17th
Regiment Michigan
Volunteer
Infantry
Regiment Michigan
Volunteer Infantry
1862-1865
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The Seventeenth Infantry, the celebrated "Stonewall Regiment of the Union", rendezvoused and mustered in at Detroit on May 29, 1862, when after a short period of training and equipping was sent by rail to Washington, D.C., there assigned to the 1st. Brigade, 1st. Division of the 9th. Corp. From there they were dispatched into the Maryland Campaign, under the overall command of General G. McClellan. In less than 2 weeks after leaving the state of Michigan, the Regiment was hotly contested at the battle of South Mountain on September 14th., whence it emerged with a loss of 27 killed and 114 wounded, numbering amoung the wounded was Lt. Galligan who later died of his wounds at Middletown, MD on the 24th.On the 17th. the Regiment was again deperately engaged at Antietam, sustaining a further loss of 18 killed and 87 wounded. After the single bloodiest day in American warfare the Regiment was on the front skirmishing with the fleeing Confederates, losing yet another man. The Regiment then left with its command returning to Virginia.
The Seventeenth left Waterford, VA, on November 29th, and marched via Warrenton to near Falmouth, where it encamped from the 18th. to December 12th. It crossed the Rappahanock River with the army at Fredericksburg, but did not participate in the battle that ensued there. On the 14th. of February, 1863 the Regiment embarked on steamers at Aquia Creek for Newport News, where it encamped until the 19th. of March, when it proceeded, in command of Colonel Luce, by transport to Baltimore, thence by rail to Louisville, KY, then on to Bardstown. April 3rd. it moved to Lebanon, thence to Columbia on the 29th. Marching from Columbia, it arrived at Jamestown on the 31st. of May. The Ninth Corp having been ordered to reinforce General Grant in Mississippi, then proceeded by rail to Cairo, IL, then down the Mississippi River to the Yazoo River. Disembarking, the Regiment went into camp near Hayne's Bluff, MS. June 22nd. it was ordered to Milldale Church, there to be engaged in erecting fortifications. Leaving Milldale on the 4th. of July, it participated in the advance on Jackson, arriving before that town on the 10th., after a series of skirmishes. The Regiment lost before Jackson, 1 man who was mortally wounded.
Returning to Milldale, it embarked August 3rd. heading for Kentucky, arriving at Crab Orchard on the 24th. Marching from there, it engaged in the movements made by the Army of the Ohio into eastern Tennessee, in September and October. At Knoxville on the 14th. of October, ti marched to Lenoir Station.
Like the Second, Eighth and Twentieth Infantry, which were in the same Corp, the Regiment had traveled over 2100 miles during the year.
The Regiment, then attached to the 3rd. Brigade of the 1st Division of the 9th. Corp remained there until the morning of the 14th., when it marched to Louden, to oppose the advance of General Longsteet, then moving on Knoxville. It lay under its arms during the night, and on the following morning commenced falling back, closely followed by the Confederates. It continued to retreat acting as a rear guard for the rest of the Corp. While crossing Turkey Creek, Longsteets men attacked in force,causung a severe engagement to occur. In this action the Regiment lost 7 men killed, 19 wounded and 10 missing.
During the retreat to Knoxville, and during the Seige of Fort Saunders, the men suffered greatly, especially while being besieged, from the want of proper and sufficient rations. When the seige was lifted by the retreating Confederates the 17th. was orderd to Annapolis, MD where 200 new recruits were incorporated into its ranks.
From Annapolis the Regiment set out with the Grant Campaign of 1864, when in May of that year it lost 7 men killed and 39 wounded at the Wilderness. In the action on the 9th. the Regiment was detached from its Brigade to support a battery. Crossing the Nye River it secured, by rapid movement, an important position, repulsing the charging Confederates who were endeavering to take possesion of that ground. The Regiment was actively engaged in the movements of the 10th. and 11th., when on the 12th. they charged the southern works at Spottsylvania Court House. In this charge the Regiment lost 23 killed, 73 wounded and 93 taken prisoners. The loss in prisoners was owing to the Regiment being surrounded by a greatly superior force.
On the 16th. of May the Regiment was designated as an engineer troop and served in that capacity the remainder of the year. It moved with its Corp from the North Anna River, thence to Cold Harbor, across the Chickahominy and the James Rivers to the Seige Petersburg, where it remained until the city fell. From the time it arrived in front of Petersburg untill its fall the Regiment was actively building and reconstructing fortifications, all the while being held in reserve, if needed as infantry.
After Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, the Regiment proceeded to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Grand Review, remaining there until June 3rd., when it was mustered out of service and started for Detroit, arriving there on the 7th., to be paid off and disbanded.
| South Mountain, Md | Antietam, Md | Fredericksburg, Va |
| Seige of Vicksburg, Ms | Jackson, Ms | Blue Spring, Tn |
| Louden, Tn | Lenoire Station, Tn | Campbell's Station, Tn |
| Seige of Knoxville, Tn | Thurley's Ford, Tn | Fort Saunders, Tn |
| Strawberry Plains, Tn | Wilderness, Va | Ny River, Va |
| Spottsylvania, Va | North Anna River, Va | Bethesda Church, Va |
| Cold Harbor, Va | Petersburg, Va | The Crater, Va |
| Weldon Rail Road, Va | Ream's Station, Va | Poplar Spring Church, Va |
| Pegram Farm, Va | Boydon Plank Road, Va | Hatcher's Run, Va |
| Fort Steedman, Va |
ORGANIZATION
Organized at Detroit, Mich., August 8 to 22, 1862.
Left State for Washington, D.C., August 27.
Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac to April, 1863.
Army of the Ohio to June, 1863, and Army of the Tennessee to August, 1863.
3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Ohio to January, 1864.
2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Ohio, and Army of the Potomac to April, 1864.
1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac to May, 1864.
Acting Engineers, 3rd Division, 9th Army Corps to September, 1864.
Acting Engineers, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps to April, 1865.
1st Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps to June, 1865.
| Total Enrollment | 1079 |
| Killed in Action | 91 |
| Died of Wounds | 39 |
| Died of Disease | 152 |
| Total Casualty Rate | 26.1% |
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