12th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment

Union Army infantry regiment 12th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment Flag of Wisconsin.svg 100 Flag of Wisconsin October 18, 1861July 20, 1865 United States Union (American Civil War)Union Wisconsin 1778 23pxWisconsin Infantry Regiment American Civil War Vicksburg campaign Siege of Vicksburg Jackson expedition Meridian campaign Atlanta campaign Battle of Kennesaw Mountain Battle of Atlanta Battle of Jonesborough Savannah campaign Carolinas campaign Battle of Bentonville George E. Bryant Colonel Dewitt C. Poole Lt. Colonel James Kerr Proudfit Colonel Wisconsin U.S. Volunteer Infantry Regiments 1861-1865 11th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment 13th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment The 12th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was a volunteer infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. They served primarily in the western theatre of the war, participating in battles and campaigns including the Siege of Vicksburg, the Jackson expedition, the Atlanta campaign, and Sherman's March to the Sea. Service The 12th Wisconsin was raised at Madison, Wisconsin, and mustered into Federal service October 18, 1861. It departed Madison for Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on January 11, 1862, arriving there on February 16. Marched from Fort Leavenworth To Fort Scott, Kansas March 1–7. Duty there till March 27. Ordered to Lawrence, Kansas March 27. Ordered to Fort Riley April 20, then to Fort Leavenworth May 27. They were attached to the Department of Kansas to June, 1862.Frederick H. Dyer, Compendium of the War of the Rebellion: Regimental Histories, Wisconsin Volunteers., 12th Wisconsin Regiment Infantry. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2001.05.0146:chapter=44:regiment=WI12 2023-11-12 www.perseus.tufts.edu 2023-11-12 https://web.archive.org/web/20231112235832/https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2001.05.0146:chapter=44:regiment=WI12 live the 12th moved to various locations from March 1, 1862, to April 18, 1863.Battle Unit Details - The Civil War (U.S. National Park Service) https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UWI0012RI 2023-06-27 www.nps.gov en 2023-06-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20230627130148/https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UWI0012RI live The Vicksburg Campaign thumb|150px|right|Monument at Vicksburg National Military Park The 12th was ordered to the Siege of Vicksburg May 11, arriving there on May 22, and staying at the siege until July 4 when it was finished. At Vicksburg the 12th was part of the Third Brigade of the Fourth Division of the Sixteenth Army Corps.Kountz John S. https://lccn.loc.gov/05000243 Record of the organizations engaged in the campaign, siege, and defense of Vicksburg 1901 28 Immediately after, the 12th marched towards Jackson, Mississippi, and participated in the siege of the city. Ordered back to Vicksburg until August 15, when it went on an expedition to Tupelo September 1–8, capturing Fort Beauregard on September 4. It joined General Sherman's army in the Meridian Campaign, and then returned to Vicksburg until April, when the regiment left for Cairo, Illinois. After that, they moved to Clifton, Tennessee, then to Acworth, Georgia. The Atlanta Campaign and follow ups The regiment assaulted Kenesaw Mountain on June 27, 1864. After that, they were engaged in several battles around Chattahoochee River from July 2 through 17. They sieged Atlanta July 22 through August 25. After that, they participated in the Battle of Jonesborough (August 31 – September 1). On November 15, "Sherman's March to the Sea" commenced, ending on December 10, at Savannah, Georgia. On January 1, Sherman's army began the Carolinas campaign. They captured Pocotaligo on January 14, were engaged at Salkehatchie Swamp February 2–5 and at Binnaker's Swamp on the 9th. They then captured Orangeburg on February 11–12, and Columbia on February 16–17. They participated in the Battle of Bentonville on March 19–21. They occupied Goldsboro on March 24, then Raleigh on April 14. On April 29, they started marching towards Washington, D.C., and reached it on May 19. The regiment was mustered out on July 20, 1865, at Louisville, Kentucky.2012-08-27 12th Wisconsin Infantry History https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS2022 2023-06-27 Wisconsin Historical Society en 2023-06-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20230627132127/https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS2022 live Commanders Colonel George E. BryantWisconsin. Adjutant General's Office http://archive.org/details/rosterofwisconsi01wisc Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 1886 Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers New York Public Library 702 (September 27, 1861November 6, 1864) retired at the end of his three-year enlistment. After the war, he became a Wisconsin state legislator, judge, and state superintendent of public property. During his service as colonel, he was frequently separated from the regiment in acting command of their brigade, particularly in the first half of 1863 and the latter half of 1864. Lt. Colonel Dewitt C. Poole (February 5, 1863June 10, 1863) had command of the regiment while Colonel Bryant was in command of the brigade. Colonel James Kerr Proudfit (July 22, 1864July 16, 1865) had command of the regiment while Colonel Bryant was in command of the brigade, then succeeded him as colonel after his retirement. He began the war as second lieutenant of Co. K in the 1st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. He joined the 12th Wisconsin Infantry as adjutant when the regiment was being organized and supported Bryant as acting assistant adjutant general when Bryant was in command of the brigade in 1863. After Lt. Colonel Poole's retirement, Proudfit was promoted directly to lieutenant colonel, vaulting over the major and the company captains. After the war, Proudfit was adjutant general of Wisconsin, served in the state Senate, and was one of the founders of the Grand Army of the Republic. Total enlistments and casualties 1667 people were enlisted in the 12th.Image 9 of Wisconsin in war, 1861-1898. https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcmassbookdig.wisconsininwar1800hast/?sp=9 2023-07-12 Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA 2023-07-12 https://web.archive.org/web/20230712130412/https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcmassbookdig.wisconsininwar1800hast/?sp=9 live Some sources say the 12th Wisconsin lost 3 officers and 93 enlisted men killed in action or who later died of their wounds, plus another 3 officers and 224 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 323 fatalities, while others say they lost 329.http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unwiinf1.htm#12th Civil War Archive 2006-10-25 2006-10-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20061025183318/http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unwiinf1.htm#12th live +12th Wisconsin Infantry, Company OrganizationWisconsin. Adjutant General's Office https://archive.org/details/rosterofwisconsi01wisco/page/704/mode/2up Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 1886 Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers The Library of Congress 704-738Estabrook Charles E. http://historyweb.digitalhistory.bsu.edu/jklinger/ensuringloyaltykentucky/Documents/Wiadj.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20211031225756/http://historyweb.digitalhistory.bsu.edu/jklinger/ensuringloyaltykentucky/Documents/Wiadj.pdf dead 2021-10-31 Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Wisconsin For the Years 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864. Democrat Printing Co. 1912 Madison, Wisconsin 1912 63-64CompanyOriginal MonikerPrimary Place of RecruitmentCaptain(s) ALyon Light GuardPierce County Norman McLeod (resigned) Orrin T. Maxson (resigned) Charles Reynolds (detailed; mustered out) BPioneer RiflesSauk County and Marquette County Giles Stevens (mustered out) Jonathan W. Root (mustered out) CDodgeville GuardsIowa County and Dane County Charles F. Loeber (resigned) Francis Wilson (mustered out) Daniel G. Jones (mustered out) DWest Bend Union GuardWashington County and Pierce County John Martin Price (promoted) William Nungesser (mustered out) EWisconsin VolunteersSauk County, Columbia County, La Crosse County, and Adams County Abraham Vanderpool (resigned) John Gillespie (mustered out) FRiver Sackers Oconto County and Marinette County George C. Norton (mustered out) Frederick J. Bartels (mustered out) GEvergreensWood County and Marathon County Daniel Howell (resigned) W. Wallace Botkin (transferred) Warren P. Langworthy (mustered out) HGreen Bay Union GuardsBrown County and Oconto County Milo C. Palmer (resigned–disability) Carlton B. Wheelock (promoted) Ephraim Blakeslee (mustered out) IWisconsin Union RiflemenVernon County, Richland County, and the town of Forest Hartwell L. Turner (resigned) Van S. Bennett (mustered out) Francis Hoyt (mustered out) KKickapoo RangersGrant County and Crawford County Daniel Robbins Sylvester (KIA) Almon N. Chandler (KIA) George R. Pyle (mustered out) Notable people Van S. Bennett was captain of Co. I. After the war, he served as a Wisconsin state senator.Wisconsin. Adjutant General's Office http://archive.org/details/rosterofwisconsi01wisc Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 1886 Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers New York Public Library 731 Harlan P. Bird was enlisted in Co. F and was then promoted to sergeant major of the regiment. In 1863, he was commissioned 2nd lieutenant of Co. G and was later promoted to 1st lieutenant. He was wounded at Vicksburg and was subsequently detailed as an adjutant for the brigade, quartermaster for XVII Corps, and ordinance officer for the division. After the war, he served as a Wisconsin state senator.Wisconsin. Adjutant General's Office http://archive.org/details/rosterofwisconsi01wisc Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 1886 Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers New York Public Library 703, 721, 724 Ephraim Blakeslee was 1st sergeant of Co. B for one year, and was then commissioned 2nd lieutenant of Co. H, rising to the rank of captain near the end of the war. After the war, he served as a Wisconsin legislator.Wisconsin. Adjutant General's Office http://archive.org/details/rosterofwisconsi01wisc Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 1886 Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers New York Public Library 708, 727 Michael J. Cantwell was 1st lieutenant in Co. C and acting quartermaster. After the war, he served as a Wisconsin legislator.Quiner E. B. (Edwin Bentley) http://archive.org/details/militaryhistoryo00quin The military history of Wisconsin : a record of the civil and military patriotism of the state, in the war for the union, with a history of the campaigns in which Wisconsin soldiers have been conspicuous--regimental histories--sketches of distinguished officers--the roll of the illustrious dead--movements of the Legislature and state officers, etc 1866 Chicago, Clarke & co. The Library of Congress 574–589 Luther H. Cary was surgeon of the regiment for the first two years and was appointed medical inspector for XVI Corps. After the war, he served in the Wisconsin and California state legislatures.Wisconsin. Adjutant General's Office http://archive.org/details/rosterofwisconsi01wisc Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 1886 Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers New York Public Library 702 Joseph M. Copp, son of William J. Copp, was enlisted in Co. A through nearly the entire war and rose to the rank of corporal, he was briefly a prisoner of war after Atlanta. Later in life, he became a lawyer.Wisconsin. Adjutant General's Office http://archive.org/details/rosterofwisconsi01wisc Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 1886 Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers New York Public Library 704 John Gillespie was captain of Co. E. He was wounded and captured at the Battle of Atlanta and remained a prisoner for the last year of the war. After the war, he served as a Wisconsin legislator.Wisconsin. Adjutant General's Office http://archive.org/details/rosterofwisconsi01wisc Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 1886 Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers New York Public Library 717 Michael Griffin was a sergeant in Co. E and was wounded at Atlanta. He was commissioned 2nd lieutenant shortly before the end of the war. After the war, he served as a U.S. congressman.Wisconsin. Adjutant General's Office http://archive.org/details/rosterofwisconsi01wisc Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 1886 Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers New York Public Library 717 Daniel Howell was captain of Co. G but resigned due to illness in 1863. Before the war he served as a Wisconsin state senator.Wisconsin. Adjutant General's Office http://archive.org/details/rosterofwisconsi01wisc Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 1886 Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers New York Public Library 724 James Lennon was a sergeant in Co. H and was commissioned 2nd lieutenant near the end of the war. After the war, he served as a Wisconsin legislator and sheriff.Wisconsin. Adjutant General's Office http://archive.org/details/rosterofwisconsi01wisc Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 1886 Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers New York Public Library 727 Orrin T. Maxson was captain of Co. A through September 1864. Before the war, he served as a Wisconsin state legislator and was a founder of Prescott, Wisconsin. Frank Howell Putney, a nephew of Daniel Howell, was enlisted in Co. G, rising to the rank of second lieutenant. He was later detailed as a brigade adjutant and staff officer. After the war, he became a county judge. Charles Reynolds was sergeant major of the regiment, then second lieutenant, first lieutenant, and finally captain of Co. A. Near the end of the war, he was detached as assistant adjutant to General Charles Ewing. After the war, he served as a Wisconsin legislator.Wisconsin. Adjutant General's Office http://archive.org/details/rosterofwisconsi01wisc Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 1886 Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers New York Public Library 703–704 William Emerson Strong was major of the regiment, but was detailed to XVII Corps staff in 1863, then transitioned to staff for the Army of the Tennessee, remaining on the regiment rolls but never returning to the regiment. While still in federal service, he transitioned to become the first inspector general of the Freedmans Bureau; he mustered out as a lieutenant colonel in 1866 and received an honorary brevet to brigadier general. Before joining the 12th Wisconsin Infantry, he was captain of Co. F in the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. Daniel Robbins Sylvester was captain of Co. K through most of the war. After the war, he served as a Wisconsin legislator.Wisconsin. Adjutant General's Office http://archive.org/details/rosterofwisconsi01wisc Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 1886 Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers New York Public Library 735 Charles M. Webb was 1st lieutenant of Co. G for the first year of the war. After the war, he served as a Wisconsin legislator and circuit judge and was a U.S. attorney under presidents Grant and Hayes. See also American Civil War List of Wisconsin Civil War units Wisconsin in the American Civil War References Citations 30em Sources 40em The Civil War Archive Frederick H. Dyer, Compendium of the War of the Rebellion: Regimental Histories, Wisconsin Volunteers., 12th Wisconsin Regiment Infantry. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2001.05.0146:chapter=44:regiment=WI12 2023-11-12 www.perseus.tufts.edu 2023-11-12 https://web.archive.org/web/20231112235832/https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2001.05.0146:chapter=44:regiment=WI12 live Battle Unit Details - The Civil War (U.S. National Park Service) https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UWI0012RI 2023-06-27 www.nps.gov en 2023-06-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20230627130148/https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UWI0012RI live Kountz John S. https://lccn.loc.gov/05000243 Record of the organizations engaged in the campaign, siege, and defense of Vicksburg 1901 28 2012-08-27 12th Wisconsin Infantry History https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS2022 2023-06-27 Wisconsin Historical Society en 2023-06-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20230627132127/https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS2022 live Wisconsin. Adjutant General's Office http://archive.org/details/rosterofwisconsi01wisc Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 1886 Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers New York Public Library Image 9 of Wisconsin in war, 1861-1898. https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcmassbookdig.wisconsininwar1800hast/?sp=9 2023-07-12 Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA 2023-07-12 https://web.archive.org/web/20230712130412/https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcmassbookdig.wisconsininwar1800hast/?sp=9 live http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unwiinf1.htm#12th Civil War Archive 2006-10-25 2006-10-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20061025183318/http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unwiinf1.htm#12th live Estabrook Charles E. http://historyweb.digitalhistory.bsu.edu/jklinger/ensuringloyaltykentucky/Documents/Wiadj.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20211031225756/http://historyweb.digitalhistory.bsu.edu/jklinger/ensuringloyaltykentucky/Documents/Wiadj.pdf dead 2021-10-31 Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Wisconsin For the Years 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864. Democrat Printing Co. 1912 Madison, Wisconsin 1912 External links 12th Wisconsin - Transcription of the 12th Wisconsin entry in Quiner's Military History of Wisconsin, 1866 04396388.3302.emory.edu Story of the service of Company E: and the Twelfth Wisconsin Regiment, Veteran Volunteer Infantry, in the War of the Rebellion beginning with September 7th, 1861, and ending with July 21st, 1865 (1893) Category:Military units and formations established in 1861 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Category:Units and formations of the Union army from Wisconsin Category:1861 establishments in Wisconsin