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Grant's army, and took part in the reduction of that rebel stronghold.
On the 10th of March following it moved across the country with
the balance of the army to Metal Landing on the Tennessee river,
six miles above Fort Henry, where it took steamer for Pittsburg
Landing, but before arriving there received orders to stop at
Crump's Landing, five miles below Pittsburg; it formed a part
of the Second Brigade of General Lew Wallace's Division. The
brigade was commanded by Colonel Thayer, of the 1st Nebraska,
(now Brigadier-General); it was not engaged in the battle of Shiloh,
being left in charge of camp and train at Crump's Landing. It
took part in the skirmishes in the advance on Corinth, and the
siege of that place. After the fall of Corinth it was marched
to Bolivar, Tennessee, and took part in the movement on Iuka,
and in the battle of Matamora, on the Hatchie river, with Price
and Van Dorn; after which it formed part of the Second Brigade
of General John A. Logan's Division, and was in the Northern Mississippi
campaign, and arrived at Memphis, Tennessee, January 25, 1863;
from thence it moved down the Mississippi river to Lake Providence,
and helped to dig the canal from the river to the lake at that
place; from thence it moved down the river to Milliken's Bend,
and assisted in building the military road from the Bend to New
Carthage – the road by which Grant's army moved to gain the river
below Vicksburg – and on the 1st day of May, 1863, it crossed
the Mississippi and took part in the battle of Thompson's Hill;
following the enemy closely, it took part in the battles of Raymond,
Mississippi, May 12, 1863, and Jackson, Mississippi, May 14, and
Champion Hills, May 16, 1863, and participated in the entire siege
of Vicksburg, and all the raids in Mississippi, from Vicksburg
to Jackson, Canton, Bogachitta, Meridian, and the Monroe raid,
in Louisiana. The regiment reorganized as veterans December 15,
1863, and went home as a veteran organization in April. After
returning to Cairo, May 10, it moved with its old brigade, second,
Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, up the Tennessee river
to Clifton Landing, from there it marched across the country to
Huntsville, Alabama, from there to Rome, Georgia, from Rome to
Ackworth, where it joined Sherman's army. It participated in
the fight at Big Shanty, Bushy Mountain, Kenesaw, Nickajack Creek,
Atlanta, July 21st, 22d and 23d, and the entire siege of Atlanta;
also at Jonesboro and Lovejoy Station; also in the famous chase
after Hood through Northern Georgia and Alabama, and in "Sherman's
March to the Sea." It participated in the siege of Savannah,
and Sherman's raid through the Carolinas; at Pocataligo, Orangeburg,
Columbia, Bentonville, Raleigh, etc. The regiment has marched
on foot over five thousand miles since its first organization.
The regiment was first commanded by Colonel Samuel H. Steedman;
he was succeeded by Colonel (now Brigadier-General) R. K. Scott;
he was succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel George E. Welles, who now
commands it; the regiment not being a minimum one, is not entitled
to a Colonel. The regiment has lost in killed and wounded since
entering the field over three hundred men. The aggregate strength
of the regiment at present is 525, 375 of whom are now in camp
for duty. The following are the field and staff: Lieutenant-Colonel,
Geo. E. Welles; Major, Arthur Crockett; Surgeon, John G. Bigham;
Adjutant, H. Welty; Quartermaster, Elmer Y. Smutz.
SEVENTEENTH
WISCONSIN VETERAN VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
This regiment was organized at Madison, Wisconsin,
on the 10th of March, 1862, under orders from the Governor, and
was composed principally of Irishmen. Its original Colonel, John
L. Duran, resigned November 25th, 1862, and was succeeded by its
present Colonel. Shortly after its |
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