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11th
Wisconsin Infantry
| Regimental History |
| Eleventh Infantry. — Col., Charles L. Harris; Lieut. -Cols., Charles
A. Wood, Luther H. Whittlesey; Majs., Arthur Piatt, Jesse S. Miller, Otis Remick. This
regiment was organized at Camp Randall, Madison, and was mustered in Oct. 18, 1862, with a
numerical strength of 1,029. It left the state Nov. 20, and performed railroad guard duty
until spring, when it was sent further south. It was in a skirmish with the enemy at Bayou
Cache, Ark., and was then on duty along the river until the spring of 1863, when it was
sent to take part in the siege of Vicksburg. The regiment took part in the battle of Port
Gibson and received a special compliment from Col. Stone, brigade commander, for its
splendid work. It was engaged at Champion's hill, and at the Big Black river, led the
charge which carried the enemy's works, and captured several hundred prisoners. At
Vicksburg its loss was heavy, the regiment occupying open ground which was swept by
Confederate bullets. Several months were then spent in arduous though uneventful
campaigning, but the regiment received Maj.-Gen. Dana's compliments in an order "for
the perfection of instruction discovered in picket and guard lines." Over
three-fourths of the 11th reenlisted as a veteran organization and after a brief visit
home it was sent on an invasion of western Tennessee and northern Mississippi, engaging
Forrest's cavalry en route. It was given outpost duty at Brashear City, Co. D being
detached to Bayou Louis and Co. E to Tigerville. Continued skirmishes with Confederate
cavalry, as well as scattered bodies of infantry, prevented the massing of Confederate
troops, and the smuggling trade was broken up. At Fort Blakely, Ala., its last engagement,
the regiment held the record of 4 years by conspicuous work, being among the first to
plant its colors on the enemy's parapet in the face of a murderous fire. It was mustered
out at Mobile Sept. 4, 1865. Its original strength was 1,029. Gain by recruits 364;
substitutes, 62; drafts, 147; veteran reenlistments, 363; total 1,965. Losses by death,
348; desertion, 25; transfer, 9; discharge, 31 ; mustered out, 1,264. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 4
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