USA > Illinois > Lake County > The past and present of Lake County, Illinois, containing a history of the county a biographical directory war record early settlers statistics history of Illinois the Northwest etc., etc > Part 50
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The veterans of this regiment were subsequently consolidated with those of the Fourteenthi Regiment, and followed Gen. Sherman's army on the Atlanta campaign, being employed most of the time in guarding the railroad in the rear of the main army. After the fall of Atlanta, the Rebel Gen. Hood passed around to the rear of Gen. Sherman's army, and, following the railroad. succeeded in capturing the greater part of the men of this command at Ackworth and Big Shanty : among them nearly every one of the Lrke County members. The few remaining marched with Sherman to the sea, thence north through the Carolinas to Washington, and were finally mustered out in May, 1865.
During the early part of the Summer of 1861, a few men from the county enlisted in the Nineteenth Illinois, and a few joined other commands; most of them being credited to other counties. In the latter part of the Summer, recruiting again became active and two companies were organized in the county, with Eugene B. Payne and Erwin B. Messer as Captains. These companies reported at Camp Fry, Chicago, in August, and were assigned as Companies C and F, of the Thirty-seventh Regiment. On the 19tli of September, the command was ordered to St.
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Louis, and shortly after marched to Booneville, Otterville, Springfield and Warsaw, making many hard marches and spending the Winter at the latter place. March 7. 1862, it participated in the battle of Pea Ridge, doing excellent service and losing very heavily. Shortly after the battle, it returned to Cassville, and subsequently to Springfield. In September, it was present at the battle of Newtonia, and later at Fayetteville. In the early part of December, it made a forced march to relieve Gen. Blunt, traveling 112 miles in three days, and going at once into action at Prairie Grove, where its losses were again very heavy, ten of the regiment being killed and fifty-seven wounded. After this engagement, the command followed the enemy to the Arkansas River, where, with the aid of a battery, two or three small boats were sunk. After this. they returned to Carrollton, and subsequently to Cape Girardeau, making a very severe march from the latter place to St. Genevieve, in the attempt to capture Gen. Marmaduke. The expedition was attended with some severe skirmishing and some lives were lost. The command was obliged to return without accomplishing any very satisfactory result. With the exception of occasional expeditions of this character, the Winter was passed at Springfield, Missouri. In April, 1863, the command was sent to St. Louis, but disturbances warned them baek, by rail, to Cape Girardeau, from wlience an expedition, of which they formed a part, set out, making a march of more than 200 miles, and fighting quite a severe battle at Chalk Bluff, Missouri, on the 2d day of May. After this expedition, they returned, via Cape Girardeau, to St. Louis, then, by rail, to Pilot Knob, and, on foot, to St. Genevieve, where transports were taken down the Mississippi, nearly to Vicksburg. Landing above that stronghold in June, the command marched around the city to a point below, and assisted in the environment. During the seige, and up to the time of the surrender upon the 4th of July, 1863, frequent reconnoissances were made, and much labor was expended in digging entrenchments, in all of which the Thirty-seventh bore its full part. After the surrender, the regiment was sent up the Yazoo River to Yazoo City, scouting in that vicinity for two weeks. It then returned to Vicksburg, and subsequently went down the river, arriving at Port Hudson on the 26th of July. It was subsequently stationed at Point Coupee, Carrollton, Mor- ganza, and New Orleans. On the 24th of October, they left the latter place and went by trans- ports to Point Isabel, near the mouth of the Rio Grande. Encountering a severe storm while on the Gulf, they experienced considerable inconvenience and did not land until the 4th of November. They then marched to Brownville, Texas, remaining there most of the Winter.
On the 10th of February, 1864, a majority of the regiment re-enlisted, fifty members of Companies C and F signing the muster-roll for three years more. They were shortly afterward sent home on veteran furlough, and were given a hearty reception upon their arrival in Wauke- gan, March 23.
The non-veterans were left in Texas for a time after the re-enlisting of the majority of the . regiment, but subsequently were ordered to New Orleans, doing duty of various kinds at diť- ferent points along the Mississippi during the Summer of 1864, and until the expiration of their term of enlistment, when they were formally mustered ont and returned to their homes.
After a little more than a month at home, the veterans were again off for the front. Arriv- ing at Memphis, they were hurriedly ordered from the boats and immediately sent out upon an expedition to head off the Rebel forces under Gen. Forrest, then threatening that and other points along the river, marching to Ripley, Miss., and return. Again embarking upon the transports, they were taken up the Red River, and subsequently up the Atehafalaya, to meet the Banks expedition, then on its disastrous retreat. A little later, they were marched fifty miles to Morganza Bend, where they lay until July, when they went by boat to the mouth of White River, where they remained until October. Their next move was to Duvall's Bluff, where they were quartered until February, 16, 1865, when they went to Kennersville, La., and thence by ocean steamer to Pensacola. Florida. Joining the forces sent against Blakely, they laid siege to the place, and on the 9th of April joined in the assault upon the works, which resulted so suc- cessfully. The only casualty to the Lake County boys was the losing of a finger by Thomas McAllister.
The forces next moved across Mobile Bay and up the river, the Rebels surrendering Mobile, Selma and Montgomery to their advance. Returning to Mobile, they were sent across the Gulf to Galveston, Texas, by steamer, reaching there July 1, and participating in a grand Fourth of July celebration. Shortly afterward, they went by rail to Columbus, being separated into de- tachments, and hunting up and looking after branded horses and mules, and other Government property. In the Fall, they were sent to Houston, where they were practically idle all Winter, and until their final muster out, April 16, 1866. As near as we can learn, they were the last regi- ment of volunteer infantry to leave the service, being in almost five years. No other volunteers from the county were in the service so long as the veterans of the Thirty-seventh Regiment, and few, if any, troops in the service were ever called upon to march as many miles on foot or to travel as far by rail and water. The veterans finally reached home upon the Inst day of May, 1866. Of the Lake County boys in Company F, ten were killed in action and two died in Andersonville, besides others who died of disease, while more than one-half of the remainder were wounded.
The battles in which the Thirty-seventh participated were : Pen Ridge, Ark., March 6, 7 and 8, 1862 ; Prairie Grove, Ark., December 7, 1862 : Chalk Bluffs, Mo., May 2, 1863; and the
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sieges of Vicksburg and Blakely. The skirmishies were : Sugar Creek and Springfield, Mo. ; Cow Skin Prairie, Indian Territory ; Neosho, Mo. ; Atchafalaya, La. ; King's River and Van Buren, Ark., and Yazoo City, Miss. Before re-enlisting, the regiment marched 2,441 miles on foot.
About the time that the Companies for the Thirty-Seventh Regiment were filled, recruiting for a Company for the Washburne Lead Mine Regiment, afterward designated as the Forty-Fifth Regiment, was begun under Messrs. Putnam, Boyce and Balfour. Only about fifty men were secured, however. and these, with about an equal number from Rock Island County, were united and mustered as Co. I, the Captaincy being given to Oliver A. Bridgford, of Millersburg, and the First and Second Lieutenancy to James Balfour and Henry H. Boyce respectively. The regiment was mustered into service at Chicago, on Christmas Day, 1861. On the 15th of January, 1862, it moved to Cairo, Illinois ; thence southward by transports, landing below Fort Henry, on the Tennessee River, February 4th, and marching into the Fort after its surrender to the gunboats two days later. On the 11th of February, it inoved toward Fort Donelson, and during the suc- ceeding days bore its full share of the hardships and dangers attendant upon that great battle, its flag being the first planted upon the works after the enemy's surrender. Its losses were two killed and twenty-six wounded. Two weeks later, it returned to the Tennessee, and again mov- ing southward, took part in the expedition to Pin Hook, and on the 25th of March encamped at Shiloh Church. In the battle of Shiloh, on the 6th and 7th of April, it bore a conspicuous part, its losses being twenty-six killed and about two hundred wounded. During the Summer of 1862, it was actively engaged in guarding railroads, and in the various expeditions in Western Tennes- see and Northern Mississippi, being considerable of the time in the vicinity of Jackson. In the Winter following, it took part in the various maneuvers looking to the capture of Vicksburg, but engaged in no severe fighting until the summer campaign commenced, when it had a conspicu- ous part in the rapid and brilliant series of engagements under Gen. Grant, whereby the rebel forces, intended to protect and operate outside of Vicksburg were completely out-maneuvered and driven off, while the environment ofthat great stronghold was made possible. The engage- ments participated in immediately preceding the seige of Vicksburg were Port Gibson and Thompson's Hill, on the 1st of May; Raymond, May 12th ; Jackson, May 14th, and Champion Hills, May 16th. During the seige of Vicksburg, the regiment was constantly under fire, and frequently engaged in serious work. On the 22d of May, they were part of a charging column, and lost heavily in the assault. At the exploding of the mine prepared by this regiment, on the 25th of June, they were the first to spring into the breach, and hold the advantage won. During the day, the regiment had one field officer wounded, and two killed, and lost many line officers and enlisted men. Their losses during the forty-two days' seige were more that one hundred in killed and wounded. On the Fourth of July, 1863, the Forty-fifth led the advance of Gen. Logan's Division into the surrendered city, and their flag was the first to wave over the cupola of the Court House.
After the surrender, the Forty-fifth did provost duty in the city most of the time until the 14th of October, when it joined in the Canton raid, having a skirmish at Boguechitts Creek on the 17th. Returning to Vicksburg, it was sent to Black River on the 7th of November. from which point it started on the celebrated Meridian raid. Its only fight on this expedition was at Chunky Station, where it drove off a vastly superior force of the enemy.
On the 5th of January, 1864, and before this raid began, a large part of the regiment re-en- listed, and on their return from Meridian the veterans were sent home on furlough, Galena being their general rendezvous while in the State. Returning, they reached Cairo, Ill., on the 1st of May, and on the 14th arrived at Clifton, Tenn. From this point, it marched to Big Shanty, Ga., more than 300 miles, arriving there and joining Sherman's army on the 9th of June. During the remainder of the Atlanta campaign, it was engaged in guarding the railroad, the main part of the regiment being stationed at Marietta, Ga., after the rebels retired from the Kenesaw Moun- tain line until October. It was then moved to Ackworth and subsequently to Atlanta. From the latter place it joined in the memorable march to the sea, its experience being similar to that of the other troops engaged in that triumphal expedition.
The non-veterans were mustered out two days after the fall of Fort McAllister, and as soon as transportation could be obtained, returned home via New York City. From Savannah, the Veteran Regiment was sent by water to Beaufort, and on the 14th of January, 1865, engaged the enemy at Pocotaligo, driving them off with considerable loss to itself. It then rejoined Sher- man's army and marched northward to Washington, from whence it was sent to Louisville for final muster out. The regiment arrived in Chicago on the 15th of July, 1865, where it was disbanded.
During the active recruiting of the Autumn of 1861, an effort was made to form a company in the county for the Fifty-first Regiment, which was so far successful that about sixty-five men were secured, and these with a few from McHenry County and others from Chicago were organ- ized as Company G, going into Camp Douglas, Chicago, and being finally mustered in on the 24th of December. The regiment remained in Chicago until February 14, 1862, when it was ordered to Cairo, and assisted in looking after the prisoners of war just arriving from Fort Donelson. Two weeks later, it crossed the river into Kentucky, and on the 4th of March joined Gen. Pope's
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forces at Bertrand, Missouri, subsequently moving with that command against New Madrid and Island No. 10, being present at the surrender of Gen. Mackall with 4,000 prisoners. Returning to New Madrid, it embarked on transports on the 11th of April, moving down to Osceola, Arkan - sas, and subsequently to Hamburg Landing, Tennessee, disembarking on the 22d. From this point it moved out toward Corinth, being severely engaged in the battle of Farmington. After the evacuation of Corinth, the Fifty-first joined in the pursuit of the retreating enemy for a time, but was afterward assigned to duty along the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. In September, it was ordered to Nashville, in which vicinity it remained until December, being engaged in the defense of the city on the occasion of the demonstration against it on the 6th of November. At the battle of Stone's River, late in Decembar, the Fifty-first bore a conspienons part, losing heavily in officers and men. From the 6th of January, 1863, until the 4th of March, it remained in camp three miles south of Murfreesboro. It then made a rapid march to Eagleville, surpris- ing and capturing a small force of the enemy. From there it moved to Franklin, joining in the Duck River campaign, and afterward returning to Murfreesboro. On the 24th of June, it started on the Tullahoma campaign, and had the advance much of the time until the Tennessee River was crossed, about the 1st of September. It then marched with its corps to Alpine, Georgia, the movement being successful in flanking the rebels ont of Chattanooga. Moving across the mountains toward Chattanooga, they joined the main army on the 19th of September, and immediately went into the engagement at Chickamauga. During the afternoon of the first day's fight, the Fifty-first occupied for a time a terribly exposed position, and suffered very severely. Company G had its commanding officer, Lieut. Simons, of Antioch, killed; also six . enlisted men. Besides that, twelve were wounded and five captured, only seven men escaping unhurt. At the close of the battle, Sergt. Strickland was the ranking officer, and had command of the three left companies of the battalion.
From the close of this engagement until the battle of Mission Ridge, the Fifty-first lay in Chattanooga, living on part rations, but performing no severe labor. During the progress of the last-named battle, it moved across the plain and np the steep sides of the ridge, aiding the work of routing the enemy, whom it followed until nightfall. Immediately afterward, it started for the relief of the army of Gen. Burnside, making forced marches and enduring anch suffering from wet and cold. For months they had received no pay, their clothing was worn to shreds, and full rations had been almost unknown since Chickamauga Add to this that it was the mid- dle of such a winter as Eastern Tennessee had hardly ever before experienced, and one can justly appreciate the lofty heroism which inspired these battered veterans, after two full years of arduous service, to re-enlist, almost to a man. As soon as they could be safely spared, they were returned to Chattanooga and furloughed home, reaching Chicago February 17, 1864. AAfter thirty days among their friends, they were summoned to Chicago, and, on the 28th of March. returned to the front, marching most of the way from Nashville to Chattanooga, and camping at Cleveland, from whence it moved out for the Atlanta campaign on the 3d of May. From this time until September, it was almost constantly under fire. At Rocky Face Ridge it bore a con- spicuous part, and lost many men. At Resaca, on the 14th and 15th of May, and at Dallas, toward the close of the monthi, it suffered to some extent. At Kenesaw Mountain, on the 27th of June, it was in the charging colinnn, which was so disastrously repulsed, losing very heavily. At the crossing of the Chattahoochie River, and again at Peach Tree Creek, the casualties were serious. During the siege of Atlanta, it participated in numerous reconnoissances, and, after the evacuation, it followed the enemy to Jonesboro and Lovejoy Station, being engaged at hoth places. Returning to Atlanta, it enjoyed a brief season of rest : but, after a month or less, again set out with the Fourth Corps, following Hood's army, via Dalton, to Gaylesville, Alabama, then marching to Chattanooga, subsequently proceeding-partly by rail and partly on foot-to Pulaski, Tennessee. It was on the retreat under Schofield, and at Franklin lost very heavily. occupying, in the early part of the engagement, an unfortunate position in front of the main Union lines, from which it was compelled to retreat in the face of a murderons fire. The gauntlet was too terrible, and quite a per centage of the regiment surrendered. At the battle of Nashville, two weeks later, it was in the reserve most of the time, its losses being light. Following Hood to Huntsville, Alabama, it went into winter quarters on the 5th of January, 1865, remaining until March, when it went by rail to Strawberry Plains, East Tennessee, marching from there along the railroad to Greenville. On the 15th of April, it started by rail on the return to Nashville. where it remained until June 15. At this place the non-veterans were mustered out and sent home. The veterans were then sent, via New Orleans, to Placider, Texas, and remained in that vicinity until the 25th of September, when they were mustered out and sent North, being finally paid off and discharged at Springfield, Illinois, October 15th, 1865.
During the winter of 1861-2, the Sixty-fifth Regiment, known at the time as the "Scotch Regiment," was raised in the northern part of the State, this being the last complete regimental organization of infantry in the State under the earlier calls for troops. While the work of recruiting was going on, a nucleus for a company in Lake County was formed by the consolidn- tion of the part of a company from this vicinity recruited for the Forty-fifth Regiment, with the fractional company from Rock Island County, by which there was a small surplus of men and officers. James S. Putnam, of Waukegan, who had been tendered a Lieutenant's commission in
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the Forty-fifth, set about raising a new company for the Sixty-fifth, and with such success that in a few weeks he had more than the maximum number, one-half of whom were from Lake County. This company was assigned as Company F and was mustered at Camp Douglas, Chi- cago, Illinois, April 26, 1862. After remaining there for a short time, it was sent to Martinsburg. Virginia, and subsequently to Harper's Ferry, where it was surrendered to the rebels. The next day it was paroled and sent to Chicago, where it remained until April, 1863, when an exchange was effected. It was then ordered into Eastern Kentucky, campaigning in that region for some months, and subsequently being sent to Knoxville, Tennessee, being attached to Burn- side's command. In the two heaviest engagements at Knoxville, in November, 1863, the Sixty- fifth bore an honorable part and suffered quite severely. The winter campaign was a very severe one, and the members of the Sixty-fifth were subjected to many hardships and privations. But no sooner had the announcement been made that, having served for two full years, they might re-enlist for three years more and be given a short furlough home, than the men began enrolling their names, more than four hundred going upon the roll of veterans. In March, 1864, they were sent to Chicago, and after the expiration of their veteran furlough, were returned to Ten- nessee. rejoining the Twenty-third Army Corps, then well advanced upon the Atlanta campaign. Its first sharp engagement after its return was between Kenesau and Lost Mountains on the 15th of June. It had a more or less conspicuous part in most of the subsequent engagements of the campaign, including the battle of Jonesboro. On the 9th of September, 1864, they went into camp at Decatur, Ga., remaining until October 5th, when they joined in the pursuit of Hood. following him, via Rome and Dalton, to Gaylesville, Ala. Returning to Dalton, it moved by rail to Nashville, and subsequently to Pulaski, Tenn., where the Fourth Corps was entrenched. On the 22d of November, it retreated, with the main army, to Columbia, Tenn., and on the 25th and 26th, was severely engaged, losing more than fifty in killed and wounded. Retreating again, it was next engaged at Franklin, on the 30th, occupying the position most frequently assaulted by the enemy, and doing valiant service. In its immediate front, at dark, lay more than two hundred rebel dead and wounded. and the flag of the Fifteenth Mississippi was in its possession. Again retreating, it moved to Nashville and participated in the battles of the 15th and 16th of December, afterward following the enemy to Clifton, Tenn., where it went into camp, remaining until the 15th of January, 1865, when it went aboard of transports, being taken to Cincinnati, and from that place by rail to Annapolis, Md. Here it embarked on an ocean steamer and was taken to Federal Point, near Wilmington, North Carolina, landing there on the 7th of February. After two or three skirmishes, they occupied Fort Anderson, and on the 20th, had quite an engagement at Smithtown Creek, capturing three hundred and fifty men and three pieces of artillery. After the fall of Wilmington, on the 22d, they went into camp until the 6th of March, when they moved forward to Kingston, Goldsboro and Raleigh. Here the non-veterans of Company G were mustered out and sent home just after the surrender of Johnston's army. From Raleigh, the veterans moved to Greensboro, going into camp and remaining there until the 13th of July, when they were finally mustered out. The trip to Chicago occupied until the 22d, and on the 26th of July. 1865, they received their final payment and discharge.
During the period in which the regiments previously sketched were recruited, a few Lake County men scattered in various other commands. some joining the Eighth Cavalry, others the Nineteenth Illinois Infantry, and still others enlisting in Chicago batteries. They formed no com- plete organization. however, and we cannot follow their campaignings in a work like this. So far as they were credited to Lake County their names will be found in the list given elsewhere. Quite a number were also members of the three months' regiments enlisted in the Spring of 1862 for the express purpose of guarding rebel prisoners at Camp Douglas, but many of these, as of other regiments, were credited to Chicago, although residents of Lake County, and we must pass their rosters without extended comment ..
The Spring of 1862 brought comparative quiet at the North, and it was hoped and believed that the Union armies were sufficiently large to cope with and eventually crush the enemy. For some months there was almost an entire lull in recruiting. But in the early Summer months there came the news of fresh disaster to our armies in the battles at the East, while from North- ern Mississippi and Tennessee, reports were received that the campaigns were unsuccessful, and our faithful soldiers were being overworked in caring for long lines and watching their wide- awake enemy.
Then came the call for 300,000 additional troops, and. in a few days, the supplemental call, swelling the aggregate of men asked for to 600,000. Recruiting began at once ; but in Lake County the harvest was just coming on, and many who were willing to volunteer were needed upon the farms for a few weeks, at least. Assurances being given that the volunteers would not be required to report for duty nutil about the 1st of September, a fresh impetus was given to the work, and enlistments were rapidly made. A. Z. Blodgett, C. A. Montgomery and others of Waukegan procured a muster roll, and within a few days had the satisfaction of seeing a full company enrolled. Isaac L. Clarke, Esq .. of Waukegan, and Dr. Salisbury, of Hainesville, started out to recruit a company, but speedily their lists were overflowing, and about the middle of August, two companies were organized. one at Hainesville, with Dr. Salisbury as its Captain,
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