17th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry

The 17th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Service
The 17th Illinois Cavalry was organized at St. Charles, Illinois between January 28 and February 12, 1864.

The regiment mustered out between November 23 and December 22, 1865.

Total strength and casualties
The regiment suffered 7 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds and 1 officer and 86 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 94 fatalities.

Commanders

 * Colonel John Lourie Beveridge - mustered out February 7, 1866.

Bugler

 * John David Rippberger - On January 6th 1864 when John was just 18 years old and the Civil War was raging, he volunteered for service with the union forces in Howard, McHenry County, Illinois where he later mustered into the Cavalry on January 22, 1864 in St. Charles, Illinois. His enlistment was for three years, and he was assigned to Private in Company G, 17th Illinois Cavalry Regiment as a full bugler under Captain Cyrus Hutchinson.


 * At the close of the war on December 18th 1865 in Ft. Leavenworth, KS. John Rippberger was mustered out by Lieutenant Williamson, and honorably discharged at Springfield, Illinois. After almost two years of hard service he held the rank of Full Bugler. His Colonel’s name was John L. Beverige, a fine man and good friend.