28th Wisconsin
Infantry Regiment
RosterBattles involving 28th InfantryAssignments for 28th Infantry- Organized on Oct 14 1862 at Camp Washburn, Milwaukee, WI
- Enlistment term: 3 years
- Mustered out on Aug 23 1865 at Brownsville, TX
Available statistics for total numbers of men listed as:
- Enlisted or commissioned: 1124
- Transferred in: 1
- Killed or died of wounds (Officers): 1
- Killed or died of wounds (Enlisted men): 12
- Died of disease: 228
- Died of disease (Officers): 6
- Died of disease (Enlisted men): 221
- Disabled: 126
- Missing: 1
- Deserted: 43
- Discharged: 50
- Mustered out: 611
- Transferred out: 27
Historical notes and Reports:
Twenty-eighth Infantry
WISCONSIN
(3-YEARS)
Twenty-eighth Infantry. -- Col 5 , James M. Lewis, Edmund B. Gray Lieut.-Cols., harles Whittaker Edmund B. Gray, Calvert C. White Majs., Edmund B. Gray, Calvert C. White, John A. Williams.
This regiment was organized at Milwaukee and was mustered in Oct. 14 1862. It left the state Dec. 20 for Columbus, Ky., from which point it was ordered out on several minor expeditions.
It embarked for Helena, Ark., Jan. 5, 1863, and joined Gorman's expedition up the White River. It was detached and placed in charge of St. Charles which place the enemy had deserted on Gorman's approach, the balance of the forces proceeding to Devall's Bluff.
The regiment rejoined the expedition on the return march, was transferred to the 1st brigade and sent on the Yazoo Pass expedition. It was engaged in the operations against Fort Pemberton, and in minor expeditions the remainder of the spring.
It was on fortification and garrison duty at Helena from May 17 to July 4, when the enemy, 18,000 strong, attacked the garrison numbering but 4,000. The regiment did its share in the defeat of the enemy in that brilliant engagement.
On Aug. 6 the 28th was transferred to the Army of Arkansas and marched to Little Rock, which place was reached Sept. 10. It was detached from the brigade Nov. 7 and sent to Pine Bluff for the winter.
On March 27, 1864, six companies were sent with an expedition to destroy the pontoon bridge at Longview, on the Sabine River, but were left at Mount Elba to guard a bridge where they held a force of 1,500 in check and with the assistance of a small reinforcement repelled a charge.
The regiment was on guard and defense duty at Pine Bluff until winter, when it returned to Little Rock. On Feb. 22, 1865, it was ordered to Mobile and was assigned to the 3d brigade, 3d division, 13th corps. It was in the trenches before Spanish Fort from March 27 until April 8, was then sent to McIntosh bluff; worked on fortifications until the middle of May, and was then ordered to Texas for guard and garrison duty at Clarksville.
It was mustered out Aug. 3, 1865, at Brownsville. Its original strength was. 961. Gain by recruits, 144; substitutes, 32; total, 1,137. Loss by death, 231; desertion, 31; transfer, 81; discharge, 221; mustered out, 573.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 4, p. 62
Report of Capt. Lyndsey J. Smith, Twenty-eight Wisconsin Infantry, of action at Mound Elba.
HDQRS. TWENTY-EIGHTH WISCONSIN INFY. VOLS., Pine Bluff, Ark., April 6, 1864.
SIR: In obedience to orders from the post of Pine Bluff, I have the honor to report that where all of the officers and men did as well as the men of my command on the 30th of March, 1864, it is difficult to particularize. Alexander T. Seymour, first lieutenant Company I, Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Volunteers, who had command of the picket guard March 30, 1864, is worthy of honorable mention for the manner in which he held the enemy in check with his picket guard several times during the advance of the enemy back as far as the advance picket-post, and skirmishing in a manner highly creditable to him and his men.
L. J. SMITH,
Capt., Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Infy. Vols., Cmdg. Regiment
Lieut. JOHN HARDING,
Post Adjutant.
No. 43.
Report of Lieut. Col. Edmund B. Gray, Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Infantry, of expedition to Mount Elba and operations October 26, 1864-May 13, 1864.
HDQRS. TWENTY-EIGHTH WISCONSIN INFY. VOLS., Pine Bluff, Ark., 1864.
SIR: The Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Infantry remained in camp at Little Rock, Ark., until the 26th of October, 1863, when their brigade marched in pursuit of the Confederate forces under Gen. Marmaduke, which had been defeated by Col. Powell Clayton's forces at Pine Bluff on the 25th. Arriving at Benton, on the Saline River, the night of the 26th, the Second Brigade relieved the cavalry force stationed there, which was sent in pursuit of the enemy. More troops coming up from Little Rock on the 29th, the Second Brigade was put in motion and encamped at Rockport, on the Washita River, that night. The next day the expedition started on its return, and marching through Benton on the 31st, arrived at Little Rock on the 1st day of November, having performed a march of 100 miles. On the 7th of November the regiment was detached from the Second Brigade and ordered to join the command of Col. Powell Clayton at Pine Bluff, where it arrived on the 10th, after a march of 60 miles down the north bank of the Arkansas River. Here the regiment prepared comfortable winter quarters, and was employed in post and garrison duty until the 27th of March, when six companies (A, D, F, G, H, and I), under the command of Capt. L. J. Smith (Lieut.-Col. Gray being left in command of the forces remaining at Pine Bluff), joined with the Eighteenth Illinois Infantry and three regiments of cavalry, under Col. Clayton, in an expedition intended to destroy the pontoon bridge at Long View on the Saline River. The expedition arriving at Mount Elba, on the Saline, the 28th of March, the infantry under Lieut.-Col. Marks, of the Eighteenth Illinois Infantry, was left to guard the bridge at that point, while the cavalry crossed and proceeded down the river to Long View. On the morning of the 30th, the infantry forces (six companies of the Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Volunteers and the Eighteenth Illinois Infantry), less than 500 men, were attacked at Mount Elba by a force of 1,500 rebels, under Gen. Dockery. Companies A, F, G, H, and I of the Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Infantry deployed as skirmishers, held the enemy back for nearly two hours, when they were recalled to receive a charge made by the enemy, in which he was handsomely repulsed, leaving 100 killed and wounded on the field. At this state of the fight the cavalry under Col. Clayton came up, and crossing the river the cavalry and infantry pursued the enemy 10 miles to Centreville that night. The next day the expedition returned to Pine Bluff, bringing 320 prisoners, and infantry having made a march of 82 miles. A detachment of 350 men of the regiment, under Lieut.-Col. Gray, left Pine Bluff on the 28th of April, with orders to proceed to Mount Elba by the pontoon bridge across the Saline River, and guard it until the expedition under Brig.-Gen. Andrews, intended to carry supplies to the army at Camden, should arrive. On the 30th, couriers from Gen. Steele reached us with the information that our army was retreating in the direction of Little Rock, and the regiment returned to Pine Bluff, having made a march of 60 miles.
Since the return of the army to the line of the Arkansas the regiment has furnished heavy details for outpost and guard duty, and large fatigue details were employed day and night during the months of June and July.
Lieut. Col. E. B. Gray, being the senior officer since the discharge of Col. Lewis, has commanded the regiment since the 1st of October, 1863. Since November 7, 1863, the regiment has been detached from its brigade, but retained position in the Second Brigade, Third Division (commander, Brig. Gen. S. A. Rice; division commander, Brig. Gen. F. Salomon), until May 13, 1864, when it was, at the re-organization of the army, placed in the First Brigade, First Division, under the same commanders. Company G was detached as provost guard at Pine Bluff December 24, 1863, and relieved by Company E March 8, 1864. Company D was detached to take charge of pontoon bridge at Pine Bluff August 1, 1864.
Capt. M. G. Townsend, Company B, serving as acting assistant inspector-general on the staff of Brig.-Gen. Rice, was killed in action at the battle of Marks' Mills, April 25, 1864.
Enlisted men killed in action at Mount Elba, 2; enlisted men captured at Marks' Mills, 1; enlisted men died of disease, 43; enlisted men discharged for disability, 27; enlisted men deserted, 2.
E. B. GRAY,
Lieut. Col., Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Vol. Infy., Cmdg. Regt.
AUG. GAYLORD,
Adjutant-Gen. of Wisconsin.
Source: Official Records
CHAP. XLVI.] THE CAMDEN EXPEDITION. PAGE 774-61
[Series I. Vol. 34. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 61.]
Twenty-eighth Infantry
WISCONSIN
(3-YEARS)
Twenty-eighth Infantry. -- Col 5 , James M. Lewis, Edmund B. Gray Lieut.-Cols., harles Whittaker Edmund B. Gray, Calvert C. White Majs., Edmund B. Gray, Calvert C. White, John A. Williams.
This regiment was organized at Milwaukee and was mustered in Oct. 14 1862. It left the state Dec. 20 for Columbus, Ky., from which point it was ordered out on several minor expeditions.
It embarked for Helena, Ark., Jan. 5, 1863, and joined Gorman's expedition up the White River. It was detached and placed in charge of St. Charles which place the enemy had deserted on Gorman's approach, the balance of the forces proceeding to Devall's Bluff.
The regiment rejoined the expedition on the return march, was transferred to the 1st brigade and sent on the Yazoo Pass expedition. It was engaged in the operations against Fort Pemberton, and in minor expeditions the remainder of the spring.
It was on fortification and garrison duty at Helena from May 17 to July 4, when the enemy, 18,000 strong, attacked the garrison numbering but 4,000. The regiment did its share in the defeat of the enemy in that brilliant engagement.
On Aug. 6 the 28th was transferred to the Army of Arkansas and marched to Little Rock, which place was reached Sept. 10. It was detached from the brigade Nov. 7 and sent to Pine Bluff for the winter.
On March 27, 1864, six companies were sent with an expedition to destroy the pontoon bridge at Longview, on the Sabine River, but were left at Mount Elba to guard a bridge where they held a force of 1,500 in check and with the assistance of a small reinforcement repelled a charge.
The regiment was on guard and defense duty at Pine Bluff until winter, when it returned to Little Rock. On Feb. 22, 1865, it was ordered to Mobile and was assigned to the 3d brigade, 3d division, 13th corps. It was in the trenches before Spanish Fort from March 27 until April 8, was then sent to McIntosh bluff; worked on fortifications until the middle of May, and was then ordered to Texas for guard and garrison duty at Clarksville.
It was mustered out Aug. 3, 1865, at Brownsville. Its original strength was. 961. Gain by recruits, 144; substitutes, 32; total, 1,137. Loss by death, 231; desertion, 31; transfer, 81; discharge, 221; mustered out, 573.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 4, p. 62
Report of Capt. Lyndsey J. Smith, Twenty-eight Wisconsin Infantry, of action at Mound Elba.
HDQRS. TWENTY-EIGHTH WISCONSIN INFY. VOLS., Pine Bluff, Ark., April 6, 1864.
SIR: In obedience to orders from the post of Pine Bluff, I have the honor to report that where all of the officers and men did as well as the men of my command on the 30th of March, 1864, it is difficult to particularize. Alexander T. Seymour, first lieutenant Company I, Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Volunteers, who had command of the picket guard March 30, 1864, is worthy of honorable mention for the manner in which he held the enemy in check with his picket guard several times during the advance of the enemy back as far as the advance picket-post, and skirmishing in a manner highly creditable to him and his men.
L. J. SMITH,
Capt., Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Infy. Vols., Cmdg. Regiment
Lieut. JOHN HARDING,
Post Adjutant.
No. 43.
Report of Lieut. Col. Edmund B. Gray, Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Infantry, of expedition to Mount Elba and operations October 26, 1864-May 13, 1864.
HDQRS. TWENTY-EIGHTH WISCONSIN INFY. VOLS., Pine Bluff, Ark., 1864.
SIR: The Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Infantry remained in camp at Little Rock, Ark., until the 26th of October, 1863, when their brigade marched in pursuit of the Confederate forces under Gen. Marmaduke, which had been defeated by Col. Powell Clayton's forces at Pine Bluff on the 25th. Arriving at Benton, on the Saline River, the night of the 26th, the Second Brigade relieved the cavalry force stationed there, which was sent in pursuit of the enemy. More troops coming up from Little Rock on the 29th, the Second Brigade was put in motion and encamped at Rockport, on the Washita River, that night. The next day the expedition started on its return, and marching through Benton on the 31st, arrived at Little Rock on the 1st day of November, having performed a march of 100 miles. On the 7th of November the regiment was detached from the Second Brigade and ordered to join the command of Col. Powell Clayton at Pine Bluff, where it arrived on the 10th, after a march of 60 miles down the north bank of the Arkansas River. Here the regiment prepared comfortable winter quarters, and was employed in post and garrison duty until the 27th of March, when six companies (A, D, F, G, H, and I), under the command of Capt. L. J. Smith (Lieut.-Col. Gray being left in command of the forces remaining at Pine Bluff), joined with the Eighteenth Illinois Infantry and three regiments of cavalry, under Col. Clayton, in an expedition intended to destroy the pontoon bridge at Long View on the Saline River. The expedition arriving at Mount Elba, on the Saline, the 28th of March, the infantry under Lieut.-Col. Marks, of the Eighteenth Illinois Infantry, was left to guard the bridge at that point, while the cavalry crossed and proceeded down the river to Long View. On the morning of the 30th, the infantry forces (six companies of the Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Volunteers and the Eighteenth Illinois Infantry), less than 500 men, were attacked at Mount Elba by a force of 1,500 rebels, under Gen. Dockery. Companies A, F, G, H, and I of the Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Infantry deployed as skirmishers, held the enemy back for nearly two hours, when they were recalled to receive a charge made by the enemy, in which he was handsomely repulsed, leaving 100 killed and wounded on the field. At this state of the fight the cavalry under Col. Clayton came up, and crossing the river the cavalry and infantry pursued the enemy 10 miles to Centreville that night. The next day the expedition returned to Pine Bluff, bringing 320 prisoners, and infantry having made a march of 82 miles. A detachment of 350 men of the regiment, under Lieut.-Col. Gray, left Pine Bluff on the 28th of April, with orders to proceed to Mount Elba by the pontoon bridge across the Saline River, and guard it until the expedition under Brig.-Gen. Andrews, intended to carry supplies to the army at Camden, should arrive. On the 30th, couriers from Gen. Steele reached us with the information that our army was retreating in the direction of Little Rock, and the regiment returned to Pine Bluff, having made a march of 60 miles.
Since the return of the army to the line of the Arkansas the regiment has furnished heavy details for outpost and guard duty, and large fatigue details were employed day and night during the months of June and July.
Lieut. Col. E. B. Gray, being the senior officer since the discharge of Col. Lewis, has commanded the regiment since the 1st of October, 1863. Since November 7, 1863, the regiment has been detached from its brigade, but retained position in the Second Brigade, Third Division (commander, Brig. Gen. S. A. Rice; division commander, Brig. Gen. F. Salomon), until May 13, 1864, when it was, at the re-organization of the army, placed in the First Brigade, First Division, under the same commanders. Company G was detached as provost guard at Pine Bluff December 24, 1863, and relieved by Company E March 8, 1864. Company D was detached to take charge of pontoon bridge at Pine Bluff August 1, 1864.
Capt. M. G. Townsend, Company B, serving as acting assistant inspector-general on the staff of Brig.-Gen. Rice, was killed in action at the battle of Marks' Mills, April 25, 1864.
Enlisted men killed in action at Mount Elba, 2; enlisted men captured at Marks' Mills, 1; enlisted men died of disease, 43; enlisted men discharged for disability, 27; enlisted men deserted, 2.
E. B. GRAY,
Lieut. Col., Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Vol. Infy., Cmdg. Regt.
AUG. GAYLORD,
Adjutant-Gen. of Wisconsin.
Source: Official Records
CHAP. XLVI.] THE CAMDEN EXPEDITION. PAGE 774-61
[Series I. Vol. 34. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 61.]
Battles (where losses incurred) involving 28th Infantry Regiment
Location | Date | Killed | Wounded | POW | Missing | Losses |
Helena, AR | 07/04/63 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Mark's Mills, AR | 04/25/64 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Brigade, Division, Corps, and Army assignments for 28th Infantry Regiment
From | To | Brigade | Division | Corps | Army/Department | Comments |
01/22/63 | Mar 1863 | 2 | 13 | 13 | Department of the Tennessee | New Organization |
Mar 1863 | 07/28/63 | 1 | 13 | 13 | Department of the Tennessee | |
07/28/63 | 08/10/63 | 1 | 13 | District of East AR | Department of the Tennessee | |
08/04/63 | 01/06/64 | 2 | 3 | Arkansas Expedition | ||
01/06/64 | 03/12/64 | 2 | 3 | 7 | Department of Arkansas | |
Apr 1864 | 05/11/64 | Post Pine Bluff, AR | 7 | Department of Arkansas | ||
05/11/64 | 02/18/65 | 1 | 1 | 7 | Department of Arkansas | |
02/03/65 | 02/18/65 | 3 | 3 | Reserve | Army and Dept of the Gulf | |
02/18/65 | 07/20/65 | 3 | 3 | 13 | Army and Dept of the Gulf |
Roster for 28th Infantry Regiment - 1,125 men
Source: Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers; War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865; Volumes I and II; compiled by Authority of the Legislature, under the direction of Jeremiah M. Rusk, Governor & Chandler P. Chapman, Adjutant General; Democrat Printing Company, State Printers; Madison, Wisconsin; 1886
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