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Federal Regiment

3rd Wisconsin Infantry

Organized: Fond du Lac, WI; mustered in July 1861
Disbanded/Mustered out: Madison, WI 7/24/1865

 

Commanding Officer on the Antietam Campaign:
  Col Thomas H Ruger

 

This Regiment's Chain of Command:
  Army - Army of the Potomac
  Corps - Twelfth Army Corps
  Division - 1st Division, 12th Corps
  Brigade - 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 12th Corps


Unit history

Formed in the initial Federal call for 75,000 volunteers, the 3rd's first Colonel was Charles S. Hamilton, with West Point graduate Thomas Ruger as Lieutenant Colonel. They first saw action 16 October 1861 in a skirmish at Bolivar Heights, Virginia. They were in Banks' Corps in the Valley Campaign in Spring 1862, and were in combat at Cedar Mountain in August, after which they became part of the XII Corps, Army of the Potomac.

On the Antietam Campaign

The unit was posted just north of the Miller Cornfield at dawn on 17 September, and was hit by Hood's Division emerging from the corn at about 7:30 am. Colonel Ruger was slightly wounded there in leading the regiment, but remained in command and on the field.

" 'The Third Wisconsin was in a very exposed position,' wrote Lieutenant Bryant, 'and it's lines thinned rapidly. It stood on higher ground than the Confederates, the sky behind it, in good musket range and close line -- a good target.' "

A short time later, as Hood's attack receded, " General Hooker was seen galloping up, blood dripping from his boot. He ordered the Wisconsin men to fix bayonets and pursue. There are only 60 men left! Joining them was the Twenty-Seventh Indiana, which increased the number to about 150. 'With a whoop and hurrah, our regiment and the Twenty-Seventh Indiana started down through the cornfield,' [wrote Captain] Hinkley. 'General Hooker himself leading like a captain.' "

"At charge-bayonets, the two western units advanced across the cornfield. The flags of Indiana and Wisconsin flapped wildly in the breeze. The ground was strewn with the bodies of the Confederates. Towards the woods, at the edge of the cornfield, they marched. Suddenly a staff officer gallopped up and ordered the small attacking line of blue to halt and get out of the way. A division was advancing towards that position from the east. 'This was all that prevented us from assaulting a position with about a hundred and fifty men,' reported Hinkley, 'which a few minutes later Sedgwick's division, with five or six thousand, failed to carry.' "
(quoted from Wozny)

Statistics

Initial Strength: 340; Killed in Action (KIA): 27; Wounded (WIA): 173;
Losses, % of Initial Strength: 58.8%

Maps Showing this Unit

Battlefield Tablets for this Unit

Tablet #120: Army of the Potomac - 17 Sep, 5 AM to 17 Sep, 12 PM
Tablet #54: Gordon's Brigade, Williams' Division - 17 Sep, 6 AM to 17 Sep, 10 AM
Tablet #27: Twelfth Army Corps - 17 Sep, 6 AM to 17 Sep, 12 PM
Tablet #28: Williams' Division, Twelfth Army Corps - 17 Sep, 6 AM to 17 Sep, 5 PM
Tablet #55: Gordon's Brigade, Williams' Division - 17 Sep, 9 AM to 17 Sep, 10 AM

After the Antietam Campaign

The regiment was at Chancellorsville, Brandy Station, and Gettysburg. Near Christmas 1863, the entire regiment reenlisted for 3 more years' service, later seing action on General Sherman's Atlanta, Savannah, and Carolina Campaigns of 1864 - 5. They mustered out of Federal service at Louisville, KY, 18 July 1865, and returned to Madison, WI where they were disbanded.

References & Notes

Source: Pass the Flag, an article about the 3rd Wisconsin at Antietam by Michael A. Wozny, and other excellent material posted online at the Third Wisconsin Veteran Volunteer reenactors' site, webmaster David Frohmader.

We have 230 individuals in the AotW database who were on the Maryland Campaign with this unit:

 

Co. Rank Name Casualty? Details*
APvtBecker, Hermann WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtBradley, John WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtBragg, John AddisDied (d)   09/26     We have some details for this person
ASgtBurns, William H.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtDavids, Henry WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtDonovan, John F.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ASgtGlaser, Frederick MWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtGodfrey, Isaac T.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtGorman, Patrick WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ACorpHagerman, Charles WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtHart, Hubbard LemuelWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ACorpKittleson, William O.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtMann, Arnold WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtMartch, William F.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ACorpMontaney, Henry WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtNettleton, Nathan B.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtPerkins, Charles WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtRicher, Reuben T.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtRollhagen, Carl WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtStabelfeldt, Ernst WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtStrohn, Daniel W.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtTanner, George W.W.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ACorpTuttle, Daniel A.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
APvtWood, Henry WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ACorpWoodruff, Henry WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtBarker, George W.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BSgtBlake, Colburn KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtCowling, George WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtDeschamps, Hilaire WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BCorpDibble, Cyrus WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BLtDick(s), William B.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtDurfee, John HenryWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtEvans, Griffith WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtHinman, David WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtHollister, Joseph R.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BCorpIsbell, Henry ClayWIA   09/17     We have a picture for this person We have some details for this person
BPvtLewis, James E.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtLogan, Richard K.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtMaglosky, Frederick KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtMason, William KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtMcMullen, John WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtMeyer, Charles AWOL   09/10     We have some details for this person
BPvtMeyer, Frederick WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtPurath, August WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtPurath, Ernst WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtRansom, Seth N.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtRichmond, Tabor CaryWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtRobbins, Leonard WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtRobinson, William J.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BCorpSavage, James GuthrieWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BCaptStevenson, George W.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtStroud, Milo S.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtTesch, Gustavus WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtWalsh, Frank WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BSgtWay, David M.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BMusWright, Jefferson WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
BPvtWright, Joseph WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtAllen, Oliver MaineWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtBetts, Adelbert AlonzoWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtBooth, William H.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtBoyer, Joseph LybrandWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CSgtBrisbin, William LutherWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CSgtConroy, Thomas WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtCook, Ziba AldenWIA/POW   09/17     We have some details for this person
CCorpCoon, John DennisWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CCorpDiffenderfer, Charles F.WIA/POW   09/17     We have some details for this person
CSgtFoster, William H.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtFrasher, John BathWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtFuller, Henry WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CCorpGay, George J.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtGreen, John M.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtHopkins, Melville WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtJohnson, William WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CCorpKimberly, William A.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CCorpLeonard, Jr., Benjamin FranklinWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtLovelace, Jefferson WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CSgtLoveland, Franklin WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CLtParks, Warham WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CSgtPierce, Josiah DwightWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtRichardson, George H.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtSheffield, Seymour J.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CSgtThurlow, Albion         We have some details for this person
CPvtThurlow, Isaac KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtWitter, Eugene RobertWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DPvtBechtel, Samuel WIA   09/17
DSgtClark, Dewitt C.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DPvtCollins, Hiram WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DPvtCollins, Joseph E.        We have some details for this person
DCorpCook, William H.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DPvtElmore, William WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DPvtGee, Charles H.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
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DPvtLast, Ferdinand KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DSgtLindsley, Charles H.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DSgtOliver, Robert L.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DCorpPage, Clinton W.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DPvtPreston, William H.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DPvtSmith, Samuel WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DSgtSnyder, Edwin R.MWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DCorpSpies, John WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DPvtTemple, Jonathan L.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DPvtUllom, Silas WatersWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DSgtWilkes, Joseph WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DPvtWood, Lorenzo D.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DPvtZeigler, Adam WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
EPvtArms, Joseph H.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
EPvtBergmann, Christian GottliebWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
EPvtBergmann, Ehrenfried KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
EPvtBergmann, Ernst WIA   09/17
ESgtBlanchard, Edmund LewisWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
EPvtBrocket, George G.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ESgtChubb, Charles WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
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EPvtGoensch, Martin WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
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ESgtJones, Augustine L.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
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EPvtVan Norman, George W.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
EPvtWeber, George MWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
FSgtBartholomew, Samuel WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
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FSgtBrown, William C.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
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FSgtCostly, Francis M.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
FPvtDuncan, Thomas F.MWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
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FPvtGeorge, Adam WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
FPvtHall, George H.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
FPvtHarshbarger, John G.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
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FPvtKolb, John WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
FPvtLyons, Frank W.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
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GPvtBriggs, Caleb C.WIA   09/17
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GCorpFreeman, William W.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
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GSgtLee, Frank WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
GPvtLeonard, William T.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
GPvtMason, William H.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
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GPvtMcNary, Augustus WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
GPvtNeilson, Christian J.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
GPvtPhetteplace, Luther A.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
GPvtProuty, Jr., Ira N.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
GPvtRansom, Leonard WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
GPvtRobbins, Ervin WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
GLtShepard, Joseph PrestonMWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
GPvtWillard, Van RensselaerWIA   09/17     We have a picture for this person We have some details for this person
HCorpAgnew, David WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HSgtAgnew, James P.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HSgtAgnew, John L.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtAnderson, Albert WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtArnold, Joseph S.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtBeers, Elon WIA   09/17
HSgtBeers, Elon G.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtBenson, Thomas WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtCherry, William WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtCook, Riley R.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HSgtEarly, James WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtFessenden, Sylvanus WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HLtField, Chauncey WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtFulp, Russell WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtGeorge, J. AndrewWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtHaughawout, Wilbur FiskWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtJohns, Joshua P.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtJones, Moses W.Died (d)   10/23     We have some details for this person
HPvtKrohn, George WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtMcKnight, James F.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtMoyer, Henry WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtPersons, Thomas B.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
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HPvtThomas, William N.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtWatts, William HarrisonWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HCaptWhitman, George J.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
HPvtWilcox, William KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtBelonger, Michael WIA   09/17
IPvtBryant, Francis M.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtDeming, Demas W.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtFawcett, George N.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtFolts, Richard Died (d)   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtHill, James WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtJohnson, Richard M.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtKempthorne, Charles WIA   09/17     We have a picture for this person We have some details for this person
IPvtKnapp, James B.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtMadison, John WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ILtReed, Alexander N.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ICorpRickeman, George AdamWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtSouthwick, Hiram K.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ICorpSullivan, Michael WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtThomas, William KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ICorpTownsend, Addison A.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtWare, Edward KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtWescott, Charles A.MWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtWhite, Thomas A.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtWiley, Alexander KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
KPvtBlazier, Benjamin WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
KCorpCondert, Jacob KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
KPvtDailey, George FernandoWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
KPvtFloom, Botolf A.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
KPvtGlimsdahl, John T.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
KCorpJohnson, Emmet TheodoreKIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
KSgtJones, Robert W.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
KPvtPaulson, Michael A.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
KPvtPeter, Henry WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
KPvtWaterhouse, Milo JamesMWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
F&SLtBryant, Edwin Eustace        We have a picture for this person We have some details for this person
F&SColRuger, Thomas Howard        We have a picture for this person We have some details for this person

 

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