17th Alabama Infantry Regiment History:
This regiment was organized at Montgomery in August 1861. In November it moved to Pensacola, and was present at the bombardment in that month, and in January after. In March 1862 the regiment was sent to west Tennessee. Brigaded under J.K. Jackson of Georgia - with the Eighteenth, Twenty-first, and Twenty-fourth Alabama regiments - the regiment fought at Shiloh, and lost 125 killed and wounded. A month after, it was in the fight at Farmington with few casualties. In the autumn, when Gen. Bragg moved into Kentucky, the Seventeenth, much depleted by sickness, was left at Mobile. It was there drilled as heavy artillery, and had charge of eight batteries on the shore of the bay. It remained at that post till March 1864, when it was ordered to Rome, Ga. The brigade consisted of the Seventeenth and Twenty-ninth Alabama, and the First and Twenty-sixth Alabama, and Thirty-seventh Mississippi, were soon after added, the command devolving at different times on Gen. Cantey of Russell, Col. Murphey of Montgomery, Col. O'Neal of Lauderdale, and Gen. Shelley of Talladega. It was engaged at the Oostenaula bridge, and in the three days' battle of Resaca, with severe loss. The Seventeenth had its full share of the trials and hardships of the campaign from Dalton to Jonesboro, fighting almost daily, especially at Cassville, New Hope, Kennesa, Lost Mountain, and Atlanta. In the battle of Peach-tree Creek it lost 130 killed and wounded, and on the 28th of July 180 killed and wounded. The entire loss from the Resaca to Lovejoy's Station was 586, but few of whom were captured. The regiment moved into Tennessee with Gen. Hood, and lost at least two-thirds of its forces engaged at Franklin; and a number of the remainder were captured at Nashville. A remnant moved into North Carolina, and a part fought at Bentonville. It was then consolidated with the Twenty-ninth and Thirty-third Alabama regiments, with E.P. Holcombe of Lowndes as colonel, J.F. Tate of Russell lieutenant colonel, and Willis J. Milner of Butler major.
