17th Illinois Infantry

[Ole Miss]

This excerpt from Illinois at Shiloh provides a brief description of the Regiment and its participation in the Battle of Shiloh. The 17th played a vital role in the first few hours of the battle to slow the onslaught of the Confederates on Sunday, April 6, 1862 yet they seemed to be lost to history so wanted to bring them back to the limelight.
Regards
David

SEVENTEENTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.

Third Brigade (Col. Julius Raith, 43rd 111., Commanding),
First Division, General John A. McClernand, Commanding.

The brigade was composed entirely of Illinois troops, as follows: the 17th, 29th, 43rd and 49th.

The 17th, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Enos P. Wood, formed on the color line about 7:30 and awaited orders. Before eight it was ordered to support General Sherman near Shiloh church, and moved immediately, taking position to the left, with two of Taylor's guns between it and the church. The regiment remained there until the enemy had driven the Union troops back
on the left, when at the suggestion of General Sherman, it fell back to, and reformed near the small grove of water oaks northwest of Sherman's headquarters tents, remaining but a short time, as the left flank was entirely unsupported. It then returned to what is now known as "McClernand's Third Line," and north and west of the present Illinois Monument on Shiloh field. The fighting had been quite severe, and the regiment had lost a number of men.

The regiment remained in this position until the left was again driven back, when it retired by the way of, and to the north of the camp of the 2nd brigade, where it
joined the 2nd brigade under Colonel C. C. Marsh.

At this time Colonel Raith having been mortally wounded, the command of the 3rd brigade devolved on Lieutenant Colonel Enos P. Wood, leaving Major Francis M. Smith in command of the 17th. About four o'clock the command arrived near General McArthur's headquarters on the Hamburg and Savannah road, and soon assisted in repulsing a heavy and vigorous charge of the enemy.

This was the nearest approach to the Landing that the regiment reached (just a mile). The command here remained all night in a drenching rain.

On the 7th the command moved forward to, and across the open field in front of General R. J. Oglesby's camp, where it, with the assistance of some new troops, attempted to capture a rebel battery near the camp of the 2nd brigade, but owing to the early falling back of these new men, the attempt was a failure.

Returning to the east side of the camp of the 1st brigade, the regiment remained until about 11:30; the command of "Change front, forward on, 10th company," was given, and the regiment immediately moved forward, meeting the enemy and driving him from his last position in this part of the field. The fighting was very severe. After advancing near half a mile, the command was relieved by General D. C. Buell's troops, and the regiment returned to camp, which was reached about 4:30 o'clock.

 

[Ole Miss]

This is the Shiloh National Military Park's Facebook Page about the 17th Illinois
Regards
David

The 17th Illinois Infantry at Shiloh

The Seventeenth Regiment of Illinois Infantry Volunteers was mustered into the United States service at Peoria, Ill., on May 25, 1861. Leonard Ross, a lawyer from Fulton County, who had served in the 4th Illinois Infantry in the Mexican War, was selected as colonel of the regiment. Dr. Enos P. Wood, a physician from New Boston, Illinois became lieutenant colonel. Francis M. Smith of Galesburg, Illinois became major. In July 1861, the regiment moved to Missouri, where they pursued Confederate forces and served as garrison troops. They first saw action at Fredericktown, Missouri, on October 21, 1861, where they attacked Missouri State Guard forces commanded by Gen. M. Jeff Thompson. In this action the regiment suffered several killed and wounded, and they captured an old iron 12-pounder cannon. Among the wounded was Private James Earp of Company F, the older brother of western lawman, Wyatt Earp. After pursuing the enemy to Greenfield, they returned to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, doing provost duty until early in February, 1862, when ordered to Fort Henry.

At the Battle of Fort Donelson, Major Francis M. Smith commanded the regiment which saw action on February 13th and 14th suffering a number of casualties. Col. Ross returned and took command of a brigade, composed of the 17th and 49th Illinois Infantry, on the afternoon of February 15th. On March 13, 1862, the regiment moved by boat to Savannah, Tennessee, where they went into camp. On March 20, they traveled by the steamer, D. A. January, to Pittsburg Landing where they went into camp as part of the 3rd Brigade of Gen. John McClernand's Division. Although Col. Ross was placed in command of the brigade, he went back to Illinois, after receiving the news of his wife's death on March 10, 1862.

Sickness was common in the soldiers who had been traveling on the river, including Lt. Col. Enos Wood, who was now commanding the 17th Illinois. As the Battle of Shiloh began on the morning of April 6, 1862, Col. James Reardon of the 29th Illinois Infantry was also sick, and relinquished command of the brigade to Col. Julius Raith, of the 43rd Illinois Infantry. As the 17th was called into line, the wives of officers, who were visiting, hurried to leave the camp. One who was not frightened was Belle Reynolds, the wife of Lt. William S. Reynolds, who turned her head and laughed when a shell came close by. Mrs. Reynolds went on to treat the wounded, and impressed Illinois Governor Richard Yates, who appointed her an honorary major.

This regiment formed the right of the Third Brigade, and went into battle near Shiloh Church at about 8.30 a.m., April 6, 1862, led by Lt. Col. Wood, who took command in spite of his illness. They held until 10 a.m., when the regiment fell back about 60 yards, to a position near the crossroads of the Corinth and Hamburg Purdy Roads where they supported Schwartz's Illinois Battery until 11 a.m. As the Confederate over ran Capt. Allen Waterhouse's Illinois Battery to their left, Lt. Alexander Davis picked up a rifle and fired at a Confederate who had raised a flag over one of the captured cannons. Although the Confederate went down, the colors on the cannon were soon replaced. Col. Wood, who had lost his horse early in the action, left the field to find ammunition for the regiment, which had nearly exhausted their supply. He ordered Major Francis Smith to rally the regiment, which he did at Jones Field, where they assisted Capt. Samuel Barrett's Illinois Battery.

While Lt. Col. Wood had been leading his regiment, Col. Raith had gone down, mortally wounded. Lt. Abram H. Ryan, of the 17th Illinois, had been assisting Raith, as Acting Assistant Adjutant General. Now that Raith was down, Ryan went to find Wood, now the ranking brigade officer. Unable to locate Wood, Lt. Ryan assisted in rallying the brigade at Jones Field, and began search for ammunition. He found a supply in the camp of the 8th Illinois Infantry, but it turned out to be the wrong caliber for the weapons carried by their units. Finally ammunition wagons, originally intended for the 6th Division, reached the front and ammunition was finally distributed to the men. Wood returned and took command of the brigade which fell back fighting to Grant's last line at about 4:30 p.m. On Monday, April 7, 1862, the unit was attached to the command of Col. C. Carroll Marsh. The unit had suffered 139 casualties in the battle.

The 17th Illinois would continue to see action in the Siege of Corinth and Vicksburg Campaign, after which they became part of the Vicksburg garrison. Lt. Col. Wood resigned on April 19, 1862, while Lt. Ryan was promoted to captain, and later became Colonel of the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry
https://www.facebook.com/ShilohNMP/...egiment-of-illinois-infantr/2085261744897134/

 

[Ole Miss]

Here is the Official Report about the 17th Illinois
Regards
David

Report of Lieut. Col. Enos P. Wood, Seventeenth Illinois Infantry.
Early on the morning of the 6th of April heavy firing was heard in our front, but thinking it proceeded from our pickets, very little attention was paid to it, except to order the men to be ready to fall in at a moment's notice. About 7.30 a. m. notice came that we were really attacked, when our long roll beat,(and the regiment, about 400 strong, fell in promptly. After waiting a time for orders, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General Ryan came with orders from Colonel Raith (who was in command of our brigade by seniority) to move to the left of Sherman's division, our regiment forming the right of the Third Brigade. In this position our regiment rested behind the encampment of an Ohio regiment, our left in a ravine. A section of some battery and a few skirmishers were already fighting in our front. After a time the enemy seemed to give back here, and we could see them on the opposite hill deploying men and forming heavy columns of regiments, which very soon commenced to advance.

Our front was now ordered to be changed obliquely on our right, throwing the entire left of our brigade back, so as to be clear of the ravine. Very soon the enemy made his appearance, and our boys opened fire on him, doing fine execution. Our fire seemed to check their advance for a short time, when they again advanced, and as they seemed to be flanking us on the left our regiment changed front again and moved obliquely to the left, the regiment on our right having given way and fallen entirely to our rear. The enemy now took possession of the battery in front of our left, about 200 yards distant, and planting their colors on one of the guns, Lieutenant Davis, of Company K, seized a musket, which had just fallen from the hands of one of his wounded men, aimed it at the rebel color-bearer and fired, when he fell to the ground; but the colors were soon replaced, and the enemy continued slowly to advance. At this juncture the order came to fall back and form a continuous line with the division on our right and about 50 or 60 yards in our rear, which was effected in good order, still pouring in a terrific fire on the advancing foe.
Major Schwartz now requested my regiment to support his battery, which we promptly did until he was obliged to limber up and moved off without losing a gun. In the mean time the regiments on our right and left had fallen back nearly a hundred yards, when I ordered my men to fall back and form in line again, this move being executed in good order. I found that we must move over the hill to have range on the enemy as they advanced up the opposite side. I consequently pushed my own regiment about 20 or 30 yards in advance of the line, where they could have full play as the enemy advanced. The regiments on our right failing to advance with us to our support, our boys stood their ground well and bravely, doing good execution with their fire until I found we were entirely unsupported both on our right and left, when I again gave the order to fall back.
As we came up to form in line the regiments on our right and left broke up in great confusion. Our ammunition being nearly gone, and having no support, I felt compelled to order a retreat. Facing by the rear rank we moved back near the first field, when I gave the order to move by the left flank, now become our right. The men not all understanding the order alike, here the regiment was for the first time thrown into some confusion. Having lost my horse in the early part of the engagement, and being on foot and also quite weak from previous illness, I could do but little to remedy this. I, however, ordered Major Smith to ride on in advance and halt and form our men at the first convenient place, and when I came up found the major had succeeded in getting most of our regiment into line. At this point I found Colonel Marsh, with the remnants of his regiment; also the remains of the Fifteenth Illinois and some batteries of artillery. Major Taylor not having men enough to work his guns, I detailed all that were left of Company G, of the Seventeenth, about 20 men, to assist his batteries, and after consulting with my officers decided to move off nearer the river and get a new supply of ammunition.

This was about noon. I now learned that Colonel Raith had been wounded and taken off the field, leaving me the ranking officer in the brigade, and consequently devoted my attention to gathering up all that remained of our command. At 2 o'clock I had succeeded in getting some 500 of the Seventeenth, Forty-ninth, and Forty-third together, and at the request of General Sherman moved them out and formed again on his extreme left. One of the Chicago batteries immediately took up position directly in front and opened fire upon the enemy's line, which we could distinctly see about 400 yards distant.
I now deployed my men down a ravine under the fire of our batteries, and formed them into line in a cross ravine, out of sight of the enemy, and advanced cautiously up the intervening ridge until I had them in full view. Here I got in a number of telling volleys, when you came down along our lines from the left and informed us we were unsupported on our left, and ordered us to retire in good order to our old position in rear of the Chicago battery and on General Sherman's left. The fight between the enemy and the battery in our front soon became quite exciting, but our battery seeming to get the worst of it and a number of their horses having been disabled, they were compelled to fall back and leave one of their guns, which was promptly and bravely brought off* by our boys.
Thus ended the fight for the day as far as we were concerned. Our orders were to lay on our arms in our places, with which our men complied without a murmur.
About 10 o'clock p. in. I was taken with a severe ague chill, which obliged me to leave the field and seek assistance, leaving my command to Major Smith, who will report to you the labors of the second day.
Both men and officers behaved with great coolness and bravery through the whole day, remaining under the severe fire without flinching, and always promptly advancing at the word of command.
Respectfully,
E. P. WOOD,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Seventeenth Illinois Infantry.
General John A. McClernand, Comdg. First Division.
(Pages 141-142)

U. S.
17th ILLINOIS INFANTRY,
Raith's (3d) Brig., McClernand's (1st) Div.,
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.

This regiment was engaged here, supporting Schwartz's
battery, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. April 6, 1862. It then
fell back 900 yards to McClernand's third line.​

 

[Ole Miss]

Illinois State Monument at Shiloh
Regards
David

Source
http://shilohnick.blogspot.com/2008/05/illinois-state-monument.html

 

[Ole Miss]

Camp site of the 17th Illinois Sunday morning April 6, 1862
Regards
David

U. S.
Camp of
17th ILLINOIS INFANTRY,
Raith's (3d) Brig., McClernand's (1st) Div.,
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.

First position in line of battle April 6, 1862,
was 1/4 mile s.w., with right at Shiloh Church.​

 

[James N.]

I'll contribute my June, 2018 photo of the area called The Crossroads (of the Corinth-Pittsburg landing and Hamburg-Purdy Roads) where the Illinois Monument stands.

 

[Ole Miss]

Beautiful photo! Please share more as you obviously have a gift for photography!
Regards
David

 

[James N.]

Beautiful photo! Please share more as you obviously have a gift for photography!
Regards
David

Not always! my only other relevant shot was ruined by the angle of the setting sun and came out far inferior to the one you posted:

 

[Ole Miss]

Can't make an omelette Takes an honest man to admit a mistake!
Regards
David