Research OnLine Digital Library

A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
by Frederick Dyer

Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3

Dyer's Compendium contains brief regimental histories of the Federal Units formed in the Civil War. It is the result of a massive private study conducted by a veteran who ran away from home to join the war as a drummer boy in the 7th Connecticut Infantry..and later served as a private in the same regiment. The work consists of three parts.

Part I provides statistics of Union Army organizations, including troops furnished, losses, deaths, national cemeteries, unit organizations listed alphabetically and by states of origin, commanders of units, geographical divisions and departments, and tabular lists of the departments, armies, corps, divisions, brigades, and regiments. These lists are invaluable for tracing movements of component units, which are difficult to find in any other comprehensive source.

Part 2 contains lists of 10,455 actions, affairs, assaults, battles, campaigns, captures, combats, contacts, events, expeditions, occupations, raids, reconnaissances, scouts, sieges, and skirmishes during the war, arranged alphabetically and also chronologically by state - including mentions of the Union forces engaged and a pictorial section of maps.

Part 3 offers the most important single volume collection of capsule histories for 2494 Union regiments. It focuses on their itineraries, together with those of over 1000 associated units arranged by state organization, with the addition of regular army and general service units."

Here is an example of the kinds of information found on each unit.

Illinois 1st Cavalry Regiment

Seven Companies, "A" to "G," organized at Alton, Ill., and mustered in July 3, 1861. (Cos. "I," "H" and "K" were not mustered with Regiment and never served with it.) Attached to Dept. of Missouri. Moved to St. Charles, Mo., thence to Jefferson City, Mexico, Hannibal and Lexington, Mo. Skirmish at Georgetown, Mo., August (Co. "C"). Siege of Lexington, Mo., September 11-20. Surrendered September 20. Reorganizing at Benton Barracks, Mo., until June, 1862. Guard supply trains and depots at Rolla, Houston, West Plains, etc. Mustered out July 14, 1862. Company "H" organized at Alton, Ill., June 12, 1861. Company "I" organized at Alton, Ill., July 9, 1861. Company "K" organized at Alton, Ill., December 9, 1861. Companies "H" and "I" attached to Military District · of Cairo to February, 1862. 4th Brigade, 1st Division, Military District of Cairo, to March, 1862. Unattached, Army of Mississippi, to April, 1862. Cavalry Division, Army Mississippi, to June, 1862. District of Memphis, Tenn., to July, 1862.

SERVICE.--Skirmishes at Charleston, near Bird's Point, August 19-20, 1861. Fish Lake August 20. Underwood's Farm, near Bird's Point, October 14. Action at Belmont, Mo., November 7. At Cairo, Ill., and Bird's Point, Mo., until March, 1862. Operations against New Market, Mo., March 1-14, and against Island No. 10, Mississippi River, March 15-April 8. Duty at New Madrid until June, and at Memphis, Tenn., until July. Mustered out July 15, 1862. Company "K" attached to Army of Southwest Missouri January to July, 1862. District of Eastern Arkansas, Dept. of Missouri, to October, 1862. Army of Southeast Missouri to December, 1862. Action at Warrensburg, Mo., March 28. Mustered out December 27, 1862.

Regiment lost during service 17 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 26 Enlisted men by disease. Total 43.

Research OnLine Digital Library Annual Subscription $99.95
Research OnLine Digital Library Six Months Subscription $75.00
Research OnLine Digital Library Three Months Subscription $45.00
Research OnLine Digital Library One Months Subscription $17.95

Ordering via EMAIL is easy. Click Here

Orders may also be sent via U.S. Snail to:
Eastern Digital Resources
5705 Sullivan Point Drive
Powder Springs, GA 30127

Tel: (803) 661-3102