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36th Illinois Infantry
in the American Civil War
Online Books:
36th Illinois Infantry Soldier Roster - Report of the Adjutant
General of the State of Illinois, Volume 3, Revised by Brigadier General J.N.
Reece, Adjutant General, 1900
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Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| Thirty-sixth Illinois Infantry. — Cols., Nicholas Greusel, Silas
Miller; Lieut.- Cols., Edward S. Joslyn, Albert Jenks, Porter C. Olson,
Benjamin F. Campbell; Majs., Alonzo H. Barry, Silas Miller, George D.
Sherman, George W. Mossman. This regiment was organized at Camp Hammond,
near Aurora, Ill., and was mustered into the U. S. service Sept. 23,
1861, for a term of three years or during the war. The regiment numbered
965 officers and enlisted men and had two companies of cavalry (A and
B), 186 officers and men. On Sept. 24 it moved via Quincy, Ill., to St.
Louis, Mo., where the companies of infantry were armed, Cos. A and B
receiving Minie and Enfield rifles and the other companies remodeled
Springfield muskets, caliber 69. On Sept. 28 the regiment left St. Louis
by rail for Rolla, Mo., leaving the cavalry at Benton barracks. Cos. B
and K participated in the fight at Bentonville, Ark., in March, 1862,
and were also engaged in the battles at Leetown and Pea Ridge, going
into camp at Keytesville, Mo., after these battles. On Oct. 1 the
regiment started on the Kentucky campaign, marching via Bardstown and
Springfield to Perryville, at which place it was engaged in battle. It
took part in the battle of Stone's river and during the summer of 1863
was in the Tullahoma campaign, participating in the skirmishes incident
to the driving of Bragg's army out of middle Tennessee. It took part in
the battle of Chickamauga and then retired with the army via Rossville
into Chattanooga, sharing in the privations during the siege. The
regiment took an active part in the battle of Missionary ridge, its
colors being among the first planted on the enemy's works. It reenlisted
at Blain's cross-roads on Jan. 1, 1864, and a few days later returned to
Chattanooga to arrange details of muster for new term of service,
preparatory to veteran furlough. Returning to the field it started on
the Atlanta campaign and was under fire almost daily, with quite severe
fighting at Rocky Face ridge, Resaca, Adairsville, New Hope Church,
Kennesaw mountain, Peachtree creek and Jonesboro, marching into Atlanta
on Sept. 8. On Sept. 25 it was ordered back to Chattanooga, and leaving
that place on Oct. 2 in pursuit of Hood, it marched to Ringgold,
Shellmound, Whiteside, Gordon's mills, Summerville, Alpine, Huntsville,
Decatur, Athens, Pulaski, Columbia, Spring Hill and Franklin, being
rear-guard and under fire almost continuously from Spring Hill to
Franklin, where it was engaged in the hottest of that memorable battle.
The 1st brigade, to which it belonged, Col. Opdycke commanding, charged
the Confederate lines and at different periods in the action captured 33
stands of colors. On the night of Nov. 30 it was the last to cross the
bridge over the Harpeth river on retiring from the field for Nashville,
which place it reached on the afternoon of Dec. 1. The regiment was
engaged in the battle of Nashville and captured a battery and over 100
prisoners on the first day of the fight. Being transferred to Louisiana
in the spring of 1865, the regiment did special duty in quelling
disturbances, guarding paymasters and conveying Confederate archives
captured in the West to Washington, D. C, until Oct. 8, on which date it
was mustered out and proceeded to Springfield, Ill., where the men
received their pay and disbanded on Oct. 27, 1865. In general
engagements alone the regiment lost in killed and wounded over 700 men.
It was reinforced by 221 recruits and drafted men. Of the two cavalry
companies mentioned in the beginning of this regimental review, Co. A
was soon transferred to Gen. Rosecrans' headquarters and remained with
him through the battles of Iuka and Corinth ; then to Gen. C. S.
Hamilton and with him to Memphis ; thence as escort to Gen. Lauman to
Vicksburg. The company was in action near Greenville and was on an
expedition to Haynes' bluff. In July, 1863, it embarked for New Orleans
and was in action at Morganza in Gen. Herron's division. It went to the
Teche country and was in action with Gens. Dick Taylor and Kirby Smith.
It remained in Louisiana and Texas until Nov. 22, 1865, and then moved
via Galveston, New Orleans and Cairo to Springfield, Ill., where it
received final muster out and discharge on Jan. 6, 1866. Co. B was in
the battle of Perryville (first to enter the town) and was in action at
Lancaster and near Crab Orchard. It countermarched to Cave City, thence
to Bowling Green, thence to Edgefield via Tyree Springs, where it had an
engagement with Gen. John Morgan, and another the following day at
Shackle island. It was in a cavalry action at Hepworth shoals and in
Dec, 1862, crossed Overall's creek and was in a cavalry fight with Col.
Stokes. It participated in cavalry actions at Versailles, Rover,
Franklin and Walnut Church, and in June, 1863, had cavalry engagements
at Rossville and Ringgold. It was in the battles of Lookout mountain,
Missionary ridge and Ringgold, and then returning to Lookout valley
camped there until the spring of 1864. It was an escort to Gen. Hooker
in the Atlanta campaign and charged across and saved a burning bridge
over Pumpkin Vine creek. It was in actions at Rome, Adairsville, Resaca,
Snake Creek gap, Taylor's ridge, Lafayette, Graysville, Lynch's creek,
Mt. Elon and Fayetteville. The company was mustered out Sept. 23, 1865. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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