38th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > Wisconsin > 38th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment

The 38th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment mustered 1,032 men in the American Civil War. It lost 1 officer and 56 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 56 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War.

1864
March
A battalion of four Companies (A, B, C and D) was organized at Madison, Wisconsin.

The government ceased paying enlistment bounties and recruitment immediately dried up with only enough men for four companies..

  • Company A – Captain Charles T. Carpenter
  • Company B – Captain Robert N Roberts
  • Company C – Captain Sidney D. Woodworth
  • Company D – Captain James Woodford
April 15 The 38th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment mustered in
April 27 The field officers were appointed: Colonel James Bintliff, former captain in the 22nd Wisconsin, Lieutenant Colonel Colwert K. Pier and Courtlin P. Larkin.
May 3-7 Moved to Washington, D.C. under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Colwert K. Pier while Colonel James Bintliff remained in Wisconsin to continue recruiting the rest of the regiment.
May Camp at Arlington, Virginia, and were furnished with arms and equipment. Attached to Casey’s Provisional Brigade, 22nd Army Corps
May 30-June 1 the regiment marched to Alexandria and embarked on a transport for White House, Virginia. Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 9th Corps, Army of the Potomac. The battalion was temporarily attached to the 1st Minnesota Infantry.
June 9 Guarded supply train to Cold Harbor
June 10-12

Battle of Cold Harbor

Two men were killed.
June 12-15 Movement across the James River to Petersburg, marching day and night until they arrived on the battlefield.
June 16-18

Grant’s First Assault on Petersburg

The battalion launched an unsuccessful assault at Noon on the 17th. They launched another assault that evening, capturing three lines of Confederate earthworks. Lieutenant Colonel Colwery Pier, Major Courtland Larkins, and First Lieutenant Francis A. Hayward of Company B were wounded.

On the 18th the attack was renewed and the battalion advanced to the deep cut of the Norfolk & Petersburg Railroad, which they held. They would hold their exposed position until July 4. Captain Charles T. Carpenter of Company A was wounded.

The battalion lost 15 men killed of mortally wounded and 35 wounded.
June 16 to April 2

Siege of Petersburg
July 4 The battalion was withdrawn to the secondary line of eathworks. It was reduced to 40 men fit for duty.
July 19 Returned to the front line to help repel a Confederate assault.
July 26 Company E joined under the command of Captain Newton S. Ferris, bringing 3 officers and 66 enlisted men.
July 30

Mine Explosion (Battle of the Crater)

The 38th Wisconsin was ordered to take the lead in the advance after the mine was exploded. they remained in the Crater until about 4 p.m., when they withdrew to Union lines.

With barely one hundred men, nine were killed and 10 wounded. Captain Newton S. Ferris of Company E was killed and First Lieutenant Frank G. Holton of Company E was badly wounded.
August 1 The battalion was relieved from the front line. Captain James Woodford of Company D resigned.
August 6 Returned to the front line and took part in picket duty.
August 18-21

Weldon Railroad (Globe Tavern)

March with the division toward the Weldon Railroad, engaging the enemy and driving them back. They created a line of earthworks across the railroad track, permanently cutting this important supply line from the south into Petersburg and Richmond. Several Confederate attacks were made, but all were thrown back.

Three men were killed and 6 wounded. Lieutenant Frank M. Phelps of Company E was wounded.
September 6-7
  • Captain Charles T. Carpenter of Company A resigned due to disability.
  • First Lieutenant Frank G. Holton was promoted to Captain of Company D.
September 27 First Lieutenant Charles L. Ballard was promoted to Captain of Company A.
September 29-October 2

Poplar Grove Church (Peeble’s Farm)

Moved to support the Second Corps, which was under heavy attack. The 37th and 38th Wisconsin were left alone to support an artillery battery when a portion of the Second Corps line collapsed. They were able to defend the battery until reinforcements arrived, losing 4 men wounded.
September Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps
October 1
The Second Battalion under Colonel James Bintliff joined the regiment
  • Company F – Captain Andrew A. Kelley
  • Company G – Captain Reuben F. Beckwith
  • Company H – Captain Daniel W. Corey
  • Company I – Captain Henry H. Coleman
  • Company K – Captain Thomas B. Marsden
October 7
  • Major Courtland Larkin wis discharged due to disability.
  • Captain Robert N. Roberts of Company B was promoted to Major.
  • First Lieutenant Francis A. Hayward was promoted to Captain of Company B.
October 27-28

Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run

First Lieutenant Joel N. Straight of Company I and three enlisted men were wounded.
November 5 First Lieutenant L.B. Waddington was promoted to Captain of Company C.
November 29 Colonel James Bintliff took command of the brigade as senior colonel.
December 16 First Lieutenant William H. Foster of Company H was promoted to Captain of Company D.
1865
January 3 Captain Daniel W. Corey of Company H was discharged.
January 3 First Lieutenant Benjamin M. Frees was promoted to Captain of Company H.
January 29 Received Rebel Peace Commissioners Stephens, Hunter, Campbell and Hatch through lines under flag of truce
March 24 Lieutenant Colonel Colwert Pier was assigned to command the 109th New York Infantry, which he would continue to do until the army reached Washington.
March 25

Fort Stedman, Petersburg
March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign
April 2

Final Assault on Petersburg

Colonel James Bintliff asked permission to leave his temporary command of a brigade in order to lead the 38th Wisconsin in what would be the final assault on Petersburg. the column formed in Fort Sedgwick and attacked Fort Mahone (known as Fort Damnation) at dawn, led by the 38th and Colonel Bintliff.

The Confederates were starting to evacuate the fort, and the regiment seized the fort’s guns and (somewhat inexpertly) turned them against their former owners. Six atatcks to recover the fort during the day failed, and by the next morning the Union defenders found the Confederates had abandoned their entire line.

The 38th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment lost 17 men killed and 47 wounded.

  • Captain Charles L. Ballard was wounded and was brevetted Major in the U.S. Volunteers.
  • Captain Andrew J. Kelley of Company F was wounded.
  • Second Lieutenants Simon C. Strickland of Company B and Charles S. Wood of Company G were wounded.
April 3 Occupation of Petersburg
April 4-9 Pursuit of Lee. Moved out of Petersburg along the South Side railroad.
April 17 Captain William H. Foster of Company D was discharged due to disability.
April 21-25 Marched to City Point, then by boat to Washington, D.C.
May 8 First Lieutenant Benjamin S. Kerr was promoted to Captain of Company D.
May 23 Grand Review
June 6 2nd Battalion of the 38th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, all one year’s men, mustered out.
June-July 1st Battalion on duty at Arsenal, Washington, during trial and execution of President Lincoln’s assassins.
July 1 Major Robert N. Roberts mustered out.
July 11 Captain Charles L. Ballard of Company A was promoted to Major but was not mustered.
July 26 1st Battalion Mustered out.
August 11 The regiment arrived in Madison, Wisconsin and was paid off and disbanded.