"Blooding the Regiment is the meticulously researched narrative of a Union regiment hampered by infighting and politicking, which was captured in the early stages of its service in the western theater of the American Civil War. The troubled group purged itself of its dissenters and finally achieved unity of command near the end of the war at the battle of Resaca, where it crystallized into a steadfast, reliable fighting unit." "This narrative brings together diverse sources, including official military records, private letters of many of the regiment's soldiers, newspaper articles of the time, and existing historical research, to provide a picture of what life was actually like for the 22d Wisconsin at each stage of its long and difficult journey. Drawing on both his own extensive experience as an officer in the U.S. Army and his unique position as a descendent of one of the members of the 22d Wisconsin, Richard Groves sheds a uniquely intimate light on the events in this book."--BOOK JACKET.