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100th Illinois Infantry
in the American Civil War

Online Books:
100th Illinois Infantry Soldier Roster - Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois, Volume 5, Revised by Brigadier General J.N. Reece, Adjutant General, 1900       View Entire Book

Regimental History
One Hundredth Infantry. — Col., Frederick A. Bartleson; Lieut. - Cols., Arba N. Waterman, Charles M. Hammond; Majs., Charles M. Hammond, Rodney S. Bowen, Samuel G. Nelson. This regiment was organized at Camp Irwin, Joliet, and was mustered in Aug. 30, 1862. The entire regiment was recruited in Will county. On Sept. 2 it moved via Springfield to Louisville, Ky., where it was placed in the 1st brigade, 2nd division, Army of Kentucky. The first engagement the regiment was in was near Bardstown, Ky., on which occasion it was ordered to make the charge. With a yell it moved forward, carrying everything before it, driving the enemy through the town and 2 miles beyond. At the battle of Stone's river, when Rosecrans' right was being routed, the regiment was ordered into action and gallantly charged the enemy, holding its ground without even a rail for protection, while the enemy soon fell back under cover of breastworks. During the bloody charge three days later, the regiment assaulted Gen. Hood's division and drove it back to its cover behind trees. In that day's struggle the regiment lost 24 killed and 80 wounded, and the next day in a desperate charge 15 men were captured. The next severe battle in which the regiment took part was Lookout mountain and Missionary ridge. It was on the left of Gen. Sheridan's division in the front line and charged directly in front of Orchard knob, carried the enemy's first works at the foot of the ridge, then after halting a moment, carried the ridge, capturing many prisoners and a battery and pursuing the fleeing army far into the night. The regiment was conspicuous in all the general engagements and skirmishes during that long and tedious march of 120 days from Chattanooga to Atlanta. On nearing Spring Hill, Tenn., in pursuit of Hood, a company of Confederate cavalry made an unexpected charge upon the regiment, which instantly executed a right flank movement and charged upon the enemy with fixed bayonets, driving him over the ridge and out of sight. At the last battle of Nashville the regiment had the honor of taking an active part in the capture of Montgomery hill and turning the heavy guns upon the retreating foe. Next day it assisted in driving the enemy from Overton's hill and completely routed and demoralized Hood's army. The following statement gives some idea of the casualties of the regiment: Officers killed, 7; officers wounded, 8; privates killed in action, 66; died of wounds or disease, 124; total killed, wounded or died, 205. The regiment was mustered out of service June 12, 1865, at Nashville, Tenn., and arrived at Chicago June 15, where it received final payment and discharge.

Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 3

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