Adam Gale Malloy

That December, Malloy was promoted to lieutenant colonel for the newly organized 17th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment—the "Irish Brigade". The 17th Wisconsin was organized at Camp Randall and mustered into service in March 1862. With the 17th Wisconsin, Malloy moved to the western theater of the war and participated in the sieges of Corinth and Vicksburg in Mississippi.[5]^{: 644–649} Before Vicksburg, in November 1862, Malloy was promoted to colonel of the regiment, following the resignation of Colonel John L. Doran.[6]

Malloy and the 17th Wisconsin re-enlisted as a veteran regiment in January 1864, earning a month-long furlough in Wisconsin. Upon their return, they joined General William Tecumseh Sherman's Atlanta campaign. They were attached to XVII Army Corps at Huntsville, Alabama, and were organized into the 3rd brigade of the 3rd division of the corps. Malloy was placed in command of the brigade, which also included a battalion of men detached from the 14th Wisconsin, 81st Illinois, and 95th Illinois infantry regiments.[5]^: 651

Malloy led his brigade through the battles of Kennesaw Mountain, Atlanta, and Jonesboro. After which, the 17th Wisconsin was camped near Atlanta into the Fall of 1864.[5]^{: 651–653}

While the regiment was camped at Atlanta, Malloy was one of several veterans granted furlough—he returned to Wisconsin for several weeks. During this furlough, General Sherman launched his march to the sea (Savannah Campaign). Those on furlough were given directions to report to Chattanooga, Tennessee, on their return. At Chattanooga, a provisional division was organized of these returning veterans and new recruits, and Malloy was placed in command of a brigade composed of the men who were ultimately bound for regiments in XVII Corps. Malloy's brigade was ordered to guard duty in the Tunnel Hill and Ringgold region, but upon learning of Confederate general John Bell Hood's disposition to attack Nashville, Tennessee, they rode by rail back north to assist in the defense of that city in the Battle of Nashville.[5]^: 654

After some additional work in Alabama, the provisional division was sent back to Baltimore, by way of Ohio, and took steamboats to Beaufort, North Carolina, arriving February 8, 1865. They then went inland by rail to New Bern, North Carolina, then worked to repair the railroad further inland. In early March, they encountered Confederate forces under General Braxton Bragg entrenched on the rail line ahead of them and participated in the Battle of Wyse Fork, which ultimately cleared the way to Goldsboro, North Carolina, where Sherman's army met them on March 23, 1865.[2][5]^{: 654–655} For his part in the Battle of Wyse Fork, Malloy received mention and compliments in the account of the division commander, General Samuel P. Carter.[7][note 1] Colonel Malloy's own account of the battle can be found in the Official War Records, Series 1, Volume 47, Part 1, item 266.[7]

After the reunion with Sherman's army, Malloy resumed command of the 17th Wisconsin Infantry for the remaining days of the war. They marched to Raleigh, North Carolina, and were camped there when they received word of the surrenders of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of Tennessee, effectively ending the war.[5]^{: 654–655}