The 22nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment (nicknamed the "Abolition Regiment") was a
volunteer
Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency ...
infantry
Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation.
In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...
from
Wisconsin
Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
that served in the
Union Army during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
. It was commanded by Colonel
William L. Utley, a politician and former
Adjutant General of Wisconsin. His second-in-command was Lt. Colonel Edward Bloodgood, with whom he would eventually feud bitterly.
Service
Organized at Racine, Wis., and mustered in September 2, 1862. Left State for Cincinnati, Ohio, September 16, thence moved to Covington, Ky., September 22. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Army of Kentucky, Dept. of the Ohio, to November, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Army of Kentucky, to February, 1863. Coburn's Brigade, Baird's Division, Army of Kentucky, Dept. of the Cumberland, to June, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Reserve Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October, 1863. Coburn's Unattached Brigade, Dept. of the Cumberland, to December, 1863. Post of Murfreesboro, District of Nashville, Dept. of the Cumberland, to January, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 11th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to April, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 20th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to June, 1865.
SERVICE.--March from Covington to Georgetown, Lexington, Sandersville and Nicholasville October 7-November 13, 1862. Duty at Nicholasville until December 12. Moved to Danville, Ky., December 12 and duty there until January. 26, 1863. Moved to Louisville, Ky.; thence to Nashville, Tenn., January 26-February 7, 1863, and to Brentwood Station February 21, thence to Franklin. Reconnaissance toward Thompson's Station, Spring Hill, March 3–5. Action at Thompson's Station March 4–5. (Nearly 200 of Regiment captured by Bragg's Cavalry forces under Van Dorn, nearly 18,000 strong.) Ordered to Brentwood Station March 8. Action at Little Harpeth, Brentwood, March 25. Regiment surrounded and surrendered to Nathan Bedford Forrest. Exchanged May 5. Regiment reorganizing at St. Louis until June 12. Ordered to Nashville, Tenn., June 12, thence to Franklin June 22; to Murfreesboro, Tenn., July 3, and garrison duty there until February, 1864. Moved to Nashville, Tenn., February 24, and duty there until April. March to Lookout Valley, Tenn., April 19–28. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1 to September 8. Battle of Resaca May 14–15. Cassville May 19. Now Hope Church May 25. Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills May 25-June 5. Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Pine Hill June 11–14. Lost Mountain June 15–17. Gilgal or Golgotha Church June 15. Muddy Creek June 17. Noyes Creek June 19. Kolb's Farm June 22. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Ruff's Station July 4. Chattahoochie River July 5–17. Peach Tree Creek July 19–20. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Operations at Chattahoochie River Bridge August 26-September 2. Occupation of Atlanta September 2-November 15. March to the sea November 15-December 10. Siege of Savannah December 10–21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April 1865. Lawtonville, S.C., February 2. Taylor's Hole Creek, Averysboro, N. C., March 16. Battle of Bentonville March 19–21. Occupation of Goldsboro March 24. Advance on Raleigh April 10–14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to Washington, D.C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 19. Grand Review May 24. Mustered out June 12, 1865.
Casualties
The 22nd Wisconsin suffered 2 officers and 75 enlisted men killed in action or who later died of their wounds, plus another 3 officers and 163 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 243 fatalities.
Notable people
*
Dwight Sidney Allen was enlisted in Co. C, rose to the rank of corporal. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Legislature.
*
James Bintliff
James Bintliff (November 1, 1824 – March 16, 1901) was a colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He briefly commanded brigades for three weeks near the end of 1864 and during most of the crucial month of April 1865. In 186 ...
was captain of Co. G and was later made colonel of the
38th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. After the war, he received an honorary brevet to brigadier general. He later became involved in the newspaper business and was an owner of the Janesville ''
Gazette
A gazette is an official journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.
In English and French speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name ''Gazette'' since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers ...
''.
*
Caleb S. Blanchard was 1st assistant surgeon of the regiment, but resigned due to disability in 1863. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Legislature.
* Robert Bullen, the son of
John Bullen Jr., was enlisted in Co. C. Later he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the
1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery Regiment
The 1st Regiment Wisconsin Heavy Artillery was an artillery regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Service
The 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery was originally organized by companies over a considerable period of time ...
.
* John C. Deniston, the brother of
Charles Rankin Deniston, was enlisted in Co. G.
*
John Edwin Holmes was quartermaster of the regiment. Before the war, he was the 1st Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin. He was captured by the enemy at the
Battle of Brentwood. He became seriously ill in prison and died two days after he was released, in May 1863.
*
Evan O. Jones
Evan O. Jones (March 24, 1830 – April 28, 1915) was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate.
Biography
Jones was born in Denbighshire, Wales. In January 1857, he married Mary Ann Roberts. They had three children ...
was first sergeant in Co. F and later sergeant major of the regiment. Discharged due to disability in September 1863, he later served in the Wisconsin Legislature.
*
Alphonso G. Kellam was captain of Co. D and was later detailed to the brigade staff. After the war he became a justice of the
South Dakota Supreme Court
The South Dakota Supreme Court is the highest court in the state of South Dakota. It is composed of a chief justice and four associate justices appointed by the governor. One justice is selected from each of five geographic appointment districts ...
.
*
William Robinson was drafted into Co. E in 1864. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Legislature.
See also
*
List of Wisconsin Civil War units
The state of Wisconsin enrolled 91,327 men for service in the Union Army during the American Civil War, 77,375 in the infantry, 8,877 in the cavalry, and 5,075 in the artillery. Some 3,802 of these men were killed in action or mortally wounded, ...
*
Wisconsin in the American Civil War
With the outbreak of the American Civil War, the northwestern state of Wisconsin raised 91,379 soldiers for the Union Army, organized into 53 infantry regiments, 4 cavalry regiments, a company of Berdan's sharpshooters, 13 light artillery bat ...
References
{{reflist
Military units and formations established in 1862
Military units and formations disestablished in 1865
Units and formations of the Union army from Wisconsin
1862 establishments in Wisconsin