Organization

The 33rd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment (33rd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment) was organized at Camp Utley in Racine, Wisconsin, and entered the United States Army on October 18, 1862. The regiment left Wisconsin on November 12, 1862, and traveled to Memphis, Tennessee. They were assigned to Lauman's Division of the Army of the Tennessee.

Active Duty

In November 1862, the 33rd Wisconsin was part of the Union forces that advanced on Jackson and Vicksburg, Mississippi. The regiment guarded and patrolled Moscow, Tennessee, in January 1863. In April, the regiment joined another excursion into Mississippi.

On May 17, 1863, the 33rd Wisconsin embarked from Memphis to join the army under Ulysses S. Grant near Vicksburg. The regiment took up positions in the trenches on May 25 and fought continuously until Vicksburg surrendered on July 4, 1863.

After the surrender, the 33rd Wisconsin participated with the forces under General William Tecumseh Sherman in the Jackson Campaign, July 5-25, 1863. In August, the regiment returned to Vicksburg and was sent with the forces to occupy Natchez. The regiment remained in Natchez or the vicinity until December, when it returned to the vicinity of Vicksburg and was engaged in patrol and guard duty.

In February 1864, the 33rd Wisconsin accompanied the forces under Sherman on the Meridian expedition. The regiment returned to Vicksburg and was assigned to duty with the Red River Expedition. The regiment participated in actions at Moore's Plantation and Marksville.

The 33rd Wisconsin returned to Vicksburg on May 24, 1864, and was shortly thereafter moved up the river to Memphis. The regiment then went to Moscow, Tennessee, to accompany the forces under General A.J. Smith on an expedition to Tupelo, Mississippi. The regiment returned to Memphis and for the next four months was engaged in various expeditions in Arkansas and southern Missouri.

In November 1864, the 33rd Wisconsin was transferred to Nashville, Tennessee, to reinforce the army under General George H. Thomas. The regiment participated in the Battle of Nashville on December 15-16, 1864, and in the pursuit of the Confederate forces after the battle.

In January 1865, the 33rd Wisconsin was assigned to the forces operating against Mobile, Alabama. The regiment participated in the siege of Spanish Fort and the reduction of Fort Blakely. The regiment remained in southern Alabama until it was mustered out of service on August 8, 1865. The regiment returned to Madison, Wisconsin, and was disbanded on September 1, 1865.

Casualties

The 33rd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment lost 3 officers and 30 enlisted men to mortal wounds and 2 officers and 167 men to disease.

For Further Research

Search our collections for photos and artifacts from Wisconsin in the Civil War. Read about other Wisconsin Civil War regiments. For detailed regimental histories of the U.S. Civil War, consult the Frederick H. Dyer, Compendium of the War of the Rebellion: Regimental Histories.

The histories above, unless otherwise noted, are adopted from Charles E. Estabrook, ed., Records and Sketches of Military Organizations, (Madison, 1914). This page was developed with the help of Bard.