2nd Regiment, Rhode Island Infantry

Brief History
The 2nd Regiment, Rhode Island was organized at Providence June, 1861. It was mustered out July 13, 1865.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 2nd Regiment Infantry, (accessed 6 November 2012).


 * The Wikipedia Article, 2nd Rhode Island Infantry, (accessed 6 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.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,989 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Company K - many men from Newport County

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,986 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘Mississippi 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.


 * Rhode Island in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Mississippi, 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.

Books and Films


 * Ash, Stephen V. Firebrand of liberty: the story of two black regiments that changed the course of the Civil War. (New York, New York : W.W. Norton, c2008)


 * Crossley, William J. Extracts from my diary, and from my experiences while boarding with Jefferson Davis : in three of his notorious hotels, in Richmond, Va., Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Salisbury, N. C., from July, 1861, to June, 1862. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1991),


 * Martin, Jacob H. The campaign life of Lt.-Col. Henry Harrison Young : aid-de-camp to General Sheridan and chief of his scouts. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1991),


 * Peck, George Bacheler. Camp and hospital. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1991), and A recruit before Petersburg.


 * Rhode, Elisha and Robert Hunt, All for the Union: a history of the 2nd Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry in the war of the great rebellion, as told by the diary and letters of Elisha Hunt Rhodes who enlisted as a private in '61 and rose to the command of his regiment. (Lincoln, Rhode Island : Andrew Mowbray, Inc., c1985), and The first campaign of the Second Rhode Island Infantry. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1991),  and The Second Rhode Island Volunteers at the siege of Petersburg, Virginia.


 * Rogers, Horatio. Personal experiences of the Chancellorsville campaign. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1991),


 * Woodbury, Agustus.The Second Rhode Island Regiment: a narrative of military operations in which the regiment was engaged from the beginning to the end of the war for the Union. (Washington [District of Columbia] : Filmed by the Library of Congress Photoduplication Service, 1987), and (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1991),  and The memory of the first battle : a discourse preached in Westminster Church, Providence, R. I., on the 28th anniversary of the Battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1889, before the veteran associations of the First and Second Rhode Island Regiments and their batteries.

Internet sites


 * American Civil War Pictures &amp; photos - photo of Captain C. G. Dyer


 * Find a Grave - Rhode Island


 * 2nd Regiment of Rhode Island Infantry Descendants Association


 * The Civil War Archive


 * Civil War in the East


 * Rhode Island Volunteers Civil War Re-enactor Association


 * Wikipedia- 2nd Rode Island Infantry


 * Stone Sentinels - Monument to the 2nd Rode Island Infantry Regiment in Gettysburg


 * Photo of John Ryan of Company H- Private. Shows the regiment uniform with shoulder scales


 * The Civil War Omnibus


 * [http://www.findagrave.com/php/famous.php?page=state;FSstateid=42