The 138th Illinois Infantry Regiment was an

infantry regiment Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

from

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

that served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

between June 21 and October 14, 1864, during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

Service

The regiment was organized at Camp Wood,

Quincy, Illinois Quincy ( ), known as Illinois's "Gem City", is a city in and the county seat of Adams County, Illinois, United States, located on the Mississippi River. The 2020 census counted a population of 39,463 in the city itself, down from 40,633 in 2010. ...

and mustered in for one-hundred day service on June 21, 1864,Dyer (1959), Volume 3 p. 1,101. with Colonel J.W. Goodwin as commander.Reece (1900), Volume 7 p. 123. The

Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...

Edwin M. Stanton Edwin McMasters Stanton (December 19, 1814December 24, 1869) was an American lawyer and politician who served as U.S. Secretary of War under the Lincoln Administration during most of the American Civil War. Stanton's management helped organize t ...

, ordered the regiment to proceed to

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., and the oldest perman ...

, where it was assigned to garrison duty.Reece (1900), Volume 7 p. 123. The counties of Jackson, Clay, Platte, Ray, Lafayette as well as other counties along the western border of

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

, were over-run by bands of pro-Confederate bushwhackers.Dyer (1959), Volume 3 p. 1,101.Reece (1900), Volume 7 p. 123. On July 7, Companies "C" and "F" were ordered to

Weston, Missouri Weston is a town in Platte County, Missouri within the United States. The population was 1,641 at the 2010 census. History The Lewis and Clark Expedition stopped at "Bear Medison" island, near the location of today's city hall. Weston was the ol ...

, and during July, August, and a portion of September, they remained on active duty and succeeded in clearing the counties of bushwhackers. Following the defeat of the bushwhackers, Companies "C" and "F" returned to garrison duty at Fort Leavenworth.Dyer (1959), Volume 3 p. 1,101.Reece (1900), Volume 7 p. 123. In the meantime,

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

Sterling Price Major-General Sterling "Old Pap" Price (September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry in the Western and Trans-Mississippi theaters of the American Civil War. Prior to ...

, had invaded and occupied Missouri from the southeast, cutting off communications between

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

and the southeast.Reece (1900), Volume 7 p. 123. The regiment voluntarily extended its term of service and proceeded along the Iron Mountain Railroad guarding railway bridges from destruction by Price's Army.Reece (1900), Volume 7 p. 123. Following the defeat of General Price's army, the regiment returned to Camp Butler, Illinois and was mustered out on October 14, 1864.Dyer (1959), Volume 3 p. 1,101.Reece (1900), Volume 7 p. 123. During its service the regiment incurred ten fatalities.Reece (1900), Volume 7 pp. 108–123.

Notes

References

Bibliography

* Dyer, Frederick H. (1959). ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion''. New York and London. Thomas Yoseloff, Publisher. {{LCCN, 5912963. * Reece. Brigadier General J.N. (1900).
The Report of Illinois from Military and Naval Department of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois. Containing Reports for the Years 1861–1866
'.

Springfield, Illinois Springfield is the capital of the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat and largest city of Sangamon County. The city's population was 114,394 at the 2020 census, which makes it the state's seventh most-populous city, the second largest o ...

. Journal Company, Printers and Binders. Units and formations of the Union Army from Illinois Military units and formations established in 1864 1864 establishments in Illinois Military units and formations disestablished in 1864

Service

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography