SEVENTEENTH (17TH) VETERAN INFANTRY REGIMENT
NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS, JUNE 2ND, 1863, to JULY 13TH, 1865
The following historical information is about the service of both the regiment, and the men, of the Seventeenth (17th) New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment, which served in the American Civil War from June 2nd, 1863, to July 13th, 1865. If you have any corrections, suggestions, or additional information, photographs, artifacts, etc., that you wish to contribute, feel free to submit the information to the Webmaster.
| "This Regiment was composed of Wilson's old Zouaves and roughs from New York City and they were a rough set...but yet there was not a better fighting regiment in the whole division than the 17th New York."Lucius Barber, 15th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
"In all the essential qualities which distinguish the heroic citizen soldier, the Seventeenth New York has been excelled by none. Representatives as you are of the great city of New York, your association with the men of the northwest, composing the balance of the brigade, has been of the most pleasing and genial kind."Brigadier General William Vandever, U.S. Volunteers, June 1865
"Few Regiments sent from our State, if any, experienced as much severe service as the Seventeenth New York Veteran Volunteers. Leaving New York 900 strong, upon their return march up Broadway, in June 1865, they numbered less than 200.""The New York Times," February 14th, 1873 |
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The Seventeenth (17th) New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment was organized in October 1863 by the consolidation of the 9th Veteran (Hawkins Zouaves), 11th Veteran (Ellsworth's Zouaves), 17th Veteran (Westchester Chasseurs) & 38th New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiments, and the "Union Sharpshooters." These regiments had begun to organize in late May and early June 1863, when their original two years term of service expired; however, the effects of the New York Draft Riots in July 1863, in which they were engaged, severely impacted their ability to recruit new members. As such on October 14th, 1863, per orders of the Governor of New York, those commands were consolidated together and designated as the "Seventeenth (17th) New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment," under the command of Colonel William T.C. Grower (of the 17th Veterans), Lieutenant Colonel Edward Jardine (of the 9th Veterans) and Major Joel O. Martin (of the 17th Veterans). The regiment left the state in October 1863, and were composed almost wholly of veteran volunteers. They were ordered to the Department of the Southwest, and joined the army under Major General William T. Sherman, U.S. Volunteers, and served under him until it left the field in July 1865.
The movements of the regiment in the department of the southwest may be briefly stated. On December 21st, 1863, under Major General Andrew J. Smith, it took part in the Tennessee Campaign against Confederate Major General Nathan B. Forrest, losing, principally by very severe frosts, about 200 men, and then joined Sherman's command at Vicksburg, Mississippi, on January 24th, 1864. Taking part in the Meriden Campaign, it left Vicksburg on February 2nd, and marched over 460 miles to Meridian, Mississippi, and then back to Vicksburg. In April they moved to Decatur, Alabama, where for thirty-three days they were engaged in skirmishes against the Confederate forces of General Philip D. Roddy, and subsequently attacked him at Pond Spring, Courtland, etc., and routed his forces and captured the whole of his camp.
Joining Sherman's Army outside of Atlanta, Georgia, they served in the operations against that city, and at Jonesboro charged and fought the men of Major General Patrick Cleburne's Division, who boasted never to have been defeated, but who were then broken, routed, and had their works taken from them. Here Colonel Grower was mortally wounded (he shortly thereafter died of his wounds) and over one hundred of the men left on the field. From Atlanta they took part in the pursuit of General John B. Hood's Army in the rear of the army, marching over 600 miles. Returning to Atlanta they started the next morning without preparation on the famous March to the Sea. In the Carolina's Campaign they engaged the enemy at Averysboro, where Lieutenant Colonel James Lake was wounded and Captain William G. Barnett, of Company I, was killed in action. The regiments last major engagement was at Bentonville, North Carolina, on March 19th & 20th, 1865, where they held off several enemy attacks despite being surrounded.
After the surrender of General Johnston, the regiment marched to Washington, and took part in the Grand Review, and was soon thereafter mustered out of service. Their brigade commander, Brigadier General William Vandever, U.S. Volunteers, said of the regiment, "...In all the essential qualities which distinguish the heroic citizen soldier, the Seventeenth New York has been excelled by none." While the 14th Corps commander, Major General Jefferson C. Davis, U.S. Volunteers, wrote that "...its soldierly conduct, attention to duty, and invariably gallant conduct in action, has reflected credit upon itself and the corps."
The above map shows (in red) the movements of the Seventeenth (17th) New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment from its organization in June 1863 to its mustering out in July 1865.
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Additional Research on the Uniform of the 17th New York Veteran Volunteers is pending.If you have any additional information that you wish to contribute, feel free to submit it to the Webmaster. |
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
Pages 819 to 958, "Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New York, for the year 1899." James B. Lyon, State Printers, Albany, New York, 1900.
"The Hawkins Zouaves: Their Battles and Marches." J.H.E. Whitney; New York City, New York; 1866.
Volume I, "Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, from its organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903." Francis B. Heitman, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1903.
"The Honors of the Empire State in the War of the Rebellion." Thomas S. Townsend, New York City, New York, 1889.
"Lights and Shadows of Army Life, From Bull Run to Bentonville." William B. Westervelt, Burd Street Press, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, C.R. 1886.
"New York in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1865." Frederick Phisterer, Weed, Parsons, & Company, Albany, New York, 1890.
"The Ninth Regiment New York Volunteers (Hawkins Zouaves) Being a History of the Regiment and Veteran Association from 1860 to 1900." Matthew J. Graham, 1900.
Pages 452, Part II, "Official Army Register of the Volunteer force of the United States Army for the years 1861, '62, '63, '64, '65." Adjutant Generals Office, United States Army, 1865 to 1867.
Pages 388 to 407, Volume VI, "A Record of the Commissioned Officers, Non Commissioned Officers and Privates, of the Regiments which were organized in the State of New York, and called into the service of the United States to Assist in Suppressing the Rebellion caused by the secession of some of the Southern States from the Union, A.D. 1861, as taken from the Muster-In Rolls on File in the Adjutant Generals Office, S.N.Y." Weed, Parsons, and Company, Printers, Albany, New York, 1866.
Volume II, "The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the loyal States, 1861-1865. Records of the Regiments in the Union Army, Cyclopedia of Battles, Memoirs of Commanders and Soldiers." Federal Publishing Company, Madison, Wisconsin, 1908.
"The War of the Rebellion: A compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies." Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1880.
DOCUMENTS, PAPERS & NON-PUBLISHED MATERIALS
George A.C. Barnett Papers. William L. Clements Library, The University of Michigan
Charles William Glaser Papers, 1861-1891. Duke University, North Carolina
James B. Horner Papers, 1861-1915. The New York Historical Society, New York City, New York
Pension applications for service in the US Army between 1861 and 1900, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served. (NARA T289) National Archives & Records Administration, Washington, D.C.
Reminiscences of Captain Hiram Wilde. 23 pages, Collection Call No. 14001, New York State Library.
Service Records. New York State Archives, Cultural Education Center, Room 3043, Albany, New York, 12230.
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