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9th Illinois Infantry (3 years)
in the American Civil War
Online Books:
9th Illinois Infantry (3
years) Soldier Roster - Report of the Adjutant
General of the State of Illinois, Volume 1, Revised by Brigadier General J.N.
Reece, Adjutant General, 1900
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Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| Ninth Illinois Infantry (Three Years' Service). — Cols., Eleazer
A. Paine, Augustus Mersy; Lieut.-Cols., Augustus Mersy, Jesse J.
Phillips; Majs., Jesse J. Phillips, John H. Kuhn. This regiment was
organized at Cairo with Cos. B, C, D and F from St. Clair county; A and
I from Madison; H from Montgomery; G from Pulaski; K from Alexander, and
E from St. Clair and Mercer. On the night of Sept. 5, 1861, Gen Grant
moved with the 9th and 12th infantry from Cairo to Paducah, taking
possession of that city early on the morning of the 6th, thus defeating
a similar movement on the part of the Confederates only 5 or 6 hours. On
Oct. 15 about 300 men of the 9th moved up the Cumberland river on a
steamboat convoyed by the gunboat "Conestoga," landed at night a few
miles north of Eddyville, Ky., and at sunrise next morning attacked
about 200 Confederates at Saratoga, killing and wounding from 10 to 15,
and capturing about 36 prisoners. In this engagement the 9th had 3 men
wounded. On Feb. 5, 1862, the regiment, save Co. H which was left as
provost guard at Paducah, embarked on steamboats to a point 5 miles
below Fort Henry, landing on the left bank of the Tennessee river and
moving with the column to attack Fort Heiman, opposite Fort Henry, while
the latter place was attacked by the gunboats and first division. About
600 men of the 9th reported for duty at the battle of Fort Donelson,
where the loss sustained was 35 killed, 160 wounded and 6 prisoners. The
regiment was at Shiloh, where it was engaged until driven back about 2
p. m. on the first day, being unable to flank the enemy because of a
wide gap to the left. After procuring a new supply of ammunition, it was
again engaged until nightfall. The regiment went into the fight with 578
present for duty, and sustained a loss of 61 killed, 300 wounded and 5
prisoners, 3 of the prisoners being wounded, thus showing a loss of
killed and wounded unparalleled by the history of any regiment during
the war, which sufficiently attests its gallantry. It took part in the
advance on Corinth and was on garrison duty there, except on occasional
reconnoissances, until the second battle of Corinth in October, in which
the regiment sustained a loss of 20 killed, 82 wounded and 57 prisoners.
In March, 1863, the 9th was mounted, and on April 14 it moved with a
cavalry brigade composed of the 10th Mo., 7th Kan. and a battalion of
the 15th Ill. on a scout in north Alabama, the purpose of which was to
make a feint until the expedition of Col. Streight, who was making a
raid around Chattanooga, could pass the cavalry of the enemy. This feint
caused the brigade to be engaged in several skirmishes, in one of which
one company of the 9th moved to an exposed position under an order of
the brigade commander and was captured. The loss of the regiment during
this expedition was 5 wounded and 59 prisoners. During this scout it was
engaged in five unimportant skirmishes and was on the march 18 days.
From May 26 to 31 it was engaged as part of the cavalry force on a raid
from Corinth to Florence, Ala., for the purpose of destroying certain
factories there. In this raid the 9th was engaged in several skirmishes.
It was out on scout from June 8 to 11 in western Tennessee, and from the
12th to the 22nd it was engaged in a raid through north Mississippi to
Ripley, New Albany, Pontotoc and other points, being engaged during this
raid in several sharp encounters with the enemy, particularly at Meed
creek swamps. From July 8 to 15 it was on a continuous scout in western
Tennessee, having several skirmishes and a sharp encounter at Jackson.
On Aug. 12 it formed a part of a column of cavalry concentrated at
Oxford, Miss., and made a raid to Grenada, where was destroyed 60
locomotives, 450 cars and a large supply of Confederate stores. On the
24th the regiment returned to camp at Pocahontas, having been engaged on
a most arduous march and in several slight skirmishes. During the months
of September and October it was constantly moving in western Tennessee
and northern Mississippi, with occasional skirmishes, one at Salem,
Miss., being a hot fight, and another at Wyatt, Miss., was a spirited
encounter. The casualties from the time the regiment was mounted to Oct.
30, 1863, were 9 killed and 37 wounded. From Nov. 1, 1863, to May 1,
1864, the regiment was almost constantly moving and had frequent
engagements, particularly at Moulton, Athens, Florence and Flint river,
in each of which several men were killed and wounded. During the Atlanta
campaign the 9th was engaged in scouting on the flanks of the army until
the close of the term of service in July, 1864. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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