12th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry

Brief History
The 12th Regiment Wisconsin Infantry was organized in Madison, Wisconsin, October 18 to December 13, 1861. It was in the Grand Review May 24. Then it moved to Louisville, Kentucky,in June. The Regiment was mustered out July 20, 1865.

For more information on the history of this unit, see:


 * The Civil War Archive section, 12th Regiment Infantry, (accessed 16 November 2012).
 * The Wikipedia Article, 12th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment, (accessed 16 November 2012).

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.


 * Company A - many men from Pierce County and St. Croix County - Roster

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,955 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

The following company links are to rosters taken from Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, found on the Internet Archives web site. The rosters show the men who served in each regiment, their residences, dates of enlistment and mustering out, and other remarks.

Company A - many men from Pierce County - Roster page 704.

Company B - many men from Sauk County and Marquette County - Roster page 707.

Company C - many men from Iowa County and Dane County - Roster page 710.

Company D - many men from Washington County and Pierce County - Roster page 713.

Company E - many men from Sauk County, Columbia County, La Crosse County and Adams County - Roster page 717.

Company F - many men from Oconto County and Marinette County, Roster page 721.

Company G - many men from Wood County and Marathon County, Roster page 724.

Company H - many men from Brown County and Oconto County, Roster page 727.

Company I - many men from Vernon County, Richland County and the town of Forest, Roster page 731.

Company K - many men from Grant County and Crawford County, Roster page 735.

Unassigned Recruits Roster page 738.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in 'Wisconsin in the Civil War' and 'United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865' (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Wisconsin in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Wisconsin, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Company E Association of the Twelfth Wisconsin Infantry in the Civil War of 1861-65. Reunion. Re-union of Company E Association, Twelfth Wisconsin Infantry. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1993), and.


 * Hetzel, Bev. 12th Civil War regiment reunion held in West Bend, Wisconsin, on August 29 and 30, 1911. (West Bend, Wisconsin: B. Hetzel, [200-?]), and Wisconsin 12th Infantry deaths reported the year before the 1911 reunion held in West Bend, Wisconsin, August 29-30, 1911. [S.I.: s.n., 200?]),.


 * Rood, Hosea Whitford. Story of the service of Company E and of the Twelfth Wisconsin Regiment, Veteran Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion : beginning with September 7, 1861, and ending July 21, 1865. (Washington [District of Columbia]: Library of Congress, Photoduplication Service, 1987),.


 * United States. Army. Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, 12th (1861-1865). Company E. Story of the Service of Company E, and of the Twelfth Wisconsin Regiment of Veteran Infantry, in the War of the Rebellion : beginning with September 7, 1861, and ending July 21, 1865. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1993),.