Initial infantry service

It left the state for Parkersburg, West Virginia, on July 1, 1861, and was subsequently attached to the District of the Kanawha until September, 1861. Cheat Mountain District, W. Va., to November, 1861. Governor Oliver P. Morton appointed John T. Wilder as the lieutenant colonel of the 17th Indiana Infantry Regiment three months after the regiment was organized.^[2] On March 2, 1862, Wilder became the regiment's colonel, replacing Milo Hascall, who became a general.^[3]

Conversion to mounted infantry

An 1862 Spencer Rifle with sling and bayonet. As part of the "Wilder Lightning Brigade" the 17th was among the first units fighting in the Civil War to receive the Spencer repeating rifle.

In December 1862, the regiments colonel, John T. Wilder was promoted to command of the 2nd Brigade, 5th Division, Center, XIV Corps, Army of the Cumberland. After fruitless attempts to chase down rebel cavalry raiders on foot, the brigade was converted to mounted infantry.^[4] At the same time, Wilder proposed to the regiments in the brigade the private purchase of repeating rifles. The regiment voted to go ahead with the conversion to mounted infantry and the purchase of the rifles. Along with the other regiments in the brigade, the 17th chose Spencer repeating rifles, invented by Christopher Spencer, as their weapon.^[5][6]

The new increase in firepower that the Spencer gave, allowed the 17th and its brigade mates to see off numerically superior Confederate infantry and cavalry in several engagements. The weapon was estimated to allow the regiment to deliver five to seven times the firepower of muzzle-loading opponents.^[7] This brigade became known as the Lightning Brigade (also sometimes, "The Hatchet Brigade").^{[note 1]}

Tullahoma campaign

After intense training and development of new tactics, the "Lightning Brigade" was ready for service. The mounted infantry proof of concept for the Army of the Cumberland would occurr at the Battle of Hoover's Gap.^{[8][9] [10][11]}

On June 23, 1863, Rosecrans deployed forces to feign an attack on Shelbyville while massing forces against Braxton Bragg's right.^[12] His troops moved out toward Liberty, Bellbuckle, and Hoover's Gaps through the Highland Rim (near Beechgrove, Tennessee).^[13] On June 24 in pouring rain that would persist for 17 days (Union soldiers spread the humorous rumor during the campaign that the name Tullahoma was a combination of the Greek words "tulla", meaning "mud", and "homa", meaning "more mud".)^[14][15] Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas's men, spearheaded by Colonel John T. Wilder's "Lightning Brigade",^[16] made for Hoover's Gap. }Despite torrential rains, the 17th and its brigade gained the gap so quickly that they surprised and scattered surprised the Confederate 1st (3rd) Kentucky Cavalry Regiment, under Colonel J. Russell Butler at breakfast in front of the entrance of the gap.^{[17][18][note 2]} After skirmishing briefly and withdrawing under pressure, the rebels were unable to reach the gap before the better-fed horses of the Lightning Brigade. The Kentuckians fell apart as a unit and, unluckily for the Confederates, failed in their cavalry mission to provide intelligence of the Union movement to their higher headquarters. The brigade had shown mounted infantry's value by reaching the gap nearly 9 miles ahead of Thomas's main body. Despite orders from the divisional commander, General Joseph J. Reynolds to fall back to his infantry if he made contact, which was still six miles away, Wilder decided to take and hold the position.{{sfnmp|Kennedy|1998|1p=225|Williams|1935|2p=182}

The 17th drove the 1st Kentucky through the entire seven mile length of of Hoover's Gap. At the other end, they were met at the southeastern exit with artillery fire and found out that the brigade and its one battery were outnumbered four-to-one.^[11][6] The 17th had met Brig. Gen. William B. Bate's brigade of Maj. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart's four-brigade and four-battery division.

Wilder entrenched on the hills south of the gap and determined to hold this extremely advanced position.^[19] Bate's brigade, supported by Brig. Gen. Bushrod Johnson's brigade and some artillery, assaulted Wilder's position, but was driven back by the concentrated fire of the Spencers, losing 146 killed and wounded (almost a quarter of his force) to Wilder's 61. The massive superiority of firepower the 17th and its brethren had with the Spencers made Bate initially think he was outnumbered five-to-one.^[20]

Colonel James Connolly, commander of the 17th's brigade-mate 123rd Illinois, wrote:

As soon as the enemy opened on us with their artillery we dismounted and formed line of battle on a hill just at the south entrance to the "Gap," and our battery of light artillery was opened on them, a courier was dispatched to the rear to hurry up reinforcements, our horses were sent back some distance out of the way of bursting shells, our regiment was assigned to support the battery, the other three regiments were properly disposed, and not a moment too soon, for these preparations were scarcely completed when the enemy opened on us a terrific fire of shot and shell from five different points, and their masses of infantry, with flags flying, moved out of the woods on our right in splendid style; there were three or four times our number already in sight and still others came pouring out of the woods beyond. Our regiment lay on the hill side in mud and water, the rain pouring down in torrents, while each shell screamed so close to us as to make it seem that the next would tear us to pieces.

Presently the enemy got near enough to us to make a charge on our battery, and on they came; our men are on their feet in an instant and a terrible fire from the "Spencers" causes the advancing regiment to reel and its colors fall to the ground, but in an instant their colors are up again and on they come, thinking to reach the battery before our guns can be reloaded, but they "reckoned without their host," they didn't know we had the "Spencers," and their charging yell was answered by another terrible volley, and another and another without cessation, until the poor regiment was literally cut to pieces, and but few men of that 20th Tennessee that attempted the charge will ever charge again. During all the rest of the fight at "Hoover's Gap" they never again attempted to take that battery. After the charge they moved four regiments around to our right and attempted to get in our rear, but they were met by two of our regiments posted in the woods, and in five minutes were driven back in the greatest disorder, with a loss of 250 killed and wounded.^[21][11]

After a long day of combat at 1900, the 17th's morale was uplifted by the arrival of a fresh battery at the gallop, which meant the XIV Corps were close behind. A half hour later, the Corps' main infantry units arrived to secure the position against any further assaults. The corps commander, General Thomas, shook Wilder's hand and told him, "You have saved the lives of a thousand men by your gallant conduct today. I didn't expect to get to this gap for three days."^[22] Rosecrans also arrived on the scene. Rather than reprimand Wilder for disobeying orders, he congratulated him for doing so, telling him it would have cost thousands of lives to take the position if he had abandoned it.^[23][6]

On June 25, Bate and Johnson renewed their attempts to drive the Union men out of Hoover's Gap but failed against the Lightning Brigade now with its parent division and corps. Rosecrans brought the forward movement of the Army of the Cumberland to a halt as the roads had become quagmires and the 17th stayed in its positions.^[24]

As the 17th, Lighting Brigade, and the 5th Division held at Hoover's Gap, Bragg soon came to realize the threat of Thomas. Meanwhile, Rosecrans shifted his forces to reinforce Thomas at the gap.^[25] Maj. Gen. William J. Hardee, Stewart's immediate superior, ordered his battered troops under Stewart at Hoover's Gap to retreat towards Wartrace. His retreat served to only make Thomas's breakout more effective, leaving Bragg with his right flank gone. To keep his army together, he had to order Polk and Hardee to withdraw to Tullahoma on June 27.^[26]

The 17th had shown the effectiveness of its conversion to mounted infantry and the superior firepower it had gained with its new Spencers.

Chickamauga campaign

With the Lightning Brigade, the 17th found itself detached from the XIV Corps to serve as a mobile reserve for all three of the Corps within the Cumberland. After playing a key role in the feint that forced Bragg from Chattanooga, the regiment raided, skirmished, and scouted through the summer into the Chickamauga Campaign. The brigade distinguished itself with its performance at Chickamauga. During the battle, it maintained integrity and discipline exacting high casualties on its attackers. After the battle, it retreated with the army to Chattanooga where it was besieged.

The performance of the brigade had demonstrated the value of mounted infantry, and Wilder and the regiments were commended. During the reorganization after Grant took command in the city, the brigade was broken up and the regiments were transferred to the Cavalry Corps. The 17th and the 98th Illinois Mounted Infantry were assigned to 2nd Brigade under Colonel Eli Long of the 2nd Division of the Cavalry Corps under Major General George Crook.

Post Chickamauga

On 1 October, the 17th joined the rest of the Cavalry Corps operating against Wheeler's rebel cavalry, then in the Sequatchie Valley. On 3 October in a night attack at Thompson's Cove, the regiment routed the 2nd Brigade of Kelly's Division, capturing a number of arms and the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry's colors The next day it drove more elements of Wheeler's horsemen out of McMinnville. Regaining contact with the enemy on 7 October beyond Shelbyville, the 17th drove the enemy from the field and into Parmington. When the rebels attempted to make a stand, the regiment charged and took three of Wheeler's guns, a great number of small arms, and 300 prisoners. The regiment regrouped with the 998th Illinois in Huntsville, AL until 13 October, when it started in pursuit of enemy cavalry again.

Organizational affiliation

Its assignments are as follows:^[27]

• 15th Brigade, Army of the Ohio (AoO), to January, 1862.
• 15th Brigade, 4th Division, AoO, January, 1862.
• 15th Brigade, 6th Division, AoO, to September, 1862.
• 15th Brigade, 6th Division, II Corps, AoO, to November, 1862.
• 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Left Wing, XIV Corps, Army of the Cumberland (AoC), to December, 1862.
• 2nd Brigade, 5th Division (Center), XIV Corps, AoC, to January, 1863.
• 2nd Brigade, 5th Division, XIV Corps, AoC, to June, 1863.
• 1st Brigade, 4th Division, XIV Corps, AoC, to October, 1863.
• Wilder's Mounted Brigade, AoC, to November, 1863.
• 2nd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, AoC, November, 1863.
• 3rd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, AoC, to October, 1864.
• 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Wilson's Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to August, 1865.^[28]

List of battles

The official list of battles in which the regiment bore a part:^[29]

• Battle of Greenbrier River
• Siege of Corinth
• Tullahoma Campaign
  • Battle of Hoover's Gap
• Battle of Chickamauga
• Atlanta Campaign
  • Battle of Rome Cross Roads
  • Battle of Kennesaw Mountain
  • Battle of Marietta
  • Battle of New Hope Church
  • Battle of Ebenezer Church
• Battle of Selma
• Battle of Columbus

Detailed service

Casualties and total strength

The 17th Indiana's original strength was 1,063. Through its time in service, it gained 960 recruits and reenlisted, 288; total, 2,311. The regiment lost 3 officers and 90 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded from combat. It also lost 1 officer and 143 enlisted men to various diseases. The total loss by death was 237 men.^[31] It further Lost 161 to desertion and mustered out with 82 missing.^[32]