 1,100 who initially belonged to the unit, only 125 returned at the end of their three years of service.^[5] Of these losses, roughly 300 were killed in action or died from wounds received in action, approximately 500 were discharged due to wounds or disease, and approximately 175 were lost or discharged due to capture, resignation, or desertion.^[6]