Bissell's Engineer Regiment, also known as Bissell's Engineer Regiment of the West, was an
engineer
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation.
In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...
that served in the
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
.
Service
Organized at
St. Louis, Mo
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which ...
. Company "A" mustered in on July 10, 1861. Company "B" organized at Paris, Edgar County, Ill., and mustered in at St. Louis August 5, 1861. Company "C" organized at Prairie City, Ill., and mustered in at St. Louis August 19. Company "D" organized at St. Louis and mustered in on October 31, 1861. Company "E" organized at Adrian, Mich., and mustered in at St. Louis August 23, 1861. Company "F" organized at Dubuque, Iowa, and mustered in on October 31, 1861. Company "G" organized at
Cape Girardeau, Mo
Cape Girardeau ( , french: Cap-Girardeau ; colloquially referred to as "Cape") is a city in Cape Girardeau and Scott Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. At the 2020 census, the population was 39,540. The city is one of two principal citie ...
., and mustered in on September 17, 1861. Company "H" organized at Paris, Ill., and mustered in on October 31, 1861. Company "I" organized in Iowa and mustered in on October 31, 1861, at St. Louis, Mo. Company "K" organized at
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of, Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 23,982 in the 2020 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in 2000. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area, which includes ...
, and mustered in at St. Louis, Mo., October 31, 1861.
Attached to Department of Missouri to March, 1862. Unattached, Army of the Mississippi, to June, 1862. Engineer Brigade, District of West Tennessee, Dept. of the Tennessee, to July, 1862. District of Columbus, Ky., to December, 1862. District of Columbus, Ky., 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, to January, 1863. Unattached, Engineers' Dept. of the Tennessee, to February, 1864.
Detailed Service
Companies "A" and "B" ordered to East St. Louis, Mo., August 6, 1861; thence to Cape Girardeau, Mo., August 6–7, and fatigue duty there until March, 1862, when rejoined Regiment at
New Madrid, Mo
New Madrid ( es, Nueva Madrid) is a city in New Madrid County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,787 at the 2020 census. New Madrid is the county seat of New Madrid County. The city is located 42 miles (68 km) southwest of Cairo, ...
. Built Forts "A," "B," "C" and "D," Defenses of Cape Girardeau. Company "G" also at Cape Girardeau and Bird's Point, Mo., until March, 1862, rejoining Regiment March 8. Regiment moved from St. Louis, Mo., to Lamine Bridge, on
Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri Pacific Railroad , commonly abbreviated as MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers. In 1967, the railroad ...
, September 19, 1861, and duty there until October 26. Moved to Sedalia, Mo., and duty there until December 11. Moved to Georgetown, thence to Otterville, Mo., December 11–19, and duty there until March, 1862. (Co. "I" at Sedalia until January, 1862, rejoining Regiment January 29. Co. "F" near Sedalia until February, 1862, rejoining Regiment February 7.)
Moved to St. Louis, Mo., thence to Commerce, Mo., March 1–5. Siege operations against New Madrid March 8–15. Engaged near Mr. Pleasant March 3 (Cos. "A" and "B"). Operations against
Island No. 10
Island Number Ten was an island in the Mississippi River near Tiptonville, Tennessee and the site of a major eponymous battle in the American Civil War.
In the mid-19th century the United States Government began to adopt a uniform numbering plan ...
March 15-April 8. (Constructed New Madrid Canal, allowing passage of Gunboats through swamps of New Madrid to rear of Island No. 10.) Expedition to Fort Pillow, Tenn., April 12–14. Moved to Hamburg, Tenn., April 14–22. Cos. "A" and "I" detached at New Madrid until May 4, rejoining before Corinth, Miss., May 8. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 26-May 30. Occupation of Corinth and pursuit to
Tiptonville
Tiptonville is a town in and the county seat of Lake County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 2,439 as of the 2000 census and 4,464 in 2010, showing an increase of 2,025. It is also home to the Northwest Correctional Complex, a maximu ...
May 30-June 6. Tuscumbia Creek May 31-June 1. Repair
Mobile & Ohio Railroad
The Mobile and Ohio Railroad was a railroad in the Southern U.S. The M&O was chartered in January and February 1848 by the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee. It was planned to span the distance between the seaport of Mobile, ...
to Columbia. Headquarters at Jackson until October, 1862. Wrecking Expedition on Mississippi River about Mr. Pleasant, Island No. 10 and New Madrid July 21-October 20 (Detached). Battle of Corinth, Miss., October 3–4 (Detachment of Co. "E"). Regiment moved to defense of Corinth October 3. Pursuit to Ripley, Miss., October 5–12 (Detachment). Regiment return to Jackson and duty there until November 6.
Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign November, 1862, to January, 1863. Duty on
Memphis & Charleston Railroad
The Memphis and Charleston Railroad, completed in 1857, was the first railroad in the United States to link the Atlantic Ocean with the Mississippi River. Chartered in 1846, the gauge railroad ran from Memphis, Tennessee to Stevenson, Alabama th ...
at
Lagrange
Joseph-Louis Lagrange (born Giuseppe Luigi LagrangiaObion River and at Memphis, Tenn., until February, 1863. Moved to Young's Point, La., February 11–14, thence to Lake Providence, La. Operations against Vicksburg, Miss., February to July. Engineer operations at Baxter's Bayou and
Bayou Macon
Bayou Macon is a bayou in Arkansas and Louisiana. It begins in Desha County, Arkansas, and flows south, between the Boeuf River to its west and the Mississippi River to its east, before joining Joe's Bayou south of Delhi in Richland Parish, Loui ...
constructing Batteries at Young's Point, and various expeditions to explore and open Bayous until April, 1863. 6 Companies ordered to Memphis, Tenn., April 1–6. Engaged in opening Memphis & Charleston Railroad to Corinth, Miss., then at Pocahontas May 11 to October 3. Repairing Memphis & Charleston Railroad east of Corinth, Miss., October 3–28. At Iuka and Corinth constructing works until December 26. Moved to Memphis, thence to Nashville, Tenn., December 26, 1863, to January 4, 1864. Cos. "A," "D," "F" and "I" at Duckport, La. Engaged in fatigue duty in that vicinity until April 30. Building drain at Richmond, La., until May 9. Moved to Milliken's Bend May 9; duty there and at Young's Point and
Chickasaw Bayou Chickasaw Bayou is a stream in the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is a tributary to the Yazoo River.
Chickasaw Bayou derives its name from the Chickasaw tribe.
The Battle of Chickasaw Bayou
The Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, also called the Battle ...
until May 25. Moved to Haines' Bluff and building fortifications until July 1. Surrender of Vicksburg July 4. Duty at Vicksburg until January 15, 1864. Ordered to Nashville, Tenn., and rejoin Regiment February 2, 1864. Consolidated with 25th Missouri infantry to form the
1st Regiment Missouri Volunteer Engineers
The 1st Missouri Engineer Regiment was an engineer regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Service
Organized February 17, 1864, by consolidation of Bissell's Engineer Regiment of the West and 25th Missouri Infantry R ...
on February 17, 1864.
Casualties
The regiment lost during service 16 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 146 Enlisted men by disease; for a total of 163. (This figure includes the casualties suffered by the "Engineers" after it was converted into the "1st Missouri Engineers".)
List of Engineer Regiments of the Union Army
Engineer Regiments were a key aspect of the Union army during the American Civil War. The duties engineer regiments during the American Civil War included destroying and building transportation networks, erecting defensive and offensive emplacemen ...