2nd Wisconsin Infantry

The 2nd Wisconsin Infantry was organized in May of 1861 and officially mustered into United States service on June 11, 1861. It consisted of men primarily recruited from Fox Lake, Janesville, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Mineral Point, Oshkosh, Portage, Racine, and parts of greater Grant County. 
== Regimental History and Service Record ==
These tabs show the designations and regimental history for the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry. The designations refer to the higher levels of military organization to which the unit was attached throughout its term of service. The commanders of these larger units may have more relevant information regarding movements and actions of this unit. Click on a year tab to read a more in-depth account of this unit's service.
 
 
 In Brief
Dates 	Full UnitDesignation 	Significant Events 	OtherBrigaded Units
~April-June 1861 	N/A 	
* Organized at Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin
** June 11, 1861 - Mustered into federal service	N/A
June 20-25, 1861 	N/A 	Moved to Washington, D.C.	N/A
June 1861-August 1861 	Department of Northeastern Virginia (Irvin McDowell, Brigadier General) /1st Division (Daniel Tyler, Brigadier General) /1st Brigade (William Sherman, Colonel, United States Volunteers)	
* July 16-21, 1861 - The Manassas Campaign
** July 17, 1861 - Occupation of Fairfax Court House, Virginia
** July 18, 1861 - Skirmish at Blackburn's Ford, Virginia
** July 21, 1861 - Battle of Bull Run, Virginia	
* (I) 13th New York Infantry
* 69th New York Infantry
* 79th New York Infantry
* 3rd United States Artillery / Battery E
August 1861-October 1861	Department of the Potomac (George McClellan, Major General) /Ft. Corcoran Garrison (?) 	
* Duty at Fort Corcoran 	
* 2nd Maine Infantry
* (I) 13th New York Infantry
October 1861-March 1862 	Department of the Potomac (George McClellan, Major General) /2nd Division (Irvin McDowell, Brigadier General) /3rd Brigade (Rufus King, Brigadier General) 	
* Defenses of Washington, D.C., until August 27. 
* Camp at Meridian Hill and duty at Fort Tillinghast until March, 1862
** September 25, 1861 - Reconnaissance to Lewinsville, Va. 
** December 9, 1861 - (I) Company K transferred to 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery 
** December 20, 1861 - (II) Company K organized	
(The "Iron Brigade")
* 6th Wisconsin Infantry
* 7th Wisconsin Infantry
* 19th Indiana Infantry
March 1862-April 1862 	Department of the Potomac (?) /(I) 1st Corps (?) /3rd Division (?) /3rd Brigade (?) /''' 	
* Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-16, 1862
* Advance to Falmouth March 18-April 23
** Woodstock April 1	"The Iron Brigade"
April 1862-June 1862 	Department of the Rappahannock (?) /King's Division (?) /3rd Brigade (?) 	
* McDowell's advance on Richmond May 25-29
* Operations against Jackson June 2-11	"The Iron Brigade"
June 1862-September 1862	Army of Virginia (?) /3rd Army Corps (?) /1st Division (?) /4th Brigade (?) 	
* Reconnaissance to Orange Court House July 24-26
* Expedition to Frederick's Hall Station and Spotsylvania Court House August 5-8
** Thornburg's Mills or Massapona Church August 5-6
* August 16-September 2, 1862 - The Northern Virginia Campaign
** Fords of the Rappahannock August 21-23
** Catlett's Station August 21
** August 28, 1862 - Engagement at Gainesville, Virginia 
** Battles of Groveton August 29
** Bull Run August 30
** Chantilly September 1 (Reserve)
* September 3-20, 1862 - The Maryland Campaign
** September 14, 1862 - Battle of South Mountain, Maryland
** September 17, 1862 - Battle of Antietam, Maryland
* At Sharpsburg, Md., until October 30.	"The Iron Brigade"
September 1862-June 1863	Army of the Potomac (?) /1st Army Corps (?) /1st Division (?) /4th Brigade (?) 	
* At Sharpsburg, Md., until October 30
* Advance to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 22
* Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15
* "Mud March" January 20-24, 1863
* At Belle Plains until April 27
* Expedition from Belle Plains into Westmoreland County March 25-29
* April 27-May 6, 1863 - The Chancellorsville Campaign
** Operations at Pollock's Mill Creek April 29-May 2
** Fitzhugh's Crossing April 29-30
** May 1-5, 1863 - Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia
* Operations on Northern Neck May 20-26
* Brandy Station and Beverly Ford June 9
* June 11-August 1, 1863 - The Gettysburg Campaign	
"The Iron Brigade"
* 24th Michigan Infantry attached
June 1863-March 1864 	Army of the Potomac (?) /1st Army Corps (?) /1st Division (?) /1st Brigade (?) 	
* June 11-August 1, 1863 - The Gettysburg Campaign
** July 1-3, 1863 - Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
** Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5-24
* Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan until October
* Bristoe Campaign October 9-22
** Haymarket October 19
* Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8
* Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2
* May 4-June 15, 1864 - The Overland Campaign	"The Iron Brigade"
March 1864-August 1864 	Army of the Potomac (?) /5th Army Corps (?) /4th Division (?) /1st Brigade (?) 	
* May 4-June 12, 1864 - The Overland Campaign
** May 5-7, 1864 - Battle of the Wilderness, Virginia
** May 8-21, 1864 - Battles of Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia
*** May 8, 1864 - Combat at Laurel Hill, Virginia
*** Detached from Brigade May 11 and assigned to duty as Provost Guard, 4th Division, 5th Army Corps
*** May 12, 1864 - Assault on the Salient at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia
** May 22-26, 1864 - Operations on Line of the North Anna River, Virginia
** May 26-28, 1864 - Operations on Line of the Pamunkey River, Virginia
** May 28-31, 1864 - Operations on Line of the Totopotomoy River, Virginia
** June 1-12, 1864 - Battles of Cold Harbor, Virginia
*** June 1-3, 1864 - Battle of Bethesda Church, VirginiaNot originally listed on unit homepage
** June 11, 1864 - Non-Veterans ordered to Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin 
*** July 2, 1864 - Mustered out of federal service
*** Veterans and Recruits consolidated to a Battalion of two Companies and assigned to duty as 5th Army Corps / 4th Division / Provost Guard at Headquarters until September - see this unit for further information	"The Iron Brigade"
 
 
 1861
The 2nd Wisconsin Infantry was organized at Madison, Wisconsin in May of 1861 for a 90 day term of service. It was mustered into Federal Service on June 11, 1861 with the following roster of officers:
Squire Park Coon - (Colonel)Henry W. Peck - (Lieutenant Colonel)Duncan McDonald - (Major)Edwin M. Hunter - (Adjutant)James D. Ruggles - (Quartermaster)James M. Lewis - (Surgeon)Thomas P. Russell - (1st Assistant Surgeon)Peter S. Arndt - (2nd Assistant Surgeon)James C. Richmond - (Chaplain)	Squire Park Coon - (Colonel)Henry W. Peck - (Lieutenant Colonel)Duncan McDonald - (Major)Edwin M. Hunter - (Adjutant)James D. Ruggles - (Quartermaster)James M. Lewis - (Surgeon)Thomas P. Russell - (1st Assistant Surgeon)Peter S. Arndt - (2nd Assistant Surgeon)James C. Richmond - (Chaplain)	Squire Park Coon - (Colonel)Henry W. Peck - (Lieutenant Colonel)Duncan McDonald - (Major)Edwin M. Hunter - (Adjutant)James D. Ruggles - (Quartermaster)James M. Lewis - (Surgeon)Thomas P. Russell - (1st Assistant Surgeon)Peter S. Arndt - (2nd Assistant Surgeon)James C. Richmond - (Chaplain)	Squire Park Coon - (Colonel)Henry W. Peck - (Lieutenant Colonel)Duncan McDonald - (Major)Edwin M. Hunter - (Adjutant)James D. Ruggles - (Quartermaster)James M. Lewis - (Surgeon)Thomas P. Russell - (1st Assistant Surgeon)Peter S. Arndt - (2nd Assistant Surgeon)James C. Richmond - (Chaplain)
Company 	Captain 	1st Lieutenant 	2nd Lieutenant
A 	George H. Stevens 	Edward B. Mann 	William W. Jones
B 	Wilson Colwell 	Frank Hatch 	Robert H. Hughes
C 	David McKee 	Charles K. Dean 	William Booth
D 	George B. Ely 	Archibald B. McLean 	Dana B. Dodge
E 	Gabriel Bouck 	John Hancock 	Herman B. Jackson
F 	William E. Strong 	Anson O. Doolittle 	William L. Parsons
G 	John Mansfield 	Alexander S. Hill 	Samuel K. Vaughan
H 	Julius F. Randolph 	Aaron A. Meredith 	Nathaniel Rollins
I 	Thomas S. Allen 	William A. La Fleische 	Thomas W. Bishop
K 	Andrew J. Langworthy 	Caleb Hunt 	William A. Hopkins
* EquipmentHerdegan, IBiCW, 8, 11
* Mustered at Camp Randall
* Moved to Washington D.C. by rail - June 20-25
** Boarded at Madison, Wisconsin
** 1 hour to Janesville, Wisconsin, stopped for dinner here
** A few hours later, escorted by militia through Chicago, Illinois
** Cleveland, Ohio -> Toledo, Ohio -> Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania -> Mifflin, Pennsylvania -> Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
*** June 22 - arrived at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and furnished with .69 caliber Harpers Ferry Smoothbore muskets converted from flintlock to percussion
** Harrisburg -> Baltimore, Maryland
*** Derailed and marched through the city to the next depot with fixed bayonets - they know of the attack on the (I) 6th Massachusetts Infantry here on April 19
*** Held up here waiting for other cars
*** City is heavily militarized - do not accept food from civilians for fear of poison
** Trains finally leave near midnight, two wheels of car derail and cause further delay, reach Washington D.C. on June 25
* Moved to Woodward Block on Pennsylvania Avenue, then later in the day to Seventh St. Park, remain here for a week
** Camped on Meridian Hill (in northern suburbs of the city)? - Quiner
* On July 2, the regiment crossed the Potomac River into Virginia where they made camp 2 miles West of Ft. Corcoran - Quiner (Or did they go to Corcoran? Herdegan)
** Here the regiment was attached to Sherman's Brigade, Tyler's Division, McDowell's Army of Northeast Virginia - brigaded with the (I) 13th New York Infantry, 69th New York Infantry, and the 79th New York Infantry
** Meeting between East and West, camped near 1st Minnesota Infantry
* News from (I) 1st Wisconsin Infantry guarding railroads and Battle of Falling Waters - first Wisconsinite killed
* Officer situation - Colonel Coon asked to resign by junior officers
** On July 15, Charles K. Dean replaced Edwin M. Hunter as the AdjutantThe Roster lists this as his promotion date, but Quiner says he obtained this before the regiment crossed the Potomac on July 2. The roster lists Hunter as dropped from the rolls on June 25. Did Dean act as adjutant before he received the official promotion, or are the dates confused?
* Engaged in camp duties until July 15-16
==== The Bull Run Campaign ==== 
* Attached to Sherman's Brigade, Tyler's Division, McDowell's Army of Northeast Virginia, to August, 1861 
* July 15 - By 1:00 p.m., the regiment marched out to the Fairfax road to join in brigade formation to began the Advance on Manassas
* Marched a dozen miles through Falls Church and Vienna, halted for the night
* July 16 - Marched 8 miles through Fairfax Court House and Germantown, Virginia until they arrived at Warrenton Pike, halted 3 miles outside of Centreville, Fairfax County, Virginia
* July 17 - ?
* July 18 - Marched toward Centreville, halted, ordered around noon to the support of troops engaged near Blackburn's Ford
** The same day, General Tyler takes his Division on a reconnaissance to Blackburn's Ford, where rebels contest the Union advance
** A small skirmish soon became the Battle of Blackburn's Ford
** Sherman's brigade held in reserve, shell lands in Company B wounding 3 and killing Myron GardnerQuiner 439
* Regiment returned to camp and bivouacked, held at the ready for 3 days
* July 21, 1861 - Battle of (I) Bull Run
** At 2:00 a.m., the regiment awoke and marched to the Stone Bridge along the Warrenton Pike
** Sherman's brigade deployed on the right side of the Pike, Schencks' deployed on the left, intent is to create a diversion for the rest of the army to get around the left flank
** The Battle of (I) Bull Run commences
** Around 11:00 a.m., Sherman's Brigade crosses the bridge and enters the battle
*** BATTLE EVENTS
**** Confederate battery waving Union flag 
**** Crossed field to Matthew Hill
**** Artillery battle
**** 2nd Infantry and (I) 13th New York Infantry ordered to take Henry Hill
**** 2nd stays longer, retreats farther
**** 38th New York and 69th New York advance to capture guns
**** Union regiments' friendly firing into the 2nd as they retreat
**** Robert S. Stephenson saves the colors in a Confederate cavalry chargeQuiner
**** Sherman tries to form a hollow square during the retreat, unsuccessful
**** Henry Peck rides past the entire unit on horseback
**** Great stampede of wagons/buggies/artillery, etc running away
**** James M. Lewis, the regimental surgeon, is captured at the hospital near the battle ground
**** Regiment regroups at Centerville, and marches to Camp Peck
* On July 22, most of regiment had regrouped at old camp
* On July 23, moved to Fort Corcoran and ordered to garrison and defend
RESULTS
* Comparison of casualties from different sources + list
* Quiner: 19 Killed / 114 Wounded / 69 Prisoners, including wounded. Several would die in captivity"No official report of casualties in the Second Wisconsin was ever published. We have, therefore, copied from the 'Regimental Descriptive Book,' on file in the Adjutant General's office, and also from the monthly reports, the names of the killed, wounded and prisoners, in the action of the 21st of July, 1861" (Quiner, 441)
* 2 days after battle 785 present/accounted for - Sherman submits 23 killed, 65 wounded 23 missing and believed to be prisoners
* Alan D. GaffHerdegan, 36 study believes real casualties to be 18 killed, 76 wounded, 50 wounded/prisoners, 26 unwounded prisoners
==== Army of the Potomac / Ft. Corcoran Garrison ====
* Fort Corcoran, Division of the Potomac, to October, 1861 
* Visited by President Lincoln, Secretary Seward, and Governor Randall
* STAFF CHANGES
** On July 29, Henry W. Peck resigned as Lieutenant Colonel and was replaced by Duncan McDonald, who also resigned on August 9
** On July 31, Squire Park Coon resigned as Colonel - He was replaced on August 3 by Edgar O'Connor
** Lucius Fairchild promoted from Captain of the (I) 1st Wisconsin Infantry / Company K to first the Major on August 9, and then the Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment on August 20 
** Thomas S. Allen was promoted to Major on August 22
* August 27, transferred to provisional brigade with 5th Wisconsin Infantry, 6th Wisconsin Infantry, and 19th Indiana Infantry - Commanded by Rufus King
* Regiment was transferred to General King's brigade and joined it on Meridian Hill on July 25
* Duty at Fort Corcoran, Defenses of Washington, D.C., until August 27
* Sent over the Potomac River at Chain bridge to build fortifications and perform picket duty in "early September"
** Reconnaissance to Lewinsville, Va., September 25, 1861
** Rejoined the brigade at Camp Lyon on October 1
==== Army of the Potomac / 2nd Division / 3rd Brigade ====
* King's Brigade, McDowell's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862 
* Joined brigade on October 1st, joined by the 6th Wisconsin Infantry on October 2nd to form the Iron Brigade
* Camp at Meridian Hill and duty at Fort Tillinghast until March, 1862
** Company K transferred to 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery on December 9(?), 1861
** General Orders #78:
------------
GENERAL ORDERS }
No. 78 }
HEADQUARTERS 2D WIS INFANTRY VOLS.
CAMP TILLINGHAST, VA., DEC. 8, 1861
Co. K of this regiment having been detached for Artillery duty by Special Orders No. 172, Headquarters Army of the Potomac, dated Dec. 7, 1861, said Company will be relieved from further duty in the 2d Regiment Wis. Vols. at 8:30 o'clock to-morrow morning.
Lieut. Hunt, in command of said Company, will direct the removal of the same, and everything pertaining to it, and he will report his company for Artillery duty in obedience to orders received from Brig. Gen'l William F. Barry, Chief of Artillery.
C.K. DEAN, ADJUTANT
By order of
COL. E. O'CONNER
-------------
** A new Company K was organized on December 20, 1861 
* 
 
 
 1862
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 1863
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 1864
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</div>
== Regimental Roster ==
 
 
 Field and Staff Officers
 
 
 Regimental Band
 
 
 Company A
 
 
 Company B
 
 
 Company C
 
 
 Company D
 
 
 Company E
 
 
 Company F
 
 
 Company G
 
 
 Company H
 
 
 Company I
 
 
 (I) Company K
 
 
 (II) Company K
 
 
 Unassigned
 
</div>
== Muster Out ==
== Regiment Statistical Information ==
Source 	Casualties	Remarks
Dyer 	
* 10 Officers and 228 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded 
* 77 enlisted men killed by disease
* Total 315	None
Fox 	
* 8 Officers and 230 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded
* Total 238 (Combat Losses)
* 19.7% Casualty Rate (238 Killed/1203 Enrolled)
* Fox lists this regiment as:
** 13th on the list of units "sustaining greatest loss in action" (Infantry units with over 200 casualties)
** 1st on the list of units with losses based on "maximum percentage of enrollment" 
** 1st on the list of units with losses based on duration of the entire term of service of the unit (1st of the Wisconsin troops)	"The loss in the Second Wisconsin indicates the extreme limit of danger to which human life is exposed in a war similar in duration and activity to the American Civil War. It shows the chances which a man takes when he enlists."
WotRWiki Statistics	
* troops killed 
** Includes troops mortally wounded
** Includes troops killed by disease
** All others are troops killed in action or under special circumstances	
== Notes ==
== Sources == 
* (Pages 760, 761, 828, 895, 905, 906, 907, 916, 932, 933, 934, 936, 938, 939, 940, 941, 1673-1674)
* (Pages 7-12)
* (Pages 3, 8, 9, 14)
* (Pages 345-378)
=== Other Sources ===
* If This is War: A History of the Campaign of Bull's Run by the Wisconsin Regiment Thereafter Known as the Ragged Ass Second by Alan D. Gaff (2)
* http://www.7thwisconsin.org/2nd-WI-Rosters/
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