HISTORICAL NOTES:
The Illinois 10th Cavalry Regiment was mustered into service at Camp Butler, Illinois on November 25, 1861. In January 1862, the regiment moved to Quincy, Illinois, where they underwent additional training.
The regiment was equipped with six two-pound howitzers upon its arrival in Springfield, Missouri in April 1862, after which the regiment was almost constantly on duty. The 10th Illinois was made part of the Army of the Frontier and was stationed at Wilson Creek, Missouri.
Members of the regiment were required to obtain their own mounts, which were owned by the individual members until 1864, when the government bought them from the men.
In December 1862, the unit saw its first major action, outside Prairie Grove, Arkansas. Some member battalions of the 10th aided with the taking of Little Rock and Arkansas Post the following summer.
The regiment was ordered into New Orleans in a police action following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in April 1865. The regiment spent much of the latter part of that year fighting Indians outside San Antonio, Texas.
The regiment was disbanded on November 22, 1865, with members receiving their final pay and discharge at Camp Butler on January 6, 1866.
During the war, the regiment lost one officer and 24 enlisted men in combat. Three officers and 262 enlisted men died of disease, for a total of 290 fatalities over the course of the war.
OFFICERS:
Colonel James A. Barrett – November 25, 1861 - May 12, 1862 (resigned).
Colonel Dudley Wickersham – November 10th, 1862 - May 10, 1864 (resigned).
Colonel James Stuart – disbanded November 22, 1865.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Attached to District of Southwest Missouri, Dept. of Missouri, to October, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Army of the Frontier, Dept. of Missouri, to December, 1862. Unattached, Army of the Frontier, to February, 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Army of the Frontier, to May, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, District of Southeast Missouri, to August, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Arkansas Expedition, to December, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Army of Arkansas, to January, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, 7th Army Corps, Dept. of Arkansas, to May, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 7th Army Corps, to September, 1864. 3rd Brigade, Cavalry Division, 7th Army Corps, to February, 1865. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, 7th Army Corps, to April, 1865. 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Military Division West Mississippi, to May, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, Military Division West Mississippi, to July, 1865. Dept. of Texas to November, 1865.
SERVICE:
The Civil War Archive has two accounts of the service of this regiment. Evidently Companies A, D, G and K saw separate service.
Near Waynesville, Mo., May 31, 1862 (Co. "K"). Neosho May 31. Expedition to Keittsville, Mo., July 8-20. Near Fayetteville, Ark., July 15. Moved to Vera Cruz August 10, to Marshfield August 16, and duty there, operating from Springfield to Cane Hill, Ark., until November 13. Marsh field, Mo., October 20 (Detachment). Clark's Mills, Douglass County, November 7 (Co. "C"). Battle of Prairie Grove, Ark., December 7. 3rd Battalion (Cos. "C," "F," "I" and "M") moved to Fayetteville, Ark., December 8, and duty there until March, 1863, rejoining Regiment in Missouri. Expedition over Boston Mountains to Van Buren December 27-29, 1862 (Cos. "B," "E," "H" and "L"). 2nd Battalion (Cos. "B," "E," "H" and "L") moved to Huntsville January, 1863, and joined Totten. Moved to Flat Creek February, 1863, thence to Rolla, Mo. Scout from Fayetteville to Van Buren January 23-27, 1863 (3rd Battalion). Mulberry Springs January 27. Scout from Fayetteville to Arkansas River February 5-12 (3rd Battalion). Thelkelds' Ferry February 6. Near Van Buren February 10. Operations against Marmaduke April 17-May 2. Jackson April 26. At Pilot Knob until July. Steele's Campaign against Little Rock July 1-September 10. Bayou Metoe, or Reed's Bridge, August 27. Bayou LaFourche and capture of Little Rock September 10. Pursuit of Price September 11-13. Near Little Rock September 11. Duty at Little Rock until March, 1864. Steele's Expedition to Camden March 23-May 3. Elkins' Ferry April 3-4. Prairie D'Ann April 9-13. Jenkins' Ferry, Camden, April 15. Near Camden April 20. Jenkins' Ferry, Saline River, April 30. Operations against Shelby north of the Arkansas River May 13-31. Scouts from Huntersville and Clinton June 4-17. Operations in Arkansas July 1-31. Near Huntersville July 8 (Detachment). Near Little Rock July 10 (Detachment). Bayou Des Arc July 14. Duty at Little Rock, Pine Bluff and Brownsville and in the Dept. of Arkansas to November, 1865. Expedition from Little Rock to Little Red River August 6-16, 1864. Expedition from Little Rock to Searcy, Fairview and Augusta in pursuit of Shelby August 27-September 6, 1864. Expedition from Pine Bluff September 9-12. Near Monticello September 10 (Detachment). Brewer's House September 11 (Detachment). Expedition from Brownsville to Cotton Plant October 26-November 2 (Detachment). Expedition from Brownsville to Fairview November 28-December 8. Duty in Arkansas until June 6, 1865. Moved to Shreveport, La., June 6-17, thence marched to San Antonio, Texas, July 8-August 1; duty there until November, 1865.
1st Battalion (Cos. "A," "D," "G" and "K") detached and ordered to Join Gen. Curtis June 15, 1862. Reported at Jacksonport, Ark., July 4, 1862. Attached to Army of Southwest Missouri and District of Eastern Arkansas to December, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, 13th Army Corps, Dept. of the Tennessee, to May, 1863. Detached Brigade, District of Northeast Louisiana to June, 1863. Unattached, 13th Army Corps, to July, 1863.
SERVICE.--March to Helena, Ark., July 4-12, 1862. Action at Cotton Plant, Ark., July 7. Moved to Oldtown Landing August 6, and duty there until October. Moved to Helena October 6. Expedition to mouth of White River November 16-20. Washburn's Expedition to Oakland, Miss., November 27-December 7. Oakland December 3. Arkansas Post, Ark., January 11, 1863. Yazoo Pass Expedition February 24-April 8, 1863. Siege operations against Vicksburg, Miss., April to July. Near Richmond, La., June 6. Milliken's Bend and Young's Point, La., June 6-7. Expedition from Young's Point to Richmond June 14-16. Richmond June 16. Moved to Helena, Ark., July, and rejoined Regiment near Wittsburg, Ark., August 1, 1863. Regiment mustered out November 22, 1865.
ROSTERS:
The roster of this regiment contains the names of 3818 men.
Company A - Menard County and Sangamon County
Company B - Sangamon County
Company C - Iroquois County
Company D - Cook County
Company E - Madison County and St. Clair County
Company F - Madison County
Company G - Sangamon County and Logan County
Company H - Sangamon County and Coles County
Company I - Champaign County
Company K - Brown County
Company L - Sangamon County, Christian County, Effingham County, and Pike County
The DVD now includes the images of the compiled service records for this unit from the National Archives. Save $5.00 when you purchase the paperback and DVD together.
1800 Days Rigdon, John C. Editor Over 11,000 events DVD - $15.00
This CD is the index to All the Battles. It actually contains 4 indexes, sorted by year, by state, by name of battle in PDF format, and an Excel spreadsheet which you can use to manipulate the data on your own.
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HISTORICAL NOTES:
