History Of Seventeenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry
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Warren County Local History by Dallas Bogan

History Of Seventeenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Contributor:
Dallas Bogan on 6 September 2004
Source:
original article by Dallas Bogan

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The three year enlistment of the Seventeenth was taken on August 30, 1861 and congregated at Camp Dennison, Ohio. It reported to Camp Dick Robinson in Kentucky on October 2, 1861. From there the Seventeenth participated in the battles of Wild Cat, and Mill Springs. The regiment was then sent to Shiloh, but arrived too late to take part in the battle. However, it was a participant in the siege of Corinth and also was engaged in several skirmishes in the area. It was at the battle of Perryville, Kentucky, but did not participate. From Danville and Lebanon, Kentucky, the backward march of the army was commenced, the Seventeenth accompanying.

Taken from Reid's, Ohio in the War:

"At the battle of Stone River, the brigade to which the regiment was attached, was stationed on the extreme right until the 29th of December, when, after night, it marched from Nolinsville to the Murfreesboro' Pike, and next day had a severe skirmish with Wheeler's cavalry at Lavergne, recaptured all the mules Wheeler had taken from our train, and saved about two hundred wagons from being burned. The regiment went into the battle-line on the Stone River field about one o'clock on the 31st of December, and with its brigade charged the Rebel General Hanson's brigade, drove them in confusion, killing their General, and some one hundred and fifty of the rank and file. The loss of the Seventeenth was twenty wounded."
"After the long rest at Murfreesboro', General Rosecrans inaugurated the Tullahoma campaign. The Seventeenth moved its brigade, and at Hoover's Gap, under the command of Lieutenant- Colonel Durbin Ward, charged the Seventeenth Tennessee Rebel Regiment, strongly posted in a belt of woods. In making this charge the Seventeenth Ohio was compelled to cross an open field, and receive a full fire directly in its left flank from a Rebel brigade and battery. Yet the regiment went steadily on, drove the Seventeenth Tennessee, and occupied their position. This charge was executed with such coolness and determination as to draw the particular attention of General Thomas."
"At the battle of Chickamauga the regiment was on the extreme right of the center, attached to the corps commanded by General Thomas. When General Wood's division was double- quick out of the line, the gap left exposed the right flank and front, causing it to lose heavily, and scattering the men in confusion. Company B, being the only one of the regiment that retreated in a body, was halted about three hundred yards from where they had been driven, gave three cheers, sounded the rally for the Seventeenth Ohio, gathered some two hundred of them together, and charged back on the enemy, but to little purpose, as the rebels outnumbered them ten to one. Falling back again, now only about one hundred strong, they held a given point, and fought throughout that memorable day, leaving the field with but fifty-two men. The loss of the Seventeenth in this battle in killed and wounded was over two hundred, not counting those with slight flesh wounds. This was the severest fight in which the regiment had participated. The gallant Captain Rickets fell dead in the early part of the fight, and Lieutenant Colonel Ward fell about the middle of the afternoon, on the front line, badly wounded. During the siege of Chattanooga the Seventeenth was in several severe skirmishes, and at Brown's Ferry it won honor along with the brigade to which it was attached. At Mission Ridge, though in the rear line at the start, the Regiment was in the front when the top of the hill was gained. In this brilliant charge the brave and gallant Major Butterfield fell mortally wounded, while leading the regiment. Captain Benjamin Showers, next in rank, completed the charge. The regiment captured a Rebel battery and turned the guns on the retreating enemy."

The Seventeenth served under nearly all the famous commanders, McClellan, Buell, Rosecrans, Thomas, Grant, Halleck, Sherman and Schofield. It was never driven from a field of battle except at Chicamaugua when it was ordered to retreat.
The Seventeenth had an original strength of 852 and at the end of its term, July 16, 1865, its strength was 620. (Companies E and G were from Warren County.)

The list of battles and dates are:

WILDCAT, KY.........................October 21, 1861.
CORINTH, MISS.......................April 30 to May 30, 1862.
STONE RIVER, TENN.............December 31, 1862 and January 1 and 2, 1863.
TULLAHOMA CAMPAIGN, TENN............June 23-30, 1863.
HOOVER'S GAP, TENN..................June 25, 1863.
CHICKAMAUGUA, GA....................September 19-20, 1863.
ORCHARD KNOB, TENN..................November 23, 1863.
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, TENN..............November 24, 1863.
MISSION RIDGE, TENN.................November 25, 1863.
ROCKY FACE RIDGE, GA................May 5-9, 1864.
RESACA, GA..........................May 13-16, 1864.
DALLAS, GA..........................May 25 to June 4, 1864.
KENESAW MOUNTAIN, GA................June 27, 1864.
CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER, GA.............July 9, 1864 .
PEACHTREE CREEK GA..................July 20, 1864.
JONESBORO, GA.......................August 31 and September 1, 1864
BENTONVILLE, N.C....................March 19-21, 1865.

Regiment lost during service, 6 officers and 71 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 officer and 154 enlisted men by disease. Total 232.


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