Illinois responded to President Lincoln's first call for troops with the 7th through the 12th Infantry [as well as Artillery and Cavalry]. Regiments were numbered in order of formation, beginning with the 7th Regiment. Out of respect for the six Regiments that served from Illinois in the Mexican War, the numbers 1 through 6 were not used.
Regiments 7-12 were enrolled twice, once for 3 months, then for 3 years. Most of the rest were enrolled for three years, except for 67-71 (for 3 months in mid-1862, primarily for guard duty in Illinois), 132-143 and 145 (in 1863-1864 for 100 day guard duty at forts within Union occupied Confederate territory) and 144 and 146-156 (1 year duty).
By August of 1861, Illinois had enrolled men in the 7th through 55th Infantry Regiments. Some men had difficulting getting into Illinois Regiments and joined Regiments from other states. By the end of August 1862, Regiment Numbers through 116 had been or were forming. Just one month later, the number was up to the 129th.
By late November 1862, after the harvest season, Illinois had 125 Infantry Regiments, 16 Cavalry, and 30 Artillery batteries. The total was 20,000 men in excess of the Union's requested quota for the State of Illinois
The Fall of 1863 saw the enlistment of the first Illinois colored Infantry Regiment: the 29th US Colored Infantry. The Regiment left Quincy, IL in April 1864. In all, Colored troops from Illinois joined 22 distinct Military Units.
The state of Illinois resorted to the draft [or conscription] in late 1864. Of the 259,000 men who served for Illinois, only 3538 men were drafted. An additional 55 men choose to pay the $300, a legal means to avoid the draft.
Only New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio had more total men in the service.
Illinois Regiments in the Civil War were numbered in order of formation, beginning with the 7th Regiment. None were officially called Mounted Infantry, though several were mounted for part of their service.
7 33 59 85 111 137 8 34 60 86 112 138 9 35 61 87 113 139 10 36 62 88 114 140 11 37 63 89 115 141 12 38 64 90 116 142 13 39 65 91 117 143 14 40 66 92 118 144 15 41 67 93 119 145 16 42 68 94 120 146 17 43 69 95 121 147 18 44 70 96 122 148 19 45 71 97 123 149 20 46 72 98 124 150 21 47 73 99 125 151 22 48 74 100 126 152 23 49 75 101 127 153 24 50 76 102 128 154 25 51 77 103 129 155 26 52 78 104 130 156 27 53 79 105 131 28 54 80 106 132 29 55 81 107 133 30 56 82 108 134 31 57 83 109 135 32 58 84 110 136
1 4 7 10 13 16
2 5 8 11 14 17
3 6 9 12 15
Independent Cavalry Companies and Battalions
Men from Illinois enlisted in regiments recruited in other states, including at least one Confederate company. Some of these were composed almost entirely of Illinois men and were eventually transfered to Illinois and renamed as new Illinois regiments.
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Last update: Monday, 27-Oct-1997 15:29:52 CST