17th United States Infantry, First Battalion

On the 3d day of May, 1861, President Lincoln issued a proclamation adding a number of regiments to the military establishment. The following day G. O. No. 16 was issued from the Adjutant General's office containing a Plan for their organization, and as one of them, the present 17th Infantry came into existence ... the field officers were named as follows: Colonel Samuel P. Heintzelman, Lieut-Col. J. Durell Greene, and Majors Abner Doubleday, William H. Wood and George L. Andrews.

By March 4, 1862, five companies had been organized, and on that date they left Fort Preble under command of Major Geo. L. Andrews and joined Sykes' Regular Brigade near Arlington Heights.

The battalion embarked at Alexandria March 26, 1862; arrived at Fort Monroe March 28, and proceeded up The Peninsula. The five companies participated in the siege of Yorktown, performing their share of duty in the trenches. Companies A, C and E were present at Gaines' Mill and Malvern Hill, the first of these battles being inscribed on the regimental colors. In it the regiment lost Captain Dodd and five men killed, three officers and twenty-five men wounded or missing.

While in camp at Harrison's Landing Companies B, D, F, G and H joined, which made a complete battalion of eight companies present. It withdrew from the Peninsula with the rest of the army, landed at Aquia Creek and proceeded towards Manassas. August 29th, Companies B and F were engaged at Gainesville, and the next day the entire battalion was engaged at 2d Bull Run ...

The Companies of the battalion and commanding officers in Maryland:

Co A - 1LT Franklin D. Howell
Co B - CPT John P. Wales
Co C - CPT Williamm J. Moorhead
Co D - CPT Walter B. Pease
Co E - 1LT Edward P. Pearson
Co F - 1LT Edward W. Whittemore
Co G - CPT Henry J. McLandburgh
Co H - CPT William J. Temple

Also attached to the command was Company G of the First Battalion of the 19th US Infantry, CPT Edmund L. Smith.1 They were detailed as Provost Guard, Army of the Potomac on the Maryland Campaign.

Detail Map #14: Sykes' Regulars Near Sharpsburg (4-5 pm)

Tablet #22: Sykes' Division, Fifth Army Corps - 15 Sep, 2 PM to 16 Sep, 12 PM
Tablet #33: Fifth Army Corps - 15 Sep, 2 PM to 16 Sep, 12 PM

History of the unit is from Captain Charles St.John Chubb's chapter The Seventeenth Regiment Of Infantry, from Rodenbough2; his text is online from the US Army.