17th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment

17th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Organized in the summer of 1862 at Camp Aiken in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the unit was primarily composed of volunteers from Fairfield County. It served with distinction in the Eastern Theater, notably within the XI Corps of the Army of the Potomac, and later in the Department of the South.

Organization and History

The 17th Connecticut was mustered into federal service on August 28, 1862, for a three-year term under the command of Colonel William H. Noble, a prominent Bridgeport lawyer. The regiment was initially assigned to the 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Division in the XI Corps, commanded by Major General Franz Sigel. After its initial training, the unit was quickly dispatched to the front, joining the Army of the Potomac in Maryland shortly after the Battle of Antietam. The regiment's early service was marked by the difficult conditions of the Fredericksburg campaign during the winter of 1862-1863.

Service

Following the Battle of Fredericksburg, the 17th Connecticut participated in the infamous "Mud March" in January 1863. Its most severe trial came during the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863, where the XI Corps suffered a devastating flank attack by Lieutenant General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. The regiment sustained heavy casualties and was forced into a disorganized retreat. It subsequently marched northward during the Gettysburg campaign. At the Battle of Gettysburg, the 17th Connecticut was positioned on Cemetery Hill and helped repel Confederate assaults on July 2, 1863. In late 1863, the regiment was transferred with the rest of the XI Corps to reinforce the Union Army of the Cumberland in Tennessee, seeing action at the Battle of Wauhatchie.

Battles and Engagements

The regiment fought in several major battles and campaigns. Its principal engagements include the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862, the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863, and the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. Transferred to the Western Theater, it fought at the Battle of Wauhatchie in October 1863. In early 1864, the 17th Connecticut was reassigned to the Department of the South, where it participated in operations in Florida, including the Battle of Olustee in February 1864. For the remainder of the war, the regiment served on garrison and picket duty in Florida and South Carolina, including the defense of Fort Sumter and operations around Charleston.

Commanders

* Colonel William H. Noble – The original commander who led the regiment from its organization through the Battle of Gettysburg. He resigned his commission in September 1863. * Colonel Allen G. Brady – Assumed command after Noble's resignation. Brady, who had been Lieutenant Colonel and was wounded at Gettysburg, led the regiment for the remainder of its service, including its operations in the Department of the South.

Legacy

The 17th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry was mustered out of service on July 19, 1865, at Hilton Head, South Carolina. During its service, the regiment lost approximately 150 men to combat and another 200 to disease. Its battle flag is preserved by the Connecticut State Library. The unit is memorialized on the Connecticut State Capitol grounds in Hartford as part of the state's Civil War monuments. The sacrifices of its men are recorded in state histories and regimental histories, such as those by the Connecticut Historical Society.

Category:Connecticut Civil War regiments Category:1862 establishments in Connecticut