6                                    HISTORY OF THE SEVENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT O.V.V.I.

Grant's army, and took part in the reduction of that rebel stronghold. On the 10th of March following it moved across the country with the balance of the army to Metal Landing on the Tennessee river, six miles above Fort Henry, where it took steamer for Pittsburg Landing, but before arriving there received orders to stop at Crump's Landing, five miles below Pittsburg; it formed a part of the Second Brigade of General Lew Wallace's Division. The brigade was commanded by Colonel Thayer, of the 1st Nebraska, (now Brigadier-General); it was not engaged in the battle of Shiloh, being left in charge of camp and train at Crump's Landing. It took part in the skirmishes in the advance on Corinth, and the siege of that place. After the fall of Corinth it was marched to Bolivar, Tennessee, and took part in the movement on Iuka, and in the battle of Matamora, on the Hatchie river, with Price and Van Dorn; after which it formed part of the Second Brigade of General John A. Logan's Division, and was in the Northern Mississippi campaign, and arrived at Memphis, Tennessee, January 25, 1863; from thence it moved down the Mississippi river to Lake Providence, and helped to dig the canal from the river to the lake at that place; from thence it moved down the river to Milliken's Bend, and assisted in building the military road from the Bend to New Carthage – the road by which Grant's army moved to gain the river below Vicksburg – and on the 1st day of May, 1863, it crossed the Mississippi and took part in the battle of Thompson's Hill; following the enemy closely, it took part in the battles of Raymond, Mississippi, May 12, 1863, and Jackson, Mississippi, May 14, and Champion Hills, May 16, 1863, and participated in the entire siege of Vicksburg, and all the raids in Mississippi, from Vicksburg to Jackson, Canton, Bogachitta, Meridian, and the Monroe raid, in Louisiana. The regiment reorganized as veterans December 15, 1863, and went home as a veteran organization in April. After returning to Cairo, May 10, it moved with its old brigade, second, Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, up the Tennessee river to Clifton Landing, from there it marched across the country to Huntsville, Alabama, from there to Rome, Georgia, from Rome to Ackworth, where it joined Sherman's army. It participated in the fight at Big Shanty, Bushy Mountain, Kenesaw, Nickajack Creek, Atlanta, July 21st, 22d and 23d, and the entire siege of Atlanta; also at Jonesboro and Lovejoy Station; also in the famous chase after Hood through Northern Georgia and Alabama, and in "Sherman's March to the Sea." It participated in the siege of Savannah, and Sherman's raid through the Carolinas; at Pocataligo, Orangeburg, Columbia, Bentonville, Raleigh, etc. The regiment has marched on foot over five thousand miles since its first organization. The regiment was first commanded by Colonel Samuel H. Steedman; he was succeeded by Colonel (now Brigadier-General) R. K. Scott; he was succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel George E. Welles, who now commands it; the regiment not being a minimum one, is not entitled to a Colonel. The regiment has lost in killed and wounded since entering the field over three hundred men. The aggregate strength of the regiment at present is 525, 375 of whom are now in camp for duty. The following are the field and staff: Lieutenant-Colonel, Geo. E. Welles; Major, Arthur Crockett; Surgeon, John G. Bigham; Adjutant, H. Welty; Quartermaster, Elmer Y. Smutz.

SEVENTEENTH WISCONSIN VETERAN VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.

           This regiment was organized at Madison, Wisconsin, on the 10th of March, 1862, under orders from the Governor, and was composed principally of Irishmen. Its original Colonel, John L. Duran, resigned November 25th, 1862, and was succeeded by its present Colonel. Shortly after its

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