Overview
The 17th Illinois Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Peoria, Illinois, and mustered into United States service on May 24, 1861. Serving on the Union side, the regiment operated primarily in the Western Theater and participated in several major campaigns and battles, including Fort Donelson, Shiloh, and the Vicksburg Campaign. The unit was known for its early and active engagement in the war and for maintaining its organization through some of the most intense fighting in the Western armies.
Organization & Service
The 17th Illinois Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized at Peoria, Illinois, and mustered in on May 24, 1861. Shortly after, the regiment moved to Alton, Illinois, on June 17 to complete its organization and receive arms. In late July, the regiment proceeded to St. Charles, Missouri, and then to Warrenton, Missouri, where it remained in camp for about two weeks. Company A was detailed as bodyguard to General John Pope, stationed at St. Charles.
The regiment’s first combat occurred on October 21, 1861, at Fredericktown, Missouri, where it participated in the defeat of Confederate forces under General Jeff Thompson, capturing artillery and prisoners. The following day, the regiment engaged the enemy near Greenfield, Arkansas. In early 1862, the 17th Illinois took part in the capture of Fort Donelson, suffering casualties during the battle. The regiment then moved to Pittsburg Landing and was assigned to the 1st Division, Army of West Tennessee, under General John A. McClernand. It fought at the Battle of Shiloh, sustaining heavy losses over two days of intense combat.
Following Shiloh, the regiment advanced to Corinth, Mississippi, and later participated in the Battle of the Hatchie in the autumn of 1862. In the spring of 1863, the 17th Illinois moved to Milliken’s Bend and took part in the Vicksburg Campaign, advancing through Raymond, Champion’s Hill, Jackson, and the Big Black River to the siege and final investment of Vicksburg. The regiment remained at Vicksburg until May 1864, when it was ordered to Springfield, Illinois, for muster-out and final discharge. Veterans and recruits whose terms had not expired were consolidated with the 8th Illinois Infantry and served until final discharge in the spring of 1866.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
- Fredericktown, Missouri (October 21, 1861)
- Greenfield, Arkansas (October 22, 1861)
- Fort Donelson (February 1862)
- Battle of Shiloh (April 6–7, 1862)
- Advance on and Siege of Corinth (April–May 1862)
- Battle of the Hatchie (October 1862)
- Vicksburg Campaign, including Raymond, Champion’s Hill, Jackson, Big Black River, and Siege of Vicksburg (May–July 1863)
Casualties
During its service, the 17th Illinois Infantry (Three Years’ Service) sustained significant losses. At the Battle of Shiloh alone, the regiment lost approximately 130 killed and wounded. The regiment also suffered casualties at Fredericktown, Fort Donelson, and throughout the Vicksburg Campaign. Comprehensive totals for killed, wounded, and deaths from disease are not fully detailed in all sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Leonard F. Ross
- Colonel Addison S. Norton
- Lieutenant Colonel Enos P. Woods
- Lieutenant Colonel Francis M. Smith
- Major Francis M. Smith
- Major Frank F. Peats
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 17th Illinois Infantry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and additional service details for those who served in the regiment.
To view the complete roster, visit the 17th Illinois Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 3, 7, 10, 17, 24
- Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Fox, William F., Regimental Losses in the American Civil War
- Contemporary regimental and state histories