ILLINOIS SEVENTEENTH INFANTRY. (three years)

The Seventeenth Regiment Of Illinois Infantry Volunteers was mustered into the United States service at Peoria Ill., on the 26th day of May, 1861. Left camp on the 17th of June for Alton, Ill., for the purpose of more fully completing its organization and arming. Late in July it proceeded from Alton to St. Charles, Mo., remaining but one day; thence went to Warrenton, Mo. where it remained in camp about two weeks Company "A" being detailed as body guard to General John Pope, with headquarters at St. Charles. The Regiment left Warrenton for St. Louis, and embarked on transports for Bird's Point, Mo. Remained at Bird's Point some weeks' doing garrison duty; then proceeded to Sulphur Springs Landing debarking there, proceeded, via Pilot Knob and Ironton, to Fredericktown, Mo., in pursuit of General Jeff Thompson, and joined General B. M. Prentiss, command at Jackson, Mo.; thence proceeded to Kentucky and aided in the construction of Fort Holt; then ordered to Elliott's Mills; remained there a short time and returned to Fort Holt; thence to Cape Girardeau, and with other Regiments were again sent in pursuit of General Jeff. Thompson's forces. Met and defeated them at Frederick town, Mo., October 21, 1861, losing several killed and wounded. The Regiment charged the enemy's lines early in the engagement, completely routing him. Captured two 6-pound howitzers and 200 prisoners. The enemy fled in great confusion, leaving his dead upon the field among whom was the Brigade Commander, Colonel Lowe. Among the killed and wounded on the Union side was First Lieutenant J. Q. A. Jones, Company "K, killed ; Second Lieutenant Owan Wilkins , Company 'A' wounded, and Sergeant Jacob Wheeler, Company "K," was twice wounded, once dangerously. October 22, pursued the enemy, and engaged him near Greenfield, Ark., which the Seventeenth lost one killed and several wounded. Returned to Cape Girardeau, doing provost duty until early in February. 1862, when ordered to Fort Henry. Participated in the sanguinary battle, followed by the surrender of Fort Donelson, losing a number of men; thence marched to Metal Landing; thence embarked for Savannah, later arriving at Pittsburgh Landing, where the Regiment was assigned to the First Division of the Army of West Tennessee, under command of General John A. McClernand, and upon the memorable field of Pittsburgh Landing took part in the momentous battles of the 6th and 7th of April. On the 6th the Regiment was under fire from early morn until night, when a rain set in. Meanwhile under the dauntless and skillful leading of General McClernand, the field contested with fluctuating success in seven successive positions. At nightfall he formed his decimated ranks for the eighth time upon the Seventeenth Regiment to rest on their arms until the morning of the 7th, when the Regiment with the Division moved forward to the attack, and in co-operation with the other Union forces, after a fierce and stubborn conflict, drove the enemy from the field. it is a notable fact that the First Division, including the Seventeenth Regiment, maintained its organization, not only amid the wreck and confusion of the 6th, but also on the 7th. It fought out the two days, battle. Had not this been so, the Union forces must have been overwhelmed on the first day, and to General McClernand, perhaps more than to any one commander, is due the credit of averting this calamity. In the two days the Seventeenth lost some 130 killed and wounded. The victory won, later the Regiment marched with the advance forces to Corinth. After the evacuation of Corinth, marched to Purdy, Bethel, and Jackson, Tenn. ; remained there until 17th of July, when the Regiment was ordered to Bolivar, and assigned to duty as provost guard. Remained at Bolivar until November, 1862, during which time participated in the expedition to Iuka. to reinforce General Rosecrans. Afterwards at the battle of Hatchie. Returned again to Bolivar; remained there until middle of November. Then ordered to Lagrange, reporting to Major General John A. Logan; were assigned to duty as provost guard, Colonel Norton being assigned to the command at that post. Early in December marched to Holly Springs; thence to Abbeyville, guarding railroads; thence to Oxford. After the capture of Holly Springs, was assigned to the Sixth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, under Major General McPherson; then proceeded, via Moscow, to Collierville, from there to Memphis, and was assigned to duty at the navy yard. Remained there until January 16; then embarked for Vicksburg; re-embarked and proceeded to Lake Providence, La., then the headquarters Of the Seventeenth Army Corps, doing duty there until the investment of Vicksburg commenced. Arriving at Milliken's Bend on or about May 1st, commenced to march across the Delta to Perkins, Landing, on the Mississippi river; thence to crossing below Grand Gulf, advancing with McPherson's command, via Raymond Champion Hills, Jackson, Big Black, and to the final investment of Vicksburg. After the surrender of that city, remained there doing garrison duty and making incursions into the enemy's country as far east as Meridian; west as far as Monroe, La. Returning to Vicksburg, remained there until May, 1864the term of service of the Regiment expiring on the 24th of May, of that year. The Regiment was ordered to Springfield, Ill., for musterout and final discharge, when and where those of the original organization who did not re-enlist as veterans were mustered out and discharged. A sufficient number not having re-enlisted to entitle them to retain their regimental organization, the veterans and recruits whose term of service had not expired were consolidated with the Eighth Illinois Infantry Volunteers, and were finally mustered out with that Regiment and discharged in the spring of 1866. ORDERS OF CONSOLIDATION. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE. PUMPKIN VINE CHURCH, GA., May 26, 1864. SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS, No. 42. Extract.--IV. The Veterans of the Seventeenth Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers will 'be consolidated with the Eighth Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers. Major General Slocum, commanding at Vicksburg, Miss., will issue the necessary orders in the case. WILLIAM T. CLARK, A. A. G. By order Major General JAMES B. MCPHERSON, Official: J. W. MILLER, J. A. G. HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF VICKSBURG, VICKSBURG, MISS., June 14, 1864. SPECIAL ORDERS, NO.20 Extract-III. The detachment of the seventeenth Illinois veteran volunteers will be consolidated into a battalion of companies under the directions of the commanding officer, who will make the necessary assignment of the men to carry out this order. HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF VICKSBURG, VICKSBURG, MISS., June 17, 1864. SPECIAL ORDERS, No. 45. Extract.--III. In pursuance of instructions contained in Special Field Orders No. 20, dated "Headquarters Department and Army of the Tennessee, Pumpkin Vine Church, Ga., May 26, 1864," the Veterans of the Seventeenth Infantry Illinois Volunteers will be consolidated with the Eighth Illinois infantry Volunteers. The commanding officer of the Eighth Illinois Infantry will superintend the re-organization, making all necessary assignments to companies and causing all supernumerary commissioned officers to be mustered out of the service. Should an excess of the members of the noncommissioned staff, beyond the number prescribed, by law, occur, he will also cause the same to be mustered out. H, C. RODGERS, A.A.G. By command of Major General SLOCUM. Source: Illinois Adjutant-General's Report, vol. 2, p. 61 Shiloh after battle report: Report of Lieut. Col. Enos P. Wood, Seventeenth Illinois Infantry. Early on the morning of the 6th of April heavy firing was heard in our front, but thinking it proceeded from our pickets, very little attention was paid to it, except to order the men to be ready to fall in at a moment's notice. About 7.30 a. m. notice came that we were really attacked, when our long roll beat, and the regiment, about 400 strong, fell in promptly. After waiting a time for orders, Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen. Ryan came with orders from Col. Raith (who was in command of our brigade by seniority) to the left of Sherman's division, our regiment forming the right of the Third Brigade. In this position our regiment rested behind the encampment of an Ohio regiment, our left in a ravine. A section of some battery and a few skirmishers were already fighting in our front. After a time the enemy seemed to give back here, and we could see them on the opposite hill deploying men and forming heavy columns of regiments, which very soon commenced to advance. Our front was now ordered to be changed obliquely on our right, throwing the entire left of our brigade back, so as to be clear to the ravine. Very soon the enemy made his appearance, and our boys opened fire on him, doing fine execution. Our fire seemed to check their advance for a short time, when they again advanced, and as they seemed to be flanking us on the left our regiment changed front again and moved obliquely to the left, the regiment on our right having given way and fallen entirely to our rear. The enemy now took possession of the battery in front of our left, about 200 distant, and planting their colors on one of the guns, Lieut. Davis, of Company K, seized a musket, which had just fallen from the hands of one of his wounded men, aimed it at the rebel color-bearer and fired, when he fell to the ground; but the colors were soon replaced, and the enemy continued slowly to advance. At to advance. At this juncture the order came to fall back and form a continuous line with the division on our right and about 50 or 60 yards in our rear, in our rear, which was effected in good order, still pouring in a terrific fire on the advancing foe. Maj. Schwartz now requested my regiment to support his battery, which we promptly did until he was obliged to limber up and moved off without losing a gun. In the mean time the regiments on our right and left had fallen back nearly a hundred yards, when I ordered my men to fall back and form in line again, this move being executed in good order. I found that we must move over the hill to have range on the enemy as they advanced up the opposite side. I consequently pushed my own regiment about 20 or 30 yards in advance of the line, where they could have full play as the enemy advanced. The regiments on our right failing to advance with us to our support, our boys stood their ground well and bravely, doing good execution with their fire until I found we were entirely unsupported both on our right and left, when I again gave the order to fall back. As we came up to form in line the regiments on our right and left broke up in great confusion. Our ammunition being nearly gone, and having no support, I felt compelled to order a retreat. Facing by the rear rank we moved back near the first field, when I gave the order to move by the left flank, now become our right. The men not all under standing the order alike, here the regiment was for the first time thrown into some confusion. Having lost my horse in the early part of the engagement, and being on foot and also quite weak from previous illness. I could do but little to remedy this. I, however, ordered Maj. Smith to ride on in advance and halt and form our men at the first convenient place, and when I came up found the major had succeeded in getting most of our regiment into line. At this point I found Col. Marsh, with the remnants of his regiment; also the remains of the Fifteenth Illinois and some batteries of artillery. Maj. Taylor no having men enough to work his guns, I detailed all that were left o Company G, of the Seventeenth, about 20 men, to assist his batteries and after consulting with my officers decided to move off nearer the river and get a new supply of ammunition. This was about noon. I now learned that Col. Raith had bee wounded and taken off the field, leaving me the ranking officer in the brigade, and consequently devoted my attention to gathering up all that remained of our command. At 2 o'clock I had succeeded in getting some 500 of the Seventeenth, Forty-ninth, and Forty-third together, and at the request of Gen. Sherman moved them out and formed again on his extreme left. One of the Chicago batteries immediately took up position directly in front and opened fire upon the enemy's line, which we could distinctly see about 400 yards distant. I now deployed my men down a ravine under the fire of our batteries, and formed them into line in a cross ravine, out of sight of the enemy, and advanced cautiously up the intervening ridge until I had them in full view. Here I got in a number of telling volleys, when you came down along our lines from the left and informed us we were unsupported on our left, and ordered us to retire in good order to our old position in rear of the Chicago battery and on Gen. Sherman's left. The fight between the enemy and the battery in our front soon became quite exciting, but our battery seeming to get the worst of it and a number of their horses having been disabled, they were compelled to fall back and leave one of their guns, which was promptly and bravely brought off by our boys. Thus ended the fight for the day as far as we were concerned. Our orders were to lay on our arms in our places, with which our men complied without a murmur. About 10 o'clock p. m. I was taken with a severe ague chill, which obliged me to leave the field and seek assistance, leaving my command to Maj. Smith, who will report to you the labors of the second day. Both men and officers behaved with great coolness and bravery through the whole day, remaining under the severe fire without flinching, and always promptly advancing at the word of command. E. P. WOOD, Lieut.-Col., Cmdg. Seventeenth Illinois Infantry. Gen. JOHN A. McCLERNAND, Comdg. First Division.

Source: Official Records: Series I. Vol. 10. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 10

Illinois 17th Infantry (Union)

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