The Forty-Sixth Infantry was composed principally  of farmers from the north-western counties of the State. The regiment rendezvoused at Camp Randall, Madison and was organized under the supervision of Colonel  F. S. Lovell, formerly Lieutenant Colonel of the Thirty-third. Most of the officers had served in other regiments. The roster was as follows: 
Colonel – Frederick S. Lovell
Lieut. Colonel – Abel B. Smedley
Major – Charles H. Ford
Adjutant – William G. Ritch
Quartermaster – Norman Stewart
Surgeon – Darwin Dubois
1st As. Surgeon – Daniel L. Downs
2d As. Surgeon – G. R. Turner
Chaplain – Charles Anderson

Co.    Captains             First Lieutenants     Second Lieutenants
A-      Isaac T. Carr.        Henry T. Johns      M. L. Fairservice
B-     John Megran, Jr.     James McNish        Leander Ferguson
C-     Wm. R. Kennedy    Milo C. Wilson      John N. Hoaglin
D-     John E. Grout         Gilson Hinton        Gilbert H. Hinton
E-     Hannibal Tower      Abel Bradway         Edward C. Foster
F-     Henry B. Williams   James A. Rea          Cyrel A.Leake
G-     Thos. H. Hughes    Lewis W. Doty        Hiram W. Foss
H-     Amasa Hoskins      Stephen Norris        John J. Bovee
I-      Stamp M. Sherman Elam Bailey             John S. Dickson
K-     Edward F. Wade    George W. Webb   Otis F. Chase

March 2d, the regiment was mustered in, and on the 5th left the state for Louisville, Kentucky, where it arrived on the 10th. Leaving that place the next day, it proceeded to Athens, Alabama on the Nashville and Decatur Railroad arriving on the 24th of April. Colonel Lovell was appointed post commandant and the Lieutenant Colonel assumed command of the regiment, detachments of which where posted along the railroad to guard it against guerrillas. Many of the officers were temporarily detached to serve on a general court-martial. September 27th, 1865, the regiment was mustered out and started for Wisconsin arriving at Madison, October 2d where the men received their pay and were disbanded. Colonel Lovell was brevetted Brigadier General for meritorious services during the war. 
No additions were made to the roster.
Regimental Statistics.-Original strength, 914. gain: by recruits in 1865, 33; total, 947. Loss:-by death, 13; desertion, 8; transfer, 31; discharge, 41; muster-out, 854.