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Civil War Genealogy Database

17th Indiana Infantry


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	VAIL, JACOB GARETSON a little-known figure in military or Indiana history, was born in Indiana, in 1827. Vail enlisted in the 17th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment on June 13, 1861, as a resident of Princeton, Indiana. He was the captain of Company H as the 17th took part in the (West) Virginia campaign of 1861 and returned ''west'' in November for the balance of the War. Under the command of John Wilder, the regiment reached Shiloh, Tennessee, on April 8, the day after the Confederate defeat. The regiment took part in the siege of Corinth, Mississippi, and remained active in Tennessee and Kentucky throughout 1862, taking part in the battle at Perryville in October. In February 1863, the 17th and three additional infantry regiments were provided horses and in May received Spencer repeating rifles. This was the evolution of the famous Civil War unit, Wilder''s Lightning Brigade. The 17th distinguished itself at Hoover''s Gap, Tennessee, during the Tullahoma campaign. At Chickamauga, Georgia, the Lightning Brigade fought with distinction in an otherwise ill-advised battle. The mounted infantry was at Chattanooga for the battle of Missionary Ridge in November 1863. Re-enlisting in early 1864, the men purchased new mounts and rode to Georgia for the Atlanta campaign. Vail was promoted to major in April 1864. The 17th was kept busy as they participated in cavalry skirmishes, cut the enemy supply lines, and performed scouting assignments. In November, Jacob Vail became the commanding colonel of the unit. The 17th was re-mounted in December and played a significant role in the Alabama and Georgia raids of 1865. Vail was exemplary as he assumed command of the Lightning Brigade at the battle of Selma, Alabama, on April 2, 1865. The brigade sustained its reputation of having never been defeated, but it came at a high price, 20 percent casualties in 25 minutes. Colonel Vail was brevetted a brigadier general for long, faithful, and gallant service. Vail and the 17th were mustered out in August at Indianapolis with the lieutenant governor and Brevet General Wilder in attendance. Jacob Vail at some point after the War was a carriage manufacturer and moved to Leavenworth, Kansas, where he died on October 9, 1884. He was buried at Leavenworth in Mount Muncie Cemetery, in what is now an unmarked grave.
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