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66th Illinois Infantry
in the American Civil War
Online Books:
66th Illinois Infantry Soldier Roster - Report of the Adjutant
General of the State of Illinois, Volume 4, Revised by Brigadier General J.N.
Reece, Adjutant General, 1900
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Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry.— Col., Patrick E. Burke;
Lieut.-Cols., Charles W. Smith, Andrew K. Campbell; Majs., George Pipe,
Andrew K. Campbell, David C. Gamble. This regiment was organized at
Benton barracks, St. Louis, Mo., during the months of Sept. and Oct.,
1861. It was originated under the special patronage of Maj.-Gen. John C.
Fremont and was designed as a regiment styled the "Western
Sharpshooters," to be used as skirmishers. Eight companies were
collected, three from Illinois, three from Missouri, and two from other
points, in the states of Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana and Ohio.
The regiment was mustered into the U. S. service, Nov. 23, 1861, with
John W. Birge as colonel and Benjamin S. Compton as lieutenant-colonel,
and was assigned as the 14th Mo. infantry. A ninth company was organized
and added to the regiment on Dec. 5, and on the 12th the regiment was
ordered to the field, not being yet thoroughly organized or equipped. It
was armed with the Demmick, American deer and target rifle, but with
meager accouterments. The regiment moved by rail to Centralia, Mo., and
camped upon the prairies. From Dec. 14 to 28 it was constantly engaged
in fighting and skirmishing with Confederate bushwhackers of Sterling
Price's army. On Dec. 20 Cos. H and I had a brisk skirmish with Col.
Keene's Confederate scouts. At daylight on Dec. 26, the regiment
captured Columbia and two days later engaged in the battle of Mount
Zion. During the month of Jan., 1862, it was scouting and skirmishing at
Renick, Macon and Centralia. On Feb. 13 Cos. A, E, H and I were sent to
the front at Fort Donelson and were soon engaged with the Confederate
skirmishers, driving them back when three companies, A, E and H,
directed their attention to a Confederate battery on the Dover road,
which they soon silenced and kept it silenced during the three days'
battle, the regiment being upon the front line every day. It was also
engaged in the terrible battle of Shiloh and on April 20, a new company
from Lima, Ohio, joined the regiment as Co. K. Up to this time the
regiment had been known as "Birge's Western Sharpshooters," but that
name was now dropped and it was known as the 14th Mo. infantry. On April
29 it left camp at Owl creek, Tenn., and started on the siege of
Corinth, skirmishing daily with the enemy. On May 21 it was in the
battle of Phillips' creek, and on May 30 it entered Corinth. On June 1
it proceeded to Boonville, Miss., via Farmington, Danville, Rienzi and
Blackland, and had a skirmish near Boonville. On Aug. 28 a portion of
the regiment, with the 14th Wis., was sent on a scout to Bethel, Tenn.,
and engaged in two skirmishes with the enemy. It was in the heavy battle
at Iuka, returned to Corinth on Sept. 21, and was engaged in battle at
White House and Corinth, losing 19 men killed and wounded. On Oct. 5 it
followed the Confederates to the Hatchie river and had a skirmish with
them on the 9th. On Nov. 20, 1862, the regiment was changed from the
14th Mo. to the 66th Ill. infantry, by which designation it was
thereafter known. During the following year it was engaged with the
Confederate scouts and guerrillas at Tuscumbia bridge, Danville, Hatchie
bridge, Rienzi, Ripley cross-roads, Boonville, Glendale, Jumpertown,
Kossuth, Cartersville, Yellow creek, Seward house, Jacinto and
Whiteside's farm. Skirmishing also occurred at Bluff creek, Waterloo,
Lauderdale and Lexington, Ala., during Nov., 1863. By Dec. 23 470 men
had reenlisted and been mustered in as veterans. After a 30-day furlough
the regiment returned to the front at Pulaski, Tenn., and during March
and April, 1864, was engaged in scouting and foraging, with occasional
skirmishes with the enemy. The regiment had the honor of opening the
Atlanta campaign by driving Wheeler's cavalry and a brigade of
Confederate infantry through Snake Creek gap, and holding until night
the hills of Resaca. On this campaign the 66th was under fire 120 days,
being engaged in all the noted battles from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and
lost 225 men in killed and wounded. On July 22 it was hotly engaged, its
colors showing 65 bullet holes through them. It joined in the movement
to intercept Hood and was engaged in several skirmishes with the enemy
until Oct. 24, when it returned to Rome. On the great march to the sea
it had its full share of battles and skirmishes with the enemy, being
engaged with Jackson's Confederate cavalry late in November and it drove
Cobb's legion through Wrightsboro, Ga. On Dec. 5 it destroyed a railroad
bridge over the Ogeechee river on the Macon & Savannah railroad, and
again had a fight with Cobb's legion. On the 9th the Confederates opened
on it with a 2-gun battery, but the regiment charged upon the battery,
capturing a fine Blakely gun and 7 prisoners. At Eden cross-roads,
unaided and alone, it defeated 980 Georgia militia, who fought behind
breastworks. It joined in Sherman's campaign through South Carolina,
participated in the grand review at Washington, and was mustered out on
July 7, 1865, at Camp Logan, Ky. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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