History Of Seventeenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry

This page is part of the Warren County Ohio GenWeb project
You are our 1610 visitor since 29 Oct 2004 -- thanks for stopping by!

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
Links:	See PARTIAL ROSTER of Warren Countians at the end of this article The 17th Ohio Infantry, at "Ohio in the Civil War" by Larry Stevens The 17th Ohio Infantry and Roster at Civil War Soldier and Sailor System by the National Park Service The 17th Ohio Infantry (3 months) and The 17th Ohio Infantry (3 years) at Ancestry.com [paid site]
	Return to Index to see a list of other articles by Dallas Bogan

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.

17th Ohio Voluneer Infantry - Partial Roster of Warren Countians (email your additions to Arne H Trelvik)

Regimental Officers

Company	Rank	Name	Remarks
Field & Staff	Colonel	Durbin Ward	1st Private, Co F 12th OVI; Wounded on 20 September 1863 at Chickamauga, Georgia; Brevet Brigadier General
	Surgeon	Washington Lafayette Schenck

Company A, 17th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Company	Rank	Name	Remarks
A	Private	John Henry Rensler	6 Nov 2007 Jessica Ressler writes. "I have found that my GGGreat Grandfather, John Henry Ressler (filed as John H. Risler or John Ressler) served in the 17th Regiment Ohio Infantry in the civil war.. He was company A, I believe, and his rank was Private in and out. "

Company B, 17th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Company	Rank	Name	Remarks
B	Private	Richard F. Ireland	Disability Discharge at Cincinnati, Ohio on 16 Mar 1863

Company C, 17th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Company	Rank	Name	Remarks
C	Private	Jacob Hunter

Company E, 17th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Company	Rank	Name	Remarks
E	Private	Andrew Bailey
E	1st Lieutenant	Daniel S. Bird
E	Private	Anson Brace	Died on 06 April 1862 in Butlerville, OH
E	Private	Abner Cadwallader	wounded in right arm
E	Private	Ezra Cadwallader	Wounded in abdomen at Chickamauga, Georgia on 19 Sep 1863
E	Corporal	William Clevenger	discharged due to wounds on 13 May 1864 - Pension Index card also lists service in Company I, 92nd Ohio Infantry
E	Corporal	James Craig
E	Corporal	George W. Hitesman Sr.	also Co C, 146th OVI
	Corporal	Benjamin H. Howard	Died of inflammation of the bowels at Atlanta, Georgia on 22 Nov 1864
E	Private	Emanuel Howard	Died of disease at Wilmington, North Carolina on 25 Mar 1865
E	Corporal	Benjamin F. Ingersoll	aka Franklin B. Ingersoll* wounded at Hoovers Gap; had left foot amputated; died of gangrene in wound at Murfreesboro hosp. Aug. 1, 1863*
E	Corporal	Jeremiah E. Jackson	Died of disease on 26 February 1862 in Danville, KY
E	Private	Frederick H. Long
E	Private	James Long	also Co H, 19th OVI
E	Private	James Long	Submitted by his great-great grandson, Dave Long, (Major, US Army, Retd.) who writes, "He is buried in the Stringtown cemetery in Mercer County, Ohio. His grave marker indicates that he died on March 11, 1864, while serving in his unit." [ 4 Feb 2009: no record of this James Long is found serving in the 17th OVI - see preceeding entry]
E	Corporal	David Roll	also Co E 92nd OVI
E	Private	James S. Shaw	Disability discharge on 20 Sep 1862
E	Private	William H. Smith	co. E, 17th O.V.I. and 1st U.S.V.V. Eng; wounded in '63 in left shoulder
E	Private	Emanuel Snider/Snyder
E	Private	Sullivan F. Stevens	Killed on 14 May 1864 in Resaca, GA - GAR Post 353 in Morrow, Ohio was named after him
E	Sergeant	Thomas J. Sullivan
E	Private	David S. Whitacre	Killed at Resaca, Georgia on 14 May 1864; Buried at Chattanooga, Tennessee National Cemetery
E	Private	Harvey Whitacre	Died of disease on 08 January 1862 in Somerset, Kentucky
E	Private	Matthew B. Whitacre

Company F, 17th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Company	Rank	Name	Remarks
F	Private	Henry Doughman	died of disease on 9 Jan 1862 at Somerset, Ky

Company G, 17th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Company	Rank		Name	Remarks
G	Private	*POW*	Joshua Albertson	captured at Chickamauga 20 Sep 1863 & confined at Libby Prison, Richmond, Virginia
G	Sergeant		Martin V. Baldwin
G	Private		Jimmett Conner
G	Private		Edward Hopkinson
G	Private		John McDermott
G	Private		William Koebel	aka William Keoble
G	Private		Augustus Slushmiller	aka Schlosmiller/Schlossmiller/Schlopsmiller
G	Private		Philip Schnyder
G	Private		George W. Smith
G	Corporal		Benjamin F. Taylor	died at Morrow, Nov. 15, 1862
G	Sgt.		William C. Taylor	wounded at Chickamauga
G	Corporal		John B. Wager
G	Private		Stephen Decatur Whitacre

FOOTNOTES: [a place to add additional information that you might want to submit]

NOTICE: All documents and electronic images placed on the Warren County OHGenWeb site remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. These documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the submitter, or their legal representative, and contact the listed Warren County OHGenWeb coordinator with proof of this consent.