United States Regiments & Batteries > Rhode Island > 2nd Rhode Island Infantry Regiment 


The 2nd Rhode Island Infantry Regiment lost 9 officers and 111 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 74 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg

1861
June The regiment was organized at Providence under the command of Colonel John Slocum, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Wheaton and Major Sullivan Ballou.

Organization of the regiment:
  • Company A – Captain C.G. Dyer
  • Company B – Captain J. Wright
  • Company C – Captain Nelson Viall
  • Company D – Captain W.H.P. Steere
  • Company E – “Narragansett Guards” – Captain I.P. Rodman
  • Company F – Captain Levi A. Tower
  • Company G – Captain N. Goff
  • Company H – “Kentish Guards” – Captain B.S. Brown
  • Company I – Captain Samuel J. Smith
  • Company K – Captain C.W. Turner
  • Band – Bandleader P. Kalkman
June 5 & 6 The Second Rhode Island Infantry Regiment was mustered in at Providence.
June 19
The 2nd Rhode Island left Rhode Island for Washington, D.C.

The regiment sailed 0n the steamships State of Maine and Metropolis from Providence to New York City, crossed the Hudson to Elizabethtown, then travelled by train on the Jersey Central Railroad to Easton, Pennsylvania. They reached Harrisburg the next morning, where they were provided with breakfast. The men continued by train on the Northern Central Railroad to Baltimore, where they arrived that evening. The regiment formed and, led by its band and cheered by the crowds, marched through the streets to the Baltimore & Ohio station. They boarded a train of 22 passenger and 51 freight cars, arriving in Washington at 3 a.m. Tents were set up in a grove next to the First Rhode Island.

June At Camp Sprague, Washington, D. C. attached to Burnside’s Brigade, Hunter’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia
July 16-21 Advance on Manassas, Va.
July 21

Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)

Began a march at 2 a.m. to Sudley Ford on Bull Run. Crossed the ford and moved south to Matthew’s Hill, where Colonel Slocum and Major Ballou were mortally wounded. Moved in the afternoon to Dogan’s Ridge. With the collapse of the Union army, the regiment withdrew back across Sudley Ford and continued to Centreville, reaching it by 9 p.m. It was then ordered to continue to Fairfax Court House. It continued on to Alexandria, reaching Fort Runyon early in the morning of July 22.

The regiment lost 28 killed, 56 wounded and 30 missing. Colonel John Slocum and Major Sullivan Ballou were mortally wounded. Captains Levi Tower of Company F and Samuel J. Smith of Company I were killed, and Lieutenants Stephen Arnold and Henry C. Cook were wounded.Captain B.S. Brown of Company H was captured.

Colonel Frank Wheaton

Colonel Frank Wheaton

Lieutenant Colonel Frank Wheaton took command of the regiment and was promoted to colonel to replace Colonel Slocum. Captain W.H.P. Steere of Company D was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Captain N. Viall of Company C was promoted to Major.

First Lieutenant E.H. Sears of Company D was promoted to Captain of Company D. First Lieutenant O.P.G. Clarke of Company K was promoted to Captain of Company C. First Lieutenant G.W. Weeden of Company G was promoted to Captain of Company F. First Lieutenant S.B.M. Read of Company E was promoted to Captain of Company I.

August At Camp Sprague and Brightwood, Defences of Washington attached to Couch’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac
October Attached to Couch’s Brigade, Buell’s Division, Army Potomac
1862
March Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, Army Potomac
March 11-15 March to Prospect Hill, Va.
March 26 Embarked at Alexandria, Va., for the Peninsula
April 5-May 4

Peninsula Campaign

Siege of Yorktown

May 5

Battle of Williamsburg

May 9 Slatersville, New Kent C. H.
May 31-June 1

Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines

June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond

June 25

Oak Grove near Seven Pines

June 29

James River Road near Fair Oaks

June 30

White Oak Swamp

July 1

Malvern Hill

July-August At Harrison’s Landing
August 5-6 Reconnoissance to Turkey Island
August 8-11 To Haxall’s Landing
August 15-September 1 Movement to Alexandria
September 3-18 March into Maryland. Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Corps, Army of the Potomac
September 23-October 20 At Downsville
October Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 6th Corps
October 20-November 18 Movement to Stafford Court House
November 29 Colonel Frank Wheaton was promoted to Brigadier General.
December 5 To Belle Plains
December 12-15
Battle of Fredericksburg

Lieutenant Colonel Nelson Viall was promoted to Colonel.

1863
January 20-24
“Mud March”

Colonel Nelson Viall resigned.

February 6 Horatio RogersColonel Horatio Rogers of the 11th Rhode Island Infantry Regiment was appointed Colonel of the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry Regiment.
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign

April 29-May 2 Operations about Franklin’s Crossing
May 3

Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg

May 3-4

Salem Heights

May 4 Banks’ Ford
June 5-13 Deep Run Ravine or Franklin’s Crossing
July 2-4

Battle of Gettysburg

The 2nd Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry Regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Colonel Horatio Rogers. It reached Gettysburg in the afternoon of July 2, bringing 409 men to the field.  The regiment was posted at the left of the Union line. For the rest of the battle its brigade was sent to support areas that were hard pressed, but although it was under artillery fire it never fired a shot It lost one man killed, five wounded and one man missing.

< See Colonel Rogers’ Official Report for the 2nd Rhode Island in the Battle of Gettysburg >
July 10-13 Funkstown, Md.
July-September At Warrenton, Va.
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign

November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 7

Rappahannock Station

November 26-December 2

Mine Run Campaign

December At Brandy Station
1864
January 14 Colonel Horatio Rogers resigned.
March Attached to 4th Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Corps
May-June

Rapidan Campaign

May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

May 8-21

Battle of Spottsylvania Court House

May 12

Assault on the Salient

May 23-26
North Anna River
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31

Totopotomoy

June 1-12

Cold Harbor

June 11 Old members left front to muster out. Those who had reenlisted were organized into the 2nd Rhode Island Veteran Infantry. Adjutant Elisha Hunt Rhodes was promoted to Captain of Company B and given the command of the 2nd Rhode Island.
June 17 Old members mustered out under the command of Colonel S.B.M. Read at Providence.
June 17-18

Grant’s First Assault on Petersburg

June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road

June 24

Siege of Petersburg

July 9-11 Moved to Washington, D.C.
July 11-12

Repulse of Early’s attack on Washington

August – December

Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign

Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Corps, Army of the Shenandoah, Middle Military Division

September 19

Third Battle of Winchester (Opequan)

September 22-December 1 Garrison duty at Winchester
November Captain Henry Young was promoted to Major and assigned as aide-de-camp to  Major General Philip Sheridan. Young took over the legendary “Jesse Scouts”, a group of 58 men who operated as irregulars, often wearing Confederate uniforms to infiltrate enemy units and gather intelligence.
December 2-6

Siege of Petersburg

Moved to Petersburg, Va. attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Corps, Army Potomac. Lieutenant Colonel Elisha Hunt Rhodes was promoted to Brevet Major.

1865
January 15 Samuel B.M. Read was promoted to Colonel.
February 5-7

Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run

Brevet Major Elisha Hunt Rhodes was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

March 25

Fort Fisher, Petersburg

March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign

April 2

Fall of Petersburg

Lieutenant Colonel Elisha Hunt Rhodes was promoted to Brevet Colonel.

Medal of Honor from the Civil War eraSergeant William J. Babcock was awarded the Medal of Honor when he “Planted the flag upon the parapet while the enemy still occupied the line; was the first of his regiment to enter the works.”

April 3-9 Pursuit of Lee
April 6

Battle of Sailor’s Creek 

Medal of Honor from the Civil War eraCorporal Thomas Parker was awarded the Medal of Honor when he “Planted the first color on the enemy’s works. Carried the regimental colors over the creek after the regiment had broken and been repulsed.”

April 23-27 Expedition to Danville
May 20-June 7 Moved to Washington via Richmond
June 8 Corps Review
June 17 Colonel Samuel B.M. Read mustered out at the end of his term of service. Brevet Colonel Elisha Hunt Rhodes took command of the regiment.
July 13 The 2nd Rhode Island Veteran Infantry Regiment mustered out at Hall’s Hill, Virginia. under the command of Brevet Colonel Elisha Hunt Roads.