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101st Illinois Infantry
in the American Civil War
Online Books:
101st 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
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Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| One Hundred and First Infantry . — Col., Charles H.
Fox; Lieut. - Cols., William J. Wyatt, Jesse T. Newman, John B. Lesage;
Majs., Jesse T. Newman, John B. Lesage, Napoleon B. Brown, Sylvester L.
Moore. This regiment was organized at Camp Duncan, Jacksonville, during
the latter part of the month of Aug., 1862, and on Sept. 2. was formally
mustered into the U. S. service. For about a month after this the
regiment remained at Camp Duncan, engaged in drilling and equipping for
the field. On Oct. 6 marching orders came and it embarked on the cars on
the evening of the 7th and reached Cairo at sunset. There it remained
for over a month doing garrison duty, the interim being devoted to
drill, in which the regiment became so proficient as to win a very fair
name. In consequence of the rainy weather there was a great deal of
sickness while at Cairo and a number of men were discharged or died from
disease. On Nov. 26 the regiment left Cairo and proceeded down the river
to Columbus, Ky., and thence by rail to Davis' mill, Miss., where it was
assigned to Loomis' brigade, Ross' division, Army of the Tennessee. On
Dec. 20 Holly Springs was captured, when Cos. B, C, E, F. I and the sick
men of Co. A were taken prisoners and paroled. When the town was
captured Cos. D, G, H and K, which were stationed along the railroad,
fell back to Coldwater, where they fell in with the 19th Ill. and
assisted greatly in repelling Van Dorn's attack on that place. In Oct.,
1863, the captured companies having been exchanged and the regiment
reunited, it was temporarily assigned to the 1st brigade, 3d division,
11th army corps, and started on the march to the front, arriving on the
28th at Lookout valley, where on the night of its arrival it
participated in the night battle of Wauhatchie, but by singular good
fortune not a man was hurt. On Nov. 22 it received marching orders and
proceeded to Chattanooga, where it participated in the battle that
followed, losing 1 man killed. During the engagement at Resaca it is
said the regiment was ordered to take a hill in front of it, which it
did in so gallant a style as to win the admiration of Gen. Hooker, who
happened to be standing near, and who cheered the troops with the
encouraging shout of "Go in, my Illinois boys." The next afternoon it
was ordered forward and at 4 o'clock was charged by a Confederate force.
Both officers and men of the regiment conducted themselves gallantly and
rendered valuable services, losing 1 man killed, 6 mortally and 40
slightly wounded. Pressing the Confederates, it again came upon them at
Cassville, but did not get into a fight as the enemy left. Again it
followed and got into a hot fight at New Hope Church. After this the
regiment bore an honorable share in the various maneuvers around
Kennesaw and Pine mountains, losing 1 killed and 5 or 6 wounded. In the
battle of Kolb's farm it supported Battery I, 1st N. Y., which did
signal execution during the fight. In the engagement at Peachtree creek
5 of the regiment were killed and 35 wounded. It started on the great
march to the sea and participated in all its glories, its trials and its
triumphs. Whether as advance guard, driving Confederate cavalry before
it, or as rear-guard, pulling wagons out of the mud, or in corduroying
roads over unfathomable mud-holes, the regiment always did its duty so
well as to win high commendations from its brigade and division
commanders. In Jan., 1865, it crossed the Savannah river and went
through the great campaign of the Carolinas, participating in the
battles of Averasboro and Bentonville with a loss of only 1 man wounded.
It then marched to Washington and participated in the "grand review,"
after which it went into camp at Bladensburg. On June 7, 1865, it was
mustered out and started for Springfield, where on June 21 it was paid
off and disbanded. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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