17th Regiment, Virginia Infantry, United States Civil War

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: US_Civil_War Virginia

For profiles of men of this unit, see the category

17th Regiment, Virginia Infantry was organized at Manassas Junction, Virginia, in June, 1861, using the 6th Battalion Virginia Infantry as its nucleus. Men of this unit were recruited in the counties of Warren, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, and Fauquier. After fighting at First Manassas under General Longstreet, it was assigned to General Ewell's, A.P. Hill's, Kemper's, and Corse's Brigade. The 17th fought with the Army of Northern Virginia from Williamsburg to Fredericksburg, then participated in Longstreet's Suffolk Expedition. During the Gettysburg Campaign it was on detached duty at Gordonsville and later served in Tennessee and North Carolina. Returning toVirginia it fought at Drewry's Bluff and Cold Harbor, saw action in the Petersburg trenches, and ended the war at Appomattox. This regiment totalled 600 men in April, 1862, lost 17 killed and 47 wounded at Williamsburg, had 18 killed and 41 wounded at Seven Pines, and had 17 killed, 23 wounded, and 73 missing at Frayser's Farm. It reported 48 casualties at Second Manassas, 13 at South Mountain, and of the 55 engaged at Sharpsburg about seventy-five percent were disabled. At Drewry's Bluff 7 were killed and 23 wounded. Many were captured at Sayler's Creek, and 2 officers and 46 men surrendered on April 9, 1865. The field officers were Colonels Montgomery D. Corse, Arthur Herbert, and Morton Marye; Lieutenant Colonels William Munford and Grayson Tyler; and Majors George W. Brent and Robert H. Simpson. ^[1]

Called the "Bloody 17"

Contents 1 The History of the 17 Virginia Infantry 2 Officers 3 Battles 4 Interesting Facts 5 Sources

The History of the 17 Virginia Infantry

Organized: 10th day of June, 1861

The 17th Virginia Regiment was organized June 10, 1861 in Alexandria, VA, using the 6th Battalion Virginia Militia as its nucleus. Men of this unit were recruited in the city of Alexandria, from the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, and Warren. They formed the being composed of the following companies

• Alexandria Riflemen, Co. A, Capt. M Marye
• Warren Rifles, Co. B, Capt. R.H. Simpson
• Loudoun Guards, Co. C, Capt. C. B Tebbs
• Fairfax Rifles, Co. D, Capt. W. H. Dulany
• Mount Vernon Guards, Co. E, Capt. S. H. Devaughn
• Prince William Rifles, Co. F, Capt. G. S. Hamilton
• Emmett Guards, Co. G, Capt. Jas E. Towson
• Old Dominion Rifles. Co. H, Capt. A. Herbert
• O'Connel Guards, Co. I, Capt. S. W. Prestman;
• Warrenton Rifles, Co. K, Capt. B. H. Shackelford

Companies G and I mostly Irish citizens from Alexandria, VA. They were formed after the start of the hostilities. The Alexandria Riflemen, the Old Dominion Rifles, and the Mount Vernon Guards, were all volunteer companies, formed in Alexandria, Va, prior to the crisis. The other five companies were volunteer organizations bearing the names of their origin.

Officers

(commissioned by the Governor of Virginia & were assigned the command of the regiment)

• Colonel: M. D. Corse
• Lt. Colonel: Wm Mumford
• Major: Geo. W. Brent

• Surgeon: M. M. Lewis,M.D., was appointed
• Assistant Surgeon: H. Snowden, M. D
• Adjutant: Lt. A. J. Humphreys, Co. A,
• Sergeant Major: W. W. Athey, Co. C ^[2]

A full list of the men who served in this Regiment can be found here: [1]

Battles

• First Battle of Bull Run
• Seven Days' Battles
• Second Battle of Bull Run
• Battle of Antietam
• Battle of Fredericksburg
• Siege of Suffolk
• Battle of Cold Harbor
• Siege of Petersburg
• Battle of Five Forks
• Battle of Sailor's Creek^[3]

Interesting Facts

List of how many men were mustered in May 1861 and how many were present at the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse.

Company A ___ Mustered in ___ 63 ___ Surrendered ___ 9

Company B ___ Mustered in ___ 90 ___ Surrendered ___ 8

Company C ___ Mustered in ___ 66 ___ Surrendered ___ 4

Company D ___ Mustered in ___ 76 ___ Surrendered ___ 4

Company E ___ Mustered in ___106 ___Surrendered ___ 0

Company F ___ Mustered in ___ 59 ___ Surrendered ___ 1

Company G ___ Mustered in ___ 60 ___ Surrendered___ 11

Company H ___ Mustered in ___ 70 ___ Surrendered ___ 5

Company I ___ Mustered in ____ 52 ___ Surrendered ___ 3

Company K ___ Mustered in ___ 90 ___ Surrendered ___ 2

Total men VA17th Inf. ________ 733 ___ Surrendered ___ 46 [2]

"Those who deserve particular mention for distinguished gallantry and activity were Capt. J. T. Burke, of Company D; Lieut. Thomas Perry, of Company A; Lieut. [S. S.] Turner, of Company B, and Lieuts. Athey and [F. B.] Littleton, of Company C; and Color-Corporals Murphy and W. Harper, of Company E, won my highest admiration for their cool bravery." - Antietam after battle report of Col. Montgomery D. Corse, Seventeenth Virginia Infantry, Kemper's brigade, Jones' division, of the battles of Boonsborough and Sharpsburg. ^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ National Park Service Soldiers and Sailors Database.
2. ↑ Book: History of the Seventeenth Virginia infantry, C.S.A by Wise, George, d. 1923 Published 1870
3. ↑ [Wikipedia:17th_Virginia_Infantry]
4. ↑ U.S., American Civil War Regiments, 1861-1866 Author Historical Data Systems, comp Publisher Ancestry.com Operations Inc Publisher Date 1999 Publisher Location Provo, UT, USA