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
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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:
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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. 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
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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 CampaignSiege 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 FredericksburgLieutenant Colonel Nelson Viall was promoted to Colonel. |
1863
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January 20-24 |
“Mud March”Colonel Nelson Viall resigned. |
February 6 | Colonel 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 GettysburgThe 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
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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 CampaignAttached 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 PetersburgMoved to Petersburg, Va. attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Corps, Army Potomac. Lieutenant Colonel Elisha Hunt Rhodes was promoted to Brevet Major. |
1865
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January 15 | Samuel B.M. Read was promoted to Colonel. |
February 5-7 |
Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s RunBrevet Major Elisha Hunt Rhodes was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. |
March 25 |
Fort Fisher, Petersburg |
March 28-April 9 |
Appomattox Campaign |
April 2 |
Fall of PetersburgLieutenant Colonel Elisha Hunt Rhodes was promoted to Brevet Colonel. Sergeant 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 CreekCorporal 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. |