Your description is confusing for those of us that know how a panel is laid out. Probably a foreign language for those that do not ("Row one would be side 1 of the line. Row two would be side 2. Row three would be side 1. Row four side 2. on and on. Each row(or side) is 110v. Your 220 breakers take up two rows." Huh??).
For simplicity, a row is horizontal and a column is vertical. The typical panel has two 110 v feeds; say Leg A and Leg B. Your Breaker "Space" Nos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, ... (as numbered/stamped on your panel) are fed by Leg A, B, B, A, A, B, B, A, ... So looking at the left side (column) of breaker spaces going top to bottom would be fed by Leg A, B, A, B, A, B, A, B, ...and the right side (column) of breaker spaces going top to bottom would be fed by Leg B, A, B, A, B, A, B, A, ... Basically, no adjacent breaker spaces (L/R, above/below) are fed from different legs. As can be seen, a 220 v breaker takes up two above/below spaces.
I'm just trying to clarify what
gslpro is trying to describe. I'm fine with his discussion. Since I have a 220 v table saw in my shop, I just back feed my panel using that receptacle using a 220 v "widowmaker". My wires are sized such that my table saw breaker will adequately protect them. Something to consider if you're feeding through a 20 A 110 v breaker with a cord capable of only delivering 15 A, unless the generator has 15 A overload protection. If this is difficult to follow this, I suggest that you shouldn't be back feeding.
As RLW posted earlier, this link is innformative regarding backup generators:
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...ght=generators
Good luck.