17th United States Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > U.S. Regulars

The 17th United States Infantry Regiment lost 9 officers and 92 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 100 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
May 4 Authorized by direction of the President. Regiment organized at Fort Preble, Maine. Major George Lippit Andrews was assigned to command.
July 29 Organization confirmed by Act of Congress
1862
March 4 Moved to Washington, D.C. and attached to Sykes’ Regular Infantry, Reserve Brigade, Army of the Potomac
March Moved to the Virginia Peninsula
April 5-May 4 Siege of Yorktown, Va.
May Attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps
June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond
June 26

Battle of Mechanicsville
June 27

Gaines’ Mill
June 30 Turkey Bridge
July 1

Malvern Hill
July At Harrison’s Landing
August 16-28 Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Centerville
August 28-
September 2
Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia
August 29
Battle of Groveton
August 30
Second Battle of Bull Run
September 6-22

Maryland Campaign

Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps
September 16-17
Battle of Antietam
September 19-20
Shepherdstown Ford
September 21 At Sharpsburg, Md.
October 29-November 19 Movement to Falmouth, Va.
December 12-15
Battle of Fredericksburg
1863
January 20-24 “Mud March”
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign
May 1-5
Battle of Chancellorsville
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign
July 1-3
Battle of Gettysburg

Lieutenant Colonel J. Durell Green commanded the regiment, which consisted of seven companies: 1st Battalion, Companies A,C,D,G and H; 2nd Battalion, Companies A & B.

From the monument on Houck’s Ridge at Gettysburg:

July 2 Arrived in the morning and took position with the Brigade on the right of the Twelfth Corps. Later moved to the left and at 5 p.m. formed line with the Brigade at the right of Little Round Top and advanced across Plum Run to the crest of the rocky wooded hill beyond near the Wheatfield under a severe fire from the Confederate sharpshooters on the left then facing the edge of the woods. The Confederates having opened fire on the right flank and advanced in the Wheatfield in the rear the Brigade was withdrawn under a heavy fire on both flanks and from the rear and formed in line on the right of Little Round Top having been engaged about two hours.

July 3 Remained in same position.

Present 25 officers and 235 men. Casualties: killed 1 officer and 24 men; wounded 13 officers and 105 men; missing 7 men
July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee
August 14 At New York on special duty
September 21 Rejoined army at Culpeper, Va.
October 9-22
Bristoe Campaign
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 26-December 2
Mine Run Campaign

1864
March Attached to 4th Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps
May 4-June 12

Rapidan Campaign

Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps
May 5-7
Battle of the Wilderness
May 8-21
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
May 22-26
North Anna River
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31
Totopotomoy
June 1-12
Cold Harbor
June 1-3 Bethesda Church
June Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps
June 16-18
First Assault on Petersburg
June 16 Siege of Petersburg begins
July 30 Mine Explosion, Petersburg (Reserve)
August 18-21 Weldon Railroad
September 29-October 2
Poplar Springs Church, Peeble’s Farm
October 13 Ordered to New York. Major Andrews was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 19th United States Infantry Regiment.
October Duty at Fort Lafayette, New York Harbor attached to Dept. of the East until October, 1865