The 78th Illinois Infantry Regiment was an

infantry 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 ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

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 ...

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 ...

History

The 78th Illinois Infantry Regiment was organized 3 years' service at

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. ...

, along the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

, mustering in on September 1, 1862. The 78th Illinois then left the state by steamboat for

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

, arriving on September 19, 1862. The regiment, would see all of its wartime duty in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The 78th Illinois was attached originally to 39th Brigade, 12th Division,

Army of the Ohio The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. The first army became the Army of the Cumberland and the second army was created in 1863. History 1st Army of the Ohio General Orders No. 97 appointed Maj. Gen. Do ...

. The regiment went through a series of reassignments; first in November 1862 to Gilbert's Command, District of Western Kentucky, Department of the Ohio. While in Franklin, Tennessee, in February 1863 the regiment was assigned to the

Army of Kentucky The Army of Kentucky was the name of two Union army formations. Both were small and short-lived, serving in Kentucky in 1862 and 1863. Army of August 1862 On August 25, 1862 Major General William "Bull" Nelson assumed command of the forces statio ...

Department of the Cumberland The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio. History The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creation ...

. In June 1863, another reassignment assigned the 78th Illinois to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division Reserve Corps,

Army of the Cumberland The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio. History The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creation ...

. The final reorganization would come in October 1863, assigning the regiment to the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division,

XIV Corps 14 Corps, 14th Corps, Fourteenth Corps, or XIV Corps may refer to: * XIV Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * XIV Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World ...

. The regiment received the blue United States uniform, typical of the Civil War. Initially, the regiment was armed with .69 caliber rifled muskets, altered to use a percussion cap. In 1863, the regiment saw more modern arms provisioned to the soldiers; a mixture of the

Enfield rifle Enfield may refer to: Places Australia * Enfield, New South Wales * Enfield, South Australia ** Electoral district of Enfield, a state electoral district in South Australia, corresponding to the suburb ** Enfield High School (South Australia) ...

and Springfield Rifle Muskets were carried. In 1864, all troops were armed with the Springfield Rifle Muskets.

Timeline

Formation Period

:: September 1, 1862 :::: Regimental Muster in Quincy, Illinois :: September 19, 1862 :::: Moved by steamboat from Quincy, Illinois, down the

, then up the

Ohio River The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

Defense of Kentucky Railroads

:: October 5, 1862 through January 30, 1863 :::: Moved to Shephardstown, Kentucky and guard

Louisville & Nashville Railroad The Louisville and Nashville Railroad , commonly called the L&N, was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States. Chartered by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1850, the road grew into one of the ...

; the main line trussel bridges running south from Shephardstown through Elizabethtown and a spur line between Bardstown Junction to

New Haven New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...

. The regimental headquarters was primarily set in New Haven. The regiment was placed at several key bridges, splitting it apart having one to three companies guard each bridge. :: December 28, 1862 :::: Action at Muldraugh's Hill. Companies B and C were positioned at one of these bridges on December 28, 1862. General

John Hunt Morgan John Hunt Morgan (June 1, 1825 – September 4, 1864) was an American soldier who served as a Confederate general in the American Civil War of 1861–1865. In April 1862, Morgan raised the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry Regiment (CSA) and fought in t ...

’s cavalry fired artillery at the two companies, of which the Union companies had no artillery to return fire. Consequently, the two companies surrendered to Morgan and were paroled. They were first sent to the north at Louisville and then west to St. Louis, where they would be held at Benton Barracks until they could be exchanged. :: December 30, 1862 :::: Action against Company H at New Haven :: January 30 — February 7, 1863 :::: Moved to

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

Middle Tennessee Operations

: February–April 1863 :: February 3, 1863 :::: Repulse of Confederate General

Nathan Bedford Forrest Nathan Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821October 29, 1877) was a prominent Confederate Army general during the American Civil War and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan from 1867 to 1869. Before the war, Forrest amassed substantial wealt ...

's attack on

Fort Donelson Fort Donelson was a fortress built early in 1862 by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River, which led to the heart of Tennessee, and thereby the Confederacy. The fort was named after Confederate general Da ...

, Tennessee :: February 12 through June 23, 1863 :::: Moved to

Franklin, Tennessee Franklin is a city in and county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. About south of Nashville, it is one of the principal cities of the Nashville metropolitan area and Middle Tennessee. As of 2020, its population was 83,454 ...

:: March 4, April 10 and June 4–5, 1863 :::: Actions at Franklin

Tullahoma Campaign

: June 24 and July 3, 1863 :: June 24–28, 1863 :::: March to Triune, Murfreesboro and then to marching near Shelbyville :: July 1, 1863 :::: Occupation of Shelbyville and Middle Tennessee through August 1863

Chickamauga Campaign

: August 16 to September 22, 1863 :: September 19 – 20, 1863 ::::

Battle of Chickamauga The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 19–20, 1863, between United States, U.S. and Confederate States of America, Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a Union Army, Union offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign ...

— On the final day of the battle, the 78th Illinois served a vital role as part of Mitchell's Brigade in reinforcing Thomas at the height of the Confederate attack and took 40% casualties

Chattanooga Campaign

: September through November 1863 :: September 24 — November 23, 1863 :::: Siege of Chattanooga, Tennessee :: November 23 — 24, 1863 :::: Tunnel Hill :: November 24 — 25, 1863 :::: Missionary Ridge — (Regiment temporarily attached to 15th Army Corps November 24) :: November. 26, 1863 :::: Chickamauga Station :: November 29 — December 17, 1863 :::: March to relief of Knoxville :: February 22 — 27, 1864 :::: Demonstration on Dalton, Georgia :: February 23 — 25, 1864 :::: Tunnel Hill, Buzzard's Roost Gap and Rocky Faced Ridge :: April 11 — 13, 1864 :::: Reconnaissance from Rossville to La Fayette

Atlanta Campaign

: May 1 to September 8, 1864 :: May 6 — 7, 1864 :::: Tunnel Hill :: May 8 — 11, 1864 ::::

Battle of Rocky Face Ridge The Battle of Rocky Face Ridge was fought May 7–13, 1864, in Whitfield County, Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union army was led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and the Confederate army by Gen. J ...

:: May 8 — 9, 1864 :::: Buzzard's Roost Gap :: May 9 — 13, 1864 :::: Demonstration on Dalton :: May 14 — 15, 1864 ::::

Battle of Resaca The Battle of Resaca, from May 13 to 15, 1864, formed part of the Atlanta Campaign during the American Civil War, when a Union force under William Tecumseh Sherman engaged the Confederate Army of Tennessee led by Joseph E. Johnston. The battle ...

:: May 17 — 18, 1864 :::: Rome :: May 19 — 25, 1864 ::::

Battle of Dallas The Battle of Dallas (May 28, 1864) was an engagement during the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. The Union army of William Tecumseh Sherman and the Confederate army led by Joseph E. Johnston fought a series of battles between May 25 ...

:: May 25 — May 26, 1864 ::::

Battle of New Hope Church The Battle of New Hope Church (May 25–26, 1864) was a clash between the Union Army under Major general (United States), Major General William T. Sherman and the Confederate States Army, Confederate Army of Tennessee led by General (CSA), Gene ...

:: June 9 — July 3, 1864 ::::

Battle of Marietta The Battle of Marietta was a series of military operations from June 9 through July 3, 1864, in Cobb County, Georgia, between Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. The Union forces, led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, ...

:: June 11 — 14, 1864 :::: Pine Mountain :: June 15 — 17, 1864 :::: Lost Mountain :: June 27, 1864 ::::

Battle of Kennesaw Mountain The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain was fought on June 27, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the most significant frontal assault launched by Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman against the Confederate Army of Tennes ...

— The regiment participated in an unsuccessful and costly assault on the Confederate position on Cheatham Hill. :: July 4, 1864 :::: Ruff's Station, Smyrna Camp Ground :: July 5 — 17, 1864 :::: Chattahoochee River :: July 19 — 20, 1864 :::: Battle of Peach Tree Creek :: July 22 — August 25 ::::

Battle of Atlanta The Battle of Atlanta was a battle of the Atlanta Campaign fought during the American Civil War on July 22, 1864, just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Continuing their summer campaign to seize the important rail and supply hub of Atlanta, Uni ...

:: August 5 — 7, 1864 ::::

Battle of Utoy Creek The Battle of Utoy Creek was fought August 4–7, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's Union armies had partially encircled the city of Atlanta, Georgia, which was being held by Confed ...

:: August 25 — 30, 1864 :::: Flank movement on Jonesboro :: August 31 — September 1, 1864 ::::

Battle of Jonesboro The Battle of Jonesborough (August 31–September 1, 1864) was fought between Union Army forces led by William Tecumseh Sherman and Confederate forces under William J. Hardee during the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. On the first ...

— The 78th Illinois was in Baird's Division, which spearheaded the successful attack on the Confederate line :: September 2 — 6, 1864 :::: Lovejoy Station Operations In North Georgia and North Alabama against Forest and Hood (September 29 — November 3, 1864) :: October 6 — 8, 1864 :::: Florence

Sherman's March to the Sea

: November 15 to December 21, 1864 :: December 10 — 21, 1864 :::: Siege of Savannah.

Carolinas Campaign

: January through April 1865 :: March 16, 1865 ::::

Battle of Averasborough The Battle of Averasborough or the Battle of Averasboro, fought March 16, 1865, in Harnett and Cumberland counties, North Carolina, as part of the Carolinas Campaign of the American Civil War, was a prelude to the climactic Battle of Bentonvil ...

— Taylor's Hole Creek, North Carolina :: March 19 – 21, 1865 ::::

Battle of Bentonville The Battle of Bentonville (March 19–21, 1865) was fought in Johnston County, North Carolina, near the village of Bentonville, as part of the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was the last battle between the armies of Union Maj. ...

— Here, the regiment was nearly surrounded while assigned to picket duty :: March 24, 1865 :::: Occupation of Goldsbore :: April 10 – 14, 1865 :::: Advance on Raleigh :: April 14, 1865 :::: Occupation of Raleigh :: April 26, 1865 ::::

Bennett Place Bennett Place is a former farm and homestead in Durham, North Carolina, which was the site of the last surrender of a major Confederate army in the American Civil War, when Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to William T. Sherman. The first meetin ...

— Surrender of Johnston and his army

Post War Activities

:: April 29 — May 19, 1865 :::: March to Washington, D.C. — via Richmond, Virginia :: May 24, 1865 :::: Grand Review :: June 7, 1865 :::: Mustered out

Strength and Casualties

When the regiment mustered in on September 1, 1862, it included 862 enlisted men. The regiment suffered 9 officers and 95 enlisted men who were killed in action or mortally wounded and 117 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 221 fatalities.

Regimental Organization

Headquarters

The 78th Illinois Infantry Regiment was organized at Quincy, Illinois, in Adams County. Commanding Officers *

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

William H. Bennison – resigned commission September 2, 1863. *Colonel Carter Van Vleck – died of wounds August 23, 1864. *Colonel Maris R. Vernon – mustered out with the regiment.

Company A

Recruited in

Schuyler County, Illinois Schuyler County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 7,544. Its county seat is Rushville. History Schuyler County was formed in 1825 out of Pike and Fulton counties. It is named for P ...

Company B

Recruited in

Adams County, Illinois Adams County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,737. Its county seat is Quincy. Adams County is part of the Quincy, IL– MO Micropolitan Statistical Area. History Adams Coun ...

. Companies B and C were captured by, then Colonel, John Hunt Morgan during a December 26, 1862, raid at

Muldraugh Hill Muldraugh Hill is an escarpment in Bullitt, Hardin, Jefferson, and Nelson counties of central Kentucky separating the Bluegrass on the north and north-east from the Pennyrile on the south and south-west. This escarpment fades into the Pottsville ...

. They were sent to St. Louis, Missouri, under terms of parole and not exchanged until October 1863, effectively reducing the regiment by two companies of infantry.

Company C

Recruited in

McDonough County, Illinois McDonough County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 32,612. Its county seat is Macomb. The Macomb, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of McDonough County. History McDo ...

Company D

Recruited in

Hancock County, Illinois Hancock County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 17,620. Its county seat is Carthage, and its largest city is Hamilton. The county is made up of rural towns with many farmers. Hanco ...

Company E

Recruited in Adams County.

Company F

Recruited in Adams County.

Company G

Recruited in Adams County.

Company H

Recruited in Hancock County. During the same raid that captured Companies B and C, Colonel Morgan attacked the Regimental Headquarters and Company H, on the morning of December 30, 1862, in

New Haven, Kentucky New Haven is a home rule-class city in Nelson County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 855 at the 2010 census. Geography New Haven is located adjacent to the Nelson- Larue county line at the intersection of US Route 31E and Kentucky ...

. The company sustained no casualties, but it was assumed that Colonel Morgan's cavalry did, but was never substantiated.

Company I

Recruited in McDonough County.

Company K

Recruited in Adams County.

Memorials

There is a memorial to the soldiers of the 78th Illinois at the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park.

References

Notes

{{notelist, colwidth=30em Units and formations of the Union Army from Illinois 1862 establishments in Illinois Military units and formations established in 1862 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865

History

Timeline

Formation Period

Defense of Kentucky Railroads

Middle Tennessee Operations

Tullahoma Campaign

Chickamauga Campaign

Chattanooga Campaign

Atlanta Campaign

Sherman's March to the Sea

Carolinas Campaign

Post War Activities

Strength and Casualties

Regimental Organization

Headquarters

Company A

Company B

Company C

Company D

Company E

Company F

Company G

Company H

Company I

Company K

Memorials

See also

Further reading

References

Notes