[1] The 17th Wisconsin Infantry was organized under the authority granted by the July 22, 1861, act of Congress approving the enrollment of 500,000 volunteers for service in the American Civil War.

[4]: 647 Around October 1, Company A, under Captain McCauley, engaged in a skirmish with Confederate cavalry north of Corinth while guarding the Mobile and Ohio Railroad.

Company A suffered thirteen killed or wounded, but managed to drive off the Confederate regiment and captured a number of horses.

[4]: 646  The actions of the 17th Wisconsin and their commander on October 3 were highly complimented in the accounts of the battle written by generals Thomas J. McKean and John McArthur.

[4]: 646 Grant's Vicksburg campaign launched in November 1862, and the 17th Wisconsin Infantry was transferred to the 2nd brigade, commanded by Col. Gabriel Bouck.

The Confederate defenders fled and abandoned the fort and its guns, and the 17th Wisconsin Infantry captured and destroyed several cannons and ammunition.

[4]: 650  Colonel Malloy's account of the Natchez expedition can be found in the Official War Records, Series 1, Volume 26, Part 1.

The veterans were given furlough in March to return to Wisconsin, where they paraded through Madison and were honored by Governor James T. Lewis, Secretary of State (General) Lucius Fairchild, and Mayor William T.

[4]: 651–652 At the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, where the Confederate army of Joseph E. Johnston had set its defenses, the 17th Wisconsin and its division were again on the far left of the Union line.

[4]: 652  After several days of stalemate, in which they suffered an additional 1 killed and 3 wounded, on July 2, the 17th Wisconsin, with its corps, was assigned to the flanking maneuver which went around the south end of the Confederate line and forced Johnston to evacuate his position.

The division then marched west toward Atlanta, and seized a Confederate position on Bald Hill on July 21, while the 17th Wisconsin was in reserve.

[4]: 653 The 17th Wisconsin, with XVII Corps, maintained the siege of Atlanta until August 26, when they moved to the south of the city to cut the last remaining supply lines for the Confederate defenders.

XVII Corps was in reserve during the Battle of Jonesboro, but after the Confederate evacuation of Atlanta, the 17th Wisconsin engaged in skirmishing around Lovejoy Station, suffering 11 killed.

[4]: 653 The 17th Wisconsin briefly participated in pursuit of the Confederate army after they abandoned Atlanta, but returned to Marietta, then camped in that area with XVII Corps until November 16, when General Sherman began his famous march to the sea (Savannah campaign).

Colonel Scott, were on furlough when the march began and while on their way back, they were diverted to command a provisional brigade through other operations in Tennessee and Alabama.

[4]: 654–655 The 17th Wisconsin, meanwhile, was under the command of Major Patrick H. McCauley, and continued with Sherman in his Campaign of the Carolinas, leaving Savannah in January 1865.

At the Battle of Rivers' Bridge, their brigade was part of the rapid crossing which forced the enemy to evacuate their defensive position.