| If this website has been useful to you, please consider
making a Donation.
Your support will help keep this website free for everyone, and will allow us to do
more research. Thank you for your support! |
38th
Wisconsin Infantry
| Regimental History |
| Thirty-eighth Infantry. — Cols., James Bintliff, Colwert K. Pier;
Lieut. - Cols., Colwert K. Pier, Charles L. Ballard; Majs., Courtland P. Larkin, Robert N.
Roberts, Charles L. Ballard, Frank A. Hayward. This regiment was organized at Camp
Randall, Madison, in March, 1864, and was mustered in April 15. Cos. A, B, C and D left
the state on May 3, being ordered to Arlington heights and from there to White House, Va.,
where they were assigned to the 4th provisional brigade, for guard duty. On June 9, they
were transferred to the Army of the Potomac and assigned to the 3d brigade, 1st division,
9th corps, but on the 11th they were transferred to the 1st brigade. They were under fire
in the trenches at Cold Harbor, took position in the extreme front before Petersburg on
June 16, and the following afternoon charged the enemy's outer line of intrenchments,
capturing them at the bayonet's point. The same evening they accompanied the general
advance, capturing and occupying a second line of the works. They then went back to the
trenches, where Co. E joined them. Upon the explosion of the mine July 30, Cos. B and E
took part in the advance upon the enemy's works, capturing a position and holding it until
the afternoon, when they returned to the trenches. The regiment continued in the siege and
on picket duty until Aug. 19, when it moved to aid in the capture of the Weldon railroad,
repulsed an attack from three directions simultaneously and fortified its position. It
returned to Petersburg and in October was under fire for 22 hours at Hatchers' run, after
which it took position opposite the "Crater" in the front line, remaining there
until spring. It led the right wing of the victorious assaulting column at Fort Mahone on
April 1, its loss being over half that of the entire brigade, and entered Petersburg on
the 3d. It was in the grand review at Washington. The one year men were mustered out at
Tenallytown June 2, and the remainder on July 26. The original strength of the regiment
was 913. Gain by recruits, 112. It lost by death, 108; desertion, 55; transfer, 21 ;
discharge, 208; mustered out, 640. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 4
|
Whats New
Bibliography
About Us
|