20th Connecticut Infantry Regiment
The 20th Connecticut Infantry Regiment was a Union Army unit in the Civil War. It was raised in July 1862 and first led by Colonel Samuel Ross, with Lieutenant Colonel William Wooster taking command for most of the war.
The regiment joined the XII Corps’ 1st Division and fought in the Eastern Theater, beginning with a hard fight at the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863. There, heavy casualties followed Stonewall Jackson’s surprise assault on the Union lines.
At Gettysburg in July 1863, the 20th Connecticut helped defend Culp’s Hill. Confederate forces attacked the hill, and communication problems prevented an immediate recapture of the earthworks, causing heavy Union losses. On July 3, during Pickett’s Charge, the unit again saw action as Union batteries and infantry repelled the assault. The 20th Connecticut also served as a scouting force for artillery, staying in the woods to report enemy movements. Several men were killed or wounded by misfires, including Private George W. Warner, who lost both arms. General Wooster reportedly warned that if another man was hurt by a misfire, he would personally turn the regiment and charge the batteries.
The Union artillery fire and the infantry’s scouting helped break the Confederate counterattacks. The use of infantry to direct artillery proved effective and would be used widely in the war.
After Gettysburg, the XII Corps moved to the Western Theater. In 1864, the XI and XII Corps were merged into the XX Corps. The 20th Connecticut then fought in the Atlanta Campaign, Sherman's March to the Sea, and the Battle of Bentonville. The regiment marched in the Grand Review of the Armies in Washington, D.C., and was mustered out on June 13, 1865.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 14:10 (CET).