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17th Vermont Infantry

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Muster In: Organized and mustered in: Companies “A” January 5, 1864; “B,” “C” and “D” March, 1864; “E,” “F” and “G” April 12, 1864.1
Muster Out: Mustered out July 14, 1865.2

Commander(s):
Colonel Francis V. Randall
Commander Image

Major William B. Reynolds
Commander Image

Major Lyman E. Knapp
Commander Image

Captain Henry A. Eaton
Commander Image

Commander 5
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Second Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army3,4

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Second Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army6,7

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Second Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army11,12

  • Commander:
    • Major William B. Reynolds (several weeks up to July 30, 1864)(killed July 30, 1864).13
    • Captain Lyman E. Knapp (July 31, 1864)14
  • Unit Strength:
    • ~160 officers and men PFD (July 29, 1864)15
    • 108 officers and men engaged at the Crater (July 30, 1864)16
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Second Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army17,18

  • Commander: Captain Henry A. Eaton (August 31, 1864)19
  • Unit Strength: 165 officers and men PFD (August 1, 1864)20
  • Weapons:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Second Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army21,22

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
    • 233 officers and men PFD (September 1, 1864)23
    • 244 officers and men PFD (September 15, 1864)24
  • Weapons:

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Second Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army25,26

  • Commander: Colonel Francis V. Randall (October 31, 1864)27
  • Unit Strength: 304 officers and men PFD (October 31, 1864)28
  • Weapons:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Second Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army29

  • Commander: Colonel Francis V. Randall (December 31, 1864)30
  • Unit Strength:
    • 316 officers and men PFD (November 15, 1864)31
    • 304 officers and men PFD (December 1, 1864)32
  • Weapons:

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Second Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army33,34

  • Commander: Colonel Francis V. Randall (January 31 & February 28, 1865)35,36
  • Unit Strength:
    • 342 officers and men PFD (January 1, 1865)37
    • 365 officers and men PFD (February 1, 1865)38
  • Weapons:

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Second Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army39,40

  • Commander:
    • Major Lyman E. Knapp (why would Knapp be in command when Randall was present?)(wounded April 2)(April 2, 1865)41
    • Colonel Francis V. Randall (March 31, 1865)42
  • Unit Strength:
    • 374 officers and men PFD (March 1, 1865)43
    • 398 officers and men PFD (April 15, 1865)44
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles45:

  • Before Petersburg June 16-19.
  • Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
  • Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864.
  • Weldon Railroad August 18-21.
  • Poplar Spring Church, Peebles Farm, September 29-October 2.
  • Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28.
  • Fort Stedman March 25, 1865.
  • Assaults on Petersburg April 1-2.
  • Fall of Petersburg April 2.
  • Occupation of Petersburg April 3.

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    2. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    3. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 229 ↩
    4. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 549 ↩
    5. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 17th Vermont Entry, Page 67; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
    6. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 229 ↩
    7. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 549 ↩
    8. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 549 ↩
    9. Report of the Adjutant & Inspector General of the State of Vermont, From October 1, 1863, to October 1, 1864 (Walton’s Steam Press: 1864), p. 78. (Hat tip to Tom Ledoux at Vermont in the Civil War for this information.) ↩
    10. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 17th Vermont Entry, Page 67; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
    11. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 260 ↩
    12. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 734 ↩
    13. “Our Army Correspondence.” Vermont Phoenix. August 5, 1864, p. ? col. ?: “The regiment was under the command of Major Wm. B. Reynolds, Lt. Col. Cummings having been incapacitated for field duty for several weeks by sickness.” ↩
    14. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 734 ↩
    15. “Our Army Correspondence.” Vermont Phoenix. July 29, 1864, p. ? col. ?: “The 17th Vt. Regiment now numbers but 150 men present for duty, and its roster of officers is proportionately small.  Of Co. A, Captain Brown and 2d Lt. Gilman are at home wounded, and 1st Lt. Brown recently died of fever.  Of Co. B, Capt. Davis died of wounds, Lieut. Danforth has resigned from disability, and Lt. Hibbard has not joined the regiment yet but is daily expected.  Of Co. C, Capt. Kenfield has returned to duty, Lieut. Guyer was killed on the 17th ult., and Lieut. Randall is reported absent without leave.  Of Co. D, Capt. Eaton is aid-de-camp on Gen. Griffin’s staff, Lt. Gibson died of wounds, and Lieut. Pierce is with the company.  Of Co. E, Capt. Robinson has not yet returned to duty.  Lieut. Martin is at home on leave of absence from wounds, and Lieut. Burbank is on Gen. Stannard’s staff.—Of Co. F, Capt. Knapp is detailed on Court Martial, Lieut. Hicks is acting Adjutant, and Lieut. Kingsbury is at home wounded.  Of Co. G, Capt. Hartshorn and Lieut. Bingham are with the company, and Lieut. Branard is at home wounded.  The officers of Co. H, are all on duty.  Co. I has not yet arrived.”  So, taking the 5 officers explicitly listed as present for duty, and adding at least two officers for Company H, that gives 157 officers and men PFD.  However, the regimental commander is not mentioned as well as the possibility of having a Lt. Col. and Major.  That gives around 160 officers and men present for duty, with one expected back any day.  The Adjutant General’s report for August 1, 1864 lists 165 officers and men PFD, so this is in the neighborhood only a few days earlier. ↩
    16. “Our Army Correspondence.” Vermont Phoenix. August 5, 1864, p. ? col. ?: “The 2d brigade, 2d division, probably suffered more than an(y) other.  It now numbers less than 600 muskets.  The 17th Vt. went into the engagement with 8 commissioned officers and about 100 men.  Of the 8 officers not one returned to the regiment; 3 were killed, 1 wounded and 1 taken prisoners.  One enlisted man was killed, 17 wounded, and 21 are missing, many of which are supposed to have been killed or wounded and the balance are prisoners.” ↩
    17. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 617: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    18. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 126: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)” ↩
    19. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 617: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    20. Report of the Adjutant & Inspector General of the State of Vermont, From October 1, 1863, to October 1, 1864 (Walton’s Steam Press: 1864), p. 78. (Hat tip to Tom Ledoux at Vermont in the Civil War for this information.) ↩
    21. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1301. ↩
    22. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 142: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)” ↩
    23. Report of the Adjutant & Inspector General of the State of Vermont, From October 1, 1863, to October 1, 1864 (Walton’s Steam Press: 1864), p. 78. (Hat tip to Tom Ledoux at Vermont in the Civil War for this information.) ↩
    24. Report of the Adjutant & Inspector General of the State of Vermont, From October 1, 1863, to October 1, 1864 (Walton’s Steam Press: 1864), p. 78. (Hat tip to Tom Ledoux at Vermont in the Civil War for this information.) ↩
    25. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 463: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    26. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 158: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Boydton Plank Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864” ↩
    27. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 463: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    28. Report of the Adjutant & Inspector General of the State of Vermont, From Oct. 1, 1864, to Oct. 1, 1865 (Walton’s Steam Printing Establishment: 1865), p. 69. (Hat tip to Tom Ledoux at Vermont in the Civil War for this information.) ↩
    29. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1121: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    30. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1121: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    31. Report of the Adjutant & Inspector General of the State of Vermont, From Oct. 1, 1864, to Oct. 1, 1865 (Walton’s Steam Printing Establishment: 1865), p. 69. (Hat tip to Tom Ledoux at Vermont in the Civil War for this information.) ↩
    32. Report of the Adjutant & Inspector General of the State of Vermont, From Oct. 1, 1864, to Oct. 1, 1865 (Walton’s Steam Printing Establishment: 1865), p. 69. (Hat tip to Tom Ledoux at Vermont in the Civil War for this information.) ↩
    33. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 332: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    34. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 745: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    35. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 332: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    36. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 745: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    37. Report of the Adjutant & Inspector General of the State of Vermont, From Oct. 1, 1864, to Oct. 1, 1865 (Walton’s Steam Printing Establishment: 1865), p. 69. (Hat tip to Tom Ledoux at Vermont in the Civil War for this information.) ↩
    38. Report of the Adjutant & Inspector General of the State of Vermont, From Oct. 1, 1864, to Oct. 1, 1865 (Walton’s Steam Printing Establishment: 1865), p. 69. (Hat tip to Tom Ledoux at Vermont in the Civil War for this information.) ↩
    39. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 574: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    40. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 589: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865” ↩
    41. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 574: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    42. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 574: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    43. Report of the Adjutant & Inspector General of the State of Vermont, From Oct. 1, 1864, to Oct. 1, 1865 (Walton’s Steam Printing Establishment: 1865), p. 69. (Hat tip to Tom Ledoux at Vermont in the Civil War for this information.) ↩
    44. Report of the Adjutant & Inspector General of the State of Vermont, From Oct. 1, 1864, to Oct. 1, 1865 (Walton’s Steam Printing Establishment: 1865), p. 69. (Hat tip to Tom Ledoux at Vermont in the Civil War for this information.) ↩
    45. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩

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