Illinois in the Civil War
During the Civil War, 256,297 people from Illinois served in the Union army, more than any other northern state except for New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Beginning with Illinois resident President Lincoln’s first call for troops and continuing throughout the war, the state mustered 150 infantry regiments, which were numbered from the 7th Illinois to the 156th Illinois. Seventeen cavalry regiments were also mustered, as well as two light artillery regiments. Most of the troops mustered in at Camp Douglas in Chicago or Camp Butler in Springfield.
Due to enthusiastic recruiting rallies and high response to voluntary calls to arms, the military draft was little used in Chicago and its environs, but was a factor in supplying manpower to Illinois regiments late in the war in other regions of the state. Camp Douglas, located near Chicago, was one of the largest training camps for these troops, as well as Camp Butler near Springfield. Both served as leading prisoner-of-war camps for captive Confederates. Another significant POW camp was located at Rock Island. Several thousand Confederates died while in custody in Illinois prison camps and are buried in a series of nearby cemeteries. There were no Civil War battles fought in Illinois, but Cairo, at the juncture of the Ohio River with the Mississippi River, became an important Union supply base, protected by Camp Defiance. Other major supply depots were located at Mound City and across the Ohio river at Fort Anderson in Paducah, Kentucky, along with sprawling facilities for the United States Navy gunboats and associated river fleets. One of which would take part in the nearby Battle of Lucas Bend. Leading major generals with Illinois ties included Ulysses S. Grant, John Buford, John Pope, John M. Schofield, John A. Logan, John A. McClernand, Benjamin Prentiss and Stephen Hurlbut. Brigadier General Elon J. Farnsworth, who began his career in the 8th Illinois Cavalry, died at the Battle of Gettysburg. President Lincoln maintained his home in Springfield, Illinois, where he is buried. Over 100 soldiers from Illinois units would win the Medal of Honor during the conflict.
For the full article on Wikipedia about Illinois service during the Civil War, click here:
References
- Cole, Arthur Charles, The Era of the Civil War, 1848–1870, (Sesquicentennial History of Illinois, Vol 3) (ISBN 0-252-01339-5) (1919, reprinted 1987), outstanding scholarly history covering politics, economy and society.
- Hicken, Victor, Illinois in the Civil War, University of Illinois Press, 1991, a scholarly history focused on the soldiers.
- Illinois in the Civil War. Retrieved Feb. 1, 2005.
- Chicago History. Retrieved Aug. 7, 2006.
- Northern Illinois University’s Illinois During the Civil War website. Retrieved August 8, 2006.
- Leip, David. “1860 Presidential Election Results”. Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved July 27, 2005.
- Leip, David. “1864 Presidential Election Results”. Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved July 27, 2005.
Individual historical articles of regiments and soldiers may be found below:
Illinois Regimental Stories
*John A. Logan and the 31st Illinois Infantry Regiment
Other Regiments and Soldier Stories
Resources for Patriotic Instruction:
This content, as in the handbook is meant as a guide for ideas to discuss and present, as well as to what can be done as a Patriotic Instructor of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.
*Patriotic Holidays and Other Special Days
*Civil War Timeline from the National Park Service
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