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34th Illinois Infantry
in the American Civil War
Online Books:
34th Illinois Infantry Soldier Roster - Report of the Adjutant
General of the State of Illinois, Volume 2, Revised by Brigadier General J.N.
Reece, Adjutant General, 1900
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Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| Thirty-fourth Illinois Infantry. — Cols., Edward N. Kirk,
Alexander P. Dysart, Peter Ege ; Lieut. -Cols., Amos Bosworth, Hiram W.
Bristol, Oscar Van Tassell, Peter Ege, Peter F. Walker; Majs., Charles
N. Levenway, Hiram W. Bristol, Alexander P. Dysart, John M. Miller,
Peter Ege, Peter F. Walker, James H. Hindman. This regiment was
organized at Camp Butler, Sept. 7, 1861, by Col. E. N. Kirk. It moved on
Oct. 2, to Lexington, Ky., thence to Louisville, and then to Camp Nevin,
where it remained until Feb. 14, 1862. It arrived at Pittsburg landing
on April 7 and was hotly engaged in the battle of Shiloh, losing 1
officer and 15 men killed, and 112 wounded. From thence it moved to
Corinth, where it was engaged, losing 1 man killed and 5 wounded. In
October it was engaged in a skirmish at Clayville, Ky., and in November
had a skirmish at Lavergne, Tenn. In December the right wing of the 14th
army corps moved toward Triune, the 34th in advance, encountered the
enemy commanding the approaches to the place and drove him until noon,
when he formed in the town. During the first day of the battle of
Stone's river the enemy attacked the regiment in overwhelming force,
driving it back on the main line and then following the advantage gained
by his infantry, the cavalry charged the line and captured many of the
regiment, the latter losing 21 killed, 93 wounded and 66 missing. In
June it lost 3 killed and 26 wounded at the battle of Liberty gap.
Operating in eastern Tennessee during the following November it met the
enemy near Graysville, retreating from Missionary ridge, and was engaged
about half an hour. In December it was mustered as a veteran
organization and in Jan., 1864, started for Springfield, Ill., for
veteran furlough. Returning to the field, it took a prominent part in
May in the engagement at Rocky Face ridge, in which the regiment had 1
man killed and 10 men wounded. It charged the enemy at Resaca, crossing
an open field in the face of a furious fire of canister from a battery
at close range, drove the enemy from the hill and held the position
until night, losing 50 men in killed and wounded. In the engagement at
Rome, Ga., it had 8 men wounded. After skirmishing almost every day it
arrived at Big Shanty, charged the enemy, who was behind barricades of
railroad ties, captured the works and took more prisoners than the
regiment had men in line, and this with a loss of but 1 killed and 7
wounded. It led the brigade in the charge on Kennesaw mountain, but
after reaching the top of the Confederate works overwhelming numbers
compelled it to fall back, leaving some of its dead on the enemy's
ground. In this battle the regiment had 5 killed and 40 wounded. It
pursued the enemy to Atlanta and took a prominent part in the siege of
that place, being engaged almost every day in skirmishes of greater or
lesser note, and having men killed or wounded almost daily. It led the
brigade and division in the charge on the enemy's works at Jonesboro,
being the first to enter the Confederate fort, taking artillery that had
been captured from the Army of the Tennessee, together with a number of
prisoners. The regiment had about 60 killed and wounded. It went with
Sherman to the sea and on the campaign through the Carolinas, in a light
engagement at Averasboro, N. C., it lost 3 men killed and 5 wounded. It
took part in the battle of Bentonville, in which the regiment was
attacked from both front and rear, but stubbornly held its ground and
repulsed the enemy, losing 8 killed and 22 wounded. After the surrender
of Johnston it went with Sherman's army to Washington and took part in
the grand review, after which it was sent to Louisville, Ky., where it
was mustered out on July 12, and was discharged and paid at Chicago,
Ill., July 17, 1865. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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