United States Regiments & Batteries > Wisconsin > 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment


The 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment rostered 1,630 men during the Civil War, which included 1,029 original men and an additional 601 recruits who joined during its almost four years of service. It lost 16 officers and 228 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 112 enlisted men to disease. There is a monument to the 6th Wisconsin Infantry at Gettysburg.

1861
April

The 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Randall in Madison, Wisconsin.

Organization of the Regiment
  • Company A – Captain Adam G. Malloy
  • Company B – Captain Daniel J. Dill
  • Company C – Captain Alexander S. Hooe
  • Company D – Captain John O’ Rourke
  • Company E – Captain Edward S. Bragg
  • Company F – Captain William H. Lindwurm
  • Company G – Captain M.A. Northrup
  • Company H – Captain John F. Hauser
  • Company I – Captain Leonard Johnson
  • Company k – Captain Rufus R. Dawes
May 28 The field officers for the regiment were Colonel Lysander Cutler, Lieutenant Colonel Julius P. Atwood and Major Benjamin F. Sweet.
July 16 Mustered in for three years Federal service.
July 28 Left Wisconsin for Washington, D. C.
August 1 At Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
August 3 Moved to Washington. 
August 6
Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.

Camped on Meridian Hill

September 17
  • Lieutenant Colonel Julius P. Atwood resigned due to ill health
  • Major Benjamin Sweet was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
  • Captain Edward S. Bragg of Company E was promoted to Major
  • First Lieutenant Edwin A. Brown was promoted to Captain of Company E.
October Attached to King’s Brigade, McDowell’s Division, Army of the Potomac
October 28 Captain M.A. Northrup of Company G resigned. First Lieutenant Philip W. Plummer was promoted to Captain of Company G.
November 1 Captain John O’Rourke of Company D resigned. and First Lieutenant John F. Marsh was promoted to Captain of Company D effective October 25.
December 10-13
  • Captain Adam G. Molloy of Company A was transferred to the 17th Wisconsin Infantry and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
  • Captain William H. Lindwurm of Company of Company F was discharged.
  • Captain Leonard Johnson of Company I resigned
  • First Lieutenant Fred Schumacher was promoted to Captain of Company F.
  • First Lieutenant John A. Kellogg was promoted to Captain of Company H.
1862
February 12 First Lieutenant David K. Noyes was promoted to Captain of Company A.
March Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 10-16 Advance on Manassas, Va.
April 9-19 Advance to Falmouth
April-August Duty at Falmouth and Fredericksburg attached to 3rd Brigade, King’s Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock
March 25-29 McDowell’s advance on Richmond
June 2-11

Operations against Jackson

Attached to 4th Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Corps, Army of Virginia

June 20-30
  • Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Sweet was transferred to the 21st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment
  • Major Edward S. Bragg was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
  • Captain Rufus Dawes of Company K was promoted to Major. Dawes was the grandson of William Dawes who rode with Paul Revere.
  • First Lieutenant David L. Quaw was promoted to Captain of Company K
July 16 Captain Daniel J. Dill of Company B was transferred to the 30th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and promoted to Major. First Lieutenant Rollin P. Converse was promoted to Captain of Company F.
July 22 Captain Fred Schumacher of Company F was transferred to the 21st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and promoted to Colonel. First Lieutenant Werner Von Bachelle was promoted to Captain of Company F.
July 24-27 Reconnaissance to Orange Court House
August 5-8 Reconnaissance to Frederick’s Hall Station and Spotsylvania Court House
August 5-6 Thornburg’s Mills (or Massaponax Church)
August 9

Battle of Cedar Mountain

August 16 – September 2

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia

August 21-23 Fords of the Rappahannock
August 28

Battle of Groveton, or Brawner’s Farm

From “The Battle Begins” wayside marker:

Late on the afternoon of August 28, Brig. Gen. Rufus King’s division proceeded east towards Centreville. They marched in search of the elusive “Stonewall” Jackson, who was operating behind Union lines with half the Confederate army. As the head of the column passed the village of Groveton, Confederate artillery emerged from the woods and fired upon the unsuspecting Federals. Union troops turned to fight a fierce twilight battle near the Brawner Farm that began the three day battle of Second Manassas.

From a trailside marker along the Brawner’s Farm loop trail

“When at short range, Colonel Cutler ordered the regiment to halt and fire. We were on low ground which, in the gathering darkness, gave us a great advantage over the enemy, as they overshot our line. Our fire did great execution. It seemed to throw the rebels into complete confusion, and they fell back into the woods behind them. We now gave a loud and jubilant cheer throughout the whole line of the brigade.”
– Maj. Rufus Dawes

Casualties

The 6th Wisconsin lost 72 men killed or wounded of the 504 men in the battle.

  • Colonel Lysander Cutler was wounded, and Lieutenant Colonel Edward S. Bragg took command of the regiment.
  • Captain John F. Marsh of Company D was wounded.
  • First Lieutenant Jerome B. Johnson of Company E and Second Lieutenant Otto Graetz of Company F were wounded.
August 29-30

Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas)

September 1

Battle of Chantilly (Reserve)

September 6-22

Maryland Campaign

Attached to 4th Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac

September 13 Captain John F. Marsh of Company D resigned and First Lieutenant Samuel Birdsall was promoted to Captain of Company D.
September 14

Battle of South Mountain

The regiment lost 11 men killed and 79 wounded fighting up the gorge to the right of the turnpike at Turner’s Gap.

First Lieutenant Arthur C. Ellis of Company B and Second Lieutenant Thomas Kerr of Company D were wounded.

It was here that General McClellean remarked that the brigade “must be made of iron.” The name stuck.

September 16-17

Battle of Antietam

The brigade was the spearhead of Hooker’s early morning attack down the Hagerstown Pike. The regiment lost 3 officers killed, and 5 wounded, 23 enlisted men killed and 121 wounded.

  • The second shell fired by the enemy disabled 13 men, including Captain David K. Noyes of Company A, who lost his right foot.
  • Captain Edwin Brown of Company E was killed advancing into the cornfield and Captain Werner Von Bachelle of Company F was killed in the pursuit after the enemy fell back.
  • Lieutenant Colonel Edward Bragg was badly wounded in the arm, and Major Rufus Dawes took command of the regiment.
  • Captain Rollin P. Converse of Company B and First Lieutenants Joseph A. Marston of Company E, and  John Ticknor of Company K were wounded.
  • Every member of the color guard was killed or wounded, with the staff of the national color being hit by five balls.
  • Two stands of Confederate colors were captured. 
From the marker for Gibbon’s Brigade on the Antietam battlefield:

On the morning of the 17th, with its right on the Hagerstown Pike, Gibbon’s Brigade, which three days before had earned the title of the “Iron Brigade”, advanced in the direction of the Dunkard Church. When 135 yards north of this point Confederates, deployed under cover of the ledge and woods west of the pike attacked the flank, upon which the 19th Indiana and 7th Wisconsin were deployed on the plateau and in the woods west of the pike and the 2nd and 6th Wisconsin in the infamous Cornfield east of it. Battery B, 4th U. S. Artillery, went into position west of the pike and a few yards south of Miller’s barn.

Supported by Patrick’s Brigade and the Battery on the right and Phelps’ Brigade on the left, Gibbon’s Brigade advanced to and south of this point but was forced back. Charge and countercharge of the most deadly character were made across the open plateau west of and in the Cornfield and ground south of it, east of the pike, and the Iron Brigade was compelled to retire to the field north of D. R. Miller’s and then to the cover of the high ground north and east of Joseph Poffenberger’s.

September 18
  • First Lieutenant Joseph A. Marston was promoted to Captain of Company E.
  • First Lieutenant Otto Schorse was promoted to Captain of Company F.
September-October At Sharpsburg
October 18 Captain David L. Quaw of Company K resigned.
October 22 First Lieutenant John Ticknor was promoted to Captain of Company K.
October 30-
November 22
Advance to Falmouth, Va.
November 29 Colonel Lysander Cutler was promoted to Brigadier General.
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

First Lieutenant Thomas W. Plummer of Company C was wounded.

1863
January 20-24
“Mud March”
February-April At Belle Plain
February 7 Captain Alexander S. Hooe of Company C was discharged and First Lieutenant Thomas W. Plummer was promoted to Captain of Company C.
February 12-14 Expedition to Heathville
March 10
  • Lieutenant Colonel Edward Bragg was promoted to Colonel
  • Major Rufus R. Dawes to Lieutenant Colonel
  • Captain John F. Hauser of Company H was promoted to Major.
  • First Lieutenant Charles M. Ford was promoted to Captain of Company G.
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign

April 29-May 2 Operations at Pollock’s Mill Creek
April 29-30 Fitzhugh’s Crossing
May 2-5

Battle of Chancellorsville

Colonel Edward Bragg was wounded. Lieutenant Colonel Rufus R. Dawes took command/

June Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign

June 12 Captain Samuel Birdsall of Company D resigned.
July 1 Second Lieutenant Thomas Kerr was promoted to Captain of Company D.
July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was command by Lieutenant Colonel Rufus R. Dawes. It brought 340 men to the field and

From the monument to the 6th Wisconsin at the Railroad Cut:

In the charge made on this R.R. cut the 2nd Miss. Regt. officers, men, and battle flag surrendered to the 6th. Wis.

On July 2 & 3 this Regt. lay on Culp’s Hill. On the evening of the 2. it moved to the support of Greene’s brigade and assisted to repulse Johnson’s Division.

Casualties

The regiment lost 30 men killed, 116 wounded and 22 missing.

  • Captain John Ticknor of Company K and Second Lieutenant Orrin D. Chapman of Company C were killed.
  • Captains Joseph H. Marston of Company E and William Remington of Company K were wounded.
  • First Lieutenants Howard F. Pruyn of Company A, Lloyd G. Harris of Company C, John Beeley of Company H, and William Reminsgton of Company K were wounded
  • Second Lieutenants Michael Mangen of Company E and Hiram B. Merchant of Company H were wounded
  • First Lieutenant William N. Remington was promoted to Captain of Company K.
< See the Official Reports of Lieutenant Colonel Rufus Dawes for the 6th Wisconsin Infantry at Gettysburg >

Medal of Honor from the Civil War era

Corporal Francis A. Waller of Company I was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 1st when he captured the flag of the 2d Mississippi Infantry in the Railroad Cut.

July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Virginia. The Iron Brigade was joined by the 167th Pennsylvania Infantry, who had not been at Gettysburg. They believed that their enlistments had expired and refused to march. The rest of the brigade was ordered to shoot them. After the 167th quickly formed up, the 6th Wisconsin was ordered to follow them with fixed bayonets and to shoot anyone who tried to fall out.
August-October Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan
August 28 Captain Otto Schorse of Company F resigned.
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign

October 19 Haymarket
November 1 First Lieutenant Otto Graetz was promoted to Captain of Company F.
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 26-December 2

Mine Run Campaign

1864
March Attached to 1st Brigade, 4th Division. 5th Corps. Major John F. Hauser resigned to accept the post of Counsul to Switzerland.
April 12 Captain Philip W. Pummer of Copany G was promoted to Major. 
April 19 Quartermaster Charles P. Hyatt was promoted to Captain of Company E.
May 4-June 15 Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River
May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

  • Major Philip Plummer was killed and First Lieutenant James Converse of Company G were killed.
  • Captain Rollin P. Converse of Company B was mortally wounded and captured.
May 8-21

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

May 8

Battle of Laurel Hill

Captain Otto Graetz of Company f and First Lieutenant Howard F. Pruyn of Company A were killed. Captain William N. Remington of Company K was wounded.

May 12

Assault on the Salient, “Bloody Angle”

May 23-26

North Anna River

May 23

Jericho Ford

Captain John Beeley of Company H was wounded.

May 28-31 On line of the Totopotomoy
June 1-12

Battle of Cold Harbor

June 1-3

Bethesda Church

June 15-18

Grant’s First Assault on Petersburg

First Lieutenant Earl M. Rogers of Company I was wounded.

June 18

Siege of Petersburg

June 25 Colonel Edward Bragg was promoted to Brigadier General.
July 5 Lieutenant Colonel Rufus Dawes was promoted to colonel but was not mustered, being near the end of his enlistment.
July 20-25
  • Captain Alexander Plummer of Company C mustered out.
  • First Sergeant Edward Whalley was promoted to Captain of Company C.
  • First Sergeant Lewis A. Kent was promoted to Captain of Company G.
July 29-30
  • Captain Charles M. Ford of Company H resigned.
  • Quartermaster Sergeant William J. Hutchins was promoted to Captain of Company B.
August Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps
August 1 Captain Lewis A. Kent of COmpany G was transferred to Company A.
August 3 Captain Otto Graetz of Company F was killed. First Sergeant Henry Schildt was promoted to Captain of Company F.
August 10 Colonel Rufus Dawes was mustered out at the end of his enlistment.
August 17 Second Lieutenant John Timmons was promoted to Captain of Company G.
August 18-21

Weldon Railroad

  • Captains William W. Hutchins of Company B and John Timmons of Company G and Adjutant Cuyler Babcock were killed.
  • Captain Charles P. Hyatt of Company E was mortally wounded.
  • First Lieutenant Henry T. Garfield was promoted to Captain of Company E.
September Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps
September 1 Captain John A. Kellogg of Company I was promoted to Major.
October 11 Captain William M. Remington of Company K resigned.
October 19
  • Major John Kellogg was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
  • Captain Thomas Kerr of Company D was promoted to Major
  • First Lieutenant Henry E. Smyser was promoted to Captain of Company B
  • First Lieutenant John R. Lammey was promoted to Captain of Company D
October 27-28

Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run

November 30 The 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Battalion consolidated with the Regiment as new Companies G, Captain Dennis B. Daily, and Company H, Captain Albert T. Morgan.
December 10 Lieutenant Colonel John A. Kellogg was promoted to Colonel and Major Thomas Kerr was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
December 21
  • Captain Dennis B. Daily of Company G was promoted to Major.
  • First Lieutenant Henry Naegley was promoted to Captain of Company G.
  • Sergeant Andrew Gallop was promoted to CAptain of Company K.
1865
February 5-7

Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run

  • Captain John R. Lammey of Company D was mortally wounded.
  • First Lieutenant Israel L. Hendricks was mortally wounded
  • Second Lieutenant Hamilcar B. Macintosh was specially mentioned for gallantry.
February 25 First Lieutenant Alexander Lowrie was promoted to Captain of Company I.
March 7 First Lieutenant Henry C. Matraw of Company G was promoted to Captain of Company D.
March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign

March 29

Lewis Farm, near Gravelly Run

March 30-31

Boydton and White Oak Roads

April 1

Battle of Five Forks

April 2

Fall of Petersburg

April 3-9 Pursuit of Lee
April 9

Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.

May March to Washington, D.C.
May 23 Grand Review
June 17 Moved to Louisville, Kentucky.
July 2 The 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment mustered out under the command of Colonal John A. Kellogg, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Kerr and Major Dennis B. Dailey.