The 19th Wisconsin Infantry was organized at Camp Randall in Madison and mustered into service on April 30, 1862. The regiment left Wisconsin for Washington, D. C., on June 2 and then traveled to Hampton, Virginia, on June 8 and to Norfolk, Virginia, June 29.
During the war it served in Virginia and North Carolina. It participated in the battles of Drury's Bluff and Fair Oaks and the Siege of Suffolk, Virginia. Soldiers who chose not to re-enlist were mustered out on April 28, 1865. The remaining men served on provost duty at Fredericksburg, Virginia, until July 24, and then at Warrenton, Virginia, until August 4, when the regiment moved to Richmond,and mustered out on August 9, 1865.
The regiment lost 161 men during service. Two officers and 41 enlisted men were killed. Three officers and 115 enlisted men died from disease.
Officers:
Colonel Horace T. Sanders (November 11, 1861 – April 19, 1865) commanded the regiment through most of the war. He was granted an honorary brevet to brigadier general. Before the war, he was a delegate to the convention which drafted the Constitution of Wisconsin, and was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Lieutenant Colonel Samuel K. Vaughan (April 19, 1865 – August 9, 1865) served two years as captain of Co. D, and was then major of the regiment. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1865. He was granted two honorary brevets, to colonel and brigadier general. Before joining the 19th Wisconsin Infantry, he had been a 2nd lieutenant in the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment.
Joseph Hulbert Nichols was the first chaplain of the regiment, but suffered from delirium brought on by a fever, and died in an asylum in 1863. He was a noted minister and author before the war.
A. Constantine Barry was the last chaplain of the regiment. Before the war, he had served as the 4th Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin.
Assignments:
Attached to District of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va., 7th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia, to April, 1863. Reserve Brigade, 3rd Division, 7th Army Corps, to June, 1863. Wistah's Independent Brigade, 7th Army Corps, to July, 1863. Yorktown, Va., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to August, 1863. Newport News, Va., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to October, 1863. New Berne, N. C., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to April, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Army Corps, Army of the James, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to June, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Army Corps, to August, 1864. Norfolk, Va, to October, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Army Corps, to December, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 24th Army Corps, to July, 1865. 1st Independent Brigade, 24th Army Corps, to August, 1865
Battles:
Siege of Suffolk
Second Battle of New Bern
Second Battle of Fort Darling
Siege of Petersburg
Second Battle of Fair Oaks
Service:
Garrison duty at Norfolk, Va., till April, 1863. Ordered to Suffolk, Va., April 14. Siege of Suffolk April 14-May 4. Action at Edenton Road, Suffolk, April 24. Operations on Norfolk & Petersburg Railroad May 15-18. Near Providence Church May 17. Moved to Norfolk June 17; thence to Yorktown June 18. Dix's Peninsula Campaign June 24-July 7. Garrison duty at Yorktown till August 16. At Newport News till October 8. Moved to New Berne, N. C., October 8-11. Outpost and picket duty there till April, 1864. Company "A" detached at Evans' Mills, Company "B" at Brier Creek, and Company "F" at Havelock Station till February, 1864. Operations about New Berne against Whiting January 18-February 10, 1864. Beech Grove and Batchelor's Creek, New Berne, February 1-3, 1864. Expedition to relief of Plymouth April 19-24 (Co. "A"). Moved to Yorktown April 26-28. Butler's operations on south side of the James River and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-28. Occupation of Bermuda Hundred May 5. Operations against Fort Darling May 12-16. Battle of Drury's Bluff May 14-16. Bermuda Hundred June 16-July 20. Assaults on Petersburg June 15. Port Walthal June 16-17. In trenches before Petersburg till August. Veterans on furlough August 13 to October 10. Non-Veterans assigned to provost duty at Norfolk, Va., August to October. Regiment moved to Aiken's Landing, thence to Chafflin's Farm and operations against Richmond from north side of the James River till April, 1865. Battle of Fair Oaks October 27-28, 1864. Occupation of Richmond April 3, 1865, and provost duty there till April 28. Non-Veterans mustered out April 28, 1865. Provost duty at Fredericksburg, Va., till July 24, and at Warrenton, Va., till August 4. Moved to Richmond, Va., and mustered out August 9, 1865.
Rosters:
The composite rosters of this unit contain the names of 1983 men. The counties where the companies were formed are unknown.
Bibliography:
Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Vol. 2. Davenport, IA: Eastern Digital Resources, 2003.
Love, William D. Wisconsin in the War of the Rebellion. Chicago: Church and Goodman, 1866. E537L79. Davenport, IA: Eastern Digital Resources, 2011.
Quiner, E.B. The Military History of Wisconsin. Chicago: Clarke, 1866. E537Q75.
Davenport, IA: Eastern Digital Resources, 2011.
Rigdon, John C. Wisconsin Civil War Soldiers Index. Davenport, IA: Eastern Digital Resources, 2011.
Historical Sketch: