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51st Illinois Infantry
in the American Civil War

Online Books:
51st Illinois Infantry Soldier Roster - Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois, Volume 3, Revised by Brigadier General J.N. Reece, Adjutant General, 1900       View Entire Book

Regimental History
Fifty-first Illinois Infantry. — Cols., Gilbert W. Gumming, Luther P. Bradley; Lieut.-Cols., Luther P. Bradley, Samuel B. Raymond, Charles W. Davis, James S. Boyd; Majs., Samuel B. Raymond, Charles W. Davis, Rufus Rose, James S. Boyd. This regiment was organized at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Dec. 24, 1861, and on Feb. 14, 1862, was ordered to Cairo, moving to Camp Cullum on the Kentucky shore on the 27th. On April 7 it moved against Island No. 10, and on the next day pursued the enemy, compelling the surrender of Gen. Mackall and several thousand prisoners. It was also engaged in the battle of Farmington and in the siege of Corinth; assisted in repelling the attack of Breckenridge, Morgan and Forrest on Nashville in November; and on Dec. 26 moved against the enemy under Bragg. It was in the thickest of the fight at Stone's river, losing 57 killed, wounded and prisoners. After some maneuvering it entered the battle of Chickamauga at 4 p. m. Sept. 19 and lost that evening 90 men out of 209 engaged. On the 20th it went into position on the extreme right, was heavily engaged by noon, and in the afternoon the whole division fell back in confusion to Missionary ridge. The regiment was engaged at the battle of Missionary ridge and lost 30 out of 150 men engaged. On Feb. 10, 1864, the regiment mustered as veterans and started for Chicago, where on the 17th the men received a veteran furlough. Returning to the field, it was engaged at Rocky Face ridge, losing 2 men wounded ; at Resaca, losing 1 killed and 20 wounded ; at Dallas it was engaged 11 days, losing 1 officer and 11 men wounded; in a skirmish on June 15 it lost 13 killed and wounded; was engaged at Kennesaw mountain and in the assault of June 27 lost 2 officers wounded, and 54 men killed and wounded ; was engaged at Peachtree creek, its casualties being 5 wounded, and during the siege of Atlanta was in a skirmish at Jonesboro, losing 2 wounded, and at Lovejoy's Station lost 3 wounded. During the whole campaign the regiment lost 3 officers killed, 4 wounded, and 105 men killed and wounded. It was engaged in the battle of Spring Hill, Tenn., losing 12 wounded, and then moved to Franklin, where it was heavily engaged, with a loss of 52 men killed and wounded and 98 missing. It also participated in the battle of Nashville, where it lost 1 man killed and 5 wounded. On April 11, 1865, Co. I — 90 men — joined the regiment from Camp Butler, and on June 15 Co. F was mustered out of the service. The regiment embarked for Texas in July, was mustered out at Camp Irwin, that state, Sept. 25, 1865, and arrived at Camp Butler, Ill., Oct. 15, for final payment and discharge.

Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 3

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