The 44th Wisconsin Infantry 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 ...

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 ...

Service

The 44th Wisconsin was organized at

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is the List of municipalities in Wisconsin by population, second-most populous city in the state, with a population of 269,840 at the 2020 Uni ...

, and mustered into Federal service by companies between October and November 1864. The first five companies of the regiment were rushed to Nashville as a battalion under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Oliver C. Bissell, in November 1864, to assist in the defense of the

Battle of Nashville The Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting west of the coastal states in the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 18 ...

. The remaining companies arrived in February 1865. The regiment was mustered out on August 28, 1865.

Casualties

The 44th Wisconsin suffered 1 officer and 57 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 58 fatalitie

Commanders

* Colonel

George G. Symes George Gifford Symes (April 28, 1840November 3, 1893) was an American lawyer, Republican politician, and pioneer of Wisconsin, Montana, and Colorado. He was a member of congress, representing Colorado's at-large district during the 49th and ...

(July 1864August 28, 1865) superintended the organization of the regiment and took command of the full regiment when he brought the remaining companies to meet the advance battalion in February 1865. Before being appointed colonel, he served as a private in the

2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment The 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It spent most of the war as a member of the famous Iron Brigade of the Army of the Potomac. It suffered the largest numbe ...

and was wounded at the

First Battle of Bull Run The First Battle of Bull Run, called the Battle of First Manassas
. by Confederate States ...

, after recovering he served as adjutant and later captain of Co. F in the 25th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. After the war he moved to Colorado and became a U.S. congressman from that state. ** Lt. Colonel Oliver C. Bissell (November 30, 1864February 1865) commanded the advance battalion of the regiment that went into service first in order to rapidly deploy to the Battle of Nashville.

Notable people

* Samuel Abbott Ferrin was 1st assistant surgeon after previously serving as a hospital steward with the 32nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. After the war he became a Wisconsin state legislator.

References

External links